Undergraduate English

When you major in English at Nebraska, you’ll explore print and digital texts to discover deeper meanings through literary, rhetorical and historical analysis. Learn how to write fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction with award-winning authors. Amplify your understanding of society and culture while empowering yourself to imagine audacious solutions to insoluble societal problems through engaging texts from a diverse range of experiences.

The Nebraska Difference

Curiosity

Discover what moves you with a diverse blend of academic disciplines.

new-document-check(content)

Flexibility & Choice

Customize your degree with course choices. Add a minor or second major.

greek-column(places)

Hands-On Experience

Build knowledge, skills and experience in and out of the classroom.

graduate(people)

Limitless Career Paths

Connect your major, interests and goals to any field.

Students talking to advisor in office

Program Features

Focus and Range

Dive deep into your English major while taking a wide variety of courses across all areas in the College of Arts and Sciences. Graduate academically well-rounded and eager to keep learning. Use your collaboration and communication skills to address complex problems and make a positive impact professionally and personally. 

1-to-1 Academic Advising and Career Coaching

Along with your faculty, professional academic advisors and career coaches will help you make a one-of-a-kind degree plan. We are focused on your success, while at Nebraska and after graduation, whether your goal is employment or graduate/professional school. 

Eclectic, Diverse and Interdisciplinary

English is a broad academic field, and you’ll take courses across genres, periods of time and topics. You can select from several interdisciplinary areas, like medieval and renaissance studies, ethnic studies, digital humanities, film studies, traditional American literature or British literature. Be ready for an active classroom that is small, intimate and discussion based.  

Students looking at professor while in lecture hall

Notable Courses

Science Fiction (ENGL 206)

Examine science fiction from its origins in the 18th century to its contemporary expression. Explore issues of technological modernity and mediation through literary texts.

Literature of War and Peace (ENGL 210P)

Explore literary works in response to war, conflict and peace.

African American Literature before 1865 (ENGL 244E)

Study representative early African American works of various genres, studied in their social and historical contexts from the oral tradition to the Civil War.

Women and Pop Culture (ENGL 315B)

Consider the relationship between women's roles and popular images in the media, including romances, television, science fiction and magazines, with attention to their historical development.

American Short Story (ENGL 403)

Examine the narrative genre of the short story, as represented by stories from American authors of the nineteenth century to the present day.

Modern Fiction (ENGL 405E)

Read British and American novels and short stories from 1910 to 1950 to examine Modernism’s interpretation of revolutionary changes in culture and society.

Huskers Do Big Things

Internships

  • Editing assistant, Prairie Schooner
  • Intern, Cannes International Film Festival
  • Copywriting assistant, The Minnow Project
  • Tutor, Lincoln Literacy Council
  • Student organizing intern, Nebraska Appleseed Center

Careers

  • Podcast producer, Nebraska Appleseed Center
  • Legal assistant, Kyker Law
  • Public relations associate, Cruise & Associates
  • News reporting, Lincoln Journal Star
  • Family engagement specialist, Community Action Partnership

Graduate Schools

  • Master’s degree, Creative Writing, University of Idaho
  • Master’s degree, Film and Television Directing, DePaul University
  • Master’s degree, Information and Library Science, University of Missouri – Columbia
  • Master’s degree, Legal Studies, Queen’s University Belfast
  • Juris Doctor, University of Nebraska College of Law

Outside the Classroom

Depending on your major, interests and goals, you can choose to do research, work as an intern, study abroad, become a leader or serve your community. The university’s Experiential Learning requirement ensures you have at least one of these transformative learning experiences; students in the College of Arts and Sciences typically complete at least two.

science-lightbulb(school-science)

Academics & Experiential Learning

  • Our motto is Academics + Experience = Opportunities. Employers and graduate/professional schools are looking for students who have a strong academic background and hands-on experience.
  • English students regularly engage in research or internships, and many study abroad or get involved in service or leadership on campus and beyond.
certificate-2(vote-rewards)

Career Preparedness

  • ENGL 300: Professional Practices for English Majors. Examine the individual, national and global value of English and the humanities for careers and life. Explore career paths, gain experience and develop as a professional.
  • CASC 200: Career Development in Arts and Sciences. Explore your interests, abilities and values while identifying career options and preparing for the job search or graduate school application process.
network-people(business)

Community

  • Incoming English majors meet with peer mentors who can encourage connections with resources, opportunities and events in the department and around campus.
  • Write for or serve as an editor for Laurus, the student literary magazine, or volunteer with the Nebraska Writer’s Collective.

Have Questions? We're Here to Help

If you have questions about the English major or navigating the application process, contact us.

Nicholas Gordon portrait
Contact Name
Nicholas Gordon
Contact Title
Director of Recruitment
Phone
Phone
Email
Envelope