Department of English

Our creative writing major offers classes in poetry, literary fiction, fantasy and science fiction, creative nonfiction, and playwriting. The curriculum includes writing workshops (limited to 15 students apiece) and literature classes that provide you with new creative influences and a variety of strategies for your own writing. Under the guidance of faculty who are published, award-winning writers, you'll widen the range of what's possible on the page.

• Creative Writing (BA)

In this major, you'll choose from courses on a range of literatures written in English, as well as literature in translation from all eras. Many of these courses will span cultures, time periods and aesthetic approaches to explore particular themes or genres, such as "The History of the Novel," "Oppression and Resistance," "Human-Animal Transformations" and "Myth and Classical Literature." You'll also have the chance to study literary criticism and theory, linguistics and film adaptations of literary texts, and to take seminars on authors like Jane Austen and Toni Morrison.

• English (BA)

The English major with an emphasis in drama and playwriting provides students with the literary and analytical skills they will need as teachers, writers, scholars and theatre professionals.

• English with an Emphasis in Drama and Playwriting (BA)

Minor in Creative Writing

Minor in English

Minor in Professional Writing

Experiential education is a hallmark of strong academic programs and a key factor in college graduates' success. In the Webster University English department, our practicum courses provide academic credit for experiential education opportunities. These can be off-campus internships or on-campus activities like editorships, research assistantships, event-planning, communications and media, promotions, recruiting, and mentoring. Students can develop their own ideas for practicum courses as well. See your advisor or contact Associate Professor Murray Farish for more information about experiential education in the Webster University English department.

Graduating seniors in the English department must complete the Portfolio Review in their last semester. Here's the process:

1. Register for ENGL 4600: Portfolio Review. This zero-credit-hour course signals your intention to graduate with a degree from the English
2. Assemble your portfolio. For all English department students, the portfolio includes:
   • A copy of your ENGL 1900 Assessment Essay.
   • A list of courses taken for the major.
   • A personal reading list for the college years. Arrange this list in a thoughtful way that demonstrates your thinking about the relationship among these titles. The list should include at least fifty titles, and can include both course texts and books you read on your own.
   • A 500-word essay in which you reflect on your development as an English, Drama and Playwriting, or Creative Writing major. Some questions you might consider: How has your reading and writing changed over the course of your studies? What changed about your relationship to books and literary culture? What were some experiences that had a significant effect on your studies, your creativity, your ambitions, your direction moving forward? How has being a major in the English department prepared you for your future?
   • Copies of three original graded writing assignments from at least two different ENGL courses at the 2000 level or above. These copies should include the professor's comments and grade. Choose materials that reflect your highest achievement as an English department student.
     • For English majors, submit three analytic essays from literature courses, totaling at least 15 pages.
     • For English majors with an emphasis in Drama and Playwriting, submit EITHER three analytic essays from literature courses, totaling at least 15 pages, OR one sample of original dramatic writing workshopped in a creative writing course and two analytic essays from literature courses.
     • For Creative Writing majors, submit two samples of creative writing workshopped in a creative writing course and one analytic essay from a literature course.

3. Submit your Portfolio to your academic adviser by the due date: for May graduates, April 1; for December graduates, November 1; for August graduates, July 1.

Honors Thesis Pathway for Creative Writing Majors, Drama and Playwriting Majors with Creative Thesis

Late Junior Year

1. Meet with adviser to ensure you meet/will meet all of the requirements for departmental honors:
   1.  Complete at least 45 credit hours in residence at Webster University
   2. Maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in all English department coursework
   3. Complete at least two semesters of a foreign language with a grade of B or higher in each semester, or test out of the requirement
   4. Further explore cultures other than British or U.S. in one of four ways:
      1. Complete a third semester of a foreign language
      2.  Complete an approved course in literature in translation
      3. Complete an approved course in world literature
      4.  Participate in Study Abroad
   5. Complete at least two credit hours in ENGL 4400: Advanced Creative Writing in the genre in which you’re writing your Honors Thesis, or three credit hours of ENGL 4400 overall.
   6. Complete at least one of the following:
      1. An additional Topics course (ENGL 3030, 3040, 3050)
      2. An additional ENGL course at the 3000-4000 level
2. Formulate a plan for your thesis, and meet with the appropriate thesis adviser to get their approval to proceed with the thesis.
3. Deliver to the Chair the Petition to Write Honors Thesis, signed by thesis adviser.

First-Semester Senior Year

1. Begin independent work on your thesis. You should have a complete or substantial draft ready for your adviser by the end of this semester.

Second-Semester Senior, Term 1

1. Enroll in ENGL 4900: Thesis Workshop (1 credit hour).
2. At the start of (or before) the semester, contact your thesis adviser to set up a schedule, and deliver your draft-in-progress.
3. Meet regularly with thesis adviser during the term, incorporating their critiques into successive drafts of your thesis.
4. Turn in your final Honors Thesis no later than the Monday following the term break in your final semester.

Second-Semester Senior, Term 2 (upon successfully achieving honors)

If the thesis earns departmental honors, then you will be enrolled in ENGL 4910 Honors Thesis (0 cr) and receive a grade of Pass.

Honors Thesis Pathway for English Majors, English with Emphasis in Drama and Playwriting with Analytic Thesis

Late Junior Year/Early Senior Year

1. Meet with adviser to ensure you meet/will meet all of the requirements for departmental honors:
   1. Complete at least 45 credit hours in residence at Webster University
   2. Maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in all English department coursework
   3. Complete at least two semesters of a foreign language with a grade of B or higher in each semester, or test out of the requirement
   4. Further explore cultures other than British or U.S. in one of four ways:
      1. Complete a third semester of a foreign language
      2. Complete an approved course in literature in translation
      3. Complete an approved course in world literature
      4. Participate in Study Abroad
   5. Complete at least two credit hours in ENGL 4400: Advanced Creative Writing in the genre in which you’re writing your Honors Thesis, or three credit hours of ENGL 4400 overall.
   6. Complete at least one of the following:
      1. An additional Topics course (ENGL 3030, 3040, 3050)
      2. An additional ENGL course at the 3000-4000 level
2. Formulate a plan for your thesis, and meet with the appropriate thesis adviser to get their approval to proceed with the thesis.
3. Deliver to the chair the Petition to Write Honors Thesis, signed by thesis adviser.

First Semester Senior year (required)

Undertake an ENGL 4610 Independent Study (with thesis advisor), in which you complete the background research and thinking necessary to crystallize and contextualize your thesis topic (defaults to 1 cr, but can be adjusted if the scope of research merits)

Second Semester Senior, Term 1 (required)

Enroll in ENGL 4900 Thesis Workshop (1 cr) and complete your thesis no later than the Monday following the semester break in the final semester of study

Second Semester Senior, Term 2 (upon successfully achieving honors)

If the thesis earns departmental honors, then you will be enrolled in ENGL 4910 Honors Thesis (0 cr) and receive a grade of Pass

The Literature Club

Our mission is to engage with the art of the written word both amongst ourselves and within the greater community. We are open to anyone and everyone who shares a love for literature and wishes to join in the promotion of reading and writing. Join us for our regular meetings, for the Halloween Scary Story Night, the Dickens- themed Christmas Party, and our other events throughout the year.

The Webster Writers’ Coalition

The Webster Writers' Coalition is a space for anyone in the Webster community to share their creative writing. Our members will work together to read, discuss, and develop each other's writing, as well as offer an encouraging environment for writers of any level. The WWC was voted “Best New Club” at Webster University for 2022!

The Student Reading Series

One evening each Fall, we pack Pearson House to celebrate the work and words of some of our outstanding student writers with readings of their fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Get there early — this event is typically standing-room-only.

The Green Fuse

Webster University's literary magazine is student-written, student-edited, and student-produced. Since 1982, student editors have chosen the best fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction, and translations submitted each year by Webster students at the main campus and around the world. Our students get Practicum Credit for editing The Green Fuse

The Mercury

The Mercury is the English Department's annual publication for faculty-selected papers and honors theses.Our students receive Practicum Credit for serving as Mercury editorial assistants.

Our Libraries

Our Clewell Poetry Library contains poetry collections and anthologies, craft books, criticism, and poet biographies, and is a gift from former Webster poet David Clewell to the students of Webster University. The library is located on the second floor of Pearson House.

Our Lit-Mag Library is located on the basement level of Pearson House, and contains hundreds of issues of the finest literary journals in America, constantly updated through gifts from the Webster University English and Creative Writing faculty. 

Students may borrow books from either library at any time. Take a book or a journal, read it, enjoy it, bring it back, get another one.

The English department at Webster is committed to literature as a living, growing presence in American life. Since 1986, we have hosted the Visiting Writers Series, a mainstay of the Saint Louis literary scene that is popular with students and readers throughout the community.

In 2022, we renamed the series in honor of David Clewell, founder of the Creative Writing Program at Webster University, former Missouri Poet-Laureate, and longtime professor in the English Department. After a successful fund-raising campaign, we’ll be able to expand our students’ access to our visiting writers, who’ll visit classes, give readings and Q&As, and meet one-on-one with selected students.

Experience some of our past visiting writers (opens in new tab).

Webster University's English department graduates are a highly successful group. Among our alumni, we list CEOs; business owners; attorneys; corporate officers; educators; writers; managers; government workers; executives in IT, finance, marketing and advertising, social media, non-profits, public relations, staffing and human resources, sales, development and fundraising; and the list goes on.

Our graduates succeed because they're smart and talented, but also because our degree programs prepare them for success. In your courses, you'll learn how the skills you're developing in reading, analysis, and writing translate into meaningful, profitable 21st-century careers. Our experiential learning program gives you demonstrable practical experience you can show to prospective employers. And there's more we do to prepare you for life after graduation. All Webster University English department students have access to:

• ENGL 2000: What Next? The English and Creative Writing Major After Graduation—In this one-credit-hour course that we highly recommend for all English department majors, we lay out practical steps to finding fulfilling and meaningful careers. Students learn to research job fields; write engaging and eye-catching cover letters and resumes; build and manage professional networks; and see the ways their English department skills translate into the modern workforce. Students also conduct informational interviews; participate in mock interviews with local professionals; and meet and hear from distinguished guest speakers.
• Professional Writing courses like WRIT 2090: Writing in the Workplace and WRIT 3400: Editing and Style.
• The Webster University English Department Alumni Network. Our dedicated alums will talk to you about their career experiences and provide advice about starting your job search.
• The Webster University Career Planning and Development Center — the CPDC has extensive resources to help launch your career.

And if you're still concerned that a degree in English won't lead to a rewarding career, click on the following links:

• The Humanities in Our Lives (opens in new tab), from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
• What Can You Do with an English Major? (opens in new tab), from WW Norton
• "The World's Top Economists Just Made the Case for Why We Still Need English Majors," (opens in new tab) from the Washington Post
• "In the Salary Race, Engineers Sprint but English Majors Endure," (opens in new tab) from the New York Times