BA in English in Madison United States | University of Wisconsin-Madison

The English major equips students with mastery of the English language and literature, fostering critical thinking, articulate communication, civic engagement, and professional achievement. Students develop exceptional writing abilities while cultivating advanced analytical and interpretive skills. They explore timeless, innovative, and challenging literary works while confronting viewpoints vastly different from their own, reflecting on fundamental beliefs. Faculty expose learners to diverse genres and cultural frameworks, meticulously guiding every element of thought and composition—from reasoning and support to innovation and expression. By enhancing communication prowess, sparking imagination, nurturing cultural awareness, and refining critical faculties, the English major opens doors to numerous career paths.

Students select among three concentrations: the general track (centered on literary and cultural analysis), creative writing, or linguistics. All participants complete foundational coursework exploring various literary and linguistic methodologies, including studies in historical contexts. General track students expand on these fundamentals through intermediate and advanced classes examining texts from different eras and regions, employing diverse critical lenses. Those focusing on creative writing complement core studies with specialized workshop courses. The linguistics concentration offers studies in grammatical structures, English language evolution, sound systems, and language learning processes.