English, B.A.

Read. Write. Reimagine your life. In Saint Louis University’s English program, students engage the world of literature and the art of language. SLU's English majors do more than read great books; they encounter diverse perspectives and learn to read their place in the world. Award-winning English faculty train students to think critically and creatively, write with precision and style and analyze how language shapes culture.

Through courses in literature, creative writing and rhetoric, as well as personalized mentorship, English students reimagine what their futures might hold. SLU’s English alumni often credit the department’s emphasis on writing, analytical rigor and creativity for their success in varied careers. Whether you wish to pursue law or education, marketing or medicine, an M.F.A. or an MBA, an English degree will help you get there.

Additional highlights of SLU's B.A. in English include:

• Hands-on publishing experience: Students edit The Kiln Project, an online literary magazine of student creative writing, and VIA, an online journal of student scholarly research. Student editors also interview renowned visiting authors through the Georgia K. Johnston Writer-in-Residency program and the St. Louis Literary Award.
• A vibrant community: Through the English department’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, students take part in social events, present work at conferences, and strengthen the network of SLU students who love literature and writing.
• Real-world connections: English majors contribute to service-learning projects in the city of St. Louis and bring their writing and research skills to department-sponsored internships with a variety of local and national organizations.

Curriculum Overview

Saint Louis University’s English major is flexible and student-centered, with small classes emphasizing discussion, critical thinking and reflection. A spine of four required courses brings majors together as a cohort to explore foundational questions, such as: Why English? What are the functions of literature and rhetoric for communities beyond the university? What role does creative storytelling play in shaping cultures of justice?

Students craft their own paths through the rest of the major, following their passions in literary studies, creative writing and rhetorical studies. From true crime podcasts and Shakespeare’s plays to climate change novels and new media writing, elective courses cover a range of literary histories and genres while drawing connections to the present. Many electives within the English major also fulfill University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements, giving students time and freedom to explore. The English curriculum concludes with a senior capstone experience in which students work with a faculty mentor to complete a significant research or creative project of their own design.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

The English department offers opportunities for students to supplement their regular course of study with research experiences, internships and community-based learning. In the selective Research Intensive English program, some students pursue literary and rhetorical studies in small, rigorous settings and conduct distinctive scholarly research. The department provides support to students who present original research at national and regional undergraduate conferences.

SLU English students also take their learning out of the classroom through projects such as The Saint Louis Story: Learning & Living Racial Justice, a collaborative digital humanities research endeavor that brings SLU students and faculty together with community partners.

Finally, the English department sponsors credit-bearing internships where students make meaningful connections between their studies and the practical, social and intellectual demands of a workplace. English students intern in fields like law, publishing, marketing and business. Others apply their writing skills and creativity in internships with arts and media organizations such as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Saint Louis Poetry Center.  

Careers

Students who study English receive a solid foundation for professions that require excellent analytical and communication skills and a creative spirit. SLU English graduates have worked as editors at major New York publishing houses and taught English at the university and high school levels. Others pursue law and have become attorneys in business and commercial litigation and clerked for federal judges. Alumni in the creative sector have directed digital strategy and advertising campaigns and written, directed, and produced feature films. Others consult for tech firms, serve as workforce management specialists, and enter careers in government and nonprofit agencies.

Some graduates enroll in master’s or doctoral programs to continue their English studies, finding placement in some of the nation’s leading programs in literary studies, creative writing and rhetoric. Others attend law school, medical school or MBA programs.  

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED.

Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).

In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.

For information on other scholarships and financial aid, visit www.slu.edu/financial-aid.

Graduates of the SLU Department of English B.A. program will be able to:

1. Write with clarity, style and rhetorical precision;
2. Describe the relationship between historical contexts and literary and rhetorical works;
3. Analyze how form, medium and genre contribute to meaning in a variety of works;
4. Use critical and theoretical concepts to connect literary works to larger fields of inquiry;
5. Articulate ethical and political implications of literary and rhetorical works for communities beyond the University.

The English, B.A. degree requires 30 credits in ENGL.

Concentrations within the English Major

Students are not required to declare a concentration in the major; students may earn the general BA in English by successfully completing the requirements outlined above. However, students may choose to add optional concentrations in Creative Writing, Research Intensive English, or Rhetoric, Writing and Technology. Students who choose a concentration will complete the courses required for the general BA in English, but will substitute concentration courses for elective courses as needed.

Continuation Standards

All English courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher in order to count for English major requirements and for the student to continue in the major.

Creative Writing Concentration

Research Intensive English Concentration

Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration

Graduation Requirements

• Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses numbered below 1000).
• Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements.
• Complete major requirements: minimum of 30 credits required.
• Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate or electives to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
• Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s), and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate or related elective credits.
• Complete department- and program-specific academic and performance requirements.
• Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program.
• Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program.
• Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

General Major

Creative Writing Concentration

Research Intensive English (RIE) Concentration

Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration

Students can complete all or part of the English major at SLU’s campus in Madrid.

Learn More

2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution. 

• English, B.A. (STLCC 2+SLU)