About the Program

The study of English at Stanford involves the rich tradition of English-language literature from the early medieval period to the present, a large and ever-growing body of work that includes fiction, poetry, drama, non-fiction prose (essays, biographical writing, memoirs), graphic narratives, and digital, cinematic, and other emerging media. Research opportunities, literary events (including performance), creative writing readings and workshops, lectures, conferences, and panels are among the many ongoing activities organized by faculty, graduate students, lecturers, and undergraduate peer advisors, majors, and minors.

What You'll Study

The English program at Stanford includes the following features:

• Required courses in the core curriculum: Three focused on Literary History from the early medieval period through the present, one on Poetry and Poetics, and one on Narrative and Narrative Theory. Attention to both literary history and literary form is built into the core curriculum.

• Students learn major theories, methods, and concepts of literary study. They also learn the formal qualities of key literary genres, modes, and styles; and the ways in which literature develops in relation to other texts and in historical context.

• Tracks or concentrations within the major that allow specialization within the core curriculum.

o   Literature (aesthetic inquiry and critical interpretation)

o   Literature and Philosophy

o   Computational Cultural Analytics

o   Interdisciplinary Studies 

o   Creative Writing

• The Honors Program in English provides an opportunity to pursue intensive study on a research topic of your choosing, supervised by a faculty member and supported by a graduate student mentor. The Honors seminar, in Autumn of Senior year, forges community among thesis writers.