Literature in English

Go beyond the page.

Our curriculum reflects both our respect for intellectual traditions and an appreciation of the way those traditions have been transformed by the inclusion of other voices: Sir Philip Sidney and Mary Sidney Herbert, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Faulkner and Richard Wright, Toni Morrison, Natasha Tretheway, and Jesmyn Ward. Become an insightful reader, a perceptive critic and an expert writer.

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Why study literature in English at Millsaps?

In their own words

Mariam Bhatti, Class of 2026

“I am a biochemistry major, but in the back of my mind, I knew I also wanted to pursue an English degree. I took Dr. Griffin’s Interpretation course and it really finalized my decision. As a pre-med student, balancing STEM-focused classes with the liberal arts can be challenging. Still, the English department could not be more helpful. I am excited to study English and will gain a valuable education.”

Seraiah Lodge, Class of 2024

“Over my four years of being an English literature major, I have grown as a stronger writer, a confident speaker and a lover of literature. Now that I am student teaching, I feel confident in my ability to teach students to think critically and creatively because of Millsaps’ English program.”

Skylar Smith, Class of 2025

“Studying English at Millsaps has enlightened me in all facets of life. The classes have not only taught me about literary history but also changed the way I interpret the world and all forms of media. The professors are the best part; every one of them is so kind and constantly working to help me accomplish my goals.”

Featured Courses

Here is a sampling of a few courses that might pique your interest.

ENGL 1000 Interpretation

From short stories and poems to nonfiction drama and films, you’ll be equipped to understand, analyze and critique. Techniques include close reading, introducing various critical approaches and having students communicate their interpretations.

ENGL 3350 Authorial Studies

This course is devoted to the works of one or more authors, focusing on their texts in the context of their lives and cultures. Possible authors include Hawthorne, James, Wharton, Joyce, Woolf, Faulkner, Welty, Austen or Scott.

Browse all literature in English courses

Degree Options

Discover your degrees, minors, concentrations and certification options available for this field of study.

English, B.A.

English, B.S.

Minor in English

Communications Skills Rated Most Desirable by Employers

Employers rated the “ability to verbally communicate” as the most important candidate skill.*

Digital Welty Research Lab

Learn humanities coding and web design skills, which can help you tailor your creative interests to today’s technological world.

Hands-on Literary Learning

Students have many opportunities, including work with the Eudora Welty House & Garden, University Press of Mississippi, Medgar & Myrlie Evers Institute and Juke Joint Magazine.

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Our distinctive strengths

Members of the Millsaps English department faculty have varied interests, ranging from Shakespeare and the wider European Renaissance to the Romantic poets, from the Victorian novel to Southern, African-American and postcolonial writers, and from modernist fiction, drama and poetry, to contemporary writers and the art of adaptation, turning fiction into film.

Interdisciplinary study of literary works in creative and scholarly contexts.
Students themselves choose their main periods and genres of interest.
Department values creative adaptation as an important goal.
Through the Digital Welty Research Lab, students can learn humanities coding and web design skills, which can help them tailor their creative interests to today’s technological world.

Gain hands-on experience

Student have numerous opportunities for real-world experience in their field. Some of those opportunities include Eudora Welty House and Garden, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Digital Welty Lab, University Press of Mississippi, Mississippi Museum of Art, Mississippi Braves, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Juke Joint Magazine and Portico Magazine.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Pathways

Literature in English majors will find a Pathways connection in the Arts, Culture & Communications; Business; Health; Law, Politics & Social Leadership and Exploratory tracks.

Learn More About Pathways

Study Abroad

Students majoring in literature in English have studied abroad in many locations, including England, Ireland, Italy and Mexico.

Upcoming Study-Abroad Classes

More About the Degree

Recent Career Placements

Law firms: Baker Donelson, Williams & Connolly, Butler Snow, Locke Lord
Government: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Colorado Court of Appeals, U.S. Department of State, Social Security Administration
Publishers and newspapers: University of Pennsylvania Press, University Press of Mississippi, Washington Post
Health care:Massachusetts General Hospital, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Stanford University School of Medicine
Higher ed/high schools: Boston College, Germantown High School, Hanover College, St. Andrews High School, Wake Forest University, Washington and Lee, University of Cincinnati