English

School of Humanities and Sciences

Explore — deeply and rewardingly — the rich legacy of literature written in English, past and present.

What You'll Study

To study English at Stanford is to explore -- deeply and rewardingly -- the rich legacy of literature written in English, past and present. We offer a wealth of courses on individual authors, the history of literary genres, literary theory, new media, and creative writing. Given the emphasis on critical thinking and interpretation, the English major is in turn an excellent preparation for many professional fields, including teaching, journalism, law, publishing, medicine, and business.

The English department has the following degree options: BA in English, a minor in English, a minor in Creative Writing, a minor in Digital Humanities, an Honors thesis program, and a coterminal MA program. See the "Related Links" for more information on each of these programs.

Degrees Offered

• BA
• Minor
• Honors
• Coterm

More Information

Learn more about English in the Stanford Bulletin

• Department of English
• Creative Writing Program
• School of Humanities & Sciences
• Explore IntroSems related to this major

Exploratory Courses

ENGLISH 10C

Introduction to English I: Tradition and Individuality, Medieval to Early Modern

ENGLISH 11A

Introduction to English II: High Life and Low Life: British Literature 1660-1820

ENGLISH 11B

Introduction to English II: American Literature and Culture to 1855 (AMSTUD 150)

ENGLISH 12A

Introduction to English III: Introduction to African American Literature (AFRICAAM 43, AMSTUD 12A)

ENGLISH 12C

Introduction to English III: Modern Literature

ENGLISH 145G

US Fiction 1945 to 2000

ENGLISH 146A

Steinbeck (AMSTUD 146A)

ENGLISH 152G

Harlem Renaissance

ENGLISH 17Q

After 2001: A 21st Century Science Fiction Odyssey

ENGLISH 71

Dangerous Ideas (ARTHIST 36, COMPLIT 36A, EALC 36, ETHICSOC 36X, FRENCH 36, HISTORY 3D, MUSIC 36H, PHIL 36, POLISCI 70, RELIGST 36X, SLAVIC 36, TAPS 36)

ENGLISH 81

Philosophy and Literature (CLASSICS 42, COMPLIT 181, FRENCH 181, GERMAN 181, ILAC 181, ITALIAN 181, PHIL 81, SLAVIC 181)

ENGLISH 90

Fiction Writing

ENGLISH 91

Creative Nonfiction

ENGLISH 92

Reading and Writing Poetry

ENGLISH 9CE

Creative Expression in Writing

Related Links

Information about the English Major

Information about the English Minor

Information about the Creative Writing Minor

Information about the Digital Humanities Minor

Information about the English Honors Program

Information about the English Coterm