The English Department fosters reading, writing, and media skills through a broad selection of small seminars. Our classes combine the study of English and American literature, exploring the craft of poetry, Shakespearean drama, science fiction, the techniques of horror films, the rhetoric of medicine, and the dynamics of novels, plays, short stories, and creative non-fiction.
The Writing Program supports a thriving culture of writing, coordinating courses for student writers, including first-year Academic Inquiry Seminars and a variety of communication-intensive courses, and offers pedagogical and curricular development for faculty and staff.
Department of English Newsletter: September 2026
Letter from the Chair Welcome to the new academic year! A lot’s happened since the start of the school year, including a goodbye party for Martha Wilson Schaffer (who’s accepted an Assistant Professor job at the University of Toledo College of Law), and the chance for people to welcome our...
Department of English Newsletter: June 2026
Letter from the Chair One of the most reliable signs of spring here at Guilford House is the robin who insists on building a nest above the main double doors. The front porch is so quiet after exams. But this year, there was a wrinkle: the front door’s showing its...
New Gutenberg Annex Updates
The New Gutenberg Annex has been busy five or six days a week this spring supporting an array of student projects in its spaces.
NCTE Conference on Communication & Composition 2026
During the first week of March, CWRU’s Writing Program served as local hosts for the annual NCTE Conference on Communication & Composition in Cleveland, Ohio.