Dedicated to the intellectual curiosity, analytical dexterity, and creative thinking of its students, the English Department at CWRU fosters reading, writing, and media skills through a broad selection of seminars and research. 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.
There is no better place to learn the art of communication. In addition to being a stand-alone major, English effectively complements many other disciplines and serves as excellent preparation for law school, medical school, and business school. Our smaller class sizes allow individual attention from professors who have published acclaimed books and won awards including the Fulbright and the Guggenheim.
The works we study challenge us with different values, ideas, and perspectives. We are committed to free and open debate in a context of tolerance and respect.
The Writing Program, part of the English department, focuses on supporting a thriving culture of writing at the university. The Writing Program coordinates courses for undergraduate and graduate student writers, including first-year Academic Inquiry Seminars and a variety of communication-intensive courses, and supports pedagogical and curricular development for faculty and staff. In addition, the Writing Resource Center provides individual consultations to CWRU writers at any stage of their writing processes, and for every writing occasion (from personal statements to science fiction; from research papers to podcasts).
CWRU Department of English Statement on Black Lives Matter and Antiracism
This Year’s Sadar Lecture: “Automating Writing from Androids to AI”
A Lecture by Annette Vee. Tinkham Veale University Center Senior Classroom. Monday, December 11th, 2023, 3:15—4:30pm (reception following). Generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT have suddenly thrust the automation of writing into the public spotlight. The machine learning techniques behind Large Language Models such as the GPT series may...
Department of English Newsletter: September 2023
//Letter from the chair/Welcome back party/Bob Wallace book/Department news/Cleveland Humanities Collective/Alumni news/Conversation with Sangeeta Ray// Letter from the Chair When second-year English major Molly McLaughlin stepped to the front of the room at Waterloo Arts in Collinwood, she didn’t know she’d be reciting her villanelle to an audience that included Michelle...
Department of English Newsletter: June 2023
Letter from the Chair/Department News/1st Gertrude Mann Lecture/Career Path to the Q/Sigma Tau Delta/Catching up with Alums/Congrats to our Graduates// Letter from the Chair While the fall and winter invited us into Guilford’s parlor and Bellflower’s foyer, summer throws open the doors to the world again. The porch is our summer...
Department of English Newsletter: March 2023
Letter from the Chair/What is Egypt to Me?/Dept. News/Book Buddies/Sigma Tau Delta/Linguistic Justice/Alumni News// Letter from the Chair The medieval rooms at the Cleveland Art Museum were empty one week in early March when a colleague from Art History took me on an introductory tour. We spent most of our time...
Department of English Newsletter: December 2022
Letter from the Chair One recent day in Guilford House, right around the fall break, I walked into the Parlor to find small clusters of students writing together. I recognized some from my visit to ENGL 300: English Literature to 1800 a few weeks before. Charlie Goyal, who is the...
Department of English Newsletter: September 2022
Letter from the Chair The packet of mail that Chris Flint left on my desk has an old black-and-white polaroid in it. Eight faculty are sitting or standing, some in pairs, some gesticulating. A combination of shirtsleeves and winter wear reveals very little about the season, hidden by the long...