Prospective Students
The University of Maryland Department of English combines an innovative liberal arts education with practical career skills that last a lifetime.
Why choose the University of Maryland for English?
Our department champions innovation, diversity and flexibility in the pursuit of higher education. Our world-class faculty are at the top of their fields, with an award-winning body of work in literary studies, rhetoric, media studies, novels, short stories and poetry.
Our graduates pursue successful careers in writing, researching, publishing, teaching, communication, advocacy, and media.
96%
English graduates are in full-time jobs or graduate school within six months.
Explore and Apply to our Graduate and Undergraduate Programs
View our program requirements for our undergraduate and graduate programs and apply to the University of Maryland.
Undergraduate
The University of Maryland’s Undergraduate Studies in English offers creative thinking, cultural engagement and the inclusive study of stories—past, present and future.
Explore the Program
Graduate
The University of Maryland’s Graduate Studies in English offers an extraordinary depth and range of expertise with highly individualized professional and pedagogical mentorship.
Explore the Program
“The point of literature is to communicate an experience, to tell a story, and for so many marginalized people seeing ourselves in literature or fiction is powerful. The UMD English major has taught me the importance of using your voice when you have one because so many people don't.”
Liyanga de Silva, 2020 English Alum
“The three biggest skills I've gained are professional writing, interpersonal skills and critical thinking. As a UMD English major, you learn to analyze information and form your own opinions in a constructive manner, which is invaluable in today's world. This has also made me a very open-minded person, which has helped me get along with people from many different backgrounds.”
Preston Foster Jr., 2020 English Alum
“The most valuable part of the UMD English major to me has been the people in it who come from so many different places and have so many different perspectives on the stuff we read and how it affects them or speaks to experiences that they have had. I have learned as much from my peers as I have from my professors. I think that the English major is unique in how it creates communities of people who are curious about the world and why things are the way they are.”
Amy O'Neill, 2020 English Alum