Frequently Asked Questions

Make an appointment with the undergraduate advisor.

No, not really. You need to complete all requirements for both (all) majors that you declare. If all majors are in the College of Letters & Science, you do not need anyone’s permission to declare more than one major. If you are a student in another school or college and want to declare an additional major in L&S you will need the permission of your home school or college.

All of the courses that count for the English major have a subject code of ENGLISH (or are crosslisted with ENGLISH).  These courses primarily deal with literature, creative writing, or language and linguistics originally written or published in English.

The College of Letters and Sciences does not offer minors. There are a variety of certificates that are available. The English Department offers a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), but otherwise there are no certificate programs for English literature, language and linguistics, or creative writing. You may find that the requirements (31 credits of coursework) of the major are flexible enough that you could consider adding it as another major.

It depends on the course.

If the course is a creative writing workshop (English 203 or 300 – 307) you should read the Admissions and Registration page of the Program in Creative Writing website for information about registering for these courses.

Most other courses offered within the English Department now offer a waitlist option in your MyUW Student Center. You can find out more information about wait-lists and registration in this helpful KnowledgeBase article.

Only in a few limited instances. Some courses can be repeated for credit, typically either creative writing workshops or upper-level topics courses. Since these change from semester to semester, please consult the English adviser to be sure that you can do so.

You should start thinking about topics for your thesis prior to the semester you plan to start writing it. As you take English classes get to know the faculty teaching them, attend office hours, and ask questions in class. Tell them you are thinking about writing a thesis and what some of your potential topics might be. (Or, if you don’t have one yet, talk with them about how to develop a topic!)

Once have determined your likely topic area, check out the faculty listing to see who has interests that match yours and contact them. You don’t need to have a precise topic and thesis established, but having some ideas and having a little research done prior to meeting with a potential advisor can be helpful.

More information about writing a thesis is available on the Honors page (most of the guidelines for writing a thesis pertain to students taking ENGLISH 681/682 or 691/692). You will need to have an advisor before you can register for a thesis course. Thesis advisors must be Assistant, Associate, or full Professors; unfortunately, TA’s or adjunct instructors do not qualify to direct your thesis, though you can certainly talk about your work with them.

It is highly possible that even if you have taken a creative writing workshop previously you will need to submit a writing sample in order to get a place in a workshop in a future semester. Students should first try to register for a workshop using the regular registration system on MyUW. If the course they are interested in is closed, then they would need to submit a writing sample in order to be considered for a place in one of the 300 level workshops.

The exception is English 203, which does not require a writing sample. When it appears closed online, it really is closed. Unfortunately, English 203 can not be used for English major requirements.

Not without special permission of the Creative Writing Program Director, Ron Kuka.

Yes, students must complete three workshops (English 300 – 307), typically over three different semesters, prior to taking English 695.

You should contact the Creative Writing Program Director, Ron Kuka, for permission to register.

Students should try to plan their courses in such a way that they are ready to take English 695 in a spring semester. If this is not possible it is the student’s responsibility to contact Ron Kuka to see if it is possible to make arrangements to take it in a term other than the spring.

When you turn in your writing sample they will tell you when the announcement will be made. The list of names is posted on the sixth floor of Helen C. White and on the Creative Writing website.

Acceptance to each class depends on how many students submit a writing sample. The capacity for courses in the English Department are determined prior to the start of enrollment based on available staff.

English 203 is a sophomore-only course and does NOT require a writing sample to register, whereas English 300 is a course for students of any standing and does require a writing sample. While both are introductory multi-genre courses, English 300 is perhaps slightly more advanced than 203, because students in 300 have often already taken 203.

Important note: If you are already considered a junior by the number of credits you’ve taken, you will need to register for English 300 if you wish to take a beginning creative writing course. Keep in mind that the registration system will take into account courses currently in progress when determining your standing for the following semester.

A student who is unable to register for English 203 or a 300-level classes online, and who is not admitted on the basis of a writing sample during the last week of classes in the prior semester, may apply (with a writing sample) directly to the instructor of the course during the first week of classes. These decisions are ultimately left to the discretion of the instructor and are often determined by the number of students who drop the class within the first week.

You should apply for graduation when you register for the courses that will complete all degree requirements. So, let’s say you plan to graduate in May at the end of the spring term, which means you’ll register for classes in mid-November. After you register in November run your DARS and make sure it says “ALL REQTS COMPLETE PENDING FINAL REVIEW–IN PROGRESS CRSES USED” then go apply for graduation via MyUW.

For more information about this process, check out our “Graduation Checklist” page.

There’s a difference between walking at the graduation ceremony and the conferral of a degree. Basically, you can attend the commencement ceremony, even if you have some degree requirements outstanding, but your degree will not be conferred until you complete all degree requirements.

No, the only thing that is listed is the degree you are working toward. You are automatically audited for any major, certificate, or program that you have declared. If you are declared for a major, program or certificate that you do not plan to complete you need to cancel it before you will be cleared for graduation.

One of the best things about a degree in English is that it can be applied to so many different jobs, fields, or further studies. Our students go on to do a wide array of things after graduating — furthering their education in a graduate program, working for a non-profit, teaching internationally, even starting up their own businesses — and we’re here to help you figure out the next momentous steps in your life. The University has a huge number of career and advising resources, and within the English Department, we offer information and advice on a number of opportunities. You can see our pages here for more information on some of the options, academic and otherwise, available to you.

And, last but not least, be sure to talk with our undergraduate advisors—for academic advising and career advising—or with your favorite faculty members. As scary as it can be, graduation is a celebration of your accomplishments as a student and a bright doorway into the next chapter of your life, and we’re here to help you figure out where your life might lead you!