Frequently Asked Questions

You can find instructions for declaring an English major here.

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 (30 credits of coursework) of the major are flexible enough that you could consider adding it as another major.

Click here to see a list of commonly asked questions as you prepare to enroll in courses.

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.

Students in Creative Writing will sign up for their thesis work through English 695 in or close to their final semester and only have they have completed at least three workshops in the major. Faculty in Creative Writing rotate through supporting students in 695, generally in poetry, fiction or nonfiction.

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 (not including English 207), 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 fall or 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 summer term.

English 207 is a freshman or sophomore-only course and does NOT count towards the English major, whereas English 307 is a course for students of junior standing or higher and does count towards the English major. Both courses can fulfill the Communication B requirement and offer the prerequisite for students looking to take 400 or 500 level workshops.

Important note: If you are already considered a junior by the number of credits you’ve taken, you will need to register for English 307 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.

If you are a declared English major and were not able to get a seat in a workshop required for your major, please get in touch with the Academic Advising Manager. If you are a non-major interested in taking workshop, you will want to join the waitlist to see if a spot will open up.

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 major 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. Make sure to meet with our career advisors to explore your next steps!