Our department is both devoted to literary study and committed to making your degree count for success in the real world. With a first-class faculty, a global approach to literature, a wide array of course offerings from Medieval Drama to the Harlem Renaissance, and a valuable alumni network, our graduates carry with them not only a literary education second to none but also a range of valuable skills and resources that prepare them for life after college.
As you decide whether – and in what capacity – to join the Rutgers English Department community, we invite you to consider the strengths of what we can offer to our engaged and well-supported students, both during and after their time at Rutgers.
Professors
In the English Department at Rutgers, we pride ourselves on offering students both a world-class faculty and an unwavering commitment to undergraduate education. Our professors have consistently taken home the university’s top honors, like the Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching – won by professors in our department in 13 of the last 30 years. And with a large faculty, we are equipped to offer a wide range of courses to suit almost any interest, including emerging fields like the digital humanities and the graphic novel.
Students
Our students are challenged to develop their thinking, encouraged to be curious, and given the necessary resources for success. Opportunities like the certificate in creative writing, support for study abroad, and one-on-one work with distinguished faculty as part of our honors program allow students to tailor their expectations to best suit their individual interests and goals. And programs like the Writers at Rutgers reading series ensure that students both study literature and meet it at its forefront.
Alumni
The courses we offer – to both majors and non-majors—help develop a universal set of skills. The quality of how you read, how you write, and how you speak are qualities that can make or break a job application, personal or professional communications, or a first (or subsequent) impression. That is why our alumni have gone on to successful careers in a huge range of fields, from journalism and publication, to law and medicine, to marketing and finance.
