Why Be an English Major?

Consider these reasons to be an English major at Butler University:

  • We have an excellent faculty of nationally recognized scholars and creative writers, committed to teaching in small classes, which makes it easy to get to know and work with your professors and peers.
  • We have a vital history:  we were the first English department in the country to provide tenure to a woman scholar, and the first to have an endowed chair specifically for a woman professor.  We also have the oldest student-run publication in the state of Indiana, Manuscripts, one of several journals we run, and for which you can write or edit.
  • We have a dynamic creative writing program, with seven full-time teachers-writers and one of the finest visiting writers’ series in the country.  Our creative writing program is, in fact, so successful that it now has its own house, one of only a handful of universities nationwide with its own Creative Writing Center.
  • We have a vibrant internship program, with students doing internships with local and national publications (like National Geographic), major publishing companies (like Macmillan), local service organizations, and other exciting places like major sports franchises (the Indianapolis Colts), congressional offices, arts centers, and in academic administration and research.
  • Our graduates have gone on to successful careers as writers, doctors, teachers, professors, lawyers, religious professionals, and editors. They work in marketing, and for major tech firms. They have won national awards, publish widely, and currently go to some of the best graduate schools in the country, including Yale and Harvard. In one way or another, our graduates make a living doing what they love: writing and reading.
  • You can get the kind of education you want at Butler. The English Department has tracks in literature, creative writing, literary theory, and Public and Professional Writing.

Please accept this invitation to explore our website and discover what English at Butler is all about.

What others are saying about becoming an English major

Contrary to many opinions, being an English major isn’t just good for the brain and the soul—it’s a financially sound decision too. According to recent studies, the unemployment rate for English majors is 2 percent below the national average. The linked articles below provide valuable references and inspiration as you think about whether to become an English major.