Welcome from the Department Chair
An English degree is one of the most versatile and valuable degrees you can earn. At Indiana State University, studying English prepares you for a lifetime of creative thinking, meaningful engagement, and professional success, whether your interests lie in English Teaching, Creative Writing, Professional Writing, or Literature. More than a degree, an English major is an invitation to join a vibrant community of readers, writers, thinkers, and creators who are passionate about exploring ideas, stories, language, and culture.
Through small classes taught by award-winning faculty, students engage with literature, media, and language while gaining hands-on experience through internships, community partnerships, literary events, and student publications. Our students meet and learn from nationally and internationally acclaimed visiting writers and scholars through our established reading and lecture series, experiencing literature off the page while gaining important professionalization experiences.
An English degree provides exceptional preparation for a wide range of careers. Employers consistently value the skills English majors develop, including effective communication, critical and analytical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and adaptability. Our graduates find success in education, publishing, law, business, government, nonprofit organizations, communications, technology, and many other fields. More importantly, they gain a deeper understanding of stories, cultures, and communities while discovering their own voice and learning to use it with confidence and purpose.
In a world increasingly shaped by the need for communication, empathy, and connection, the value of an English degree has never been greater. I invite you to explore our programs, connect with our faculty and students, and discover all that the Department of English has to offer.
Dr. Amy Ash
Chair and Professor, Department of English
Theodore Dreiser Visiting Writers Series - November 19
Join the Department of English in welcoming visiting poet, novelist, and essayist Jennifer Givhan on Thursday, November 19, at 6:00 p.m. in the Library Events Area at Cunningham Memorial Library. Givhan is a Mexican-American and Indigenous writer whose work draws on the landscapes, cultures, and folklore of the American Southwest. Her novel Salt Bones was named a 2025 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and received recognition from the American Library Association, Book Riot, Marie Claire and Library Journal. Her newest novel, The Sleeping Sisters, weaves Chicana and Indigenous folklore into a literary story of folk horror and true crime.
This event has been rescheduled from its previously announced date of September 24. It is free and open to the public.
"My professors are some of the most professional people I’ve ever met. I’ve learned so much from them about what it’s like to be an English teacher. My graduating cohort feels like a family. We understand each other. It’s a community."
Craig Robinson | '25 English Teaching | Greencastle, Indiana
