English . . .
During my freshman year
as an English major at
UWRF, James Dickey, later to
become famous for his novel Deliverance, chanted his powerful
Southern poems from the
stage at North Hall and even
played a little blues on the guitar.
Coming from a small mill town in
northern Wisconsin, I'd never
seen or heard a real poet before,
and I was amazed.
Among those visiting campus
when I was a student were Gary
Snyder, William Stafford, Galway
Kinnell, and Robert Bly. The intimate
setting always provided us
with opportunities to meet and
engage in fruitful dialogue with
such literary masters . . . I'll
always be deeply grateful to
UWRF for this priceless component
of a poet's education.
~Thomas R. Smith,
author of Keeping the Star and
Horse of the Earth.
Department of English
245 Kleinpell Fine Arts Building
(715) 425-3537
Undergraduate Catalog
Goals and Objectives
- to develop students who are insightful readers and thinkers,
good writers who can search for answers to knotty problems because of the research skills they
have developed, able users of word-processing and publishing technology, and life-long learners
who are aware of the historical, cultural, and philosophical issues of their own and other
times. An education in literature, composition, criticism and language teaches an English major
to write effectively, to think critically, to read widely, to weigh values and to communicate ideas.
Program and/or Curriculum
The English department curriculum blends literature,
composition, criticism, writing and language courses into three programs: the Bachelor of Arts
and the Bachelor of Science degree programs leading to a liberal arts degree, and the Bachelor
of Science degree in English Education. The latter has been identified as a model program by
the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. In addition to the traditional liberal arts minor,
a student may also minor in the professional writing program, which provides preparation for
creative or business writing, or the certifiable language arts/reading minor.
Faculty
The English department faculty are committed to undergraduate education, with
six having been awarded the distinguished teacher award. In addition, many engage in scholarly
and other creative activities which enhance their teaching. Among the faculty are two
Fulbright Scholars, four National Endowment for the Humanities grant recipients, and authors
of books and numerous articles. The faculty stay abreast of current developments within their
specialties by participating in local, national and international conferences, and 97 percent have
been awarded Ph.D. degrees.
Career Opportunities
English majors develop abilities that are sought in academic,
business, and other professional fields. English Education majors have a 92 percent placement
record within the first three years of their graduation, and many are discovering opportunities
for teaching English as a second language both in the United States and abroad.
Liberal arts majors have found positions in business, advertising, project anagement, public
relations, law, politics, foreign service, arts administration, and publishing.
Liberal arts majors also find that the English major is beneficial as a pre-professional degree,
suitable for graduate studies in law, public administration, and the communications industry. |
