English

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts

Creative Writing

Take part in workshops in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Let literary texts inspire your writing journey. Connect with living writers through reading series and internships.

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Apply the traditional literary practices of close reading and critical thinking to the realm of film and media. Learn about various practices through historical study of American and world cinema, theoretical analysis and creative production.

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Literary Studies

Take courses in global English literatures, from medieval poetry to postmodern theory. Grow as a critical writer with skills in literary rhetoric and poetics. Learn about cultures. Participate in research projects, honors projects and internships.

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From Beowulf to Toni Morrison, from eco-poetry to Hitchcock films, the texts and images that we read help us to find wisdom across cultures, communicate what we know, initiate change and create the images and texts of the future. || Why English?

Bucknell’s English department offers three majors: creative writing, film/media studies and literary studies.

Student Spotlight

Writing, Animals and the Outdoors

India Carpenter '20

double major: creative writing and animal behavior

"I’m passionate about animal behavior and creative writing, and at Bucknell both departments are excellent."

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Lights, Camera, Action

Justin Guzman '19

major: film/media studies

"There are a lot of ways to develop your skills here that aren't necessarily academic — practical opportunities related to my future work and furthering my career."

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Perspectives on Literature

Carolyn Marino '20

major: English – literary studies

"My professors have mentored me, and my peers have inspired me. This really is the perfect place to study English literature."

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Faculty Spotlight

Meet all of our faculty

Professor

Paula Closson Buck

Taking risks in thinking and supporting those risks with craft are things Bucknell prides itself on.

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Assistant Professor

Ken Eisenstein

"Part of the fun of teaching and watching films with students is that they see things that I haven’t seen, which prompts me to think about the films in a different way. Working with their ideas is great."

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Professor of English; Director, Griot Institute for Africana Studies

Carmen Gillespie

"The literature that most moves me are the works that help us to not be confined by the experiences we've had, but to imagine something greater."

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Hands-on Experience

Outside the Classroom

Study Abroad

Complement your English major by spending a summer, semester or year abroad exploring the culture, traditions, language and literary style of another country.

Recently, English majors have studied in London and Barbados.

Research

Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects

Students have many opportunities to work with professors and pursue scholarly and creative projects. Often this work culminates in an honors thesis. Recent honor thesis have included:"Global Readers: Woolf on the Russians, Emerson on the Persians" and "Taking the Stand: Meditations on Suffering."

Internships

Internships prepare English majors for career success by providing firsthand experience in the field. Recently, English students have interned with Goldman Sachs, People Magazine and CBS News.

West Branch, a nationally distributed and widely respected literary magazine published at Bucknell, offers internships to two Bucknell students each semester.