English

Degree

Bachelor of Arts, Major, Minor

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This program offers a flexible and challenging curriculum, allowing students to experience a wide range of approaches to literature and writing.

What You'll Learn and Do

Find Your Concentration

Within the English major, concentrations are available in literature, creative writing, English studies, professional writing, and teacher education. Students can also minor in English by taking 15 credit hours of courses (12 hours beyond the required Magis Core literature course) selected from among any of our subject areas.

Make the Major Your Own

The major provides a solid core of courses in literary studies while also allowing each student the opportunity to create an individualized program that reflects their interests and passions in literature, writing, and cultural studies.

Develop Your Skills

Develop your analytical and organizational skills through understanding literature and personal writing. You will acquire crucial skills through close reading, textual analysis, rhetoric, and argumentation, preparing you for any career in which intellectual agility, creative problem solving, and strong writing skills are a necessity.

Appreciate Craft Through Your Studies

Throughout the major, students are taught to appreciate the importance of reading and writing, and the power of language. By being able to read critically and write clearly and persuasively, students build the skills that are essential to succeed in today’s ever-changing, global job market.

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Explore English at Fairfield

Hear from students who have experienced the English program firsthand. From exploring literature and writing to working closely with faculty and peers, they share what made their time at Fairfield meaningful, challenging, and inspiring.

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Learn from Leading Scholars

Fairfield Meditz's distinguished faculty bring deep expertise across a broad range of disciplines, creating an engaging and intellectually rich learning environment. Students learn from and collaborate with scholars whose specialties include Edith Wharton, American Literature and Culture, Chaucer and Middle English Literature, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and many other fields.

Through close mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities, faculty help students develop the knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to lead in an increasingly complex world.

Find Out More

Course Requirements

English Major

30 credits

English Minor

15 credits

Contact Us

Undergraduate Admission
admis@fairfield.edu
(203) 254-4100

Career Outlook

Internships

Recent internship placements for English majors/minors.

Placements

  • NBC Universal (New York)
  • Brennan Law Firm (New York)
  • The Capitol Theatre, Portchester (New York)
  • NBC Sports (Stamford)
  • Make-A-Wish CT (Trumbull)
  • The Jimmy Fallon Show
  • Woodhall Publishing Press
  • Serendipity Magazine/Unger Publishing, LLC
  • Dana Farber Cancer Institute
  • Vineyard Vines
  • Flix Streaming Platform
  • The Office of Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT)

My experience with an internship has been an incredible highlight of my academic career at Fairfield. The internship program allowed me to connect to Fairfield College Preparatory school and gain exposure to a real-world work setting that not only affirmed my future career aspirations, but also the importance of being an English major and developing my skills in professional writing and articulation.”

– Emily Garry ’26

Resources for Student Success

As students proceed through their academic journey, the Meditz College of Arts and Sciences Office of Career and Professional Development offers advising, counseling, programming, and experiential opportunities to help students discover their strengths, explore career paths, and build essential skills needed to succeed in their professional career.

Learn More

Fairfield supports the scholarly success and intellectual growth of our students by providing various resources on campus including the Science Center, Writing Center, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, and more.

Learn More

Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose is an annual national literary journal seeking works from writers during its fall reading period of August 1-October 15 each year. We publish fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction of both contest winners and other writers every May. The literary journal is produced by the faculty in the Department of English at Fairfield University, and Fairfield undergraduate students gain hands-on experience in helping to edit and produce the journal by taking ENGL 3140: World of Publishing.
dogwoodliterary.wordpress.com

The Inkwell is Fairfield's undergraduate literary magazine, written and edited by University students. Submissions in the categories of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry are developed and submitted by the student body. Open, bi-weekly meetings function as a forum for content creation and peer review. Editing and layout are performed by the magazine's undergraduate staff. Two editions are published per semester.
inkwellliterary.wixsite.com/the-inkwell

CauseWayLit is an online literary magazine sponsored by Fairfield University’s MFA in Creative Writing and run by the graduate students of the program. We publish fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, drama, visual art, craft essays, writing exercises, and audio works, and focus each issue on an aspect of the writing craft we wish to learn more about. Our issues are published twice a year, in July and December, during our residencies at Enders Island.
causewaylit.com

A weekly newspaper reflecting Fairfield culture since 1977, The Mirror aims to project an independent and accurate student perspective with professional journalistic integrity. The Mirror strives to be the primary and most extensive provider of newsworthy content for the Fairfield student body and surrounding community.
fairfieldmirror.com

Now What? A Creative Writer's Guide to Success After the MFA is a comprehensive resource to help aspiring authors thrive professionally, financially, creatively and even spiritually, while they continue pursuing their craft. It’s an invaluable resource for any serious writer, and would make for a thoughtful gift for the aspiring writers in your life.

The Connecticut Writing Project/Fairfield University, an affiliate of the National Writing Project, is dedicated to improving students' writing abilities by strengthening the teaching and learning of writing, providing professional development programs for classroom teachers, and expanding the professional roles of teachers. Using the model of teachers teaching teachers, CWP/Fairfield offers a rich assortment of programs including nationally-recognized speakers, institutes for urban teachers, young writers institutes and writers retreats.

cwpfairfield.org

English Faculty

Fairfield Meditz boasts experienced faculty who inspire students to become leaders across arts and sciences environments. These students actively engage with faculty in practice, policy, scholarship, and service.

Meet the Faculty

English in the News

More Fairfield Meditz News

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