The Department of English at VSU offers a versatile major focused on the study of language and literature designed to help you develop the critical, analytical, and writing skills employers seek. Even better, you'll have some of the best professors in the region to make it happen. Here's what you can expect as an English major at VSU:

  • Great Teaching: Dedicated professors will work closely with you on what you love - reading fascinating literature and creating great writing - and they will help you become the thinker, reader, and communicator necessary for your personal and professional success.
  • Flexibility: A flexible program of undergraduate study (BA in English) that allows you to develop your unique interests and specialize in the many fields that represent English studies: reading and writing about literature, studying the rhetorical strategies behind persuasive text and speech, understanding the nature of English and language itself, and learning to create languages of power, including creative writing and journalism.
  • Career opportunities: Opportunities for a range of successful careers; our recent graduates have moved on to careers as reporters for the Valdosta Daily Times, copy editors, and page designers for Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, librarians at the South Georgia Regional Library, and teachers of English in local high schools and beyond (Korea, Japan).
  • Quality graduate education: A graduate program (MA in English: on campus and online) that prepares you for doctoral work and a variety of exciting careers in academia and beyond.
  • Engaging learning community: Lively classroom interaction, both face-to-face and online.
  • Hands-on experience: Valuable experience with our student publications: the award-winning campus newspaper The Spectator, the magazine On Tap, the literary journal Odradek, and the undergraduate academic journal Omnino.
  • Renowned speakers: Exposure to famous writers and professionals who give craft talks on poetry, fiction, and world literature. Recent visitors to campus include the late US poet laureate Philip Levine, the Kenyan author Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, and the American writer Jane Smiley.
  • Community involvement: Involvement with the community through our Honor Society (Sigma Tau Delta) and the opportunity to participate in campus and regional events. Recent events include Dr. Seuss Day on campus, movie screenings, and Halloween readings at the South Georgia Regional Library.

If you still wonder whether an English degree is for you, consider the following:

"At a time when employers are looking for graduates who can think, read, and write creatively and critically, English majors are succeeding in a variety of fields. While most English majors go on to become college or high school language arts teachers, a significant number make their way as successful editors, journalists, as well as public relations and marketing specialists. English majors find their way to professional and non-profit managerial positions in significant numbers, and English is one of the top two favorite majors for pre-law students. Getting an English degree, however, does more for you than preparing you to earn a living. At its heart, the study of English offers a deeper understanding of our culture, and expands your understanding of how you see the world. In short, it embodies the motto "Earn a living, but make a life."

Join us!