Emory University

What you'll study

The curriculum covers a wide range of periods, genres and approaches. Typical components include:

• Survey and period courses — medieval, Renaissance, eighteenth-century, Romantic, Victorian, modern and contemporary literature, with attention to transatlantic and global anglophone traditions.
• Literary analysis and criticism — close reading, annotation practices, and courses introducing major critical movements such as formalism, historicism, feminism, postcolonialism and queer theory.
• Linguistics and language studies — foundational work in phonetics, morphology, syntax and semantics, sociolinguistics and the history of the English language.
• Creative writing — workshop classes in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and hybrid forms emphasising craft, revision and peer critique.
• Thematic and topical electives — modules on film and literature, digital humanities, race and literature, ecocriticism, children’s literature, and adaptations.
• Research practicum and capstone — independent research projects, senior seminars or an honours thesis supervised by faculty, often drawing on archival resources or digital methods.

Students may also combine English study with complementary coursework in history, philosophy, theatre, education or digital media, and can normally receive credit for Advanced Placement or international equivalents where applicable.

Entry requirements

Admission to Emory follows a holistic review of academic preparation and extracurricular engagement. Prospective students typically present a secondary-school diploma or equivalent, a strong record in humanities and writing-intensive courses, school transcripts, and a personal statement that demonstrates interest in literary study. Letters of recommendation, a portfolio of creative work (where applicable), and standardised test scores are considered according to the university's current testing policy. Transfer applicants should submit college transcripts and information on prior coursework in literature or writing.

Career prospects

An English degree from Emory develops research, communication and critical-thinking skills valued across many sectors. Common career paths for graduates include:

• Publishing, editing and literary agency work
• Journalism, communications and public relations
• Teaching at secondary or postsecondary levels (often following certification or graduate study)
• Law, business and policy roles that rely on strong analytical writing
• Digital humanities, cultural heritage and archival work
• Creative professions including writing, screenwriting and content creation

Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in English, comparative literature, creative writing, library science or professional programmes.

Why study at Emory University

Emory combines the resources of a research university with a close-knit liberal arts environment. Students benefit from small seminars taught by faculty active in scholarship and creative practice, access to special collections and archives, and interdisciplinary initiatives in digital scholarship and humanities research. Located in Atlanta, Emory offers internship and cultural opportunities with publishers, museums, non-profit organisations and media outlets, as well as options for study abroad and collaborative projects across departments.