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English (B.A.)

Our English majors become expert readers, critical thinkers, and analyzers of a range of literary, cultural, historical, digital, visual, and media texts.

English Studies in the 21st Century is a multimedia field that recognizes that most writing and reading is not confined to paper anymore. Our English majors become expert readers, critical thinkers, and analyzers of a range of literary, cultural, historical, digital, visual, and media texts. Our English graduates will write for the Web and screens large and small. They will write the road map for new business enterprises and community institutions. They will design and create the next generation of innovation, and lead diverse communities toward collective problem-solving. In short, they will write our world.

In the USC Upstate English major, students can specialize in literature, film (taking as many as 10 film courses to meet English major requirements), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), writing in a range of professional and creative genres, or combine courses from a range of different interest areas. USC Upstate English majors learn a range of 21st-century career skills:

  • html coding and universal design for accessibility in Writing in Digital Environments,
  • pitching and writing stories for online and social media publications in Freelance Writing and Publishing, 
  • video production and editing in Film and Video Production courses,
  • multimedia digital storytelling and creating infographics in a range of courses,
  • working with clients and communities in service learning classes in ESOL, grant writing, and other areas,
  • intercultural competence and culturally relevant writing through a range of diverse courses in literary studies that explore theories and examples of cultural difference and diversity in gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, age, ability, cognitive diversity, and much more,
  • plus empathy and creative problem solving in everything we do.

English studies prepares students for careers in law, professional, technical, and creative writing, editing, publishing, library and archival science, informatics and data analytics, digital media and Web development, researching, business and community administration, intelligence and military analysis, public relations, the film and popular culture industry, as well as teaching English both in the U.S. and abroad.