Majors and Degrees Offered
English (B.A.) with an emphasis in:
Visit our "Learning Objectives" page for more information
on the program goals for all English majors.
Minors Offered
A minor requires a minimum of 18 credit hours of formal coursework
from the University curriculum completed at Webster University. Courses
used to fulfill a major may not also be used to fulfill a requirement
for a minor. Only ENGL classes may count toward the minor in English.
Certificate Offered
Click here to view the Learning Goals and Objectives for the Professional Writing
Certificate.
The English Department's Creative Writing emphasis is a dynamic program featuring classes in poetry, fiction, drama, nonfiction, and translation--supported by requirements and diverse electives in the study of literature. Creative writing is taught in workshops limited to 15 students by teachers who are themselves working, published writers.
The attendant Visiting Writers Series brings nationally prominent writers to campus for public readings and colloquia. Past visitors include Billy Collins, Philip Levine, C.K. Williams, Galway Kinnell, Constance Urdang, Li-Young Lee, Lucia Perillo, Lynda Barry, Fielding Dawson, Albert Goldbarth, Beth Ann Fennelly, Ron Carlson, George Saunders, Susan Perabo, Quincy Troupe, Michael Martone, and Naomi Shihab Nye.
Each year students in the program edit and publish a literary magazine, The Green Fuse. Playwrights have opportunities to see their own work produced, as well as learn from the many productions on campus, which is home to the professional Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and the prestigious Conservatory of Theatre Arts.
The primary focus of the program is on learning the art of reading as a writer: opening up influences, gathering strategies, widening the range of what's possible in a student's own writing. Students will discover the precarious balance between the solitary, private act of writing itself and the communal, public act of passing written work before the unblinking critical eye of the world. Publication as an end in itself is not the ultimate aim here; however, a dedicated faculty who are constantly writing and publishing operate on the assumption that students also will be seriously committed to the development of their own work.
Small classes, high standards, and a congenial atmosphere combine to foster each student's individual growth as a writer.
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The English Department's emphasis in Drama is designed to give students a strong grounding in our rich legacy of
dramatic literature from the Greeks to the present day. From the Oresteia to Hamlet and to Angels in
America, students in the emphasis read masterworks in every major period of dramatic literature. Survey courses
like Major Dramatists I & II give students the big picture, drawing links between writers, ideas, and important periods.
More narrowly focused courses like Tragic Themes, Modern Drama, Contemporary Drama, and Shakespeare I & II help students
become better acquainted with specific authors, themes, or periods.
It all begins with the written word. Our dramatic literature classes are designed to engage and involve students as
active readers and scholars. We view plays as performance texts, and as such we must read as actors, designers, writers,
and critics. The emphasis in Drama is designed to give students the necessary literary background and analytical skills
they will need as teachers, writers, scholars, and theatre professionals.
Several of our graduates have gone on to work professionally for theatres as literary managers or dramaturges. A number
have gone on to graduate schools such as the University of Southern California, the University of New Mexico, and Columbia University.
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The English Department's emphasis in Literature, Society, and Politics reflects our interest in literature's relationship
to the human endeavors of the larger world. Though the texts we cover and the writing experiences we offer resemble those
of a traditional English major, this emphasis is unique in that we usually group our texts not as a part of a historical
sequence, but rather as they illuminate a particular theme or genre. While survey courses such as Major British Writers or Major US Writers provide an overview of literary history, courses such as Myth and Modern Literature, Comedy and Satire, Tragic Themes, and Worlds of Romance allow the student to consider common thematic and generic aspects of works from multiple cultures and eras. In this emphasis, we explore literature not only in terms of its aesthetic dimensions, but also in terms of the ways it expresses the values, views, and dynamics of a given cultural and historical context. Thus we consider topics such as the role of the individual in society, the identity and status of marginal groups, the relationship between humankind and the Earth, or the role of myth in our lives.
Our courses explore a wide range of literatures written in English (US, British, Canadian, South African, Caribbean, Indian, etc.) as well as literature in translation from all eras. In addition, we provide a full experience of literary study with courses that focus on single authors, literary theory, linguistics, and narrative as it is translated from literature to film.
While the classrooms and gardens of Pearson House offer a comfortable environment for a community of reading, writing scholars we also encourage our students to explore complementary courses in the arts, history, science, and foreign language, and to study abroad at one of Webster's international campuses in order to investigate the importance of literature to the world and in their own lives.
Several of our graduates have gone on to advanced degree programs in literature, law, American studies, and religious studies in graduate schools such as Washington University, Middlebury College, the University of Nebraska, and the University of South Carolina.
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The minor and certificate in professional writing are designed for students who want to learn about - and prepare to
meet - the writing and other communication challenges found in business, nonprofit, governmental, and community settings.
Students who pursue the minor can choose from courses in areas such as journalism, writing for public relations and
advertising, screenplay and scriptwriting, creative writing, and business and technical writing as well editing, linguistics
and rhetoric, and cross-cultural communication. They will gain skills and knowledge in a variety of types of professional writing and communication.
The certificate is designed for students who want a highly structured program that provides the broad-based research, writing, and editing skills necessary to excel in any profession. In other words, the certificate is for professionals (or students who will become professionals) in any field who want the excellent communication skills necessary to succeed. The certificate is open not just to current Webster students but also to returning students who already possess bachelor's degrees in other areas. Learn more about our new certificate.
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