University of St. Thomas

When asked what one phrase best describes the English major with a writing emphasis at St. Thomas, a faculty member replied, “challenging.”

A real student asks:

 

Can writing really be taught, or is a writer born with natural talent?

An English faculty member responds: As with sports, talent is necessary but not enough—good coaching, knowledge of fundamentals, and practice is crucial to making the most of that talent. In the case of writing, the classroom workshop practice of presenting one’s work and getting criticism and feedback from others (peer readers as well as the professor) is indispensable to honing one’s skill and discovering otherwise unimagined venues for one’s talent.

What jobs are possible with an English major (with a writing emphasis)?

What are recent graduates doing now?

Jeanie Hoag pursued an M.F.A. at the University of Massachusetts. She works for a highly regarded small press near the university.

Brynn Andre is a songwriter who just released her first CD last spring.

Greg Miller finished his M.F.A. in fiction at the University of Indiana and is now publishing in literary magazines and teaching courses at the Loft.

Anna Marie Craighead-Kintis finished her Ph.D. at Columbia in Chicago, where she was also directing the undergraduate program in composition. She publishes poems regularly in literary magazines.

Mark Ehling is writing plays and has had a few in the Minnesota Fringe Festival.  He finished his M.F.A. in fiction at the University of Alabama several years ago.

What opportunities are there to bolster my resume while I'm in the program?

Internships. We are developing an internship relationship with a local personnel firm, PDI, as a pilot for a fuller English / Writing internship. Other writing-related internships are available through the Journalism and Communication Department as well, which many of our majors take as a minor.

Study abroad. We coordinate with our International Studies office to offer a broad array of possibilities for overseas study. Most English majors who choose this kind of experience go to the English-speaking British Isles, where the international experience enhances not only their academic knowledge of literature but also gives them a broader awareness of cultural differences that affect written communication.

Faculty at work

Our faculty members are distinguished poets, short story writers and writers of books of literary nonfiction. Some teach regularly in short-term programs at the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and others are regularly published in literary journals and in general-interest magazines like GQ.