Worlds of Words: Today's Study of English

In recent decades English has become a kind of network for intersections with other disciplines, as its traditional emphasis on the study of literature and the mastery of the written word has widened to include connections with history, philosophy, psychology, legal studies, theology, and the social and natural sciences—just to name a few.

At the center of this web of possibilities, though, is still the core concern with language as a medium through which we construct or communicate a vision of the world. Reading and writing are solitary acts, but these acts are only complete when they become part of a transaction of meaning with others, one in which we share our experienced worlds on the ground of artfully constructed language. 

Our Department Mission

The mission of the University of St. Thomas English Department is to foster empathy and imagination, critical insight, power of expression, and appreciation for the variety of human experience.  We strive to create a community of readers and writers who value both tradition and innovation, and who understand literary art as a medium of moral reflection as well as aesthetic pleasure.

Undergraduate Program in English
Learn about our curriculum, related programs, and opportunities.

Graduate Program in English

Learn about our Master of Arts in English evening program, its courses in literature and theory, and scholarly opportunities.