English
Experience Literature Like Never Before
From our strong liberal arts core to our seemingly endless opportunities for hands-on engagement with literature and the writing craft, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of North Carolina Asheville gives you an undergraduate experience unlike any other.
An Engaging Curriculum
By practicing the arts of critical thinking, close reading, articulate speaking, and clear writing, students develop and use intellectual capabilities as they acquire and apply lifelong learning skills while inquiring from a range of perspectives, applying knowledge to new settings and finding creative solutions to increasingly complex problems.
Career Paths
Earn a degree that prepares you for careers in writing, editing, publishing, education, law, marketing, and more. Discover where your voice can take you.
Visiting Writers & Critical Perspectives
The Visiting Writers Series brings acclaimed authors to campus to share their work and creative process with the campus and Asheville community. The Critical Perspectives Series features scholars and critics whose work connects literary and cultural theory to the classroom, bridging creative and critical approaches in contemporary literary studies.
Writing Your Own Path
From our strong liberal arts core to our seemingly endless opportunities for hands-on engagement with literature and the writing craft, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of North Carolina Asheville gives you an undergraduate experience unlike any other.
“One of the biggest surprises for both subjects was probably how much there was for me to learn and engage with. There are so many lenses through which to analyze texts, so many themes to follow and identify over time, and the professors in both departments have the experience and the training to take broad subjects and flesh them out into incredible detail. I’m always learning more than I ever expected in any of my classes,”
In the Spotlight
With an English bachelor’s degree, you can pursue careers in industries such as education, writing, communications, marketing, library management, or publishing. Some students may even consider applying to graduate programs to continue their study of literature in pursuit of becoming an English professor or to pivot into a different field, such as law or business. This is to say, a degree in English literature is versatile, and UNC Asheville graduates enjoy meaningful careers as teachers, professional writers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and beyond.
Wiley Cash
UNC Asheville alumni and current writer-in-residence Wiley Cash exemplifies all that our students are capable of. A New York Times bestselling author and winner of, among others, the Southern Book Prize, Sir Walter Raleigh Award, and Mary Frances Hobson Prize, Cash inspires students to reach their full potential both creatively and academically.
The Power of a Shared Story
Professor of English Lori Horvitz founded the Queer Girls Literary Reading in 2009, which students and alumni to join other local authors in sharing their writing at this annual event
Jenna Meaney
“I’ve always had a lot of interests, but my top two were theater and writing. When coming to college I knew I wanted to pursue both interests. I would never be able to choose because both make me so incredibly happy.”
Outside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
Great Smokies Writing Program
The Great Smokies Writing Program (GSWP) provides opportunities for UNC Asheville English majors and members of the community to work on the craft of writing in workshops and seminars. Workshops may be specific to fiction, poetry, or nonfiction or could be genre-specific.
The workshops and seminars offered in this program are available for credit toward your degree and may be offered both online or in person, making it even easier for you to gain hands-on experience honing your craft.
Outside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
Undergraduate Research
Your English degree at UNC Asheville is made all the more valuable by the opportunities you’ll have to conduct research through the Undergraduate Research Program (URP). Through the URP, you can dive deeper into what you’re curious about and work alongside faculty members as you execute a research project that adds to the body of knowledge in your field. Your undergraduate research work will equip you with skills that you can translate into your career and can even set you up for success if you’re considering pursuing graduate studies.
Meet the English Faculty
Meet the English Faculty
Our English faculty are active in their fields, publishing their scholarship and creative work. Our department brings noteworthy writers to campus for readings, workshops, and conversation. Many of our students conduct independent and faculty-mentored research, publish in the University’s literary journal Headwaters, and are active in Asheville’s vibrant writing community.
Related Programs
Ready for What's Next?
From our strong liberal arts core to our seemingly endless opportunities for hands-on engagement with literature and the writing craft, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of North Carolina Asheville gives you an undergraduate experience unlike any other.