English
Experience Literature Like Never Before
By earning your bachelor’s degree in English at the University of North Carolina Asheville, you’ll sharpen your critical thinking, reading, and writing skills while exploring the power of language and storytelling. Here, you’ll learn in a collaborative environment that combines rich liberal arts coursework, close faculty mentorship, and abundant opportunities for hands-on engagement with literature, creative writing, and rhetoric—all designed to help you grow as a thinker, communicator, and creator, and prepare for future success in graduate study, professional schools, or a wide range of careers.
An Engaging Curriculum
Students in the English program build a strong foundation in literary analysis, critical thinking, and writing, then tailor their studies through electives, seminars, and workshops that align with their interests and goals. Majors can choose concentrations in literature, creative writing, or teacher licensure, delving deeper into areas that inspire them while developing skills that prepare them for careers in writing, publishing, education, or graduate study. Faculty mentorship and flexible course options allow students to shape a program that reflects their passions and professional aspirations.
Concentration in Creative Writing
Career Paths
Alongside a strong foundation in the liberal arts, English majors at UNC Asheville develop advanced skills in critical thinking, close reading, research, and written and oral communication. This versatile preparation opens doors to a wide range of careers in fields such as publishing, journalism, education, law, marketing, public service, and the arts. Many graduates also pursue competitive graduate and professional programs, building on the strong analytical and communication skills cultivated through their English studies.
Undergraduate Research
Your English degree at UNC Asheville is enriched by opportunities to conduct original research through the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Program (URCAP). This program allows you to explore topics that inspire you, collaborate closely with faculty mentors, and contribute new insights to your field. Whether you’re analyzing literature, developing creative projects, or examining cultural narratives, undergraduate research helps you build advanced skills in critical thinking, communication, and project management—skills that translate directly to your career and provide a strong foundation for graduate study.
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
An English degree at UNC Asheville is built on close faculty mentorship, collaborative learning, and meaningful hands-on experiences. Students work closely with professors who challenge and support them as they refine their writing, deepen their analytical skills, and explore diverse perspectives through literature. Workshops, seminars, and research opportunities allow students to apply what they learn in dynamic, practical ways—building confidence as thinkers, communicators, and creators. This personalized, engaged approach prepares graduates to thrive in a wide range of professional and academic paths.
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.
Visiting Writers & Critical Perspectives
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.
First-Year Writing
First-Year Writing
First-Year Writing classes invite students to explore the dynamic ways that writing and other forms of communication are produced and used across a variety of situations. College writing matters not only as a product that shows what we can do, but also as a process that helps us test what we’re thinking, keep track of what we’re learning, and interact with others’ ideas. Learning to do all of this takes time, of course, but our classes offer a supportive environment where students can practice thinking critically, engaging ethically with others, and making rhetorically effective communication choices.
Meet the Faculty
Meet the 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 conversations. 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.