紐約州立大學(xué)水牛城分校

Why study English BA at UB?

In the English department, students — majors and minors, alongside interested students from a range of disciplines — discover the power and resources of the English language primarily through the study of British, American, and Anglophone literary traditions. Thanks to the range of the department’s course offerings, students often broaden the focus of their studies to include film and video, popular culture, mythology and folklore, as well as foreign-language literatures in English translation. All students are encouraged to become critical readers, learning to employ — both inside and outside the English classroom — the skills of close reading, historical contextualization, and theoretical reflection. As critical writers, in turn, they learn how to formulate compelling questions and to craft original essays that effectively intervene both in academic and cultural conversations. Some students develop as creative writers through workshops that emphasize the writing of poetry, prose fiction, autobiography, and plays. Others will take the opportunity to practice the craft of journalism and work on the student newspaper.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student will have knowledge to:

• Think, read, speak, and above all write critically and creatively
• Be able to read in detail and in cultural context
• Understand critical methods and theoretical concepts
• Gain an understanding of periods and genres
• Develop ability to articulate an idea lucidly and persuasively in writing
• Develop skills for doing research and deploying evidence appropriately
• Appreciate aesthetic experience

Career Outlook

Skills gained in this program include:

Writing: Writing creatively, creating persuasive messages, using precise language, assessing an audience, presenting specific viewpoints, writing concisely, drafting documents, and editing.
Research: Defining problems, establishing hypotheses, gathering information, using original sources, interpreting data, summarizing and presenting information, and evaluating results.
Critical Thinking: Thinking independently, reading critically, understanding components of complex problems, perceiving patterns/structures, comparing/contrasting, synthesizing themes, and summarizing ideas.

Career Choices

• Advertising specialist
• Author
• Broadcaster
• Editor/publisher
• Educator
• Film/arts critic
• Freelance writer
• Grant writer
• Journalist
• Lawyer
• Legislative assistant
• Librarian
• Market research analyst
• Paralegal
• Public relations director
• Radio production assistance
• Screenwriter
• Speech writer
• Writer's agent

70% of graduates go on to find related employment. 20% go on to graduate school.