English
About English
Our Program and Courses
You can major or minor in English at F&M. A major in English follows one of two complementary tracks: creative writing or literature. No matter which track you select, you will gain some experience in both areas.
Creative Writing
Enter a gateway to a lifelong love and appreciation of reading and writing. F&M’s English creative writing track is built upon the premise that reading widely and deeply in literature — including contemporary literature — is essential to becoming a skilled creative writer. The best writers are also avid, engaged readers. Blending your passion for language and imaginative writing with the study of literature, you will explore poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and practice the craft yourself in workshop settings where writing is valued as a serious artform. The creative writing track culminates in an advanced workshop in which you will complete a creative thesis in the genre of your choice.Literature
The study of literature fosters an engagement with the big questions of living—questions about language, meaning, and value. It fosters self-reflection and greater awareness of the natural and social worlds in which we live. Moreover, studying literature gives us a purchase on how narratives and metaphors work so that we can interpret and deploy them wisely and even re-make them for our own time, with its enormous challenges and demands. You’ll study the traditional periods of British and American literature as well as Native American literature, Caribbean literature, African literature, science fiction, contemporary young adult literature, graphic novels, and more. You will also take at least one course in creative writing to appreciate the craft imaginative literature entails and perhaps to spark your own interest in creative writing.By the time you graduate with your F&M English degree, you will be able to demonstrate these skills:
- Reading actively and mindfully, including the ability to read figuratively, analytically, and interpretively.
- Writing, including the ability to write clearly, fluently, and persuasively; incorporate evidence gracefully; use discipline-specific language; use appropriate tone; and write with rhetorical deftness.
- Argumentation, including the ability to gather and deploy evidence, whether textual or contextual, in literary analysis and develop competencies and skills to structure and organize information from literary and secondary sources.
Learning Outside the Classroom
The Philadelphia Alumni Writers House
Unique among selective liberal arts colleges, F&M’s Writers House is an actual house — complete with comfy couches, a kitchen, and a picturesque fireplace — with a mission to give the writing and reading community exciting opportunities to fully immerse themselves in wordcraft and literature.Explore the Writers House at F&M
The Emerging Writers Festival
Every year, F&M’s English department partners with the Writers House to host the Emerging
Writers Festival. A hallmark literary tradition on campus, the Emerging Writers Festival
is a three-day event that invites the country’s most exciting emerging authors to
F&M to host readings, craft talks, and writing workshops. The festival is a collaborative
effort between students and faculty, offering students hands-on experience in bringing
a literary festival to life.Learn more about F&M’s Emerging Writers Festival
F&M Literary Publications
If you're eager to find an audience for your writing beyond the classroom or gain editing and production experience, you can write for or staff one of F&M's many literary publications:- The College Reporter, F&M’s student newspaper
- Epilogue, a literary magazine celebrating the creative works of F&M students, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art.
- boy-band, a quarterly magazine with two sections: a lifestyle section focusing on conscious living, fashion, and entertainment, and a literary section featuring F&M authors and poets.
- FEM&M, a fresh, feminist-focused literary and visual arts magazine
Research and Independent Study
Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research. In the recent past, English majors have pursued advanced independent projects in fields such as creative writing and Renaissance literature, participated in faculty research in the study of illness in slave narratives, and served as research assistants on faculty book projects.Explore research at F&M
Internships for Credit
What better way to put your earned skills to the test than with an internship? By completing an internship for credit, you can add valuable experience to your resume while earning a credit toward your degree. Learn more about internships at F&M.Explore internships at F&M
Off-Campus Study
At F&M, you’ll find exciting opportunities to extend your academic experience beyond borders. Current and previous English majors have studied abroad in England, Scotland, and Australia. English majors also have the opportunity to apply for the Alice and Ray Drum British Isle Summer Travel Award, an award that supports summer research in the British Isles.Explore off-campus study at F&M
Success Beyond F&M
Graduate School
With a breadth of study that is uncommon at other liberal arts colleges, our graduates are immediately prepared to pursue advanced degrees upon graduating from F&M. Past F&M English majors have entered graduate programs studying English, creative writing, publishing, children’s literature, advertising, marketing, law, and more.Fellowships
It’s not uncommon for English majors to pursue fellowships, which offer often-funded experiential learning opportunities such as advanced study, research, internships, service, travel, and more. Our graduates have pursued teaching and public service fellowships with organizations such as Teach for America and Americorps. They also go on to complete fellowships overseas with the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, for which F&M is recognized as a top-producing institution.Explore fellowships at F&M
Career Paths
Our English graduates embark on a vast array of careers, including in education, publishing, advertising, marketing, public relations, media and entertainment, and more. They hold positions such as:- Copywriter
- Digital Content Specialist
- Editor
- Editorial Assistant
- English Teacher
- Grant Writer
- Lawyer
- Literary Agent
- Marketing Manager
- Professor
- Project Manager
- Public Relations Coordinator
- Publishing Assistant
- Reporter
- Science Writer
- Talent Agent
- Therapist
- Writer
Each spring, the English Department at Franklin & Marshall College hosts its annual
Emerging Writers Festival, dedicated to championing the work of writers early in their
careers. Since its inception in 2002, the Festival has been a collaborative effort
between students and faculty, bringing people together across the campus community
and beyond for readings, workshops, and the opportunity to mix, formally and informally,
with some of the country’s most exciting new literary talents. An Emerging Writers
Festival student organizing committee is formed each year, offering students hands-on
experience in bringing a literary festival to life.Student Spotlight
“I felt a sense of community and shared academic passion that day that I had not felt
anywhere else.”
Four years ago, Skylar Zachian ’25 logged on to a virtual admitted students event
during which Associate Professor of English Erik Anderson taught a creative writing
lesson. “I could have stayed on that Zoom meeting for hours,” Zachian said. “I felt
a sense of community and shared academic passion that day that I had not felt anywhere
else. I could truly picture myself as an F&M student, studying English on the College’s
unique creative writing track and engaging with distinguished authors at The Philadelphia
Alumni Writers House.” During her time on campus, Zachian honed her craft as a writer
while exploring new subjects, becoming a double major in English and film and media
arts, with a minor in theatre. “I loved F&M’s focus on academic exploration and knew
that I would have room to explore new interests along with writing,” she said.
Read More »Student Spotlight
Students Help Plan Emerging Writers Festival
F&M students don’t just study the country's most exciting new authors. They work personally
with them while planning a campuswide literary festival: The Emerging Writers Festival.
F&M students are selected as “shadows” for each writer, tasked with coordinating visits
and writing introductions prior to readings. “It's already an incredible privilege
to hear from and talk to the writers, but it's even more amazing to learn from my
writer directly as a shadow and have that personalized communication,” said Hima Ramnarine
’25.
Read More »Alumni Spotlight
Randy Wilkins ’01 Directs and Produces “The Captain,” an ESPN Docuseries
In fall 2002, Randy Wilkins ’01 — then a senior English major at F&M — found himself
sitting next to Spike Lee at dinner prior to the filmmaker’s Mueller lecture. But
rather than talk cinema, America’s greatest pastime was on the agenda. More than 20
years later, Lee asked Wilkins to direct and produce “The Captain” – an ESPN docuseries
focused on baseball hall-of-famer Derek Jeter. “It’s a love for baseball. It's a love
for the sport. It's a respect for the sport,” said Wilkins, a former centerfielder
for the Diplomats. Wilkins said the basis of how he approaches his film work is rooted
in his F&M experiences. “In my work, I have to challenge myself and challenge the
viewer. It’s all rooted in critical thinking at F&M. When you see my work, you see
F&M.”
Read More »The Emerging Writers Festival
Related Fields of Study
Classics
Immerse yourself in a rich artistic and intellectual tradition. By studying Classics at F&M, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the ancient Mediterranean while building an appreciation of its lasting legacies, empowering you to become a productive and thoughtful citizen in today’s rapidly changing world.
Comparative Literary Studies
Investigate the development of literature in an international and historical context. When you immerse yourself in comparative literary studies at F&M, you’ll explore foundational works of literature from a variety of historical periods and national traditions to better understand the ways in which literary processes unfold in various environments.
Linguistics
Language is what sets humans apart from other species, but how well do we understand it? By studying linguistics at F&M, you will learn about the roots of language, and why it’s so important in understanding humankind.
English in the Spotlight
April 22, 2025
‘Pursue Opportunities that Bring You Joy’
During her time on campus, Skylar Zachian ’25 honed her craft as a writer while exploring new subjects, adding a second major in film and media arts and a minor in theatre. “I loved F&M’s focus on academic exploration and knew that I would have room to explore new interests along with writing,” Zachian said.
March 20, 2025
Students Help Plan Emerging Writers Festival
Meet the students behind the Emerging Writers Festival, slated April 2 to 4. The collaborative effort between students and faculty champions the work of rising writers early in their careers.
February 18, 2025
F&M’s Resident Poet Inspires Students to Find Their Voices
Documentary Poet Niki Herd, an assistant professor of English at F&M, is an artist and a teacher who inspires.