Visiting Speakers
We host internationally acclaimed authors like Edwidge Danticat every year on campus as part of our Common Context program and Paul Hague Distinguished Writer lecture series.
A dynamic community
English Department
About English at St. Thomas
English at the University of St. Thomas is designed to equip you with a diverse skill set that prepares you for an array of career fields.
As a student in our department, you will have multiple opportunities to gain professional experience. Whether you are a writing consultant in the Center for Writing, editing the Summit Avenue Review literary arts magazine, conducting research with a faculty member or engaging with your peers in the classroom, you will have plenty of opportunities to build your portfolio and gain practical skills.
Additionally, we offer rigorous graduate degree and certificate programs that further enhance your knowledge of the English discipline. Each of our graduate degree options will provide you with the opportunity to deepen your knowledge about a vast range of literary works and authors as you sharpen your writing, research and critical thinking skills.
Upcoming Events
Degree Options
We have multiple undergraduate and graduate degree options that can help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
Related Programs
English pairs well with a number of interdisciplinary degree programs at the university.
Core Curriculum Requirements
The core curriculum is the bedrock of the University of St. Thomas that focuses on educating the whole person and complementing their major and minor studies.
As an undergraduate student at St. Thomas, you will complete one English class in order to fulfill the Literature and Writing requirement in the core curriculum. This course is designed to help you read and write about literary texts critically and closely. You will practice various forms of writing for specific audiences and purposes, while reflecting on and developing critical awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses as a reader and writer.
We also offer an Introduction to Creative Writing course that will satisfy the Fine Arts requirement.
Get Involved
From clubs to conference presentations to visiting speakers, there are a number of ways you can get involved in the English Department.
Student Clubs
You can engage with your peers in Theater Club, as well as Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society.
Research
You have the opportunity to partner with faculty on publishing and presenting research as both an undergraduate and graduate student.
Faculty
Our diverse faculty specializes in literary studies, creative writing and professional writing.
Dr. Catherine Craft-Fairchild
Catherine Craft-Fairchild enjoys teaching classics, like William Wordsworth's The Prelude and T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, as well as teaching study abroad courses in Europe and an interdisciplinary Literature and Medicine class.
Dr. Catherine Craft-Fairchild
Dr. Matt Batt
Matthew Batt is the author of Sugarhouse, a memoir about fixing up a crackhouse and his life along with it. He's finishing a book about working in one of America’s best restaurants. He teaches creative nonfiction, the literary magazine practicum, and has recently taught a class on the graphic novel.
Dr. Matt Batt
Dr. Liz Wilkinson
Dr. Wilkinson’s teaching and research brings together seemingly divergent interests in indigenous literature, feminism and sports. A former college athlete herself, Dr. Wilkinson is writing an article about 19th and 20th century female athletes and women’s suffrage, and a book on sports and feminism.
Dr. Liz Wilkinson
Other Opportunities
English equips students with skills that can be used creatively and practically in a variety of career settings.
Creative Writing Prize
We offer an annual Creative Writing Prize to honor Lon Otto, Professor Emeritus of English, and his deep and robust legacy in creative writing.
Study Abroad
Explore literature and culture in Greece, Ireland, England, France, and more! The department regularly offers study abroad courses each J-Term.
Internships
Our students have interned with prestigious local publishers, editing agencies, arts organizations, and public television.
Make a gift
Give to the English Department
A gift to our department can help us invite renowned authors to campus, fund research assistantships, sponsor student travel to conferences and support annual scholarships.
Contact Information
Questions? Please feel free to reach out if you want to learn more about our department.
Mailing Address
Mail #JRC 333
University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105-1096
Campus Location
We are located on the third floor of the John Roach Center for the Liberal Arts (Building #2 on the campus map).