Department of English Language & Literature

At a college named after one of the most important of nineteenth-century American poets, a man known for his commitment to literary art as an agent of social and political justice, it should be no surprise to know that we believe that the study of language and literature is at the core of the liberal arts, those aspects of education that make us humane and free.

The Whittier College Department of English maintains a deep commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to literary study.

Courses in language, media, writing, and analysis develop the ability to make sense out of both ourselves and the world around us, to analyze experience and data, to express the results of our analysis clearly and effectively, and to take greater pleasure in the experience of life itself. The study, creation, and appreciation of language and literature are thus a significant part of the lives of all liberally educated people and the life of the community.

Our Department offers a major and minor in English. Majors choose one of three emphases: Literature, Creative Writing, or Applied Media Studies.

While a good number of English majors choose to teach—our emphases on textual analysis and writing skills make English a traditionally strong undergraduate major for many professions, including journalism, law, technical writing, library science, a variety of areas in the business world, and, of course, in creative writing.

The study of literature helps us to read the world around us actively and critically. What’s more, it enables us to understand ourselves and other people—as individuals, as participants in our own and other historical cultural traditions, and as human beings.