The Department of English

Mission statement: In CSU, Chico’s Department of English we make sense of language in its stunning diversity. We cultivate readers, writers, teachers, editors, researchers, thinkers, and problem-solvers. We equip students with the tools to make connections across time and cultures, creating meaning through arguments, stories, and research.

Our wide-ranging curriculum, both undergraduate and graduate, demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity. We welcome all students regardless of race, class, gender, sexuality, age, ability, religion, nationality, political affiliation, or immigration status. Students in our programs have the opportunity to study Composition and Rhetoric; Creative Writing; English Education; Linguistics; Literature; Literary Editing and Publishing; and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Across myriad professional opportunities, students edit chapbooks, tutor English language learners, mentor students in writing workshops, study abroad, write creatively and analytically, create digital texts and websites, and construct teaching portfolios. Students of English go on to become global citizens enacting change in their communities.

BA in English:

• English Studies
• English Literature
• English Education

Minors:

• Creative Writing
• English
• Linguistics
• Secondary Language Arts

Certificates:

• The Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• The Certificate in Teaching College-Level Writing
• The Certificate in Literary Editing and Publishing

MA in English:

• Creative Writing Pattern
• Language & Literacy Pattern
• Literature Pattern

We pride ourselves on our ability to offer students a number of co-curricular, extra-curricular, and pre-professional opportunities, such as tutoring in the ESL (English as a Second Language) Support Services; working as an editor for Chico State's online literary journal, Watershed Review; mentoring in our undergraduate writing workshops, Early Start program, and EOP Summer Bridge; participating in student organizations--The English Society, Sigma Tau Delta, and the English Graduate Student Council; and attending Writer’s Voice readings by nationally recognized authors. As a graduate student in the program, you may have the opportunity to teach an introductory level course in composition, creative writing, or literature.

In addition, the English Education option assists students in developing the breadth and depth of knowledge required to teach by the California Department of Education.

We provide students with effective learning opportunities in the areas of:

• Contemporary, Classic, Multicultural and International Literature
• Composition and Rhetoric
• Creative Writing
• English Education
• Literary Editing and Publishing
• Linguistics

We have a broad and balanced curriculum designed to develop:

• Critical reading and writing practices
• Wide-ranging interpretative abilities
• Historical and cultural awareness
• Real-life experiences appropriate for an educated, literate community

Browse our website to learn more about our department and please feel free to contact us and stop by our department office in the Arts and Humanities Building, Room 269 if you have any questions.