Department of English
Land Acknowledgment
The English department at Syracuse University acknowledges that we are living and working on the lands of the Haudenosaunee. Please see our linked statement.
English and Textual Studies
Take a journey through the human experience via literary study. Explore creative expression across a broad array of texts—novels, plays, film, digital media and more. Interpret motivations behind stories of yesterday and today and hone your skills as a writer.
Our curriculum is called English and Textual Studies (ETS) to acknowledge the breadth and diversity of the texts you will study. In addition to traditional literature courses in Chaucer and Shakespeare, the Romantics and Victorians, and literary modernism, you can also take courses in:
- Fantasy and Science Fiction
- Hollywood film
- Video game history
- Comics and Graphic Novel
- Hip-hop culture and more
ETS is designed to:
- Introduce you to a wide array of texts
- Enhance your ability to interpret texts and express ideas
- Develop powers of argument and analysis
- Train you to write critically and clearly
- Develop skills for writers of poetry and fiction
- Become critical readers of your own work
Our diverse faculty includes literary historians, critical theorists, film scholars, editors, poets, and novelists who approach the field in a variety of ways.
Spotlight: Faculty
Dana Spiotta
English Department News
(July 15, 2025)
Unlocking a World of Career PossibilitiesDepartment of English alumni thrive in today’s workforce, empowered by the adaptability gained through studies of literature, creative writing and screen-based media.
(July 11, 2025)
Rethinking Research Through Visual StorytellingA Ph.D. student in English explores videographic criticism as a tool for reshaping how we analyze media.
(Jan. 13, 2025)
In Memoriam: Leonard Elman ’52Elman was instrumental in advancing the fields of creative writing and Jewish studies at the College of Arts and Sciences.
(Nov. 25, 2024)
From Pages to Stages: A&S Author Writes Vogue Cover Story and Inspires New OperaProfessor of English Dana Spiotta recently published a profile of model, actress and book club influencer Kaia Gerber for the December Vogue cover story. Spiotta will also have a premiere production of an opera adapted from one of her novels.
Events
Events
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