Why English?
What is the study of English and why should I study it?
![English Department Daryl Farmer teaches a class](/english/JR-16-5064-32.jpg)
We have something for every interest, including:
You can build a career studying English, but you can also build connections that will deepen your experience at 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø, making yourself into an engaged, empathetic, and insightful literary citizen.
What can you do with an English degree?
English is a degree that builds your critical thinking by exposing you to multiple perspectives and teaching you research skills that professional degrees such as law and non-profit organizations in particular find valuable. 13.5% of Alaska’s employment comes from non-profit work, and in the U.S. the non-profit sector has grown steadily since 2000
![English Department Marking up papers](/english/images/paper%20mark%20up.jpg)
A degree in English can lead to a wide range of careers across various sectors. Here are some career options that can result from a background in English:
You can be anything, because that’s what studying English does. It prepares you to problem solve in a diverse, dynamic world that needs people like you who are willing to read, contemplate, and create.
"Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The study of English shapes a number of sought-after skills that translate to any career path, including empathy, self awareness and communication.
English at the 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø
Degrees Offered:
![View near Castner Glacier View near Castner Glacier](/english/images/view%20near%20castner%20glacier.jpg)
You can take courses like Environmental Imagination, The Horror Film, Multiethnic American Literature: Hauntings, and Write Your Own Novel. You will find opportunities for mentorship and professional development outside the classroom as well. You can become an editor or publish your creative work in Ice Box or Permafrost. Volunteer in the Inside Out StoryLab, organize community writing events, attend visiting writer craft talks, and apply for monetary awards through our annual student writing contests.You can build a career studying English, and you can also build deep experiences and connections that last throughout life.
![2018 Dead Writers | Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series Brandi Jo Nyberg flicks water from a plastic cup onto the audience during a reading at the 2018 Dead Writers event hosted by the 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø English Department at the Blue Loon. The event features university students, professors and community members performing, in costume, as their favorite deceased writer. | 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø photo by Sarah Manriquez](/english/images/SM-18-5996-160%20sm.jpg)
Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series
The Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series is an annual program that hosts local and nationally renowned writers for craft lectures and public readings. The first events were held in the early 1970s, and over the years, many of the most prestigious names in literature—Robert Pinsky, Lucille Clifton, Scott Russell Sanders, Mark Doty, Camille Dungy, and Terry Tempest Williams, to name a few—have made appearances in Fairbanks. All events are free and open to the public!
Get your work out there.
AWP Intro Journals Awards
We nominate student work every year for the AWP Intro Journals Project Awards; since 2019, our MFA students have been honored with two honorable mentions and two category winners.
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Internships & Opportunities
51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø English has students actively involved with internships with the following organizations:
![English Department Chris Coffman teaching a class](/english/images/JR-16-5065-111.jpg)
You’ll work with faculty who publish current research and creative work, who serve the university in a variety of leadership roles, and, most importantly, who are committed to nurturing our students’ literary and critical ambitions.
We boast a small faculty-to-student ratio, meaning students receive a great deal of individual attention. Thanks to 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø's small class sizes and active literary community, English master’s students can work closely with extensively published and experienced faculty members.
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Our department is unique for its sense of community. It takes a hardy soul to commit to life so far north, land of both the midnight sun and the northern lights. We are an independent people, resilient and optimistic. We value introspection and intentional living. And given our climate and geography, we foster helpfulness and cooperation. By choosing English studies at 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø, you begin a journey of sharpening your literary talents and expanding your view of natural world. You might even find that a move to Fairbanks can launch you into your life's work.