Department of English Literature and Cultural Studies

Study English Literature and Cultural Studies at RWU

At Roger Williams University, students of English Literature and Cultural Studies do more than read books, and faculty do more than teach classic texts (though we do that too!). Our faculty understand that English Literature and Cultural Studies students are highly sought after candidates in a range of professions and careers, and we design courses that focus on transferable skills like critical thinking, research and analysis, oral and written communication.

English Literature and Cultural Studies Majors and Minors build Powerful Combinations by mixing and matching other RWU academic programs that feed their interests and serve their goals, like Creative Writing, Journalism and Media Studies, Secondary Education or Educational Studies, Graphic Design, Film, and Legal Studies.

Simultaneously, we engage students in lively and important conversations about ideas, culture, creativity and the roles that language and communication play across our diverse worlds. RWU English Literature and Cultural Studies students become smart consumers of culture, engaged with issues of language, media, and representation from varied contexts and in various forms. Fully prepared to use their skills and knowledge in a wide range of professional settings when they graduate, our students are closely mentored and guided toward expanding their passion for reading and research into personally meaningful careers.

Program Highlights

• Our two-semester capstone experience, in which each student produces a professional-quality research paper under the close mentorship of faculty. 
• Our small faculty to student ratio means we all know each other in this program, and we have many events and projects that help us maintain our inclusive, welcoming, and supportive community.
• Our Experiential Learning requirement asks students to apply  the skills and abilities embedded in all their classes in a range of experiences, including:
  •  off-campus internships, 
  • fellowships in the Roger Williams University Writing Center, 
  • presentations at renowned national conferences, Community Partnerships Center projects, and the Department’s “FITZ” Internship program, in which students earn work study wages while managing department events, publishing an online magazine, and facilitating communications and outreach.