Frequently Asked Questions

First, log into your account on MyTCU.edu. Click on the “Academic Progress” tab on the MyTCU home page. There should be a menu on the left side of the screen and the “Advisors” tab should be located here. Once you click on this advisors tab, you should be able to see important info on your advisor(s).

Be sure to meet with your Advisor each semester before registering. For more info about advising, contact your listed advisor directly and look at the Advising page of the English Department website.

The TCU English Department website has detailed descriptions on the English and Writing courses being offered in a given semester.

The best place to look for information on classes being offered in a given semester is through TCU Class Search. You can access TCU class search through your MyTCU account under the “Manage Classes” tab or a quick google search.

Yes! Dr. Layne Craig is the English department faculty member who will advise you for your English and/or Writing minor. Contact her at a.layne.craig@tcu.edu.

The English major usually features a heavier emphasis on literature and creative and critical thinking skills. The Writing major explores more of the ways to find your unique voice as a writer and develop the necessary skills to create the most effective written content. One of the biggest differences is that Writing majors are required to complete an internship in their degree plan, while English majors are not required, but may do so. You will take courses in literature, theory, rhetoric, and writing in both majors. For more info on the differences between English and Writing majors, visit here.

The best alternative may be to become a Creative Writing minor and/or a Writing and/or English major or double major. These majors and minors have a plethora of courses that feature creative writing, and in both the Writing and English major there is a pathway to concentrating on Creative Writing. Talk to a member of the creative writing faculty or your advisory about how you can make this happen.

It may depend! To get more info on transfer credit for the English department, please contact our current Transfer Advisor Dr. Anne Frey at a.frey@tcu.edu.

Yes! To complete a B.A major degree in Writing or English you must take 33 hours of Writing or English courses as outlined by your degree requirements plan. For a closer look at the degree requirements for each major, check out the guides on this page!

A theme or subtitle on an English course usually means that a lot of the content in this specific class will be centered around whatever that theme or subtitle may be. The next time the course is offered or if it is offered by a different instructor, it may have a different subtitle and therefore a different focus.

Yes! You are able to earn credit toward either major or any of the minors while studying abroad. The best way to learn about Study Abroad opportunities is to visit the Study Abroad page and/or set up an advising appointment with the study abroad office. For more information, you can contact the study abroad office at studyabroad@tcu.edu.

The Denver Publishing Institute is an intensive, four-week summer program that provides a broad overview of all aspects of the publishing industry in lectures and hands-on workshops. Many TCU students past and present have attended the institute! If you have a passion for publishing, you should consider applying! Find out more info on the annual institute here.

There are many ways to get involved in the English department! Some of the best ways to get involved is to join one of our many societies or affiliate groups, like the Bryson Literary Society or Sigma Tau Delta. You can also consider seeking employment in the English department office or applying for the Gauthier Apprenticeship. The department hosts many events throughout the semester that you can attend as well!

Established circa 1928, the Bryson Literary Society was created to inspire creative thinkers, literature aficionados, and anyone looking to collaborate with others of the same mentality. The Bryson Literary Society has regained momentum in the past several years and continues to be an active presence on campus. Email m.roberts@tcu.edu if you would like the name of a contact person in Bryson.

Eleven40Seven is TCU’s journal of the Arts. Students are able to submit creative work in all mediums for potential publication in the print or online journal each semester. If you would like to participate in the selection, editing, design, and production of Eleven40Seven, enroll in the course ENGL 30390 Publication Production. Students can repeat this class for full internship credit in the Writing major. Check out more on Eleven40Seven here!

Yes! TCU English hosts Live Oak readings each semester, which features the work of contemporary, award-winning authors, poets, playwrights from around the nation. Authors read their work, and discuss their process and the writing life for students. Afterward, books and plays are available for purchase and author signings. Also, many TCU English faculty and staff have published work. So, you’ll be taught by living authors too! See our department calendar for more information.

The Writing internship is a requirement for Writing majors to make sure that these students have the necessary experience to showcase to future potential employers when they begin their journey into the job market.

Yes! We encourage English department students are welcome to enroll in the internship course, WRIT 40273: Writing Internship. This course is a requirement for all Writing majors and will count toward the Creative Writing minor or English major as a writing course or an elective

To find out more info on internships, visit our department internship page. Here you will find information on the internship course, a FAQ on internships, an internship guide, and a list of potential agencies!

Sigma Tau Delta is an honor society for English majors and minors. The group sponsors an initiation ceremony each year along with other events. Members are eligible to participate in national conferences and to compete for national scholarships. Information about how to apply is sent out to all majors and minors by email in the spring semester.

Pi Epsilon Pi (PEP) is a national honor society for undergraduate students in writing studies. PEP was founded by the Loyola University Maryland Writing Department in 2006. TCU’s Texas Alpha chapter was created in 2016. Invitations to PEP are sent out in the Spring semester. For more info about PEP, visit this site.

English and writing majors pursue successful careers in communications, law, business, publishing, web design, editing, teaching, technical writing, public relations, management, advertising, medicine, entertainment, politics, and nonprofit work, along with countless others. It’s probably easier to ask what you can’t do with an English and/or Writing major.

The WIRE (Writing, Internships, Rhetoric, and English) program is a professional development vehicle housed in the TCU English department that features networking panels with alumni and other industry professionals, along with internship panels and other events to help students navigate their potential career opportunities. In the required Junior Research Seminar, you will prepare a professional writing portfolio, created a LinkedIn profile, and learn about job opportunities, networking, and job search strategies.

All courses offered in the department will develop your critical thinking, writing, and research skills – all of huge benefit for graduate study. In the Junior Research Seminar, you’ll write a long piece of writing that may be appropriate as a writing sample for a graduate school application. Your English faculty advisors, mentors, or favorite professors are the best sources for getting information about graduate study. Don’t be afraid to ask them about this in one-on-meetings; they have a wealth of information on this topic to share with you! TCU career services also offers resources to tap into when it comes to graduate school prep.

If you are considering law school, you should seriously consider a major in the English Department. English regularly ranks in list of top majors for law school preparation. The American Bar Association site on preparing for law schoolnames problem solving, critical reading, writing and editing, oral communication, and research as the top five needed skills set – all of which we center in courses in the English Department!

Pre-law advisement is offered to all TCU students regardless of their major. Learn more here!

The Career Consultant for students in the AddRan college of Liberal Arts is Cara Davis.

You can contact Cara via email at cara.davis93@tcu.edu or set up an appointment with her through Handshake, TCU’s career services platform.

Our best advice is to meet frequently with our career consultant, Cara Davis. She will give you great insight on the employers at the career expo who are most interested in seeing all majors or Writing and English majors specifically.

If you feel you have been discriminated against based on your identity or have been sexually harassed, please file a report through TCU’s Office of Institutional Equity. If you feel you are in immediate danger of harm by another person or yourself, call the TCU Police at 817-257-7777 or 911. There are many other campus resources to support you.

If your complaint has to do with a composition course, contact Dr. Carrie Leverenz, Director of Composition, at c.leverenz@tcu.edu.

Other complaints may be directed to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Matt Pitt (m.pitt@tcu.edu) or the Chair of the English Department, Dr. Theresa Gaul (t.gaul@tcu.edu).