About Us

One of the founding departments of Stanford University in 1891, the Department of English is the cornerstone of the humanities at Stanford. The pioneer faculty of English was an eclectic group of writers, comparativists, and literary scholars. Today, the faculty continues to reflect the innovation and creativity of the Bay Area, conducting bold research and teaching across the traditions of British, American, and World literary history. Consistently ranked as one of the top departments in the country, Stanford English is home to the Center for the Study of the Novel, the Literary Lab, and the world-renowned Creative Writing Program.

Our internationally renowned faculty are both intellectual leaders in literary studies and acclaimed writers across genres. We are also deeply involved in the digital humanities and in interdisciplinary research and studies.

To study English at Stanford is to explore, deeply and rewardingly, the rich legacy of literature written in English, past and present. The department offers a wealth of courses on individual authors, the history of literary genres, literary theory, new media, and creative writing. Given the emphasis on critical thinking and interpretation, the English major is in turn an excellent preparation for many professional fields, including teaching, journalism, law, publishing, medicine, and business. The graduate program features rigorous training in the research and analysis of British, American, and global literary histories and theories, preparing students to produce scholarship of originality and importance, and to teach literature at the highest levels.

A diverse range of undergraduate and graduate courses are offered. Undergraduates have the opportunity to acquire fundamental writing skills, to learn about the powers of argument and analysis, and to see the big picture of literature’s development from the Middle Ages to the present. A coterminal master’s program is offered to undergraduates who wish to participate in graduate-level courses. The rigorous graduate program prepares students for careers in academic and other leadership fields.

Degree's offered in the Department of English include the B.A. In English, a coterminal M.A. in English, Ph.D. in English, and in conjunction with the Modern, Thought, and Literature Program, the Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature.

The Department of English is also the home of Creative Writing Program--one of the best-known in the country--that cultivates the power of individual expression within a vibrant community of writers. Many of our English majors pursue a concentration in creative writing, participating in workshop-based courses or independent tutorials with Stegner Fellows, Stanford’s distinguished writers-in-residence. The Creative Writing Program each year offers five two-year fellowships in poetry and five two-year fellowships in fiction. These are not degree-granting fellowships. Information is available at creativewriting.stanford.edu.

Beyond the Classroom

Find inspiration throughout the year in readings by visiting novelists, short-story writers, and poets. Join the Literary Lab, an experimental research group that bridges the humanities and technology to view the new face of literature in this age of big data and digital mapping. Participate in the undergraduate colloquium at Center for the Study of the Novel, in which students explore how and why the novel has become such an essential part of our culture.

People

Browse the people that work for Stanford's Department of English.

• Our Faculty

• Lecturers

• Courtesy

• Emeriti

• Staff

Connect with Us

Use these channels to learn more about our department and reach out to us.

• Visit our website: http://english.stanford.edu

• Email us: EnglishDept@stanford.edu

• Call our main office: (650) 723-2635

• Fax our main office: (650) 725-0755

Find Us on Campus or Send Us Mail

Department of English
450 Jane Stanford Way
Building 460, Room 201
Mail Code: 94305