Join us in Thomas Hall for the English department's annual STUDENT CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE on Friday, April 12, 2013. 2013 Student Conference Program.
In the English department at the University of Nebraska Kearney, our students enjoy small classes taught by faculty with a broad range of specialities. In addition, students have many degree options. They may pursue a major or minor in English with a balance of literature, composition, language, and writing classes. Students may continue on to specialize in literature and literary criticism at UNK for a Masters degree.
Our students may also major in English with an emphasis in creative writing where, in addition to a foundation in literature and language, a strong focus is on writing: poetry, fiction, drama, screen-writing, and creative nonfiction. UNK also offers a Masters specializing in creative writing with students producing a creative thesis. If students wish to continue to a higher degree, UNK and UNO have a joint MFA program in creative writing.
Over half of the department’s majors seek degrees in English Education with plans to teach in Middle or High School. These students may specialize solely in English or they may opt to expand to the Language Arts, taking classes in English, theater, journalism, and speech. For those who wish to move quickly up the salary schedule in the public schools, the English department has just initiated a joint Masters with the Education department to offer an online MA consisting of 18 hours of English classes taught by English faculty and 18 hours of curriculum development taught by Education faculty.
If a student wishes to minor in English, they may choose either literature, creative writing, elementary education, or popular culture.
In addition to course work, our students have the opportunity to belong to Sigma Tau Delta, a national English honorary that has existed on our campus over eighty years. Students plan various activities throughout the year as well as attend and present papers at the national convention. The Carillon, sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, is edited by students and features creative writing by students. The group also hosts the annual Poetry Slam with guest appearance by faculty members as well as flash fiction and poetry contests.
English students at UNK actively research, publish, and perform. Mentored by award winning faculty who publish regularly in their fields, students have the opportunity to present papers at university, regional, national, and even international conferences as well as publish creative writing in respected journals and give readings. The English department also hosts an annual Student Conference on Language and Literature at which we give cash awards for outstanding essays.
Visiting writers and scholars add to the educational experience at UNK through the Explorations Lectures . In addition, many scholarships are available to English majors, and over $14,000 is awarded annually to graduate and undergraduate students.