Those who study English believe that an intense concern for words, ideas, and images helps people understand who they are and who they can become. Writing helps all of us clarify and share our thoughts. Literature helps us contemplate the pains and joys of human existence. Through the study of English we see life’s complexity, experience life as others do, and better understand the world in which we live and work.

English relates closely to other majors. With the other arts, English is concerned with the pleasure that comes from artistic creation and with the contemplation of works of art. With psychology and sociology, English is concerned with individual and group behavior. With philosophy, English is interested in ideas and in the relation between meaning and language. With science, English is interested in discovering order and determining structures. With speech and communication, English studies the effective use of language. With history and the other social sciences and humanities, English studies the way people have acted and thought at different times and in various cultures.

The Augsburg Department of English integrates its program with the cultural opportunities of this vital urban area. Augsburg students can walk to assigned or recommended plays, films, and readings available near the campus. English majors have the opportunity to use and refine their skills through working in internships on and off campus, tutoring English Language Learners (ELL) students, or tutoring in the writing lab.

Students with an Augsburg English major pursue careers in elementary, secondary, and college education, journalism, government, law, the ministry, library science, medicine, advertising, public relations, publishing, writing, and other professions and businesses.