Top Ten Colleges in the U.S. for an English Degree

University of California, Berkeley

• The University of California, Berkeley's English program, specifically its English Ph.D. program, was ranked the top graduate English program in the country by U.S. News & World Report in 2010. Berkeley was founded in 1868 and its department of English offers courses in writing, language and literature. The university also has an undergraduate honors in English program.

  UC Berkeley English Department
  322 Wheeler Hall
  Berkeley, CA 94720
  510-642-3467
  english.berkeley.edu

Stanford University

• Stanford University, founded in 1891 in Stanford, California, is the 2nd best college to pursue an English degree at, according to the 2010 report by U.S. News & World Report. Stanford University’s department of English teaches students to focus on interpretive thinking by examining dynamic literary and cultural histories, such as researching British and Anglophone literary texts.

  Stanford University
  Department of English
  450 Serra Mall
  Building 460, Room 201
  Stanford, CA 94305
  650-723-2635
  english.stanford.edu

Yale University

• Yale University, founded in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut, is ranked No.3 among the best English schools by the U.S. News & World Report. Its department of English offers a Ph.D. in English, and teaches expository writing, film writing and more, making it one of the best creative writing programs in the country.

  Yale University
  Department of English
  63 High Street
  New Haven, CT 06520
  203-432-2224
  yale.edu/English

Columbia University

• Columbia University’s Department of English and Comparative Literature in New York is ranked No.4 among the best colleges for English degrees, according to the 2010 U.S. News & World Report. Columbia was founded in 1754. Its English program has special focuses on teaching students to appreciate the power of language and global literature.

  Columbia University
  Department of English
  602 Philosophy Hall
  1150 Amsterdam Avenue
  New York, NY 10027
  212-854-3215
  columbia.edu/cu/english/

Harvard University

• Harvard University, established in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is tied with Columbia University in 4th place on this list of best colleges for English degrees, according to the 2010 report from U.S. News & World Report. Harvard University’s department of English program takes 4 to 7 years to complete because it prepares students for the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam and allows them to gain experience in the field.

  Harvard University
  Department of English
  Barker Center
  12 Quincy Street
  Cambridge, MA 02138
  617-495-2533
  english.fas.harvard.edu

University of Pennsylvania

• Founded in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is also tied in 4th place with Columbia and Harvard University on the list of the best colleges for English degrees. Its English department teaches students, among other specialties, literature, literary history and specific literary cultures.

  University of Pennsylvania
  Department of English
  3340 Walnut St.
  Philadelphia, PA 19104
  215-898-7341
  english.upenn.edu

Cornell University

• Cornell University, founded in 1865, is the 7th best college for an English degree, according to the 2010 report by U.S. News & World Report. Cornell University’s Department of English teaches expository writing, film analysis, works by Shakespeare, and much more.

  Cornell University
  Department of English
  250 Goldwin Smith Hall
  Ithaca, NY 14853-3201
  607-255-6800
  arts.cornell.edu/english

Princeton University

• Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey is next on the list of the best colleges for an English degree. Princeton’s English department focuses on different areas of literature and it also offers certificate programs in medieval studies, creative writing and more.

  Princeton University
  Department of English
  22 McCosh Hall
  Princeton, New Jersey 08544
  609-258-4061
  english.princeton.edu

University of Chicago

• The University of Chicago, established in 1890, is No. 9 on the list of best colleges for English degrees, according to the 2010 U.S. News & World Report. Its department of English language and literature supports interdisciplinary work in race and gender studies, cultural literature and more. The university has a number of English research institutions on campus.

  University of Chicago
  Department of English
  1115 E. 58th Street
  Chicago, IL 60637
  773-702-8512
  english.uchicago.edu

Duke University

• Duke University, which was founded in 1838, has a mission to train students in pedagogy, which is the ability of graduates to become scholars of whatever they learn at Duke. Its English department offers a host of literary courses, including cultural literature from India, Africa and more.

  Duke University
  English Department
  314 Allen Building
  Durham, NC 27708
  919-684-2741
  english.duke.edu