The Berkeley English department is one of the country's earliest and stresses appreciation and analysis of the language as well as the importance of English literature to human civilization. The program draws undergrads from all over the U.S. and beyond. Coursework focuses on prominent authors, historical periods, critical theory, and multicultural issues. Students can study both expository and creative writing methods.
ASU's distinguished English program is also the country's biggest. Students can specialize in creative writing, linguistics, or English literature, or minor in Environmental Humanities and Writing. The faculty is made up of scholars and creative writers. Instruction options include courses both during the day and at night, lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning, honors classes, and independent study. English majors at ASU are also encouraged to take on internships and be present at academic conferences.
English is the most popular major at Yale, so the department has a lot of undergraduate experience. It also houses a fine creative writing department, for students who want to specialize in it as the focus of their English education. Writing is actually one of the cornerstones of the English undergraduate program at Yale, which stresses analytical thinking and well-constructed prose. Students are also taught research skills and the history of English literature, from early works to contemporary novels. The major is structured progressively, starting from introductory literature and writing classes and moving on to independent research in the last two years of college.
Columbia University's English department also houses its comparative literature program. Internationally oriented undergrads can supplement their English studies with coursework in other languages. The Columbia program emphasizes critical, imaginative reading and writing and encourages students "to appreciate the power of language to shape thought and represent the world." The major focuses on critical reading in the canonical English texts, the historical and social context of English language and literature, and the theoretical nature of literary texts. Students will be challenged with a multifaceted pedagogy that looks at psychoanalytics, politics, globalization, and other forces influencing literature.