English
About This Program
You’re passionate about the written word. Reading and writing are your ways of understanding the world — and yourself. You understand the power and complexity of language. English may be the major for you.
Why Utica College
Declaring an English major at Utica College means joining a close-knit community of literature lovers, writers and creative thinkers both in an out of the classroom. In the Harold Frederic English Society, students host poetry readings and attend theater performances. And in producing Ampersand, the college’s yearly literary magazine, students showcase their literary and artistic work.
The Harold Frederic English Society was formed in the fall semester of 1999 to offer students both inside and outside the English major the opportunity to participate in and contribute to the literary and creative life of the college. It is named in honor of the Utica native and noted nineteenth-century American novelist who chronicled the city's religious and ethnic groups at the turn of the century in his acclaimed novel The Damnation of Theron Ware. James Scannell, Associate Professor in the English department, is the club's faculty advisor.
In the past, the Society has hosted at Halloween a "Scary Poetry Reading" in which members of the club, the college community, and the greater Utica community read their favorite frightening verse by authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Browning. The Society was also influential raising funds to buy books for the Breakfast Reading Club, a reading program for young children at Kernan Elementary School in West Utica.
HFES puts on open mics, does community service around literacy, and has one literary themed outing a year. Meetings are weekly.
Those interested in participating should contact Professor James Scannell at
Membership Requirements
For induction into the Utica College chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honors society, the English Department's criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Completion of two college courses in English language or literature beyond freshman courses (i.e., beyond those at the 100-level).
- A minimum 3.5 GPA in English and Literature courses, and a 3.0 GPA overall.
- Completion of 3 semesters of college course work, 2 at Utica College.
- Good character demonstrated through consistent adherence to the principles of academic honesty and professional behavior as defined in the Utica College Student Code of Conduct.
To learn more about Sigma Tau Delta, please visit http://www.english.org/sigmatd/
A prize of $2,000 is given annually for a poetry collection published in the previous year by a resident of upstate New York. The winner will also give a reading and teach a master class at Utica College in April 2020. Submit two copies of a book of at least 48 pages published between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, and a curriculum vitae by August 31.
Competition Details
Prize: $2,000
For best poetry collection published by an Upstate author.
Submission Deadline:
August 31, 2019
Entry Fee:
There is no entry fee.
Final Judge:
(To be announced.)
Entry Instructions:
Send completed entry form, a brief CV listing creative and scholarly accomplishments, and two (2) copies of the work to:
Gary Leising
Utica College
School of Arts and Sciences
1600 Burrstone Road
Utica, NY 13502
**NOTE: Books may be sent in by author or publisher.
Submission Criteria:
Submitted work must be a book of poems in English, at least 48 pages long, published between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 by a resident of Upstate New York. Collections by more than one author, "collected" or "selected" volumes, collections of translations, self-published works, and vanity press publications are not eligible.
Additional Requirements:
Winner must agree, upon contest entry:
- to give permission for portions of the winning work to be reproduced for publicity; and
- to, at a mutually agreeable date in April 2020, 1) receive the award in person, 2) give a reading at Utica College, and 3) meet with students in a master class.
All books entered in competition will be donated to the Utica College library and the Utica Public Library.
Contact Information
Office of Admissions
General Information
Track
- Major
Degree
- B.A.
Location
- Utica Campus
English at Utica
“There are three things, after all, that a poem must reach: the eye, the ear, and what we may call the heart or the mind. It is most important of all to reach the heart of the reader.”
Career Opportunities
Distinction
Experiencing the Arts
What You'll Learn
Through the study of modern and ancient literature, English majors develop analytical and critical thinking skills, along with a broad perspective of the world around them. Taught by UC’s exceptional faculty that includes published authors, literary scholars, and linguists, English courses help students become articulate, intelligent communicators who are prepared for a wide range of career paths.
English Faculty
- Professor of English
- Associate Professor of English
- Professor of English
- Professor of English
- Assistant Professor of English
- Professor of English
- Assistant Professor of Creative Non-Fiction
- Associate Professor of English
- Assistant Professor of English
- Professor of English
English at Utica College
A Degree That Works
UC English alumni have gone on to success in business communications, teaching, law, journalism, advertising, and publishing, among many other fields.
Alumni Voices: Sean Feener
A brief conversation with Sean Feener, graduate of UC's English program and now a law student at Boston College.
Student Voices: Rose Zaloom
Talking with Rose Zaloom, a UC English major with a double minor in theatre and creative writing, about how the program opportunities at Utica College fit perfectly with her plans of becoming a playwright and actor.
Teaching through example
Among the esteemed English faculty at Utica College, you'll be learning from five published poet-professors.
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