English and Foreign Languages Department

Overview

Our department is fully dedicated to the study of languages, literatures and cultures, with courses that range from basic language skills to specialized courses to enhance your learning. We believe that stories have the power to change the world!

From the classics to contemporary literature, you can customize your education based on your interests, and you’ll be surrounded by a thriving community of readers and writers.

Graduates from our programs work in positions such as arts administrators, attorneys, digital marketing strategists, editors, higher education administrators, journalists, librarians, professors and technical writers.

Learning Experiences

In Ashland University's English and Foreign Languages department, you will:

Have the opportunity to double major in Creative Writing and English
Receive personal attention with small class sizes at all course levels
Complement another major with an English, Creative Writing or Spanish minor
Learn from expert faculty who are published authors and working editors
Collaborate with faculty on research projects and publishing opportunities, and present your findings at professional conferences
Get paid experience by working as a writing tutor in the Ashland Writing and Communication Center and in internships with the Ashland Poetry Press and the AU Master of Fine Arts Program
Join the editorial team of the Black Fork Review, a literary journal run by students that features student writing
Prepare to continue your education in graduate school. Our majors have excelled in top graduate programs in their chosen fields.

Join us and find your voice in a program in the English and Foreign Languages department.

Programs

View the English course rotation or the Foreign Language course rotation.

Undergraduate Majors

Undergraduate Minors

Graduate

MFA in Creative Writing

Dean's Scholarship

The Dean's Scholarship was created to enhance the undergraduate academic experience for new first-time and transfer students enrolled in a major within the College of Arts & Sciences. It is a merit-based, renewable scholarship of $1,500 that can be "stacked" on top of other awarded AU academic scholarships. In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in unique academic communities with a focus on career coaching and preparation.

Dean's Scholarships are available in these areas:

Actuarial Science
Art
Biology
Chemistry
Communications
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Cybersecurity
Digital Media Journalism or Production
Emergency Management & Homeland Security
English and Foreign Languages
Mathematics
Music
Psychology
Religion
Social Work

Learn more about the Dean's Scholarship

Student Opportunities

Gain rewarding, real-world experience through opportunities such as:

The Collegian

Ashland University's award winning, student-run and edited campus newspaper. Your news source for all things AU.

The Collegian

Ashland Poetry Press

The mission of the Ashland Poetry Press is to publish and promote the best poetry submitted from new and established authors writing in English, as well as translations of Spanish poetry into English. The Ashland Poetry Press resides in the English and Foreign Languages Department at Ashland University.

Ashland Poetry Press

The Black Fork Review

The Black Fork Review is run by students, faculty and alumni from Ashland University. We feature work that makes us consider the world and our lives in new and unexpected ways. The journal is supported by the AU English and Foreign Languages Department, The Ashland Poetry Press and The Ashland MFA Creative Writing Program.

The Black Fork Review

Passages: Revised

Passages: Revised is Ashland University’s student-run undergraduate literary journal. Passages: Revised seeks to showcase our students’ works of creative writing and visual art.

Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society

Sigma Tau Delta is a National English Honor Society. In addition to conferring distinction for high achievement in English language and literature, the Society’s Articles of Incorporation call for “service to society by fostering literacy.” Ashland University’s Alpha Beta Phi Chapter strives to build student-professor relationships outside of the classroom, serve as leaders in the English and Foreign Languages Department and foster literacy in the Ashland community.

You don’t have to be an English major or minor to apply to Sigma Tau Delta, but you must:

Have sophomore standing or higher
Have a 3.0 minimum GPA in at least two English classes beyond English 102

Please email Maura Grady, Ph.D. at mgrady3@ashland.edu for an application.

Foreign Language Placement

If you studied French or Spanish in high school, you must complete Ashland University’s language proficiency assessment in WebCape. The information from your assessment will help you make decisions about your language study to fulfill the Critical Cultural Inquiry core requirement.

Correct language placement is crucial for your academic success. Placement is determined by your WebCape score, the number of years of high school language study and your GPA and ACT scores.

Access the WebCape English or WebCape French/Spanish language placement tool, create an account, sign in and choose from the list of available tests. Select "Take Test.” You will need a stable internet connection and a quiet environment for 15-30 minutes. Please do not use any assistance or resources while completing the assessment.

If you took another language, consider enrolling in elementary French, Latin or Spanish.

Please contact Richard Gray, Ph.D. at rgray6@ashland.edu with questions about foreign language placement.