As a student in our English and Theater Arts programs, you will explore a wide range of horizon-expanding courses and programs at both the undergraduate and, in the case of English, the graduate level to prepare you for the career of your dreams.

In the Department of English & Theater Arts, we value the whole person. We make space for diverse perspectives and experiences, and encourage inquiry guided by compassion and respect. In this community, we walk alongside our students as they develop the skills, knowledge and ethical values of the next generation of leaders.

GradReports has ranked the English department at Duquesne as one of the top 25 English programs in the nation based on the early-career salaries of our graduates!

Built on the university’s liberal arts foundation, an education in English or Theater Arts will enrich you as an intellectually curious student of the English language, literature, film and drama as well as prepare you for careers in fields such as writing, publishing, education, journalism, law, academia, theater and public relations. Through coursework and our robust internship program, you can explore your interests and build a bridge to your future!

“Our students learn to think, read and write critically and creatively. By exploring creative work in literature, theater, film and the visual arts, you'll understand and appreciate diverse voices in our cultural conversations. You'll be prepared to communicate ethically with a variety of audiences and in a variety of genres.”

Dr. Danielle A. St. Hilaire, Associate Professor; Chair, Department of English

Graduate & Undergraduate English Programs

Our bachelor’s degree in English includes courses in literature, composition, creative writing and cultural studies, touching on themes, genre and literary periods that have influenced civilizations and the greater world of art that they create.

You can choose from a wide range of minors, detailed below, that can help you supplement any major with well-honed reading and writing skills that you can draw on in any career.

We offer two graduate programs—an M.A. and a Ph.D.—through which you will develop advanced research and writing skills that will prepare you for further graduate education or professional life in academia or a multitude of other career paths.

Departmental Minors

Duquesne's Department of English & Theater Arts offers a diverse array of minors for every interest under the discipline's broad umbrella:

Theater Arts Major

The four-year B.A. program encourages students to examine and experience the relationship between drama as literary artifact and drama as performance.

Students learn the skills necessary to translate the written word into a living, breathing, dynamic art while developing invaluable problem-solving skills, building leadership qualities and learning to work successfully in a team environment.

M.A. & Ph.D. Programs in English

Online or in-person, craft your degree around your interests.

The program has two tracks: English, through which you’ll do a deep-dive into literary studies, and an M.A. with a focus on literature and writing, through which you’ll explore a variety of forms of writing across different media and disciplines.

A career-focused approach to English.

Our Ph.D. program will provide you with comprehensive training in advanced literary research and postsecondary teaching of writing and literature.

We're Here for You

We're committed to helping you develop the skills, knowledge and conscience you'll need to join the next generation of leaders—leaders who will shape the world that they inherit. As a student in Duquesne’s English department, you'll be able to take advantage of the following:

  • A blend of traditional and contemporary approaches to literature.
  • Small class sizes and one-on-one mentorship with a distinguished and award-winning faculty.
  • A state-of-the-art writing center.
  • Minor programs in theater arts, film, and creative writing.
  • Numerous student opportunities to study abroad, take off-site classes, and get involved with on-campus publications.
  • An English major with a writing concentration and creative writing opportunities.
  • A wide array of co-curricular opportunities, like the Coffeehouse Reading Series; our student-run literary magazine, :Lexicon; our theater group, the Red Masquers; and more!
  • A focus on helping you build a bridge from your major to a career you will love!

Student Clubs & Organizations

As Duquesne University's journal of arts and literature, :Lexicon is a student-run publication built to celebrate and encourage the arts and artists of Duquesne.

Through publishing the poetry, prose, drama, music and visual art of Duquesne faculty, students and alumni, :Lexicon promotes the arts through quality publications that showcase the vibrant spirit and talent of the extended Duquesne community.

Dedicated to the idea that one of the best ways to understand drama is through performance, the Duquesne University Medieval and Renaissance Players stage medieval and Renaissance drama, particularly at conferences and other scholarly gatherings.

The purpose of the Duquesne Medieval and Renaissance Players is to stage productions of Medieval and Renaissance drama as a means of research to better understand how Medieval and Renaissance drama function within a larger social context. In this effort, we join an international interest in the reconstruction and understanding of early dramas. 

Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, was established in 1924 to confer distinction upon students of the English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate and professional studies.

To be a candidate for undergraduate membership, you must have completed at least three semesters of college work and a minimum of two college courses in English language or literature. You must also have a minimum of a B average in English and rank at least in the highest 35 percent of your class in general scholarship.

Explore Sigma Tau Delta Nationals
The Duquesne University yearbook, L'Esprit du Duc, is produced yearly by a team of student editors. The yearbook is always looking for volunteers to work with the editors as they photograph campus events, create page layouts using Jostens, and write/edit text. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to apprentice with an editor and then seek one of those compensated positions the following year.

Statement of Inclusion

In keeping with Duquesne’s Spiritan commitment to ecumenism and solidarity, as well as respectful, critical conversations that embrace human diversity and dignity, the Department of English is dedicated to radical inclusion through service to all.

Through the study of language and literature in its various forms, you will be equipped with an understanding of and appreciation for the rich complexity and diversity of the human experience in its sacred and social manifestations. You will be instilled with an understanding of the importance of solidarity between peoples of all classes, gender identities, races, ethnicities, (dis)abilities/embodiments, sexual identities, ages/generations, religions, nationalities/citizenship status and other forms of vulnerable collectives.

Study Abroad

Semester-Long Opportunities
Our faculty regularly offer English classes to students studying in
 Rome, and many English classes at University College Dublin transfer in for credit toward the major or minor. Recent classes offered in Rome include "The Writer's Sketchbook: Creative Writing and Sketching in Rome" and "Food, Hunger, and Ethics in Contemporary Literature."

Spring Breakaway
If you have thought about studying abroad but are not sure that you would want to do a full semester, you might be interested in a Spring Break Away class! These classes combine classroom instruction with a spring break excursion. Recent trips have taken students to London, Paris, and Canada.

We also offer Maymesters, during which students earn 6 credits over four weeks.


Meet Our Faculty

Dr. Greg Barnhisel

Dr. Greg Barnhisel

Professor, English & Theater Arts

Dr. Faith Barrett

Dr. Faith Barrett

Associate Professor, English

Dr. Laura Engel

Dr. Laura Engel

Professor, English

John Fried

John Fried

Associate Professor, English

Dr. Kathy Glass

Dr. Kathy Glass

Professor, English

Dr. Susan Howard

Dr. Susan Howard

Associate Professor, English

Dr. Linda Kinnahan

Dr. Linda Kinnahan

Professor, English

Dr. Kristin Klucevsek

Dr. Kristin Klucevsek

Teaching Associate Professor of Scientific Writing

John Lane

John Lane

Associate Professor, Theater Arts

Rebecca Maatta

Rebecca Maatta

Teaching Associate Professor, English

Dr. Emad Mirmotahari

Dr. Emad Mirmotahari

Associate Professor, English

Dr. Jim Purdy

Dr. Jim Purdy

Professor, English & University Writing Center Director

Dr. Erin Speese

Dr. Erin Speese

Associate Professor, English

Dr. Danielle St. Hilaire

Dr. Danielle St. Hilaire

Department Chair & Associate Professor, Department of English & Theater Arts

Dr. Judy Suh

Dr. Judy Suh

Associate Professor, English

Dr. Matthew Ussia

Dr. Matthew Ussia

Director of First Year Writing and Teaching Associate Professor, English

Dr. Sarah Wright

Dr. Sarah Wright

Associate Professor, English & Director of Graduate Studies

Department contacts

Dr. Danielle A. St. Hilaire

Associate Professor and English Department Chair

John Fried

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Dr. Sarah Wright

Director of Graduate Studies

Dr. Matthew Ussia

Director of First Year Writing