Three students sit at a table in English class, animatedly discussing something while surrounded by laptops and notepads. A professor sits on the edge of the table, listening to the conversation.

English and Creative Writing

Tell stories. Change the world.

You’re here because you care about stories. Maybe yours. Maybe someone else’s. At Macalester, we engage with those stories seriously and joyfully.

Words have power.

As a department, we emphasize connections: between English and Creative Writing, Shakespeare and fantasy fiction, the novels of Toni Morrison and contemporary social justice movements. Expect to build connections of your own here, both inside and outside the classroom.

Each Day is a New Story.

One week, you’re reading a novel; the next, the author might be sitting in your classroom. You’ll write about love, justice, grief—whatever matters to you—and we’ll help you shape those ideas into something powerful.

Two students sit at a small table in the English department office space, while one stands behind them. All three are laughing and eating bagels, or have a bagel on their plate. Another student sits with their back to the camera, just out of focus.

You Belong Here.

Bagel Mondays. Literary salons. Weekly coffeehouses. Theater trips. Karaoke nights. Creative writing workshops. Our classrooms—and our hangouts—are built on community. We read together, write together, laugh a lot, and try to make sense of the world.

A group of English students pose on a colorfully-lit stage.

Where will an English major take you?

Our graduates write for Marvel and DC Comics, work on television shows like Succession, lead teams at Amazon, publish in The Wall Street Journal, develop video games, and build careers in fields ranging from human rights to environmental conservation, theater, and law. So really, what can’t you do with an English degree?

“I like working at the edge of an industry that still has multiple challenges to solve.”

Erin DeRuggiero ’96 Founder of predictive analytics company TI Health, English major

Read Erin’s story

47

Faculty-sponsored internships in the last five years

40+

Publishing houses in the Twin Cities metro area

Field trips to nature preserves, recycling facilities, and book arts demonstrations

Why study English now?

Because stories still matter. Because language still has power. Because AI can’t replace your voice, and because books are being banned for a reason. In a world that feels increasingly fractured, the ability to understand and tell human stories is a radical and necessary skill.

English isn’t just about making a living. It’s about making a life worth living.

Are You a Future English Major at Macalester?

If you’re considering Mac, let us know. We’ll keep you up to date on application deadlines and visit opportunities.

Introduce Yourself

Two English students sit in class, chatting and smiling.

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