The Bachelor and Master of Arts in English degree programs at the University of South Alabama prepare students for jobs in professional settings including teaching, writing, and business areas. English majors and minors are taught by talented faculty and field experts in creative writing, literature, and professional writing in the College of Arts and Sciences. English undergraduate student Kelsi Fails describes her passion for writing poetry and studying literature at USA.
The English undergraduate program allows students to explore the study of literature and interpretation of novels, stories, poems and essays through critical approaches and writing, build the skills to craft meaningful creative work, and develop skills in professional writing and editing. The English master's program offers students in the creative writing and literature concentrations advanced study and preparation for careers in English as well as further graduate study. Through classes, as well as research opportunities and internships, students build skills in critical reading and writing, research, and instruction that support a range of career fields in business and education.
Upcoming Events
IMC Book Fair - Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - 9:00am to 4:00pm
Weather permitting, the Independent Music Collective (IMC) will be holding its first book fair of the semester in the Humanities Courtyard at USA from 9am to 4pm on Wednesday, August 26th. Come browse a wide selection of used books (on all topics), music in a variety of formats, and a bunch of random wall art. Donations support the IMC Concert Series!
Please note: weather permitting, this event will be held in the Humanities Courtyard.
English Soapbox Event: Radical Readings - Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - 11:00am to
12:30pm
Join the English department for refreshments and to hear faculty and students read their favorite radical literary passages on Wednesday, August 26 from 11am to 12:30pm in the Humanities Building courtyard. Get energized for the start of a great school year and fuel yourself with soda, cookies, and candy! Hosted by the English Department.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Humanities Courtyard.
Reading & Open Mic - Thursday, August 27, 2026 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Join us for poetry and pizza, plus the chance to take a turn at the mic! Hosted by the English Department and the Stokes Center for Creative Writing.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Student Center Room 203.
Huggy Bear Da Poet - Wednesday, September 16, 2026 - 4:00pm
Alex Jerome Lofton II, known as Huggy Bear Da Poet, is Mobile's Poet Laureate and a nationally recognized spoken-word artist whose performances blend powerful storytelling with a call for social change. A Mobile native, he has appeared at renowned venues across the country, including the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York, Busboys and Poets in the Washington, D.C., area, and the Apache Café in Atlanta, sharing stages with artists and leaders such as Jill Scott, Fantasia, Jesse Jackson, and Nikki Giovanni. A self-published author, recording artist, educator, and two-time Nappie Award winner, Huggy Bear continues to inspire audiences through performances, workshops, and community engagement.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Student Center Terrace Room. A reception will follow.
Steven Trout - Tuesday, September 22, 2026 - 4:00pm
Dr. Steven Trout of the University of Alabama will speak about his latest book, Remember the Tuscania: The Sinking, Its Aftermath, and a Century of Public Memory. Remember the Tuscania plunges readers into the night of February 5, 1918, when a German U-boat's torpedo found a crowded US troopship in the North Atlantic—and into the century of argument, propaganda, and remembrance that followed. At its heart are the Baraboo Twenty-One, citizen-soldiers from a Wisconsin town who survived the sinking that became the deadliest U-boat attack on Americans in the First World War and the nation's first mass-casualty event of the conflict.
Please note: this free event is co-sponsored by the Center for War and Memory and will be held in the Student Center Terrace Room.
IMC Book Fair - Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 9:00am to 4:00pm
Weather permitting, the Independent Music Collective (IMC) will be holding its second book fair of the semester in the Humanities Courtyard at USA from 9am to 4pm on Wednesday, September 30th. Come browse a wide selection of used books (on all topics), music in a variety of formats, and a bunch of random wall art. Donations support the IMC Concert Series!
Please note: weather permitting, this event will be held in the Humanities Courtyard.
Department of English, Instructor
The University of South Alabama's Department of English invites applications for a full-time (9-month) non-tenure-track instructor position, starting August 15, 2026. The successful applicant will teach primarily freshman composition courses (4/4 teaching load). Departmental, college, university, and/or community service also expected. We seek a candidate who will coordinate the Freshman Composition Program’s integration of Generative AI into the freshman composition courses.
Required: MA in English or related field with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in English and evidence of strong commitment to teaching college freshmen and sophomores. Candidates with research and teaching experience related to the development of programs and course materials that addresses the use of, and changing landscape with, Generative AI in the composition classroom are particularly encouraged to submit an application.
To apply, send by email the following: vita, cover letter, one-page teaching statement, and names of three references to Dr. Patrick Shaw, Search Committee Chair, c/o english@southalabama.edu.
Applicants invited for a campus interview will arrange to have official graduate and undergraduate transcripts sent directly by the Registrars of all colleges and universities from which a degree was received to the Search Committee Chair:
Official electronic transcripts may be emailed to Dr. Patrick Shaw (pjshaw@southalabama.edu).
Review of applications will begin May 11, 2026, and continue until the positions are filled.
The University of South Alabama is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression), religion, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status or any other applicable legally protected basis.
Part-Time Teaching
The English Department reviews applications on a continuing basis for part-time instructors, mainly to teach composition. Literature surveys and technical writing sections are available occasionally for those who are qualified in those areas.
Minimum Requirement: M.A. in English.
Please send your vita, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references and transcripts via email to Dr. Patrick Shaw.
The University of South Alabama is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression), religion, age, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or any other applicable legally protected basis.