English

Undergraduate Program

The English program offers courses for majors and minors and electives for non-majors. The program is designed to develop a sense of literature, literary history, and sensitivity to cultural values. Students will also acquire the ability to analyze effectively and to write persuasively, skills that are valuable to almost any vocation. Our program offers a range of courses, from foundational areas, such as Shakespeare, Romanticism, and global literature, to emergent fields, such as medical humanism, critical race theory, and sexuality studies. 

We advise English majors and minors to take two historical surveys, one pre-1850 and one post-1850, early in their programs.

In addition, we have a Creative Writing minor with courses in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction taught by professional writers. These courses guide students to examine literary works as a writer to apply what they learn to their own writing. Interactive workshops, moreover, provide the feedback that helps students to develop and refine their work. Please contact Professor Elliott for more information.

Our program provides a number of scholarly opportunities, such as participation in our national Honors Society, our Capstone in English, and our Honors program. We also have connections to a number of internships, such as the London Internship Program, which offers positions in the fields of theater and journalism, in addition to internships with local newspapers and journals, as well as national organizations. Our program, moreover, has strong ties with the American Antiquarian Society, which offers seminars and the opportunity to participate in archival research. For those interested in studying abroad, the English Department has a partner program at the University of East Anglia and Advanced Studies in English in Bath, England. 

For more information, please visit the English Departments website.

International students applying to Clark must submit their applications through the Common Application. Official transcripts covering the student’s prior three (full) years of education must be submitted by the student’s school. Two letters of recommendation are required, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

All applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit evidence of English proficiency either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo, regardless of the length of time they have spent in the United States. The Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) necessary to obtain a student visa will be granted only after full admission and receipt of complete financial documentation (in the form of an official bank statement reflecting the student’s family’s financial resources).

To apply to a School of Professional Studies Bachelor of Science degree program, please submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Personal essay
• $75 non-refundable application fee (international students only)
• Official high school transcript or equivalent (unless high school completion is noted on a college transcript)
  • In lieu of a high school transcript, transfer students can submit an official copy of their domestic college transcript in combination with our Attestation Form.  This will waive the need for a high school transcript submission.)
• English proficiency exam scores. Required for international applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL 80 | IELTS 6.5 | PTE 51.

If English is not your native language, you will need to submit an official TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS  score report. We do not have minimum scores for any test. We will consider your English proficiency holistically, based on your scores, transcript, essay, and letters of recommendation.

We strongly encourage all applicants to sit for an interview. This is especially important for applicants who do not speak English as a native language. Test scores only tell us so much; we want to give you the opportunity to tell your own story. Your options for an interview are:

• Email your admissions counselor to request a Skype interview with a current Clark student.
• Schedule an interview as part of a campus visit.
• Send us an interview from Vericant or InitialView.

If we determine that you are academically qualified to attend Clark, but could use additional language support, we will refer you to our English for Academic Success Program or Undergraduate Pathway Programs. Depending on your level of English proficiency, you would spend between one and four semesters in this program before joining the undergraduate degree program. You would not need to take the TOEFL or IELTS again after finishing the program.