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
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.
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.
Hamner Lecture - Thursday, October 1, 2026 - 4:00pm
On Thursday, October 1st, join us for the 24th Annual Eugenie L. Hamner Lecture for the Graduate Program in English. The event begins at 4pm in the Student Center Terrace Room. A reception will follow.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Student Center Terrace Room.
Film Screening - Tuesday, October 13, 2026 - 4:00pm
The English department (co-sponsored by African American Studies, History, and the Libraries) will host a public screening on campus of the new independent short documentary film In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters. This brief film includes original historical research about Phillis Wheatley Peters, a central figure in African American and American literary traditions, known for being the first Black woman to publish a full-length book in the Americas (1773). The Director Leslie Askew and Executive Producer Turlough White, well-known documentarians, will come to campus for a Q&A accompanying the screening.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Marx Library Auditorium with reception in the Rodning Gallery.
Jocelyn Cullity Book Launch - Thursday, October 15, 2026 - 4:00pm
On Thursday, October 15, our colleague Dr. Jocelyn Cullity will read from her new book, The Nurse at Baker Hospital, a historical mystery. Told through Della King, a poor nurse struggling to get through the Depression on her own, the novel is based on the true story about Norman Baker, a demagogue and radio propagandist who set up a nationally renowned cancer clinic in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The event begins at 4pm in the Student Center Terrace Room. A reception will follow the reading.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Student Center Terrace Room.
IMC Book Fair - Wednesday, October 28, 2026 - 9:00am to 4:00pm
Weather permitting, the Independent Music Collective (IMC) will be holding its final book fair of the semester in the Humanities Courtyard at USA from 9am to 4pm on Wednesday, October 28th. 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.
Porochista Khakpour - Thursday, November 12, 2026 - 4:00pm
Porochista Khakpour is the author of five critically acclaimed books, including the novel Tehrangeles (2024), named a Best Book of the Year by Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and W Magazine. Her debut novel, Sons and Other Flammable Objects, was a New York Times Editors' Choice and winner of the California Book Award for First Fiction. Her memoir Sick and essay collection Brown Album: Essays on Exile & Identity earned widespread acclaim, while her nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Slate, Salon, and many other publications.
Please note: this free event will be held in the Student Center Terrace Room. A reception will follow.
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.