Our English Program provides an array of courses unusually wide for a department of our size, offering classes in Journalism, Creative Writing, Film, Composition, and Professional Writing along with American, British, and World Literature, and Literary Theory. In and out of the classroom, we seek to meet the unique learning needs of each student and work hard to ensure that you are prepared to succeed, whether you go on to graduate school or directly into a career. We teach you the ways in which language shapes our lives, how to interpret and respond to the texts you encounter, and prepare you to communicate clearly, convincingly, and compellingly. In these ways, you become active shapers of knowledge and your world. Master these skills in our English Program, and you will find yourself prized by employers in almost any field.

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Program Highlights

Small = Better Writing

We keep our creative writing classes small so students get lots of feedback and individual attention.

Get Published

Our literary journal Upcountry gives you the chance to submit your work, see it in print, and, if you want to get more involved, maybe even serve as a student editor.

Be a Reporter

Our student newspaper, the University Times, is led by one of our faculty members and lets students learn the journalistic ropes.

An Author Among Us

UMPI is home to accomplished writers, including Richard Lee Zuras, whose contributions to literature and academia enrich the university’s cultural landscape.

Lend a Helping Hand

In several of our classes, you can learn writing and communication skills while doing community service projects for local organizations, like creating brochures and other promotional materials for area non-profits.

Help Others Write

Are you a strong writer? Then you could help others develop their own writing as a writing center tutor in UMPI’s Learning Commons.

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EXPECT generous scholarships

Financial Aid Scholarships & Awards

Small = Better Writing

UMPI offers small creative writing classes that provide an intimate and supportive environment for aspiring writers. These classes emphasize individualized instruction, allowing students to receive personalized feedback and guidance from experienced faculty members. The curriculum covers various genres, including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, fostering a diverse and comprehensive writing experience. Students engage in workshops, peer reviews, and writing exercises designed to enhance their creative skills and literary techniques. The small class sizes promote a close-knit community where students can freely express their creativity and collaborate with fellow writers.

Get Published

Upcountry is a literary journal published by UMPI. It showcases a diverse range of creative works, including poetry, short stories, essays, and visual art, contributed by students, faculty, and writers from the broader community. The journal aims to celebrate and promote literary and artistic expression, providing a platform for emerging and established voices alike. Through its annual publication, Upcountry fosters a vibrant literary culture within UMPI and the surrounding region, highlighting the unique perspectives and talents of its contributors.

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EXPECT an education tailored to your needs

Be a Reporter

The University Times is the student-run newspaper at UMPI, providing a platform for students to engage in journalism and share news relevant to the campus community. The publication covers a wide range of topics, including university events, student life, academic achievements, sports, and issues of broader societal interest. As a learning resource, it offers students practical experience in writing, editing, and media production, while fostering a sense of community and keeping the university’s population informed and connected.

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An Author Among Us

Our program is pleased to have a published author in our midst. Richard Lee Zuras has written two novels, The Bastard Year and The Honeymoon Corruption, and his latest book, Mining Your Past: A Creative Writing Professor’s Guide: Writing Stories, Poetry, & Song Lyrics was recently published by Belle Isle Books. His work exemplifies the high caliber of creative talent within UMPI, highlighting the institution’s support for and celebration of literary achievements.

Lend a Helping Hand

The university offers a variety of writing and communication courses designed to enhance students’ abilities in areas such as technical writing, public relations, and digital media. These courses often incorporate service-learning components, where students apply their classroom knowledge to real-world situations. Engaging in these community service projects allows UMPI students to gain practical experience while making a positive impact on the local community. Working closely with non-profit organizations, students learn to understand and address the unique communication needs of different audiences.

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Help Others Write

As a tutor with UMPI’s Writing Center, you can provide comprehensive support to fellow writers through personalized assistance and guidance. The role involves helping students at various stages of the writing process, from brainstorming and outlining to drafting and revising their work. Tutors provide feedback on structure, coherence, grammar, and style, ensuring writing is clear, persuasive, and academically sound. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, the aim is to boost students’ confidence and skills, empowering them to become more effective and independent writers.

Faculty

Photo of Lea Knudsen Allen

Lea Knudsen Allen

Associate Professor of English
Location
208 South Hall
Phone
(207) 768-9521
Email
lea.allen@maine.edu
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Deborah L Hodgkins

Professor of English
Location
210 South Hall
Phone
(207) 768-9423
Email
deborah.hodgkins@maine.edu

Jennifer Lynds

Adjunct Faculty
Email
jennifer.lynds@maine.edu

Richard Simpson

Associate Professor of English
Email
richard.simpson@maine.edu
Photo of Richard Zuras

Richard Zuras

Professor of English and Creative Writing
Location
317 South Hall
Phone
(207) 768-9403
Email
richard.zuras@maine.edu

EXPECT to Finish in Four

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English Program Offerings

We offer a traditional “English” major, allowing students to take a wide variety of courses in literature, writing, theory, and film.

Language is power. It is the catalyst to thought and action. This concentration will help you tap your unique gifts as a communicator and realize power and potential you never dreamed you had. You’ll hone your skills and lay a solid foundation through supportive, stimulating classroom interactions. Then you’ll get out of the classroom to apply what you’ve learned, working in and with the community to bring people the information they need to make informed decisions and lead better lives. You’ll build a solid portfolio that will separate you from the rest of the pack, marking you as a professional ready for a career or advanced training.

A creative art, a process of inquiry, and a means of exploring the complexities of life and language–writing provides a lifetime of challenges and rewards. As an English major who chooses the Writing concentration, you will have the opportunity to explore multiple genres, from creative writing workshops in short fiction and poetry, to studies in nonfiction, screenwriting, and journalism, at both introductory and advanced levels. This concentration is intended for students interested in and committed both to their own creative work (fiction and/or poetry) and to the study of literature from a writer’s perspective. The Writing concentration prepares students for careers in publishing, journalism, and teaching, as well as futures in MFA programs and graduate studies in Creative Writing.

What can you do with an English Degree with a Writing Concentration?


The YourPace Bachelor of Arts in English – Professional Communication & Journalism degree builds a strong foundation as a communicator. The program is crafted to strengthen your ability to write and speak clearly, convincingly, and compellingly.

More Info on YourPace

Language is power. It is the catalyst to thought and action. This Associate’s degree will help you tap your unique gifts as a communicator, hone your skills, and lay a solid foundation through supportive, stimulating classroom interactions. With our Associate’s degree, you’ll apply what you’ve learned by working in and with the community to bring people the information they need to make informed decisions and lead better lives. You’ll build a solid portfolio that will separate you from the rest of the pack, marking you as a professional ready for a career or advanced training.

What can you do with an English Degree with a Professional Communication, AA?


The Professional Communication and Journalism Certificate at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) prepares students for careers in media, public relations, and corporate communication. It emphasizes skills in writing, reporting, and multimedia storytelling, alongside ethical considerations and critical thinking. The program aims to develop proficient communicators capable of navigating and succeeding in today’s fast-paced media landscape.

This minor provides literature and writing lovers the opportunity to explore, on a small-scale, some of the same courses our majors enjoy. In these classes, you will learn to write correctly, read and think critically, and communicate effectively.

Our interdisciplinary Film Studies minor is dedicated to the analysis of cinema as a medium of mass communication, education, and, above all, entertainment. We teach film as a business as well as a means of free expression; a political tool as well as an innocent diversion. With particular attention to film analysis and writing (both creatively and critically), students will attain an understanding of the development of cinema as an art form, its relationship with other arts, along with its global, multinational context.

Our goal is to empower you not only to write effectively about and within the medium, but to be an active and conscious critic of the role cinema has played in social and political movements. We teach an appreciation of the power of its revolutionary aesthetics as well as its potential as a political distraction together with the ways it continues to shape contemporary thought and culture.

Our courses are taught by faculty in Art, English, and other disciplines in the Humanities and include classes in writing, theory, analysis, and production. Whether you are considering a career as an artist or critic, or both, this minor will provide you with essential knowledge and skills within this truly remarkable medium.

“Philosophy,” translated from the Greek, means a “love of wisdom.” The Philosophy Minor at UMPI is an interdisciplinary program designed both as an important contribution to a liberal education and for those wishing to interrogate further what “philosophy” has come to mean to us today: understanding the nature of knowledge, thought, values, and reality. Our lower level course offerings, and most of our more advanced classes, are designed to be of interest to students reflective about their beliefs or those who wish to become so. The basic principle of reasoned inquiry are useful for nearly whatever subject you wish to pursue as a major, whether it be English, History, Political Science, law, or medicine. Most importantly, however, the study of philosophy looks beyond obtaining employment after graduation, finding its value in a range of thought and action that you develop and enjoy long after your formal studies might be completed.

Many of our students take only one or two philosophy courses, while majoring in other programs. They find a study of basic philosophical ideas and principles enriches their general education and adds a dimension of understanding to courses in their major program. Classes such as “Introduction to Philosophy” and “Introduction to Ethics” are especially designed to address students from all majors and programs. Furthermore, students often find that philosophy courses give them a deeper understanding of contemporary social issues, such as biomedical, business, interpersonal, and technological ethics. These issues find reflection in courses such as “Social Theory,” “Aesthetics,” and “Literary Theory and Critical Practice.”

The Minor in Professional Communication and Journalism combines classroom instruction with practical experience to teach students how to communicate effectively in professional environments. Students receive training in specific business communication as well as the opportunity to develop video production and journalistic skills, culminating in a professional portfolio that demonstrates their writing, editing, design, and research skills to prospective employers.

What can you do with a Professional Communication Minor?

Next Step: Admissions

We’re so excited that you’re considering the University of Maine at Presque Isle! As a student at UMPI, we want your experience to be anything but ordinary! So what makes UMPI extraordinary? Our Learning Environment, Our Student Engagement and Our Location!

No matter what stage of life you are in, we can help you take the plunge into higher education and put you on YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS!

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