Department of English
The English Department offers a dynamic study of literature across historical periods, geographical boundaries and diverse political and social contexts.
Featured Event
Spring 2020 Course Descriptions
Have you chosen your Spring 2020 English courses yet?
View our in-depth course descriptions, written by each English professor, describing their spring course.
Learn more

Upcoming Events
- Dec13
The USD Writing Center's Night Against Procrastination
Friday, December 13, 2019 // 2 p.m.Founders Hall, Room 190-B - Feb20
The Lindsay J. Cropper Memorial Writers Series: Alexander Chee, Nonfiction Writer
Thursday, February 20, 2020 // 6 p.m.Mother Rosalie Hill Hall, Room Warren Auditorium
In the News
'Christ: Life, Death, and Resurrection' Art Exhibit Highlights Prints & Pinot, Lecture/Reception Events
// October 18, 2019
The College of Arts and Sciences, University Galleries and the University of San Diego Alumni Association co-hosted the fall semester's Prin…
Thursday's Cropper Series Events Feature Poet Jacqueline Osherow
// September 25, 2019
Poet Jacqueline Osherow will kick off the 2019-20 academic year as the English Department's featured speaker at both the Barrie Cropper Lect…
Cropper Series Announced for 2019-2020
// August 15, 2019
The University of San Diego's Department of English is excited to announce the Lindsay J. Cropper Memorial Writers Series for 2019-2020! All…
Juliana Mascari ’16 (BA), ’19 (JD): A Double USD Graduate in Bloom
// May 22, 2019
San Diego (May 22, 2019) – Juliana Mascari knew the University of San Diego was the right place after her initial campus visit. Yet, s…
Poetry Collaboration with Kearny High School Students
// May 15, 2019
Thanks to a microgrant provided by USD’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences' (SOLES) E2E Incubator, Alcala Review editorial s…
Why Choose English at USD?
Close-Knit Community
Students build deep and lasting connections with their faculty and fellow students. The support and respect each student receives fosters a community that is committed to academic excellence, scholarly inquiry and mutual respect among colleagues. Browse the English Department Newsletter, and visit us in Founders Hall, Room 174.
Additional Programs and Special Presentations
The English department offers exciting addition programming, such as the opportunity to tutor in the Writing Center and Southeast San Diego Tutoring Project. Special programming includes our Honors society, Sigma Tau Delta, career workshops, student readings, and special lectures, including Joanne T. Dempsey Memorial Lecture series.
Creative Writing
Led by our award winning creative writing faculty, our creative writing concentration offers genre specialties in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Foundational to our creative writing program is the Lindsay J. Cropper Creative Writing Center, which sponsors the annual Lindsay J. Cropper Memorial Writers Series and our online literary journal, The Alcalá Review.
Research and Study Abroad Opportunities
Students are encouraged to further their learning through research and experiential learning opportunities. Whether the experience takes the form of attending plays at Britain's National Theatre, participating in our senior research class, Senior Project, or working with the Digital Humanities Tudor Plays project, students augment their coursework and bolster their resumes/portfolios with "real-life" experiences.
Department of English
College of Arts and Sciences
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5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110