English | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

English student walking outside of EPB with backpack

Reading. Writing. Iowa.

Study at the Writing University in the heart of the nation's most celebrated literary town.

Why Iowa?

Immerse yourself in the world of literature, books, and creative writing–in a college and community obsessed with the written word.

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Build a foundation

If you love reading and writing, you belong at Iowa. Declare the English or English and Creative Writing major, and join a community dedicated to exploring–and creating–great literature.

Build a foundation

Develop your literary scholarship. Hone your creative writing. Delve into book studies. Harness the digital humanities. Prepare for success in the academy, public service, education, and the literary arts and professions.

Expand your horizons

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Learn from experts

Our faculty are creating the future of the English disciplines, inspired by our storied past. They advance scholarship and artistry in a welcoming academic community internationally recognized for literary excellence.

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See yourself here

Make Iowa City, the first UNESCO City of Literature in the United States, your new home, and join our community of nationally respected professors and award-winning writers.

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News and announcements

PhD candidate Adare Smith featured in two recent publications

Monday, February 9, 2026

Zara Chowdhary in Tomorrow Club

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

photo of the cover of The Poetry of Bob Dylan, edited by Mike Chasar

Anthology edited by Mike Chasar (PhD 07) featured in Iowa Magazine

Thursday, January 15, 2026

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Write Your Story

Join a top university in the country for writing with one of our English and English and Creative Writing programs, or our Nonfiction Writing Program, one of the oldest nonfiction programs in the nation.

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Sydney Mayes english and creative writing student

"Iowa City is the place to be– specifically the University of Iowa–if you want to be a writer and if you want to have access to incredible resources around writing. The reputation is insane."

- Sydney Mayes, English and Creative Writing major

Hear Sydney's "Why Iowa"

Upcoming events

CLAS Postgraduate Visiting Writers Reading featuring Josh Balicki, Eli Campbell, Spencer Jones, & Brian Orozco

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 7:00pm to 8:30pm

English-Philosophy Building

CLAS Postgraduate Visiting Writers Josh Balicki (fiction), Eli Campbell (playwriting), Spencer Jones (nonfiction), & Brian Orozco (poetry) will present their writing.

The Nonlinear Writer: How English Majors Build Careers Across Media, Sports, and Live Culture with Jason Torres

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 7:00pm to 8:00pm

English-Philosophy Building

How to Be an Influencer: Talk with Jason Torres

Constance Irwin Lecture Series presents Hector Tobar: "How to Be a Migrant Writer: A Literary Journey"

Thursday, April 9, 2026 4:00pm to 5:00pm

English-Philosophy Building

Héctor Tobar is the author of six books published in fifteen languages, including, Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of Latino, published by MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

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