The Department of English was only the second department to receive the University of Nebraska’s system-wide departmental teaching award. The award was an official recognition of our decades-long investment in the university’s pedagogical mission.
Since that time, the department has continued to lengthen its record of teaching excellence. Our instructors are widely recognized for the innovative spirit that they bring to their classrooms. The deep commitment to our students that permeates the culture of our entire department has been officially acknowledged by the College of Arts and Sciences, UNL, as well as the wider profession.
The numerous college, university, and system-wide teaching awards testify to our commitment to teaching, as do the large number of pedagogical publications our faculty and students have produced over the years. But we are perhaps most proud of the high praise our teachers receive from their students. The department’s unusually high teaching evaluations inspire all of us to keep working hard on behalf of our students.
Our Teaching
Teaching in the Department of English at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is characterized by small group work in seminars. The backbone of our degree is a friendly and conversational classroom of around 20-35 students. Students are actively encouraged to participate in class; professors have the opportunity to get to know the students and their work quite well. We also have a strong and active Advising Office and believe that helping students negotiate what can often be a complex structure (a university degree) is vital.
Our students play a strong and active role in creating their own learning environment. Students have their own advisory boards (undergraduate and graduate), their own literary magazine (Laurus), and are active throughout the university’s cultural and social life. Many of our students go on to work in jobs that emphasize the ‘soft skills’ of personal engagement, working in small groups, and creativity. The Department of English shapes its teaching around these practices.
Student Feedback
"I left the English department ready to engage with the most exciting and difficult scholars because I was always asked to think about the humanities capaciously there. The diligent, generous mentorship of UNL faculty gave me the resources to think expansively while also challenging me to develop my own research interests. In particular, Marco Abel remained committed to my academic development long after I left UNL...always reminding me that true intellectual engagement is neither a finite resource nor a specialized matter."
—Lenora Hanson (M.A. 2009)
“What makes [Jonis Agee] such an excellent teacher, and what I’ve tried to emulate here [at Ohio State], is that you come to her, and she treats you like a fellow writer and professional...She was so generous with her time and so knowledgeable about the business of publishing but also the craft of a book and just phenomenal. One of the things I try to carry on here is that generosity of spirit, because I think you don’t find that everywhere.”
—Nick White (Ph.D. 2016)
“Professor Foster was always so encouraging and supportive, and really helped shape me intellectually and as a person...Thanks to her I was one step ahead on post-modern and feminist film theory when I got to the University of California. Professor Dixon also helped prepare me for the demands and high expectations of the industry. His lessons have always held me in good stead.”
—Tom Cabela (B.A. 2001)
“I met my favorite English professor, Dr. Ramsay, [and] we talked about my confusion, my passion for humanities, especially writing, and what I should or should not do in the future. ‘You're a born writer,’ he said to me. I know I've found the thing I want to live on.”
—Xinyue Wang (B.A. 2018)
“Even though I wasn't specializing in rhetoric & composition as a masters student, [Professor Stenberg] encouraged me to enter the conversation. That encouragement has had a lasting impact on my trajectory.”
—Jennie Case (M.A. 2009)
“I chose my major after starting Introduction to English Studies (ENGL 200) and Introduction to Poetry Writing (ENGL 253). My professors in those classes, Dr. Pascha Stevenson and Dr. Katie Henson, were the first people to make me feel like I could truly be successful pursuing what I'm passionate about...I've always loved poetry, but within [Dr. Henson's] classroom, I felt safe and supported writing about my own experiences. I was exposed to many different forms and contemporary poets.”
—Madison Sides (B.A. 2023)
“Professor Dixon, Professor Foster, Professor Buhler, and Professor Borstelmann (in History) encouraged me to consider pursuing my Ph.D...In my English and Film studies courses, I developed strong analytic writing skills. I developed critical thinking skills as well, as my professors invited me to interrogate the ideological underpinnings of different cultural products. I apply these skills to different scenarios, including when I engage in debates about politics, economics, culture, and the environment.”
—Megan Black (B.A 2009)
Share your experiences
Whether you received a B.A., M.A., or Ph.D., if you are a UNL English or Film Studies alum, we want to hear from you! Our alumni pages, which are continually updating, allows us to showcase our alumni and help today's students imagine what is possible.