I began by reciting “Whan that April with his shoures soote . . .” and he stopped me. Not good enough. “Anyone,” he said “can recite that!” (A crowd was gathering.)
So I turned to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, “Sithen the sege and the assaut watz sesed at Troye, / the borgh brittened and brent to brondez and askez, / the tulk that the trammes of tresoun ther wroght / watz tried for his tricherie, the trewest on erthe: / Hit watz Ennias þe athel, and his highe kynde. . .”
“Ah,” he said, “you are a medievalist,” and he passed me through security. (The crowd went wild.)
One of the best things about receiving a degree in English is its versatility; it will always serve you in rare and unexpected ways both personally and professionally. We are committed to fostering an engaging academic environment that encourages our students to apply the skills they develop both personally and professionally. While many of our students go on to graduate school, most go into interesting and productive careers in fields about which they are passionate and from which they can make a difference in their worlds.
Please feel free to see what we offer on our web site – not just our programs, but the events, cultural activities, and community projects we sponsor as well. Call or email any of us or (gasp) even mail a letter (we’re the folks who still really like to receive those) if you have any questions or would like more information.
And remember, if you’ve ever corrected someone’s grammar, revised something you’ve read, pointed out the error of an argument, had fun in the library, or found yourself unable to stop reading a book . . . you might be an English major!
Dr. Brian Gastle, Department Head
English Department, Coulter 305, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723
Phone: 828-227-7264 | FAX: 828-227-7266