Department of Literature and Writing
The study of literature and writing has a number of goals: to familiarize our students with the work of important writers; to introduce them to the individual and cultural values, ideas, debates, and insights woven into literature; to sharpen their skills as writers and creative thinkers.
Discover Your Voice
Whether you aim to study literature or create your own written works, repeated practice in speaking, thinking, and writing about literature is a way of discovering your own voice, developing your skills of critical analysis, and gain confidence in yourself as an independent thinker.
Basic Disciplinary Skills
Students will be able to read closely and critically, write critical essays driven by their own insights in conversation with those of published scholars, do research independently, reflect critically on their own analytical thinking, intelligently about their insights in discussions or formal presentations.
Basic Disciplinary Content
Students will be able to think about literature on the basis of a reasonably broad knowledge of individual literary works, literary history in different periods (both British and American), and literary or critical theories.
Critical-Historical Awareness
Students will be able to discuss how literary works fit into the context of their times and grow out of a society with a particular history and politics. Students will be able to discern the complex relationship of representation to issues of power in relation to race, class, gender, and sexuality.
Life Skills after Graduation
Students will be able to write insightfully, read closely, think critically, and do independent research in ways that serve them after graduation, in a variety of career paths or further degree programs. They will be especially aware of the power of language and discourse to shape thought and action.
Caring about Literature as Art
Students will be able to recognize, appreciate, and express original insights regarding the artistry of literary works. Some will be able to pursue the creation of such art works on their own.
Robert M. Gay Memorial Symposium
The Simmons University Department of Literature & Writing held a poetry reading by Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith on Thursday, Apr 27, 2023.
Fall 2023 Literature and Writing Courses
Learn more about the Department of Literature and Writing's courses for Fall 2023.
Learn More About The Department of Literature & Writing
Student Groups
Learn more about the Literature and Writing Liaison and the student literary magazine, Sidelines
Student Work
View examples of some of the wonderful work our students have created.
Robert M. Gay Memorial Lecture
Hosted by The Department of Literature & Writing and the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities. Co-sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and Eileen Friars '72.
Faculty Highlights
Learn more about the the Department of Literature and Writing faculty.
Literature & Writing in the News
Sheldon George
Professor and Department Chair
Renee Bergland
Professor
Pamela Bromberg
Emerita
Kelly Hager
Professor and Interim Dean of the Undergraduate Program
Suzanne Leonard
Professor
Farooz Rather
Assistant Teaching Professor
Patrick Sylvain
Assistant Professor
Afaa Weaver
Professor Emeritus
Richard Wollman
Professor
Upcoming Ifill College Events
Exploring U.S. Adoption Practices : Book Talk with Simmons Alumna Rebecca Wellington, Ph.D.
- May 23, 2024
- 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
- A-302