Literature and Writing
Enhance your creativity while developing communication and writing skills that can serve you in any career path. Deepen your understanding and enjoyment of literature by examining intricate threads woven through the works of writers ranging from Shakespeare and Dickens to Toni Morrison and Jhumpa Lahiri.
Studying Literature and Writing nurtures your creative spirit while sharpening your critical skills
You'll study poetry, drama, novels, children's literature, films, and television—guided by award-winning faculty with expertise in prose, poetry, drama, children's literature, and media studies—and discover your own style and talent as an analytical and creative writer, as well as your own skills as a literary critic.
Our students go on to careers in law, publishing, advertising, business, government service, technology, media, journalism, writing and teaching. As a minor in Literature & Writing, with the ability to read carefully, analyze complex and sophisticated material, and communicate clearly in written and verbal form, your skills will always be in demand.
Our Faculty
Renee Bergland
Professor
Kelly Hager
Associate Provost, Curriculum, Assessment, and Accreditation
Suzanne Leonard
Professor and Program Director for Gender and Cultural Studies
Farooz Rather
Associate Professor of Practice
Spotlight on Literature and Writing Students and Alums
Alumna Appointed Principal of Elementary School
Brit Sikes ’96 has been appointed Principal of Una Elementary School by Metro Nashville Public Schools.
STEM Student Receives Research Scholarship from American Chemical Society
Biochemistry major and Literature and Writing minor Reagan Cleversey ’26 received the competitive James Flack Norris / Theodore William Richards Summer Research Scholarship from the American Chemical Society. She spoke with us about her passion for medicinal chemistry and the importance of mentorship.
Passionate Leaders Project: Spring 2023 Cohort
The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic and professional interests beyond the confines of the classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester's cohort is producing...
Kate Clifford Larson ’80 ’95MA Writes History through the Eyes of Women
Historian Kate Clifford Larson '80 '95MA is the author of Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero (2003, Penguin Random House), The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln (2008, Basic...
Evelyn Bernard ’20 Inspires Young Students as Montessori School Teacher
Recent graduate Evelyn Bernard shares her experience teaching at a Montessori school, which introduces students to an ethical worldview at a young age. Tell us about the kind of work that you do. I am a lead Children's House teacher...
Elinor Lipman ’72 Reflects on her Friendship with Mameve Medwed ’64
Elinor Lipman ’72 and Mameve (Stern) Medwed ’64 did not overlap at Simmons, but met later at a fiction workshop, bonding over their shared love of literature and writing. With 21 published books between them, and numerous awards and accolades...
Working for Social Justice with Mytrang Nguyen ’93
Why did you decide to attend Simmons? The idea of a woman-centered education was appealing to me, as I had attended an all-girl’s school in the Washington D.C. area since the fourth grade. I had family members who had attended...
Wendy Gordon ‘76 Publishes Prescient Dystopian Novel
Gordon's latest novel, "It's Always 9/11" follows a woman returning from a remote backpacking trip to a news report of a mysterious illness gripping New York City. In her novel, Gordon explores themes of technocratic control, and the impact of fear on behavior.