About the Department

Ball State's Department of English has a long history of rigorous research and scholarship; our doctor of philosophy in English with an emphasis in rhetoric and composition is one of the oldest established programs in the United States.

We’re also relatively new kids on the block: our graduate degree in creative writing is young and fresh―our first students enrolled in 2001.

Our history is really a story of a vibrant department where students and faculty work together closely both within the classroom and one-on-one. You can see the results of this kind of collaboration in the awards our students and faculty frequently earn, and in action in the recognition we receive, such as the 2008 Indiana legislature resolution commending the Indiana Writing Project.