Department of English : University of Rochester

Russell Peck 1933-2023

Extraordinary teacher, mentor, editor and medievalist

An exterior view of the front of Morey hall from the Eastman Quad.

Welcome to Morey Hall

Home to the Department of English, Morey Hall is named for William Carey Morey, 1843-1925, class of 1868. Professor Morey taught Latin, history, and political science, and also helped found the Rochester Historical Society.

Headshots of the speakers for this season imposed over an exterior view of Rush Rhees Library.

The Plutzik Reading Series: 60th Anniversary Season

The Plutzik Series is one of the most prestigious and longest-running reading series in the country.

Full Schedule

In Memory of James Longenbach 1959-2022

Beloved teacher and mentor, brilliant poet and scholar

Major & Minor

Pursue a degree or take courses in one of our distinct program tracks.

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Graduate Studies

The National Research Council ranks our English PhD program among the best in the country.

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Research

Our faculty and students participate in numerous individual and collaborative research projects.

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Illumination from Hildegard's Scivias (1151) showing her receiving a vision and dictating to teacher Volmar.

Feature Story

Hildegard of Bingen Composes the Cosmos | The New Yorker

English Professor Sarah Higley's 2008 book, Hildegard of Bingen's Unknown Language, is quoted by Alex Ross in his most recent New Yorker article.

Plutzik Reading Series: 60th Anniversary Season

For the 60th anniversary season of the Plutzik Reading Series, we are thrilled to welcome acclaimed poet & author Rick Barot as our next speaker.

He will read from his recent works on Wednesday, March 22 at 5pm in the Hawkins-Carlson Room of Rush Rhees Library.

His talk is free and open to the public.

Upcoming Event

Join us on March 24th-25th for "Margins, Borders & Outlaws in Medieval Literature: A Symposium in Celebration of Tom Hahn."

The two-day mini conference will feature panels on Robin Hood, Chaucer, Medieval Romance, the Medival English Text Series and more, as we celebrate Professor Hahn's 50th anniversary of teaching at the U of R.

It is free and open to all. Registration is requested.

In the News

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Did you know?

English department faculty have garnered numerous awards and honors, including from the National Endowment for the Arts, Guggenheim Foundation, Newberry Library, and Modern Language Association, among others.

For 20+ years, Professor Emeritus Russell Peck led the “Theater in England” course, shepherding participants to multiple plays each day over two weeks. Katherine Mannheimer now leads the course.

Blake/An Illustrated Quarterly, a journal devoted to the artist and poet William Blake, is celebrating its 50th year in 2016-17.

126internships and research projects

In the last two years, undergraduates have completed 126 English Department honors theses, local and national internships, and independent research projects.

Alumni in the News

Kali Quinn '03
BA in English

Via Rochester Review: "What’s Your Script?"
Through ‘compassionate creativity,’ theater artist Kali Quinn ’03 finds her own script, and helps others find theirs. Artwork: David Cowles for Rochester Review

Undergraduate alumni >

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