Montana has a rich writing tradition.
The English department at the University of Montana Western is an intellectual haven for students with a passion for reading and writing. Students who investigate literature and language at UMW do so in an environment that promotes open inquiry, critical reading, analytical writing and rich dialogue.
Moving beyond traditional approaches, the English program encourages students to develop their own voices. Students respond critically, culturally and creatively to literature in seminars and small classes that promote active learning and experiential opportunities.
UMW English majors graduate prepared for careers in editing, journalism, public relations, communications and other related fields. A major in English also positions students to succeed in graduate school in journalism, creative writing, English, education and law.
Dual Credit – WRITING 101 Students Click Here for how to use our library resources from on and off campus.
The primary architect of Stretch English, a course in college composition designed to help basic writers, Blankenship uses classroom time to build confident writers. She believes the best learning happens when students are fully engaged in activities like small group discussions, peer editing, and service learning projects.
Alan Weltzien is a published editor, nonfiction writer, and poet. He has published dozens of articles, two chapbooks, and nine books, most recently Thinking Continental (2017, co-editor) and The Comfort Pathway (2017), a chapbook essay. Weltzien has received two Fulbright Fellowships and one University of Montana International Faculty Exchange Award. Weltzien incorporates hands-on experiences and practical contact with the literature he teaches.
Shane Borrowman is a teacher of writing and editor/co-editor of six collections of original scholarship, including “Trauma and the Teaching of Writing,” “Rhetoric in the Rest of the West,” and “On the Blunt Edge: Technology in Composition’s Pedagogy and History.” He has also edited/co-edited three writing textbooks, including “The Promise of America” and “The Cost of Business.”
“A very inclusive program. Professors push you to succeed.”
-Victoria Smithson, English
“The block schedule gives you a very hands on experience and wonderful professors make it that much better.”
-Kacee Williams, English
“Professors make the experience both educational and interesting with one on one attention.”
-Tessa Miller, English
“The coursework has helped me develop a more open mind about the world.”
-Connlee Gray, English
