English

Welcome to the English Department

There’s never been a better time to pursue a degree in English or English Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology.

The internet has made us all writers and readers, and language-based content is being produced at a higher rate than ever in human history. Expertise in language, rhetoric, and narrative-making has never had more value.

Indeed, English majors’ mid-career salaries are in line with those of Biology, Geography, and Nursing majors and higher than those of Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Health Care Administration majors. Our alumni are writers, lawyers, content editors, podcast producers, marketers, grant writers, communications specialists, teachers, and professors.

English Department News

• The CU Denver's Creative Writing Program is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Lit Fest Creative Writing Scholarships are Michael Gilland, Maeve Camille, and Kapri Riley. Congratulations! 
• The "Writing and Editing with AI" Undergrad Certificate will be available to students in the Summer of 2025! You can find more information in the link here.
• The 2024 Rex Burns Award for best graduate essay went to Shannon Anglemire, for "CRT in DCSD: Addressing the Extent to Which CRT is Present in the Douglas County School District Equity Policy".

Copper Nickel Rises in National Rankings!

There are approximately 700 regularly publishing literary journals in America—and each year a writer and blogger named Clifford Garstang ranks them based on how often work from their pages is reprinted in the prestigious annual Pushcart Prize Anthology. 

As of 2023, Copper Nickel is now ranked number 10 for poetry, tied with The Georgia Review and ahead of The Yale Review, The Gettysburg Review, The Sun, Ploughshares, Michigan Quarterly Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Boston Review, The Iowa Review, Prairie Schooner, and Agni.

For fiction in 2023 Copper Nickel is ranked number 34, ahead of A Public Space, Epoch, Oxford American, Story, n+1, Boulevard, Harvard Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Prairie Schooner, Notre Dame Review, and Southwest Review.

The Pushcart Prize is, of course, only one metric for evaluating a literary magazine's "standing," but we're proud of Copper Nickel's growth in visibility and prestige since its relaunch in 2015.

Copper Nickel is edited by CU Denver creative writing faculty. And, unique for a journal at this level, Copper Nickel also receives substantial editorial input from undergraduate students. As many as 30 each semester engage in first-round editorial screening, proofreading, and production through work as volunteers, interns, and, every fourth semester, through ENGL 4088: Literary Editing: Copper Nickel.

Departmental Latin Honors

As we near the end of spring semester, the English Department encourages their undergraduates to pursue Latin honors with their English degree. The application process is easy, and we’d be happy to answer any questions that students might have. 

Please reach out to Teague Bohlen (teague.bohlen@ucdenver.edu) in the next few weeks if interested. Teague Bohlen would be happy to answer questions and assist in the development of a project. There is still plenty of time to apply. You can find the guidelines for pursuing honors at the following website: https://clas.ucdenver.edu/english/latin-honors.

English Faculty Accomplishments 

• Andrew Scahill, founder of Rainbow Cult, was interviewed on Channel 9 News where they talked about his work as a film professor, celebrating two years of Rainbow Cult and going from a backyard movie night to selling out 7 shows at Meow Wolf Denver. Congrats Andy!
• Michelle Comstock's new book, Composing Resonance: Culture and Collaboration in Sonic Practices, has been published. Congrats Michelle!
• Andrew Scahill's Rainbow Cult was featured as the cover of Out Front Magazine for September 2024 as well as receiving a retrospective feature. Congrats Andy!
• Nicole Piasecki had a CNF piece adapted to radio on This American Life. It is available on the website and podcast app. The episode is called "Letters! Actual Letters!" and Nicole's story is "Act 1". Be sure to give it a listen. Congrats Nicole!

English Student and Alumni Accomplishments

• The CU Denver's Creative Writing Program is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Lit Fest Creative Writing Scholarships are Michael Gilland, Maeve Camille, and Kapri Riley. Congratulations! 
• Nini Berndt is publishing her debut novel, There Are Reasons for This. Congrats Nini!
• Shannon Anglemire's essay "CRT in DCSD: Addressing the Extent to Which CRT is Present in the Douglas County School District Equity Policy" have been chosen as the winner of the Rex Burns Award. Congratulations Shannon!