Advising

Source: https://english.fas.harvard.edu/advising Parent: https://english.fas.harvard.edu/undergraduate

Advising in the English Department

English invites concentrators to pursue questions fundamental to culture and literature, within and across historical periods and geographic boundaries, over a vast range of imaginative writing. We study—we can help you study (and also write)—fiction and nonfiction, poetry and drama, games and comics, TV and film, epic and comedy, tragedy and devotional writing, lyric introspection and public argument. That help comes primarily in our course offerings, but also through advisers and our advice.

Every English concentrator has a faculty adviser, a member of the English department faculty who meets with you regularly, helps you choose courses, helps plan your path through the concentration, and listens to your ideas.

Normally, when you choose English, you’ll be assigned an adviser from among the members of the English undergraduate council (faculty members who have special responsibility for undergrad education). At that point and at any time throughout your Harvard career, you can pick another faculty adviser who best represents your own interests: normally (but not always) that will be an adviser who already knows you from coursework or from office hours.

We encourage you to meet with your adviser regularly, not just at times when it’s required! Your adviser—like all our faculty—has regular weekly office hours when you can make an appointment or just drop in. (Your faculty adviser may become your senior thesis adviser, if you write a senior thesis, or else help you find one.) Good advising can extend beyond your course selection and your coursework to your broader array of interests, within literary studies and outside it, through your college career and beyond.

Additional Advising Resources

Harvard College also has resources for academic advising in general:

The Advising Programs Office is charged with coordinating, supporting, and facilitating academic advising programs for all undergraduates and, as such, works with students, faculty, the Freshman Dean’s Office, the Houses and other Harvard College and FAS offices on all aspects of pre-concentration and concentration advising.

The Academic Resource Center supports students in developing reading strategies, time management skills, and metacognitive approaches to learning through consultations, workshops, academic coaching, peer tutoring, and skills-based resources.

The Office of Career Services supports all students and alumni of Harvard College and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in exploring and making effective career choices.

Our English Peer Mentors are here if you have questions you'd like to ask a fellow student. Email them for concentrator perspectives on declaration, the senior thesis, English as part of an interdisciplinary concentration, English and pre-med/pre-law, research, career planning, and more.

Undergraduate Program Office Hours & Contact Information

If you are a first year or sophomore interested in studying English, please reach out to any of our advising program staff to discuss your interests and options:

Leah Whittington, Director of Undergraduate Studies\ Professor of English\ She/her\ Office: Barker 275\ englishdus@fas.harvard.edu\ \ Tara Menon, Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies\ Assistant Professor of English\ She/her Office: Barker 147\ english-adus@fas.harvard.edu

Laura van den Berg, Director of Creative Writing\ Senior Lecturer\ She/her\ Office: Lamont Library 409\ laura_vandenberg@fas.harvard.edu

Nick White, Associate Director of Creative Writing\ Lecturer\ He/him\ Office: \ nwhite@fas.harvard.edu

Lauren Bimmler, Undergraduate Program Administrator\ She/her\ Office: Barker Center 159\ lbimmler@fas.harvard.edu\ Office Hours: Generally available between 9am-5pm, M-F\ Email with any inquiries or to set up a Zoom or in person advising appointment; I encourage you to set up an appointment if you want to meet in person, but you’re welcome to stop by to say hello.\ Requirements and general advising for concentrators and prospective concentrators, and study abroad

Emily Miller, Undergraduate Program Assistant\ She/they\ Office: Barker Center 161 \ emily_miller@fas.harvard.edu\ Office Hours: Generally available 9am-5pm, M-F \ Email with any inquiries or to set up a Zoom or in person advising appointment; I encourage you to set up an appointment if you want to meet in person, just so I can make sure I've got the answers you need, but you’re welcome to stop by to say hello!