Message From the Director                 

James Wells “Remember, first to possess his books; for without them, he’s but a sot, as I am”

--Caliban on Prospero, from the Tempest.

At the beginning of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero has lost his dukedom to his usurping younger brother because he had devoted too much time to reading books, which, for Prospero, contain the secrets to performing magic. Those of us who study literature and writing certainly sympathize with Prospero’s obsession with books and, more figuratively perhaps, with the belief that books contain magic.

The Master of Arts in English at Belmont provides a supportive atmosphere where book lovers can stoke their passions for literature—either as consumers or creators of it. To this end we offer two tracks, one in literature and one in writing. The literature track focuses attention on studying literature—what it is, how it works, how to study it. The writing track allows students the opportunity to study various genres of the written word and to work toward developing their own masterpieces. Both tracks combine academic rigor and a caring faculty who want to usher students to success, both in and beyond Belmont.

Our graduates have gone on to careers in teaching, writing, publishing, and other areas. If you have questions about our program, please write me at the email address below. In the meantime, I’ll be here, reading books.

Dr. James Wells

wellsj@mail.belmont.edu

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