7 Revolutionary Ways Carnegie Mellon’s English Department Is Redefining The Humanities In 2025

The Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) English Department is not your grandmother's literature program; it is a cutting-edge hub where technology, data science, and classic humanistic inquiry collide. As of late 2025, the department is actively redefining what it means to study English in the 21st century, focusing heavily on interdisciplinary programs and practical applications that bridge the gap between the humanities and the world of technology. This innovative approach ensures that students are not just critics of culture, but creators and analysts ready for the most demanding modern careers. The department’s distinctive character is rooted in CMU’s university-wide commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, positioning English majors and graduate students at the forefront of fields like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and digital media. The recent appointment of a new department head and the expansion of key programs highlight a forward-looking strategy that continues to attract top-tier faculty and ambitious students.

The New Leadership and Core Academic Pillars

The English Department at CMU, housed within the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, has recently ushered in a new era of leadership.

Christopher Warren: A Profile of the New Department Head

The department’s strategic direction is now led by Christopher Warren, who was named the new Head of the Department of English, with his tenure commencing in August.

• Title: Head of the Department of English.
• Appointment Date: Began August.
• Primary Expertise: An internationally recognized leader in 16th and 17th-century literature and culture.
• Research Focus: His academic work spans Renaissance/Early Modern Literature and Culture, Book History, and Political Theory.
• Interdisciplinary Role: Warren is deeply involved in the department's technological fusion, as he also directs CMU's interdisciplinary minor in Humanities Analytics (HumAn).

Warren’s background perfectly encapsulates the CMU English Department's dual focus: a deep reverence for classical literary studies combined with an aggressive push into digital humanities and data-driven analysis.

The Ten Academic Areas of Specialization

The department’s educational and research work is organized across ten distinct academic areas, ensuring a comprehensive and modern curriculum. These specializations allow students to tailor their studies to highly specific career paths.

1. Creative Writing: Programs include fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and creative nonfiction.
2. Rhetoric: A major focus on the practical and theoretical applications of persuasion, including the Rhetoric of Science and the Rhetoric of Law.
3. Literary and Cultural Studies: The traditional core of the discipline, with a modern, interdisciplinary twist.
4. Professional Writing: Training for communication in business, technical, and non-profit sectors.
5. Technical Writing: Specialized skills for communicating complex technical information clearly.
6. Film & Visual Media: Critical study of visual culture and media production.
7. Gender Studies: An interdisciplinary field investigating how gender is embedded in social, cultural, and political relationships.
8. First-Year Writing: Foundational courses focused on critical thinking and effective communication.
9. Interdisciplinary Studies: Emphasizing connections with other CMU departments.
10. Humanities Analytics: The unique, data-driven minor detailed below.

5 Cutting-Edge Programs Redefining the English Degree

CMU’s English Department stands out for its unique programs that blend humanistic inquiry with the technical rigor for which the university is famous. These programs are designed to create "bilingual" graduates who can speak the language of both culture and code.

1. The Humanities Analytics (HumAn) Minor

The Humanities Analytics (HumAn) minor is perhaps the most distinctive offering, positioning the English Department at the center of the digital humanities movement. This six-class interdisciplinary minor is built on the premise that the tools of computation and data science can be applied to humanistic questions. Students learn to use data analysis, coding, and computational methods to study literature, culture, and communication. The curriculum prepares students for growing fields such as technology, cultural commentary, and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Associate Teaching Professor David Brown is one of the faculty members instructing students in the coding aspects of this groundbreaking program.

2. The Specialized Rhetoric Focus

CMU’s Rhetoric program goes far beyond traditional public speaking. Faculty in this area focus on specialized, high-impact fields. This includes the Rhetoric of Science, which examines how scientific knowledge is communicated and debated in the public sphere, and the Rhetoric of Law, which analyzes the language of legal arguments and judicial decisions. This specialization reflects CMU's commitment to applying humanistic skills to real-world, technical, and high-stakes environments.

3. Faculty Research and New Publications

The faculty maintains a highly productive research profile, placing articles in major refereed journals and publishing books with excellent presses. In the most recent review, professors in the department released a trio of thought-provoking new books, showcasing their scholarly visibility. For example, Literary & Cultural faculty member Jeffrey Williams published an article entitled “Millennial Academe: The New Campus Novel,” demonstrating engagement with contemporary cultural discourse. Other notable faculty include Associate Professor Marian Aguiar and Visiting Lecturer Keely Austin.

4. The Writing & Culture Pre-College Program

To foster the next generation of communicators, the department hosts the summer Pre-College Program in Writing & Culture. This program is designed for high school students to develop skilled, reflective, and engaged storytelling abilities. Participants learn to think critically, express thoughts creatively, and communicate effectively for college and beyond. The curriculum explores writing, film, and culture through traditional, historical, and contemporary lenses, often utilizing the vibrant cultural landscape of Pittsburgh.

5. Creative and Professional Application

The Creative Writing program is robust, offering focused work in fiction, poetry, and screenwriting. The Professional Writing and Technical Writing sequences are equally strong, training students for direct entry into the workforce. The department's alumni base spans the globe, contributing to academia and industry, promoting the profound value of the humanities in all sectors. Craig (CP) Moreau, an academic writing instructor, represents the caliber of writing instruction and faculty expertise the department maintains.

The Future of the CMU English Graduate

The Carnegie Mellon English Department is uniquely situated to thrive in an increasingly digital and interdisciplinary world. By embedding humanities study with computational thinking, the department is effectively future-proofing the English degree. Graduates are not merely prepared for academia; they are sought after for roles in tech companies requiring strong communication and critical analysis, in data science requiring cultural context, and in media requiring sophisticated visual and narrative literacy. The strategic focus on fields like Humanities Analytics and the Rhetoric of Science ensures that CMU English alumni are equipped with the rare combination of deep humanistic knowledge and technical fluency—a skillset increasingly demanded by the modern job market.

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