A Deep Dive: Inside the Transition from Spelman’s English to Literature, Media and Writing

When first-year student Jordan Grant checked Spelman College’s website ahead of her enrollment, she noticed a significant modification: the English major had been changed.

“Originally on the website, it was English,” Grant said. “Then over the summer, I noticed that they had made a change to literature, media and writing. I was like, ‘Wow, that is so cool.’”

The change, which went into effect in the summer of 2025, marks the beginning of the phase-out of Spelman’s longstanding English major. While the shift reflects years of faculty planning and a broader reimagining of literary studies, it has been experienced differently across the student body. This includes upperclassmen who entered under the English major, sophomores who were given a choice between the two, and incoming students who now only have Literature, Media and Writing as an option.

Dr. Patricia Ventura, chair of the department, explained the rationale behind the change. 

“English comes out of this kind of national colonial culture,” she said. “What we want to do is continue to expose things, but in a more critical way.”

The renaming makes the major more transparent for students and parents, while broadening the curriculum to include film, media, contemporary culture and multiple forms of writing. Ventura emphasized that the Literature, Media and Writing major preserves the foundational elements of English while centering diverse global perspectives and Black literary and cultural production. 

She also highlighted a larger context.

“There is a cultural attack on the humanities, because what we are about is centering critical thinking, but also about centering human experience and cultural experience,” Ventura said.

Faculty, however, emphasize that the classroom experience itself has long reflected these values. 

“We’ve always approached English and the study of literature from an interdisciplinary, forward-thinking, Black studies-centered approach,” Dr. Sequoia Maner, an assistant professor in the department, said. “The title just makes it more clear.”  

For students like Grant, that clarity is a major draw. Hoping to pursue film and communications, she said the major aligns with her interests in storytelling across media. In class, she has analyzed music as literature, noting that it is deeper than just music, but it is about understanding experiences, especially within the Black community.

Grant said the new major allows her to pursue her interest in media while collaborating with other Black women in creative industries, while acquiring critical essential thinking skills for her future. 

For students like Justine Wallace, a graduating senior who double-majors in English and Political Science, the shift came without warning. 

“I was very apprehensive toward it, especially I knew I wanted my degree to say English,” she said. 

But Justine also reflected on the range of courses offered within the department and recognized the need to broaden the curriculum. She noted that the switch offers students the chance to study a wider range of interdisciplinary topics, from journalism to film to law and even public policy. 

“I definitely feel like while the switch was very abrupt and I wasn’t really fond of it, I feel like it was very needed,” she said. “There’s so many classes that I didn’t get to take. I wish I had another semester to just be able to just take all English classes.”

As the Literature, Media and Writing major continues to take shape, students like Grant are already embracing its possibilities, while others continue to navigate what the shift means for their futures.

Across perspectives, one thing remains consistent: the department’s focus on developing thoughtful, analytical and adaptable thinkers.