Department of Literature and Languages
Words That Transform, Language That Connects
Explore traditional texts alongside community writing, multimedia projects, public rhetoric, children’s and adolescent literature, creative writing, professional writing, linguistics principals and the digital humanities.
The Department of Literature and Languages offers you a variety of degree plans which prepare you for written and linguistic expertise in English or Spanish.
What sets our department apart is our insistence that whatever form it may take, discourse is discourse. A degree in English or Spanish prepares you for a variety of careers within and outside of academia.
Explore Our Programs
Applied Linguistics (MA/MS) TESOL Emphasis
As a student in the Applied Linguistics program, you will engage in cutting-edge pedagogical and research strategies with others who are pursuing careers in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Whether you choose this field as a primary or complementary discipline, this program will prepare you for a variety of careers including teaching at the university level or teaching English as a second language abroad.
English (BA)
This 120 hour program is flexible and accommodates students with a wide variety of interests and career goals.
English (BA) Teaching Emphasis
This program offers three specialized tracks all designed to immerse you in the world of English and equip you to pass on your knowledge to the next generation of writers.
English (MA/MS)
Our Master of Arts in English is designed for students who, upon completion, demonstrate a foreign language proficiency while the Master of Science in English is for students without foreign language focus.
English (PHD) Applied Linguistics Emphasis
The Ph.D. in English is designed for students wishing to teach in community or four-year colleges and universities. It stresses both substantive knowledge of the various divisions within the field of English and an extensive introduction to the profession, including classroom teaching, tutoring and computer-assisted instruction. The degree requires that each candidate serve as a teaching assistant.
English (PHD) Literature Emphasis
The Ph.D. in English Literature Emphasis is a program that offers a unique opportunity for you to delve deep into the world of literary analysis and exploration. You will not only expand your knowledge but also be empowered to contribute to the ongoing discourse in the field.
English (PHD) Rhetoric and Composition Emphasis
The Ph.D. in English is designed for students wishing to teach in community or four-year colleges and universities. It stresses both substantive knowledge of the various divisions within the field of English and an extensive introduction to the profession, including classroom teaching, tutoring and computer-assisted instruction. The degree requires that each candidate serve as a teaching assistant.
Hispanic Studies (BA)
The undergraduate Spanish program is dedicated to the study of languages and literatures of Latin America, Spain and the United States. The department offers a wide range and variety of courses, including beginners, intermediate and advanced courses in Spanish language and culture as well as courses designed for heritage speakers and native speakers.
Hispanic Studies (BA) Teaching Emphasis
Our program encourages and equips Spanish educators. No matter your proficiency level, we have language courses designed for you. You’ll study the history, politics, social structures and traditions of Spain and Latin America. Our combined Spanish and teaching program prepares you for the high school classroom. You’ll take courses in methods for teaching Spanish, issues in Spanish literature and culture, and Hispanic linguistics. After graduating, you’ll be certified to teach Spanish at the secondary level (grades 7-12).
Professional Advancement in English Studies Graduate Certificate
The Professional Advancement in English Studies Graduate Certificate provides students with the necessary English hours for students who wish to teach dual-credit or college-level courses in a field other than English. Students who pursue this certificate should already have a bachelor’s, master’s or PHD in a discipline other than English.
Spanish Language Teaching (MA)
The main goals of this degree program are to prepare Spanish language professionals who will become language instructors in high schools and/or community colleges, and to provide a strong foundation in Spanish literature and linguistics for those interested in pursuing a PhD in the areas of Spanish literature or Hispanic linguistics. Some of the classes we offer include: foreign language methodology, advanced writing, children's literature, and Spanish and Latin American literature and cinema.
Studies in Children’s and Adolescent Literature Culture Graduate Certificate
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Graduate Certificate
This certificate is ideal for students who either already hold a completed graduate degree or are actively in the process of earning a graduate degree and wish to earn this certificate in conjunction with their degree. In addition to the enhanced professional status that the Certificate in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) brings, this Certificate will enable the holder to meet the 18-hour SACS requirement to teach at the College level.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Minor
Become specialized in bilingual education. You’ll the foundation of bilingual/ESL education and how to assess, create and deliver specialized content for bilingual students. It is highly recommended for you to know Spanish.
Explore Our Department
Writing Center
We are here to help you at any stage in the writing process; From brainstorming to polishing the final draft. Our tutors are able to help you understand the prompt, expand your current draft or even answer your questions about formatting, citations and grammar.
Applied Linguistics Laboratory
The Applied Linguistics Laboratory is dedicated to high-quality research in Applied Linguistics. We are actively seeking out partnerships and collaborative work with industrial partners.
Ontological Semantic Technology Laboratory
The OSTL advances ontology-based research, especially in natural language processing (NLP), by developing and using NLP software. It also conducts academic and market research through campus expertise and partnerships with off-campus colleagues.
The Mayo Review
The Mayo Review is a student-run literary journal published by the Department of Literature and Languages at A&M-Commerce. We publish the highest quality prose, poetry, drama and visual art available from both outside and university sources.
Welcome from the Department Head
The Department of Literature and Languages is a multidisciplinary department with programs in English, linguistics, foreign languages and philosophy, and affords you opportunities for academic enrichment through well-rounded and varied programs and faculty.
Courses in the Department of Literature and Languages improve your reading, writing and analytical skills, offer insight into the use and structure of language, help you develop an understanding and appreciation of literature, and explore film as an art form. The programs offered for non-teaching majors are designed to prepare you to enter graduate study; or as basic preparation for professions such as law, publishing, ministry, broadcasting, government, advertising, freelance writing, creative writing and business. The programs prepare you to write effectively, to think and read critically and analytically, and to understand cultural and social differences.
Our Research
Our literature and languages faculty are excited to develop your knowledge and skills through research. Opportunities are available for both undergraduate and graduate students. We encourage you to discuss any research interests with your professors.
The Trial of Womanhood
When a woman is on trial for murder, the media and prosecution often focus less on the evidence and more on the woman and her identity; the ways she meets (or doesn’t meet) societal expectations is often used against her. Read More
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
TESOL and Language Teacher Training in the Digital Age
Pragmatics and Second Language Acquisition
Multimodality and Communication
Our research spans from studying humor in communication to improving digital literacy and effective online instruction using innovative web tools. This approach is essential for a deeper understanding of how we communicate digitally.
Ontological Semantics and Natural Language Processing
Second Language Writing and Technology
Humor and Multimodal Markers Project
The project is based on a corpus of digital-quality audio-video recordings of dyadic conversations in which speakers perform a baseline joke and then are free to talk for about ten minutes. Both speakers are closely miked and have a computer camera trained on them, thus allowing for multimodal features including prosody and eye gaze to be captured. Learn More
News Spotlights
A&M-Commerce Faculty Named Prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar
TAMUC Assistant Professor Eralda Lameborshi, Ph.D., received the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award.
TAMUC Literature & Language Faculty Receive Honors for Scholarly Work
Faculty in the Department of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University-Commerce were recently recognized by a pair of academic journals in the field of rhetoric and composition. Dr. Gavin Johnson and Dr. Charles Woods, both assistant professors at A&M-Commerce, were honored as part of the advisory board of the Digital Rhetorical Privacy Collective (DRPC), […]
TAMUC Alum Named National Forensic Interviewer of the Year
A Texas A&M University-Commerce alum recently received national recognition for their work as a forensic interviewer. Rachel Mitchell was recently named the National Forensic Interviewer of the Year by Guardify, a digital evidence management platform, as part of the platform’s third annual National Forensic Interviewers Week. Forensic interviewing is a means of gathering information from […]
A&M-Commerce Awards First Annual Innovations in Writing Pedagogy GAT Award
Four A&M-Commerce doctoral students received the Innovations in Writing Pedagogy GAT Award from the Department of Literature and Languages. The recipients are Dr. Rachel McShane, Dr. Brian McShane, Gouda Taha and Reza Panahi. The award was established this year to honor the hard work of graduate assistant teachers (or GATs) who instruct many of the […]
A&M-Commerce Alum Recognized for Leadership in Local, State Bar Associations
A lion alum was recently spotlighted for her leadership while serving as the head of multiple bar associations in Texas as well as her abilities in the courtroom. Lynne Liberato, a 1976 graduate of East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-University-Commerce) with a master’s degree in Journalism, was featured in an article published by the […]
A&M-Commerce Professor Receives Prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
Dr. Maia Lamarque, a professor in the Department of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University-Commerce, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for the 2024-2025 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. The Fulbright Program is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious educational exchange programs. […]
A&M-Commerce Alum Appointed to Preside over 73rd District Court
In February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed Marialyn Barnard to the 73rd Judicial District Court in Bexar County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2024. Barnard is a 1983 graduate of East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce), double-majoring in English and Political Sciences. She received her Juris Doctorate from the […]
TAMUC Co-Hosts Privacy Week to Explore Digital Privacy
A&M-Commerce played a significant role in organizing and hosting an international event to promote discussions about digital privacy in academics and the wider community. Texas A&M University-Commerce played a significant role in the Digital Rhetorical Privacy Collective’s (DRPC) first Privacy Week, which ran from January 22 through 26. Privacy Week took place over five days […]
Dr. David Talbot: TAMUC’s Champion for Civil Rights
Black History Month Series Part 1: Honoring and Recognizing Impactful Black Figures in the Lion Family Many students at Texas A&M University-Commerce have wandered the halls or taken classes in David Talbot Hall. Despite the building’s reputation as a well-known landmark—and possible ghost haven—on campus, many students and even faculty members are unacquainted with the […]
True Crime Meets Academia—Dr. Charles Woods Shares His Research
Part 4 of the Spooky Stories Series Content Warning: Although not described in detail, this article does mention topics of murder and sexual assault that may be triggering to some. For October, we have been exploring scary stories at A&M-Commerce, from children’s horror stories to legends of ghosts on campus and myths about the Salem […]
Meet our Department
Contact Us
- Department of Literature and Languages
- 903.886.5260
- P.O. Box 3011
- Commerce, TX 75429-3011