As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, the need for individuals who can think critically, communicate clearly and solve problems is increasing among employers.
For Stefan Schöberlein, Ph.D., that’s exciting news for students interested in majoring in English at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Now in his third year as assistant professor of English at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Schöberlein said students enrolled in the program develop solid writing, critical thinking and analytical skills, while learning to use language and literature to shape culture.
“Initially, I was a little concerned about AI,” he said. “But the more I see, the less concerned I am. There’s a need for deep analysis, which cannot be replaced by machines.”
Established in 2009 as a member of the Texas A&M University System, the school, which is located in Killeen, offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees with an emphasis on access and affordability. Schöberlein said class sizes typically average around a dozen students, enabling a more vibrant exchange of ideas with faculty.
Areas of focus within the degree include rhetoric and composition, English language and linguistics, critical and literary analysis, creative writing and film, and popular culture. In addition to voraciously reading and interpreting the meaning of various works, Schöberlein said students also learn how to produce podcasts, create digital walking tours, encode historical documents in XML, and research digitized historical documents.
“We don’t just have students do traditional writing. We use various platforms very purposefully. For example, if studying social media platforms or popular song lyrics a is a good fit for helping the student understand what we are teaching, we use it,” he said. “Students are culture critics. This program teaches them how to critically analyze the world in which they live and then translate their thoughts into words. By doing this, they master a critical skill that is so essential as they move along in life.”
Schöberlein said the university embraces the changing culture by offering a variety of classes. American Gothic literature, for example, includes a deep dive into digitized documents of monsters and witches — and not all of them have ears and crazy outfits.
“We’re talking about the context of unique monsters. Not hairy vampires in costume, but inventions that were considered scary at the time, like the telephone, the internet and, now, AI,” Schöberlein said. “From this class, the students learn about patterns that reemerge later in life and how to critically analyze and write about them.”
The class on Shakespeare is also very popular, according to Schöberlein. In his upcoming graduate-level class on Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson — “the strange uncoupled couple that inaugurated modern American poetry” — students will not only critically analyze the poets’ work, but also conduct hands-on research with robust digital archives now available on both writers.
“We are so enmeshed in culture now. Subject matter is all around us,” he said. “For example, we have so many film texts that we can engage with that we didn’t have access to 20 years ago. Our task is to capitalize on the students’ interest and teach them how to see the parallels between a film they might have enjoyed and the literal text we are reading in class.
“This university is perfect for the student who prefers a more intimate program that is responsive to their individual needs and pays attention to who they are as a student,” Schöberlein said.
The university provides various types of financial assistance, including grants, student loans, scholarships and tuition exemption programs. To connect with a dedicated enrollment advisor or to learn more about Texas A&M University-Central Texas, visit tamuct.edu.
