The study of literature and written communication disciplines the intellect and teaches us to comprehend the world. Employers want people who respect and understand the diversity of human experience, who can communicate directly and clearly, and who can take on responsibility, initiate change, and solve problems independently. The discipline of English seeks to define what it is to be human by scrutinizing both real and imagined experience, by teaching us how to think creatively and critically, using our interpretive and analytical abilities, and by teaching us valuable lessons about the human experience--that things may not be as they appear, that language can be both powerful and playful, that even as we differ, humans share many important values.<br><br>Students who choose to study literature, language, rhetoric, and composition in the SIU Carbondale Department of English have access to excellent resources: a talented, friendly faculty, small class size, well-equipped facilities, and extensive library collections. Graduates of the department have gone on to work in teaching, publishing, and law. Others hold responsible positions in business, industry, and government.