The English Program at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts offers a wide variety of courses addressing the roles of literature and writing in a visually oriented culture.  Through diverse offerings in U.S, British, and World literatures, writing, literary theory, and film, students study literary texts, often in conjunction with visual texts, in a variety of contexts: historical, social, political, theoretical, or philosophical. English at SMFA offers courses for incoming undergraduates, as well as for those working at the most advanced levels.  By taking English classes, students will develop skills in critical reading, cultural analysis, and writing that will benefit them in whatever other areas they pursue.  In these courses, a student working toward his or her BFA may fulfill requirements for English 1 and 2, as well as Humanities and Electives.

Tufts University-Museum School professors are all publishing scholars and artists interested in working with developing artists in small classes that foster on-going interaction between students and faculty.  From courses on creative writing to courses on the artist's statement and art review, English at SMFA addresses the particular needs and interests of visual artists, often making a student's artwork the centerpiece of a particular written assignment.  Working in a variety of ways to foster more genuine or effective interdisciplinarity between the academic and studio areas, several English faculty have also teamed-up with members of the Museum School's Studio Arts faculty to help students integrate the work they do in each arena with the goal of nurturing students' aesthetic imagination and productivity. 

Influenced by Tufts University's aim for English students, English courses at SMFA are especially important for student artists as they instill a mastery of critical thinking, linguistic analysis, and persuasive communication in a world that increasingly demands that we not only read but also read through the representations that we encounter.