Best English Language and Literature colleges in Chicago 2026

Best English Language and Literature colleges in Chicago for 2026

University of Illinois Chicago offers 3 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 82 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 66 Bachelor's degrees, 10 Master's degrees, and 6 Doctoral degrees.

University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
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English Language and Literature Degree Program

Discover a world of education, culture, and pioneers in scholarship in one of the Midwest’s largest cities. The University of Chicago’s mission says, “In all we do, we are driven to dig deeper, push further, and ask bigger questions — and to leverage our knowledge to enrich all human life.” The English department nurtures the love students and faculty share for novels, poems, plays, paintings, films, comics, video games, and other art forms. The department also guides students in asking theoretical and philosophical questions related to literature and culture, as well as fosters critical thinking and research skills to find possible answers. In this major, you’ll learn a wide variety of literary-critical approaches that will guide you in your personal and professional life. You’ll attend a large university and reap the benefits of world-class research and diversity. But at the same time, you’ll feel like you’re at a small liberal arts college in the English department, with small courses led by discussions and professors who will know your name and care about your progress through freshman year to graduation and beyond. The department refers to itself as an “intellectual melting pot,” with classes from Medieval Epic to Shakespeare to Radical Documentary to the literature of 9/11.

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Loyola University Chicago offers 3 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 48 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 36 Bachelor's degrees, 11 Master's degrees, and 1 Doctoral degree.

Northern Illinois University offers 3 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2024, 71 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 49 Bachelor's degrees, 15 Master's degrees, and 7 Doctoral degrees.

Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, IL

Elmhurst University offers 1 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2024, 18 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 18 Bachelor's degrees.

DePaul University
Chicago, IL

DePaul University offers 2 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 52 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 46 Bachelor's degrees, and 6 Master's degrees.

Northeastern Illinois University offers 2 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 27 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 21 Bachelor's degrees, and 6 Master's degrees.

Governors State University
University Park, IL

Governors State University offers 2 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a small, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2024, 17 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 13 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Master's degrees.

Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL

Wheaton College offers 1 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2024, 38 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 38 Bachelor's degrees.

Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN

Valparaiso University offers 1 English Language and Literature, General degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2024, 2 English Language and Literature, General students graduated with students earning 2 Bachelor's degrees.

List of all English Language and Literature colleges in Chicago

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of Illinois Chicago Logo University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL
4/5
18 : 1 33,906
University of Chicago Logo University of Chicago Chicago, IL
5/5
11 : 1 18,566
Loyola University Chicago Logo Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
5/5
20 : 1 17,384
Northern Illinois University Logo Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
3/5
20 : 1 15,414
Elmhurst University Logo Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL
5/5
24 : 1 3,997