Courses in English at the University of Minnesota were first taught at the collegiate level in 1869. The Department of English was established in 1885, with George Edward MacLean appointed as chair. The first Ph.D. in English was awarded in 1897, eight years before the organization of the Graduate School at the University. The department originally focused its teaching on the English language and literature, as well as rhetoric, but expanded over the years to include modern literature and creative writing. Notable faculty have included Joseph Warren Beach, Frederick Klaeber, E.E. Stoll, Allen Tate, Robert Penn Warren, John Berryman, and Saul Bellow.
From the description of Department of English records, 1908-2008. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 699769938
