Melba Major

Melba Major is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), part of the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research and teaching focus on creative nonfiction, rhetoric, and composition, with particular interests in LGBTQ+ literature, Southern Gothic Literature, and Animal Studies. She holds a B.A. from Union Institute & University—Vermont College in Writing & Literature, an M.A. in Rhetoric & Composition from UAB, and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Antioch University Los Angeles.

• Education:
• B.A., Union Institute & University—Vermont College, Writing & Literature
• M.A., University of Alabama at Birmingham, Rhetoric & Composition
• MFA, Antioch University Los Angeles, Creative Nonfiction

Her work explores how personal narrative and storytelling drive social justice. Her essays have been published in journals like The Citron Review, Southern Women’s Review, and Lunch Ticket, as well as the G.R.I.T.S. Anthology. She designs composition courses to engage students with contemporary creative nonfiction and emphasizes critical thinking and voice development. Beyond academia, she is a certified therapy team member with her canine companion Nikita through Hand in Paw.

Her teaching philosophy integrates creative writing practices to enhance analytical and rhetorical skills, fostering students' ability to navigate diverse perspectives while strengthening their writing authority.