English, B.A.

Program Chair: David McCracken, Ph.D

Available in the Day College.

The English program provides students with the reading, writing, and analytic skills to become leaders and social innovators in a global society with a diverse humanity. With an emphasis on the interpretation of inclusive and varied literatures, the discipline of literary criticism, and the composition of critical and artistic expression, students will develop a sophisticated outlook on the cultural values and works that shape our lives in the 21st century. The English major further helps learners develop a respect for the value of humanistic and inclusive thinking that is an essential dimension of a liberal-arts education by cultivating strong critical reading and thinking skills and effective written expression to prepare students for graduate studies and a variety of practical careers including copywriting, filmmaking, journalism, public relations, law, library sciences, editing, authorship, and teaching.  

Mission: Through an inclusive selection of coursework, students will study the techniques of successful composition, the methods and theories of literary criticism, the major movements and authors in British and American literature, and the relationships between culture, identity, expression, and social justice. Our curriculum also prepares students for teaching or for graduate studies with a range of survey courses on the foundations of American, British, and World literatures, writing-intensive courses on specialized topics, and advanced specialized and seminar courses taught by published faculty in English. Students will additionally complete a capstone project that challenges them to think reflectively about their scholarship, their discipline, and their future beyond graduation.

In addition to the English Major, the English program offers an English Major for students who are Certifying to Teach, an English Minor, a Writing Minor, a Creative Writing Minor, and a Social Justice Literature Minor, and courses in the English program contribute to the interdisciplinary Gender and Women’s Studies Minor.

Student Learning Outcomes: 

1. Students will demonstrate understanding of major authors, works, genres and movements in British and American literature.
2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the major methods and theories of literary criticism.
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to compose sophisticated literary analysis using both primary and scholarly secondary sources.
4. Students will demonstrate a critical understanding of the relationship between literature, culture, and social justice.
5. Students certifying to teach secondary English will exhibit the ability to demonstrate knowledge of how theories and research about social justice, diversity, equity, student identities, and schools as institutions can enhance students’ opportunities to learn in English Language Arts.
6. Students certifying to teach will demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of texts and the ability to plan standards-based, coherent, and relevant learning experiences that are motivating and accessible to all students.