English
To take an English degree is to study the ins-and-outs of well-used language, to consider the minds of great writers and the ideas that moved them. It’s to ask questions about the relationship between what’s true and what’s beautiful, between virtue and happiness, nature and art, reasoning and imagining. And while you’re doing that, you’ll gain valuable skills in thinking and writing clearly—skills that will give you a leg up in whatever career you choose to pursue.
Travel to England, Wales, and Scotland on our Literary Landscapes tour. From London to Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain to the Lake District, you connect with literary figures such as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and the Brontes. (Travel with English button)
English is offered in both a four-year 120-credit major and a three-year 90-credit concentration. We recommend the major for those planning to continue their studies after graduation. This timeline is based on a full course load (5 courses/semester) with courses usually being three credits. To be considered a full-time student, you must be taking 3-5 courses per semester.
Where can a BA in English Literature take you? Anywhere. You acquire career skills for fields like editing, technical writing, journalism and public relations. Here is a sampling of the jobs our alumni have landed with this degree or entered through further studies:
- Copywriter
- Technical writer
- Editor
- Novelist
- Lawyer
- Professor
“When you study English, you are studying the story of human joy and suffering. Through the study of English, you hone skills necessary to relate to others and communicate with them effectively. My current job as a social worker is not directly related to my English degree, and yet I see the influences of my English degree in my work all the time.”
- From a survey of English alumni
Featured Courses
EN 421 The Medieval Imagination
This course considers the diverse literary forms of the Middle Ages, both in Britain and Europe. Works considered will range from the close of antiquity through to the dawn of the Renaissance. Authors may include Boethius, Dante, and Chaucer, along with texts like Beowulf, The Song of Roland, Roman de la Rose, and various Arthur narratives
EN 245 - 1 CS Lewis, JRR Tokien, and the Inklings
A study of the major literary works, themes, and ideas of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their friends, the group known as the Inklings. It examines themes such as the use of myth to explore problems of modernity, the relationship between Christian faith and art, as well as the debates over literary versus popular fiction.
EN 295 Advanced Expository Prose
Students in this course will develop their academic writing strengths. A variety of writing pedagogies will be used, but special emphasis will be given to peer and professor editing, and students will be given ample opportunity to revise their work. Exposition and argumentation are the chief forms of essay writing in this course.
EN 230 The Short Story
This course is both an introduction to some of the short stories of the world as well as an occasion to write (about) a short story. Emphasis will be placed on the appreciation of the genre in all its multicultural contexts. Equally, for those who want to go beyond the critical understanding, an opportunity will be offered to write their own story.