Program Overview
The English program at Messiah College assists students in studying a wide array of literatures using a variety of critical thinking and writing skills to help them become perceptive readers, insightful thinkers, and responsible writers. Professors encourage students to develop perspectives on the relationship of Christian faith to all aspects of literary endeavor.
Because many careers call for close analysis and interpretation of texts as well as fluency in writing, the English major prepares students for success in a variety of fields. Besides the obvious career choices of advanced scholarship, teaching, journalism, and publishing, Messiah English majors have pursued law, business, Christian ministry, public relations, and other professional careers.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates from Messiah’s English program can:
- Analyze literary texts by reading closely and applying disciplinary vocabularies, theories, and methods.
- Respond to literary texts within their contexts such as culture, genre, literary history, aesthetic values, and ideological orientation.
- Demonstrate writing and rhetorical skills appropriate to both critical and creative tasks in a variety of media and genres.
- Develop and challenge their thinking through scholarly research in support of both critical studies and creative activities.
- Reflect on vocational calling, explore possible career paths, and develop action plans for their professional lives.
- Articulate the connections between Christian faith and the study of English.
In addition, the creative writing concentration students will:
- Define craft terms and concepts and how describe how these aspects of craft contribute to text’s literary, aesthetic, or emotional effects.
- Craft compelling works of literary merit in prose or poetry.
- Demonstrate the professional habits of creative writers: revision, workshopping, public reading, and submission for publication.
Major Requirements
Complete the following for your major:
Twelve credits meeting the following distribution:
CHEM
| One American literature (e.g. ENGL 330, ENGL 340) | 3 |
CHEM
| One British literature (e.g. ENGL 310, ENGL 320) | 3 |
CHEM
| One critical theory course (e.g. ENGL 370) | 3 |
CHEM
| One genre course (e.g. ENGL 360) | 3 |
CHEM
| One Post-colonial/World literature (e.g. ENGL 350) | 3 |
Note – at least one course will need to meet two of the distribution categories
One to three credits from the following
Creative Writing Concentration (15 credits)
| ENGL 203 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
Three credits from the following:
Courses must be unique and not count towards other requirements in the major.
Nine credits of the following:
Courses must be unique and not count towards other requirements in the major.
Note: While students can only earn three credits per course, they may meet more than one area requirement in a single course. Any course meeting more than one requirement must be approved in advance by the English Department.