English (B.A.) with Secondary Teaching Certification

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:

  1. analyze literary texts by reading closely and applying disciplinary vocabularies, theories and methods.
  2. demonstrate writing and rhetorical skills appropriate to both critical and creative tasks in a variety of media and genres.
  3. respond to literary texts within their contexts such as culture, genre, literary history, aesthetic values, and ideological orientation
  4. develop and challenge their thinking through scholarly research in support of both critical studies and creative activities.
  5. on vocational calling, explore possible career paths, and develop action plans for their professional lives.
  6. articulate the connections between Christian faith and the study of English.

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

ENGL 201Introduction to English Studies I

3

ENGL 202Introduction to English Studies II

3

ENGL 307Teaching English in Secondary Schools

3

ENGL 310British Literature before 1800

3

ENGL 320British Literature after 1800

3

ENGL 330American Literature before 1900

3

ENGL 340American Literature After 1900

3

ENGL 360AYoung Adult Literature

3

ENGL 350Postcolonial / World Literature

3

ENGL 370Critical Thinking

3

ENGL 494Literature Seminar

3

EDSP 207Introduction to Special Education

3

EDSP 307Inclusion Practices

3

EDUC 201Education and American Society

3

EDUC 203Educational Psychology

3

EDUC 208Teaching English Language Learners in K-12 Schools

3

EDUC 331Instructional Design and Assessment for Middle and Secondary Grades

3

CIS/MATH/STAT
meeting Quest mathematical science

6

HDFS 311Adolescent Development

3

TEP 210Sophomore Field Experience

0

TEP 310Junior Field Experience

0

TEP 410Secondary Pre-Student Teaching Experience

0

ENGL 370: counts as both writing and critical theory

ENGL 494: (literature focus) Fulfills Writing Enriched course requirement for major.

Professional Semester:

EDUC 420Professional Issues in Education

2

TEP 407Student Teaching Seminar

1

TEP 435Student Teaching:Secondary

9

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.

QuEST Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement 0
QuEST requirements Credits
First Year Seminar 3
Oral Communication 3
Created and Called for Community (W) 3
Mathematical Sciences met/major
Laboratory Science 3 or 4
Science, Technology & the World 3
Two of the following (six credits total):
   Social Science (EDUC 203)
   European or United States History

met/major

3

Literature met/major
Philosophy and Religion 3
Arts 3
First Semester of Language 3
Second Semester of Language 3
Third Semester of Language or Cross Cultural 3
Non-Western Studies (ENGL 350) waived
Bible 3
Christian Beliefs 3
Wellness course 1
Ethics, World Views or Pluralism 3
QuEST requirements 43-44
Major requirements 74-77
Free electives 7-3
Total credits 124