English Major 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.
The English major will help students to achieve the following goals:
- To appreciate, understand, and contribute to English literary traditions in order to better participate in ongoing conversation with those traditions, with themselves, and with the world.
- To foster empathy and imagination.
- To enlarge awareness of the complexity and ambiguity of human experience and of God's grace.
- To develop skills in writing, research, and creative and critical thinking that will further students' vocational goals.
To meet the goals listed, the faculty seeks to do the following:
- Introduce students to a wide range of literatures in English
- Provide opportunities to develop interpretive skills based on knowledge of a variety of critical methods. These skills include the following:
—The ability to develop coherent close readings of literary texts that will demonstrate an understanding of their formal features.
—The ability to write a developed interpretation of a text or set of texts that will engage critical research related to those texts.
—The ability to understand and think critically about literary texts as culturally situated artifacts that serve various cultural purposes.
- Provide opportunities to develop creative and aesthetic skills based on the practice and knowledge of a variety of literary forms. These skills include:
—The ability to use language creatively in the writing of fictional and non-fictional prose, drama, and poetry.
—The ability to think reflectively about the criteria for making aesthetic judgments, and the ability to apply those criteria to their own writing and the writing of others.
- Provide opportunities for students to consider the successful application of their major to life goals and vocation
Students in English will study a wide-ranging and rigorous curriculum with faculty members who have won awards for teaching and who publish in nationally recognized scholarly and creative journals. In addition, English majors enhance their educational experience in many ways. Some students study in Cheltenham, England, for a semester, while others attend the Oxford Honors Program at Oxford University. Students can publish their creative and critical work through the Minnemingo Review, or work on The Swinging Bridge, our award-winning campus newspaper. Future editors and technical writers can gain valuable experience as tutors in our Writing Center. Each year our reading series attracts nationally recognized poets and writers so that students can connect their work to the world beyond Messiah's campus. Recent visiting writers have included John Taggart, David Bradley, and poet laureate Robert Pinsky.
The English department promotes and rewards excellence. Students who excel in the curriculum may pursue an individualized honors program with a faculty member. Recent honors graduates have included a Rhodes Scholar and a Fulbright Scholar, while others have published their work in academic and creative journals. Alpha Upsilon, the Messiah College chapter of the International English Honor Society, annually inducts highly qualified juniors and seniors into its membership. The society supports excellence in scholarship and fosters creativity in the arts within the context of Christian faith.
Course work in English provides students with skills in analytical, critical, and creative thinking, as well as skills in writing, research, and rhetoric. Many students take advantage of Messiah's excellent internship program and have completed practica with government agencies, newspapers, and publishing companies. On-campus students can put their skills to work on the Minnemingo Review (campus creative journal), the Clarion (yearbook), or The Swinging Bridge (newspaper). Other students serve as scholar interns with our faculty or work with campus publications and information offices. Still others gain experience as tutors in the Writing Center.
For more details on the curriculum requirements and the types of courses you would be taking as an English Major, English Education Major or Humanities Major, visit our Online Course Catalog page for English, English with Teaching Certification, or Humanities or take a look at the printable English Major Brochure.
(Course catalog and major brochure include PDF files. Click here for the Adobe® PDF Reader®)
To apply for admission to Messiah College, simply call and request an application at 1-800-233-4220 or apply online ! Open House dates and major-specific events are scheduled throughout the year.Students may arrange for a variety of visit options to suit their interests and schedule.
