English (B.A.)

English Major

School of the Humanities

Department of English

If you are a creative and critical thinker with a broad range of interests who dreams about writing and positively influencing others through writing, then Messiah College’s English major is a good fit for you.  At Messiah your professors, who are also published authors and lecturers, will teach you to hone your writing skills and will provide you with lots of opportunities to get your writing published outside the classroom.

You may even present your work at an international conference or compete for an Oxford fellowship like other Messiah English majors have done! We recently surveyed our English alumni and they agree: Messiah prepared them  well for successful, creative careers in teaching, editing, publishing, missions, business, law, ministry, and even songwriting. 

As an English major at Messiah College, you’ll be able to:

• Student-teach in local public high schools if you choose a Secondary Teaching Certification path.
• Immerse yourself in a wide range of British, American, and World literature.
• Build your portfolio by writing or editing for the campus newspaper or campus literary magazine.
• Spend a semester at Oxford University’s Best Semester program, Brethren College Abroad (especially the University of Gloucester in Cheltenham, England), Temple University, the Oregon Extension, and the Washington School of Journalism.
• Study for a semester in places such as Russia, Lithuania, Thailand, Belize, Greece, and India.
• Prepare and present papers or panel discussions at Messiah’s annual Spring Humanities Symposium and at the department’s tri-annual poetry symposium.
• Apply for a yearlong senior honors project where you’ll work one-on-one with an English professor in writing your senior thesis.
• Join one of many small informal writing groups on campus.

Major Requirements:

PDF Course Listing

Minors:

• Creative Writing (PDF Course Listing)
• English (PDF Course Listing)