EnglishB.A.

Study English at a Christian University

The English degree program takes place on our nationally ranked, central Pennsylvania campus and combines creative writing, literature, critical thinking and digital proficiencies to form a comprehensive education that leads to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English. You will choose a concentration in literature, creative writing or professional writing, or you may earn a teaching certificate with your B.A.

If you are a creative and critical thinker with a broad range of interests, who dreams about writing and positively influencing others through words, then Messiah University’s English major is a good fit for you. This major can also be paired with our Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in business administration, allowing you to combine a passion you love with essential business skills that will make you stand out as you enter the workforce. 

The Curriculum

This curriculum is inquiry-driven and encourages students to ask questions important to the discipline and to themselves. The department cultivates vocational discernment and career preparation through a required internship and a Vocational Seminar, a 1-credit course taken in the junior year to prepare students to move into a professional career or graduate school. This vocational focus shapes your entire curricular experience in the program. 

In the English program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.

Course options for English:

English (B.A.) with Creative Writing Concentration

English (B.A.) with Literature Concentration

English (B.A.) with Professional Writing Concentration

English (B.A.) with Secondary Teaching Certification

English Minor

Creative Writing Minor

Careers and outcomes

Where our grads work

Graduates of this program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.

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Our Alumni

Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.

MEET ALUMNI FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND WRITING

Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning

Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.

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Intentional Instruction

Your professors in the English degree program, who are also published authors and lecturers, will teach you to hone your writing skills and will provide you with many 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. You can also get involved in on-campus writing organizations such as the Peregrine Review or the The Pulse—Messiah’s student-run media group.

Faith and Intellect

One of the most critical needs in our culture is the need for cross-cultural knowledge, awareness and empathy—and our English program will give you just that. Through your ability to empathize with those from other cultures, you will be better able to understand and respond to their particular spiritual, emotional and physical needs. Your training in close reading, research and communication will better enable you to communicate God’s love in an intelligent and useful way.

Teaching certification

Interested in teaching English? Take all of the required English degree courses and apply to Messiah’s Teacher Education Program to earn your secondary teaching certificate. In addition to the strong literature and writing curriculum in the English degree program, you’ll also work to the complete the state-required theoretical background and practical experience to become an English teacher in grades 7-12.