Of those who are English majors, a few plan to continue literary study in graduate school aiming for careers teaching English at the college level. Some plan to become high school teachers of English, and our teaching major leads to state certification. The program helps students learn to teach literature as an art and provides thorough preparation in children's and adolescent literature, intermediate composition, the history and grammar of English, and teaching methods. Some students major in English to prepare for careers in ministry, law, and many other professions that demand sensitivity to language, ability to write lucidly and persuasively, insight into processes of creative thinking and feeling, and an ability to communicate that transcends boundaries dividing the human family. To meet the diverse needs of all these students, the Department offers a major governed by a core of proven, durable requirements while allowing scope for substantial individual choice.
Students confer with a professor who remains their adviser throughout their undergraduate careers.
With their adviser, students select courses that fit their career plans and provide a balanced understanding of literary art in English. The following pages, we trust, will help students to achieve both aims.