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English

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Degree Level
Undergraduate
College
Arts and Sciences
Format
On Ground
Credit Hours
120 hours
Average Time to Degree
4 years

English Major

The B.A. in English equips graduates with excellent reading, writing, research and critical thinking skills, creativity and a deep capacity for understanding other people.

Learn more about the English Department

Catalog and Cost

View Classes Cost of Attendance

Why study English at Harding?

Embrace a wider world

Nearly 100% of our students gain successful admission to law school or graduate school, if they apply, and around 90% of those seeking employment land satisfying jobs. Our graduates’ excellent writing skills, creativity and empathy prepare them for success as lawyers, teachers, writers, librarians, editors, creative project managers, ministers, missionaries, counselors, philanthropic researchers and corporate communicators.

Write with power

English majors hone their writing ability through constant engagement with the great writers of the past, and through face-to-face mentoring by professional writers and scholars. Every year, our students win awards and publish their work in state, regional and national venues. .

Nurturing community

English faculty walk with students, involving them in their scholarly and spiritual lives as they learn and grow together. We worship together in weekly English chapel and talk about good books and ideas in our classes and several weekly clubs. Sometimes we travel together to New York City, Washington, D.C. or international destinations. We support every student in applying  for professional internships, first jobs, law school or graduate school. Every student has a dedicated faculty mentor.

More Information

  • To help all students develop critical thinking skills and gain proficiency in expository and persuasive writing
  • To prepare English majors for their professions, whether for teaching, graduate study, or a variety of other fields
  • To model and mentor Christian scholarship.

Creative Writing: Provides an overview of creative writing genres and allows a focused track in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and screenwriting through workshop experience

Editing and Publishing: Develops skills in editing, proofreading and media software in preparation for careers in editing and publishing

English: Builds on required composition and world literature courses to help students sharpen their writing and critical thinking skills through support of upper-level courses

Film Studies: Explores a variety of film genres along with courses in film history and technique from the department of communication

Linguistics: Interdisciplinary study in the phenomenon of human language and excellent preparation for graduate study or careers as diverse as computing and technology, international business, education and clinical fields relating to speech and language

Medieval and Renaissance Studies: Explores the literature, history, art and theatre of the medieval and renaissance periods through interdisciplinary studies

Women’s Studies: Prepares students for a range of employment opportunities by training them to be sensitive to the experiences and needs of women in many fields of work and phases of life

Writing: Builds on required composition courses to help students explore creative and professional writing

Sigma Tau Delta, an international English honor society, strives to confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate and professional studies; provides, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promotes interest in literature and the English language in the surrounding communities; fosters the discipline of English in all its aspects, including creative and critical writing; promotes good fellowship among its members; and exhibits high standards of academic excellence.

What can you do with a degree in English?

Advertising

English majors are prepared for a variety of advertising roles including media planners and buyers, writers, print production managers and more. 

Graduate study in literature, writing and law

As an English major, you'll be intentionally mentored by distinguished faculty to provide opportunities to practice Christian scholarship. Through the University's Undergraduate Research Conference, students have the opportunity to present their papers and prepare them for professional publication. These experience provide excellent preparation for graduate study.

Publishing

A degree in English provides excellent preparation for careers in publishing such as acquisition, editing, copyediting, marketing and distribution. 

We are proud to see our graduates serving Christ throughout the world as sharp-eared, eloquent speakers and writers and as people of integrity.
Dr. Jon Singleton

Department Chair

Studying English refines a skillset that can't be taught by an employer in the way that logistics or jargon can be. Our soft skills are personal and important to engaging well with others.
Alyssa T.

B.A. in English

The topics, themes, ideas, and stories I studied as an English major deepened my understanding of the world and humanity, equipping me also to envision how they might be different. I learned how to write by thinking, and I learned how to think by writing. I grew in my faith as it was repeatedly challenged, and I became more open to the unknown and things outside my comfort zone (e.g. ideas, contexts, perspectives, etc.). I am, of course, grateful for my English major's professional value, but above that as a personal investment, it permanently transformed the way I see the world, think about it and live in it.
Micah Gill

B.A. in English, theological studies, and business administration

Studying literature reframes your brain. Once you start reading significant works, you're exposed to new vocabulary, ideas and structure. Your mind can understand large topics faster. It teaches your brain to completely zone-in and make micro judgment calls on the fly. Studying culture, language and literature, you get in the habit of automatically connecting anything you learn to other topics you’ve written or read about. Your mind becomes a playground for good ideas.
Bailey F.

.A. in English and business communication

I could talk at length about the tangible, marketable skills that an English degree teaches — communication, articulation, understanding, critical thinking, literacy, close-reading, writing skills. And yes, all of those are wonderful, but none is the central and most permeating good. The heart of an English degree is that one learns how to be human. A student of English is a student of life.
Alyssa D.

B.A. in English

Language is a foundation of human thinking, and by understanding language and how to build with it, we can better communicate ourselves to the world. Literature is a way for us to communicate deep, complicated truths about ourselves or the world that are difficult to express. Culture can be complex, but it helps us structure a worldview and gives us unifying values. All three of these are incredibly important for understanding how God has created us and what is our role in the world. In terms of practicality for a job, English teaches good writing and communication skills, which is highly sought-after among employers.
Shannon K.

B.A. in English and B.S. in chemistry

Contact Information


English Language and Literature
501-279-4421
english@harding.edu