English

English Department

Jared Johnson, Ph.D.
Department Chair

 jjohnson@thiel.edu
 724-589-2146

Greenville Hall 302

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    The English program at Thiel College is a foundational and diverse major that not only allows for an enjoyable, challenging and exciting program of exploration but also prepares you for a variety of career options. The beauty of an English degree is the intellectual versatility that a program of textual analysis, critical thinking and writing provides.

    Specializations in Literature and Writing

    Thiel College offers a Bachelor of Arts in English with specializations in literature and multiple forms of writing. Students within the literature concentration study a variety of literary forms from the American, British, and world traditions, learn how to analyze different texts and compare the history of the English language to modern English. Students in the professional writing, creative writing, drama and English/secondary education specializations learn how to write creatively and use rhetorical and grammatical strategies. In all specializations, students conduct research and learn how to be strong communicators.

    Minor

    Thiel also offers a minor in English which consists of 18 credit hours and involves both literature and writing courses.

    English Courses

    Thiel offers a large catalog of courses across genres, including Children's Literature, Digital Rhetoric, and Science Fiction & Fantasy. Our program contains creative writing courses in fiction, drama, and poetry as well as classes on advanced composition and professional writing. Thiel also offers upper-division seminar courses to work closely with professors in the department and internship opportunities to gain marketable work experience

    Study Abroad, Travel Opportunities, and Campus Organizations

    English majors have unique study and travel opportunities such as our Literary New England trip and the literary study abroad trip in England. The Literary New England program is offered every few years and includes visits to Walden Pond, the Mark Twain home and the Robert Frost homestead.

    Students in the English department have a variety of ways to get involved in campus clubs and activities. Thiel’s English Honorary Society, Sigma Tau Delta, hosts readings, workshops, and discussions, as well as mixers, theater and film outings, and charity functions. The Phoenix, Thiel’s literary magazine, gives students the opportunity to publish their writing.

    English majors can apply for membership to Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honorary society. It is open to all students who meet the academic requirements. Members participate in tutoring sessions, attend conferences, and much more! Visit our clubs and activities page for more details.

    Certificate for Non-Majors

    The English Department offers certificates in each of the specializations that are available to non-majors as well as a general Certificate in English studies that allows students to customize their experience. Certificates may be taken to complement a chosen major, to demonstrate proficiency in a chosen area, and to permit the study of a desired cluster of courses. English certificates are offered in:

    • Professional Writing
    • Creative Writing
    • Literature Studies
    • Drama Studies
    • English Studies
    • Children’s and Young Adult Literature

    Having an English Certificate enables you to approach your major from multidisciplinary perspectives and to arrive at creative solutions to complex issues in the professions through analysis, critical thinking and imagination.

    A degree from Thiel and a certificate in English provides the adaptability, versatility and scholarship that is required in today’s competitive marketplace. Students take 9 credit hours in one of the above-mentioned fields. In keeping with the English major, students must earn a grade of C-minus or better in all courses that count toward the English certificate.

    Careers

    With a Bachelor’s degree in English, the career opportunities are endless! After all, good communicators are needed in all fields. Thiel English majors have gone on to pursue careers in freelance writing, journalism, public administration, teaching, law, publishing, real estate, communications and more. Visit our English alumni page to hear how a liberal arts education from Thiel helped our graduates in their careers.

    Join us at Thiel!

    As an English major at Thiel, you would be part of a close-knit group, study with experienced faculty and have many opportunities to personalize your education. Want to know more about the Bachelor’s in English program? Request more information now!

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    Thiel College
    75 College Ave
    Greenville, PA 16125
    1-800-248-4435