English - Major

Major: English
Degree awarded: Bachelor of Arts
Total credit hours: 42-44
Internship/Practicum opportunities: Visit the Career Development Center for internship information.

Online Academic Catalog Details / Required Courses

About the English Major

English at Thiel College is a versatile, dynamic, and rewarding program that combines the study of the great literary traditions of the past with new and emerging fields of inquiry and production to produce top-notch writers, communicators, critical thinkers, artists, and leaders. The English program is rooted in a rich tradition of literary studies and taught by distinguished scholars who bring their research and expertise into the classroom. Choose from courses in composition and rhetoric, technical and professional writing, creative writing, literary and cultural studies, linguistics, and theater and performance studies.

Visit our Academic Catalog (2025-2026) for course listings.

One Major, Four Specializations

Professional Writing

Work with a wide variety of documents, media, and genres in a range of workplaces
Study ways to become rhetorically and culturally attuned to the ways that writing practices differ across people, places, and organizations
Anticipate the needs of multiple audiences and write purposefully

Creative Writing

Learn conventions from a variety of literary genres
Grow as a writer in an environment of supportive peers
Publish and produce works of poetry, fiction, and drama

Literature

Analyze, interpret, and evaluate literature in all genres
Learn what distinguishes literature as a form of creative activity
Recognize and identify major literary periods, figures, works, genres, and terminology

Drama

Study the history and development of theatrical performance
Analyze the transformation of literary text to live performance
Experience and critique live drama in performance through the Stratford Excursion experience

The English Minor

A minor in English allows you to expand your knowledge of language and literature and hone your reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. English minors must take two introductory courses and one survey course. In addition to these courses, the you can take a number of classes according to your interests, focusing on a specific style of writing or literature.

English Certificates

Certificates may be taken to complement your 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
Children’s and Young Adult Literature

The English Certificate enables you to approach your major from a multidisciplinary perspective. A certificate in one of these five disciplines will provide you an edge in a competitive job market.

Clubs & Organizations

Sigma Tau Delta

As the English Honorary Society at Thiel, Sigma Tau Delta helps English majors and minors connect with one another through various activities. Each year, the Society hold a dinner for the graduating seniors to celebrate their time at Thiel. The Society also gives students the options to explore their abilities in writing further through work on The Phoenix.

The Phoenix

The Phoenix is a collective of poetry, stories, and photographs created and released each year to the students and faculty of Thiel College. Even non-English majors can submit their works to be published.

Visit our Campus Life page to see a full list of student clubs and organizations.

Careers

English majors have the ability to think critically and develop creative solutions to problems and issues affecting businesses. Many employers love how English majors can deal with obscure, indirect concepts and create comprehensible solutions. English is a fundamental and diverse major that allows for an enjoyable, challenging, and exciting life of intellectual exploration. It prepares you for many vocational avenues following college.

The critical thinking, analytical, creative, and writing skills of the English major open doors for you as a(n):

Editor, Publisher
Author
Writer: Technical, Copy, Grants
Teacher, College Professor, or Administrator
Journalism
Library Science Specialist or Museum Curator
Consultant
Public Relations, or Media Agent
Lawyer
Government, Political, or Public Service Agent
Further Writing Capabilities in Another Major
… And Many More!

Scholarship Opportunities

Thiel College offers scholarships to students for reasons such as academic success, community service or involvement, exemplary leadership and more! The scholarships available to English majors are:

The Roger ’52 and Paula G. Blatter Scholarship
The Heissenbuttel Award in English Language and Literature in Memory of Ernest, Jean and Robert
The Robert Heissenbuttel Professor of English Endowed Scholarship
Louise Beil Maglisceau ’29 Endowed Scholarship

Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more about the types of aid available to students.