English

DR. DOUGLAS SCHAAK, DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON

Literary study is a noble and life-changing pursuit. Literature explores what it means to be human, and the study of literature, properly undertaken, should lead the participant to some pivotal sites, among them empathy, intellectual curiosity, a heightened apprehension of beauty, and a healthy re-evaluation of self.

Courses in the English major will encourage students toward these outcomes and will invite students to consider some fundamental questions such as the following: What is a “literary” text? What is the value of reading a text whose basic conclusions differ fundamentally from those held by the reader? What is the role of beauty in the apprehension of truth (or vice versa)? How do communities influence meaning-making?

These are weighty and important questions. But literary study should be approached with an expectation of fun as well. Fully half of the reason we read such texts is to be delighted – and rightly so. Along the way the student will be asked to write papers that require and develop strong critical thinking skills so that whether the student’s future leads to teaching, graduate school, or some other pursuit, he or she will be well equipped to confront the challenges thoughtfully and insightfully.

Program Outcomes

The objective of the English program is for each participant to gain the following:

• Demonstrate foundational skills for interpreting a literary text (UE.1)
• Integrate scholarly resources in writing using appropriate research strategies (UE.2)
• Display humility in the interpretation of a literary text (UE.3)
• Integrate Christian theological principles into literary interpretations, rooted in a Christian worldview (UE.4)
• Produce a major advanced-level research paper (UE.5)

In addition to meeting all B.A. degree requirements including general education and the Bible core, the English student must meet the listed major or minor requirements.

FACULTY: Domani Pothen, P. Douglas Schaak.

Click here for program details.