Bachelor of Arts in English

The Department of English offers courses of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Included among the department’s offerings are literary and cultural studies, linguistics, film, journalism and new media, creative writing, visual rhetoric, rhetoric, and professional writing. Combining the intellectual resources of a major research university with a scale and set of values more typical of a liberal arts college, the department puts great stress on class discussion, individual conferences or tutorials, and other opportunities for students and faculty to work closely together. Likewise, the curriculum is deliberately flexible to respond to student needs and interests and to encourage close cooperation with the faculty in planning a course of study. A major in English prepares one for various sorts of careers. Three paths are common: English leads readily to careers that put a premium on writing skills and on the ability to analyze complex human situations. In addition to the fields that have often been of first interest to English majors (writing and publishing, journalism, advertising, the film industry, public relations, and teaching), significant opportunities exist in the corporate world, in government, and in nonprofit organizations such as those devoted to social service, the environment, or the arts. The BA in English is usually essential to anyone expecting to do graduate work in English or to pursue a career as a teacher or a scholar in the field. The BA in English traditionally has been an important steppingstone to success in professional school, and many of our English majors choose this path. A significant number go on to law school, many to medical or business school, and some to nursing, journalism, social work, or library school, as well as directly into the business world. Teacher Licensure in Integrated Language Arts The English department offers a special option for undergraduate students who wish to pursue an English major and a career in teaching. The Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) Teacher Education Program in Integrated Language Arts prepares CWRU students to receive an Ohio Teaching License for grades 7-12. Students declare a second major in Education – which involves 34 hours in Education and practicum requirements – and complete a planned sequence of English content coursework within the context of an English major. The program is designed to offer several unique features not found in other programs and to place students in mentored teaching situations throughout their teacher preparation career. This small, rigorous program is designed to capitalize on the strengths of CWRU’s English department, its Teacher Education Program, and the relationships the University has built with area schools.