Goals and Objectives

• to develop students who are insightful readers and thinkers, good writers who can search for answers to knotty problems because of the research skills they have developed, able users of word-processing and publishing technology, and life-long learners who are aware of the historical, cultural, and philosophical issues of their own and other times. An education in literature, composition, criticism and language teaches an English major to write effectively, to think critically, to read widely, to weigh values and to communicate ideas.

Program and/or Curriculum

The English department curriculum blends literature, composition, criticism, writing and language courses into three programs: the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degree programs leading to a liberal arts degree, and the Bachelor of Science degree in English Education. The latter has been identified as a model program by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. In addition to the traditional liberal arts minor, a student may also minor in the professional writing program, which provides preparation for creative or business writing, or the certifiable language arts/reading minor.

Faculty

The English department faculty are committed to undergraduate education, with six having been awarded the distinguished teacher award. In addition, many engage in scholarly and other creative activities which enhance their teaching. Among the faculty are two Fulbright Scholars, four National Endowment for the Humanities grant recipients, and authors of books and numerous articles. The faculty stay abreast of current developments within their specialties by participating in local, national and international conferences, and 97 percent have been awarded Ph.D. degrees.

Career Opportunities

English majors develop abilities that are sought in academic, business, and other professional fields. English Education majors have a 92 percent placement record within the first three years of their graduation, and many are discovering opportunities for teaching English as a second language both in the United States and abroad. Liberal arts majors have found positions in business, advertising, project anagement, public relations, law, politics, foreign service, arts administration, and publishing. Liberal arts majors also find that the English major is beneficial as a pre-professional degree, suitable for graduate studies in law, public administration, and the communications industry.