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Why English?

Megan headshot
Megan, Class of 2023
Previous Editor-in-Chief of The Reflector
“I would not be here today without the support of my professors. Each one of them sees you as a person first and foremost ... they were very, very caring and willing to listen to your needs and your interests.”
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At Shippensburg University, English majors and minors graduate with not only an appreciation for literature and the arts but also with the skills needed to advance into a variety of careers. Graduating with a degree in English enables students to engage in careers in publishing, journalism, web content writing and design, public relations, teaching, and marketing, among countless others. From small businesses to large corporations; from local newspapers to mass media outlets: with an English major, the job possibilities are endless. The English Department provides students with skills that consistently rank highest among attributes employers want, including the ability to:

  • think outside the box
  • innovate and create
  • solve problems
  • work well as part of a team
  • apply their written and oral communication skills
  • appreciate diversity

Undergraduate Programs and Minors

Professional Certificates

  • Students demonstrate that they can closely interact with, and effectively use, primary texts (either in part or in whole).

  • Students demonstrate insight into author, perspective, or tradition discussed; describe the relationship between compared texts; and analyze how details of the text contribute to its meaning.

  • Students produce rhetorically effective writing that illustrates content mastery and adheres to disciplinary conventions for organization, presentation, and formatting.

  • Students produce clear and grammatically consistent writing.

  • Students demonstrate the ability to read attentively and critically, and effectively interpret and draw conclusions about primary texts that move beyond summary.

  • Students learn how to revise their written work effectively, and they demonstrate skills in multi-modal writing tasks.

  • Students demonstrate understanding of the formal elements and conventions of literary genres and how they relate to a text’s meanings.

  • Students demonstrate accurate knowledge of historical periods and relevant historical contexts and interpret how elements of literature reflect these contexts.

  • Students demonstrate that they can evaluate, integrate, and document sources and develop authentic expression in relation to sources.

Contact the English Department

Dauphin Humanities Center 128   1871 Old Main Drive   Shippensburg, PA 17257 Phone: 717-477-1495 Fax: (717) 477-4020