They will learn how to use the written word to communicate clearly, effectively, accurately, logically, and gracefully. They will also be able to speak and write effectively on a wide range of literary issues and to apply analytical reasoning to literary texts.

Students have many opportunities for involvement outside the classroom. They may join the English honor society (Sigma Tau Delta), write for the campus newspaper (The Georgetonian), and contribute to and edit the student literary magazine (Inscape). Qualified students may tutor their peers in the Writing Center and in literature survey classes.

Many of our English majors go on to graduate school in journalism, literary studies, law, ministry, communications, or creative writing. Upon graduation, others enter a variety of fields, such as personnel management, public relations, writing, business, or teaching. A student majoring in English will develop the flexibility of mind that comes from a broadly based liberal education. 

Students who successfully complete the English major will:

• demonstrate core knowledge of the English literary tradition;
• show familiarity with key works of American and world literature;
• apply understanding of the diverse historical and cultural contexts to literature;
• speak skillfully on a range of literary topics;
• read literature analytically;
• communicate skillfully in writing.

Additionally, students who are English majors with a creative writing emphasis or who are creative writing minors will demonstrate:

• improvement in their creative writing in one or more of three genres: fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction;
• an ability to apply editing skills to their own writing by effective revision;
• an ability to apply editing skills to the writing of others, both by line editing and writing reading responses; and
• a capacity to apply analytical reasoning to literature to discuss not only its formal elements such as plot and imagery, but also to discuss the techniques that writers have used to achieve these effects.

For more information about the English major leading to a teaching certification please contact the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education.