Westminster's English Program

Why Study English at Westminster?

Studying great literature is not only richly rewarding, it will help prepare you for a variety of careers including teaching, professional writing, publishing, non-profit administration, business, librarian, information science, and law. According to a recent article in Fortune magazine, "a liberal-arts degree, plus good communication and computer skills, signals to recruiters that you'll be adaptable to a wide range of jobs." Hiring managers report, "strong communication skills are the single most important attribute a candidate can have." A degree in English will develop your communication skills, critical thinking ability, and cultural literacy.

We stress the development of effective written and oral communication; the close reading of literature and film; the application of theoretical perspectives to literary analysis; and building a framework for interpreting historically and culturally diverse texts.

English majors may choose to emphasize literary studies or creative writing. The program also offers an academic minor. For program requirements, see the academic catalog.

The Westminster Difference:

• The Anne Newman Sutton Weeks Poetry Series brings notable writers to our campus each year.
• Students gain editorial experience through work on Ellipsis, Westminster's national literary magazine.
• We have also integrated our curriculum with programs such as Education, Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, and Film Studies to help you develop an amalgam of skills, and to underscore the relationships between English and other disciplines.
• A large department of excellent teachers with diverse opinions, talents, and connections in the world of jobs and graduate study. All of us place first-rate teaching as our highest priority.
• You'll learn from people who are experts in their fields. Westminster English professors have published over 10 books and scores of articles, poems, and stories.
• For a list of the Top 10 Other Reasons to be an English major at Westminster, click here.

 Top Ten Reasons to be an English Major at Westminster:

1. Excellent teachers and great teaching. We are a large department with diverse opinions, talents, and connections. All of us place first-rate teaching as our highest priority.
2. Wide career opportunities. Our graduates go into teaching, law, business, non-profit, social justice work, journalism/communications, and many other fields. 
3. Writing Skills. Effective writing is the most sought-after skill in the American workforce. Westminster English majors become strong writers through regular practice with close attention from trained faculty. English students are eligible to work as consultants at the Writing Center, gaining valuable professional experience in teaching and editing.
4. Small classes. Our writing workshops are never larger than 15, and our literature classes rarely top 20. We'll know you by name, and you'll get to know us and your classmates very well in this intimate setting.
5. Great literature. In addition to American and British literature, many of our faculty teach classes in Asian, Russian, and other national literatures. Besides great authors like Shakespeare and Joyce, we also teach the literatures of other cultures and languages including many excellent ethnic and minority writers.
6. A great creative writing program. Study with published poets and novelists in workshop format. We offer a creative writing emphasis within the major. Students can work on the staff of Ellipsis, a nationally-recognized literary journal.
7. Nationally renowned Visiting Writers Series. Each year, we bring some of the nation's top poets to campus for readings, class visits, Q & A sessions, and as much face-to-face time with students as we can manage.
8. Faculty expertise. Westminster English professors are active professionals in their fields and regularly publish scholarly books and articles, as well as poems, stories, and creative non-fiction. 
9. Internships. We encourage students to try out their vocational ideas by working in local companies and organizations, and we'll help you find a placement suitable to your interests.
10. May Term. A month-long semester in which students take a variety of special topic classes that interest them. Some upcoming classes include Experimental Photography, Primitive Pottery, Science on the Sea of Cortez, Hopi and Navaho cultures. Jane Austen, Western Films, and many more. Many May term classes go on trips to a variety of foreign countries. Full-time students receive four credits of May term tuition for FREE.