English Department

The Belhaven University English Department functions to ensure competence in verbal expression and writing skills across the curriculum and into the post-collegiate career. The Bachelor of Arts in English includes specialized instruction in critical and research writing. Studies in literature work to impart knowledge of major authors, literary history, specific genres, critical approaches, and ideological content. The content of courses is related to and evaluated against biblical truth and values.

Traditional careers for an English major have long included writing, editing, journalism, and teaching at the elementary, secondary, or collegiate levels, but recent trends in business management have opened doors to lucrative careers in real estate, public relations, technical writing, actuarial management, business management, and in-service training. The English degree is also recognized as a major that prepares students for law school or seminary. Belhaven graduates have been recruited into numerous graduate English programs, often obtaining prestigious assistantships and fellowships.

What will I study?

The variety of studies in Belhaven’s English program gives students a plethora of options to choose from when earning credits toward their degree.

• English composition
• History and grammar of the English language
• British, American and World literature surveys
• Bibliography and research
• Literary theory
• Development of the novel
• Medieval British and Victorian literature
• Romantic British poetry
• Modern British literature
• Renaissance literature
• The Bible as literature
• Literary Ecology

What can I do with a degree in English?

English is among the most versatile degrees you can have to ensure employability in many fields in the years ahead. The skills you gain will show potential employers that you have writing abilities and critical thinking expertise necessary to positions in fields ranging from Fortune 500 companies to a 501(c)(3). Some specific careers for English majors are:

• Writing and editing
• Teaching at elementary, secondary and collegiate levels
• Journalism
• Publishing
• Public relations
• Graduate studies
• Law school
• Seminary
• Ministry and missions
• Technical writing
• Grant writing
• Business management
• Real estate
• In-service training

Why choose an English major at Belhaven University?

It is our desire to give you every possible advantage in your learning as a student of English. You will benefit from small, discussion-oriented classes. Personal interaction and mentoring from faculty members provide you with additional avenues of learning and access most students do not have at other universities. Capstone courses will give you real-world experience and graduates will be well-prepared for continued education toward a masters degree in English. The biblical worldview is the lens through which all course content is evaluated, creating an environment that looks to the Bible for standards of truth and worth.

What is the Applied English major?

The Applied English major combines liberal and professional education with a strong foundation in critical and analytical studies. While the program remains true to the objectives and values of Belhaven University’s traditional B.A. in English program, the major is specifically designed to prepare students for successful careers as writers and communications specialists in fields such as publishing, law, education, government, community advocacy, the non-profit sector, journalism, corporate communications, finance, and the arts. This major is designed to develop articulate and incisive writing professionals with both the specialized skills needed to negotiate current work contexts (including the Web and other multimedia modalities) and the analytic and problem-solving proficiencies needed to comprehend and navigate cultural and technological change

What kind of opportunities will I have in my major that will contribute toward my career?

• Professional internships
• Career advising and counseling
• Membership in Sigma Tau Delta, an international English honor society
• Development of strong critical thinking skills
• Networking with professors and fellow students

What are Belhaven English graduates doing now?

Belhaven has produced noted and successful authors, editors, teachers, lawyers, counselors, businesspeople and public administrators, just to name a few. Our English graduates have also been recruited into top graduate programs, and our students have had an exceptionally high rate of admittance into graduate studies and have received assistantships or fellowships, as well as obtaining full-time employment for the jobs they sought upon graduation.