English Majors & Minors
Earn a Bachelor of Arts in English at Carthage
As an English major, you will engage fully in the study of the English language, its history, literature (including novels, plays, poetry, and essays), creative thought, and literary theory and criticism — gaining a deeper understanding of the human experience.
What you will learn as an English major:
- Through extensive reading, writing, and critical thinking, you’ll attain the skills to articulate ideas clearly, creatively, and persuasively.
- By analyzing and discussing literary works, you’ll gain understanding of diverse cultures, perspectives, and historical contexts.
- And by exchanging ideas honestly and ethically, you’ll build self-awareness and learn to develop communities of care.
Multiple pathways available for students studying English
It’s an increasingly multidisciplinary world, and the Carthage English program is designed with this in mind! Students in the major may bring the study of literature together with the teaching and the writing of it by adding an emphasis in creative writing or a minor in secondary education. Or both: you decide!
Creative writing program
Students majoring in English who want to hone their skills in writing are encouraged to add an emphasis in creative writing. Students read and write a wide variety of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry in classes that take a studio approach, writing individually and collaboratively in the classroom community.
English and teaching licensure
Many Carthage English students plan to teach in elementary, middle, or high school. Students who want to teach English to grades 6-12 must complete a major in English and a minor in early adolescence and adolescence education. Students who want to teach English to grades 1-9 must complete an English minor in addition to their education major. The Carthage English Department works closely with both groups of education students to ensure they meet the requirements for their career goals.
Complement the English major with another major or minor
Students studying English can easily add a second major or minor in another field of study offered at Carthage. Students can follow their curiosity and enroll in a combination of programs that reflect their unique interests and goals. Here’s a look at some of the major and minor pairings currently being pursued by Carthage English students:
Immerse yourself in an inspiring literary community
English students at Carthage are part of an active, welcoming community that encourages and inspires them to grow in their creative path. They work closely with writing faculty and visiting professional writers, and befriend peers in the classroom or in student clubs.
Learn from attentive English professors
The average English class at Carthage has fewer than 20 students, so you will have an opportunity to build strong relationships with your English professors.
Hear from professional writers
Carthage hosts renowned writers and scholars through our Visiting Writers Series and Maxwell Conversations Series. Through these series, invited writers and scholars visit classrooms, lead workshops, and give readings and lectures. Students have the chance to meet and ask questions of artists, makers, and researchers actively changing their respective fields.
Participate in student clubs
Students can also join a variety of student organizations. Explore poetry in Poetry Underground or become a member of the national English honor society Sigma Tau Delta. Students can also join or submit their work to Centrique, the College’s creative arts journal. Those who have an affinity for The Bard might consider The English Players, a campus organization that gathers to perform scenes from one of Shakespeare’s plays each spring.
Explore the literary world through exciting courses
Many of the English courses at Carthage are interdisciplinary, allowing students to explore literature from multiple points of view. Regularly offered courses include Shakespeare, Literary Genres, Film and Literature, Literature of Diversity, and more.
Through the required senior thesis, students in the English program combine literary analysis, historical research, and philosophical inquiry to reveal new dimensions of works by authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Ralph Ellison, Mary Shelley, and William Shakespeare. Every creative writing student creates a chapbook of original work and presents a public reading on campus. Students pursuing an English degree have also been selected for summer-long, paid research projects with Carthage faculty.
Gain perspective through off-campus opportunities
Beyond campus, faculty and students frequently travel to Milwaukee and Chicago for readings and theatre performances. We take day trips to Spring Green for the American Players Theatre and/or travel to Ontario for a long weekend every fall to take in several plays at the acclaimed Stratford Festival.
Travel for J-Term study tours
During our popular J-Term, a month-long period of study in January, English professors lead periodic study tours to destinations like London and Puerto Rico. Recent study tours offered by the English Department include An Ecological and Cultural Writing Tour of Puerto Rico and Writers in Context: Reading Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.”
Prepare for a career in a variety of fields with an English degree
An English degree serves as a springboard to any career, especially those rooted in critical and creative thought. The skills English students learn are transferable across a wide array of fields, making them valuable assets in the workforce.
Where do Carthage English alumni go?
Our graduates now work in fields as varied as education, graphic design, sales, creative writing, journalism, and law. Some graduates pursue careers in fields directly related to literature and writing, such as publishing, editing, journalism, or teaching. Others apply their analytical and communication skills in fields such as marketing, public relations, law, business, and academia.