Overview

As a liberal arts discipline, the Bachelor in English - Secondary Education program’s mission strongly promotes the overall mission of Cedar Crest College, in particular the College’s broad principles of “scholarship, liberal arts, creativity,” “women’s leadership,” and “global connectivity.”  It does so by offering students a solid fundamental background in American, British, and World literature; by allowing students to develop strengths in scholarly and creative writing; by inviting students to explore more specialized areas such as linguistics and critical theory; and by providing opportunities for students to ground their understanding of literature within the context of the location that produces it.  The major is designed to prepare students for graduate study and for careers in teaching, publishing, law, business, government, journalism, advertising, and other language-related fields.  More generally, the discipline of English enables students better to understand and respond to their world through the spoken and written word, both within the academic setting and beyond.

Program Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate a general knowledge of the history of literature in English and its cultural contexts, as well as a familiarity with a range of critical strategies that may be employed to illuminate the study of that literature.
• Students will demonstrate their competence in thoughtfully reading and critically analyzing works of literature.
• Students will demonstrate their ability to write and revise, effectively and creatively, in a variety of genres. Their writing will demonstrate their ability to formulate and think critically about an appropriate topic, to be aware of audience needs, to incorporate relevant research, and to follow appropriate standards for grammar, mechanics, and documentation procedures. Their writing will further evince freshness and originality, as well as their ability to employ literary and rhetorical devices and to make stylistic choices that are appropriate to the subject and the purpose of the work.
• Students will demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge of literature and critical strategies and their reading, speaking, and writing skills at a level that will lead to productive employment and citizenship. Some students will achieve a level of proficiency and interest in the discipline that will enable them to undertake advanced study in English or other disciplines.