English (BA)

Write your success story at Saint Francis.

Available as
Major
Degrees/Options
Bachelor of Arts
Length
4 years
Locations
Fort Wayne

Why Study English?

What can you do with an English degree? Quite a bit! Critical thinking, communication and creativity are essential assets in nearly every field. Majoring in English boosts these and other practical skills important in the modern workplace:

  • Understanding other perspectives
  • Researching and assessing information
  • Writing persuasively
  • Adapting to changing circumstances
  • Developing empathy and self-awareness

Words matter. And they are everywhere. Mastering language will prepare you for a range of positions in advertising, journalism, marketing, business, research, healthcare, biotechnology, government, education and many other industries.

An English degree, with its attention to research, writing and making compelling arguments, also is excellent preparation for law school and other rigorous graduate programs.

#2

Best Job in Media and Creative Arts (Technical Writing)

US News & World Report

$79,960

Median annual salary for technical writers in 2022

BLS.gov

$73,080

Median annual salary for editors in 2022

BLS.gov

Why Saint Francis for English?

The University of Saint Francis celebrates the liberal arts. You’ll read great literature and diverse voices with dedicated scholars who are ready to help you connect the books you love to contemporary society.

You’ll learn the fundamentals of writing, explore a range of literary topics and time periods and learn how to write in professional settings. A rich selection of literature and creative writing electives means you can dive deeper into genres, writing styles, authors and areas that interest you most. Some student favorites include:

  • Young Adult (YA) Literature
  • Literature and the Natural Environment
  • Science Fiction
  • The Rhetoric of Social Protest
  • Literature in Health & Wellness
  • Feminist Literature
  • Addiction Narratives
  • True Crime Stories

Franciscan values of faith and reason are central to the Saint Francis educational experience. By virtue of learning in a community like ours, you’ll develop into a grounded, ethical, empathetic professional.

Real-World Learning Experiences

Bringing literature to life through a stage play. Producing a journal full of your classmates’ creative writing. Discovering how writers contributed to major social movements through an independent research project. These are just a few of the many ways English majors at Saint Francis learn by doing.

Internships: Gain Professional Experience

Get an up close look at possible English major careers while immersing yourself in a professional setting. Your faculty mentors can help you find an internship opportunity that fits your interests.

Community Engagement: Learn While Serving Others

Helping others is a way of life at Saint Francis. Our English faculty members find exciting ways to embed service learning into class. A recent highlight: Students in the Marginalized Voices course collaborated on a storytelling project with The Center for Nonviolence and the YWCA.

Campus Publications: Join the Sullivan Staff

Put your love for words and a keen eye for detail to good use by helping produce the campus literary journal, The Sullivan.

Writing Center: Help Your Classmates

Work as a writing consultant for the campus Writing Center.

Visiting Authors: Meet and Learn from Renowned Writers

Our Visiting Authors series brings novelists, poets, memoirists, journalists, essayists, and other successful writers to campus. We’ve welcomed wordsmiths such as Kaveh Akbar, Leila Chatti, Matt Hart, Michael Martone, and Adrian Matejka.

Meet Our Faculty

Among the literature-loving faculty members who will inspire you are:

Dr. Ken A. Bugajski is an expert in British literature, autobiography and gender in literature — and you can also find him cheering on the TinCaps during baseball season.

Dr. Carrie Duke teaches first-year writing with a research focus on American literature and the environment. When she’s not reading for her classes, you’ll find her working in her vegetable garden, camping or bicycling around town with her husband and daughter. 

Dr. Michael Levan teaches world literature, first year-writing and the occasional creative writing courses. Otherwise, you can find him spending time with his wife, son and two daughters, living and dying with his Cleveland sports teams, or writing.

Professor Chelsie McCorkle focuses on composition, first-year writing, writing center studies and feminist literature. Outside of the classroom, she is often playing modern and Euro-style board games. 

What Can You Do With an English Degree?

The versatility of this major — and the in-demand soft skills it develops — opens you up to an incredible amount of opportunities. Positions you might find include:

  • Multimedia journalist
  • Content writer
  • Copywriter
  • Brand journalist
  • Copy editor
  • PR specialist
  • Technical writer
  • Research assistant
  • Paralegal
  • English teacher
Downtown Fort Wayne

Where You’ll Find Our Graduates

Our English alumni communicate, tell stories, teach, write, edit, create and serve others in a wide range of positions and organizations, including:

  • Account Coordinator, Sweetwater
  • Managing Editor, Our Sunday Visitor
  • Associate Attorney, The Law Office of Colleen White
  • Communications Coordinator – Lutheran Health Network
  • Marketing Manager, Biogenetix
  • Head of Brand Development, The Society Management
  • Associate Professor of English, Indiana Institute of Technology
  • Senior Editor/Multimedia Specialist – Briljent
  • Paralegal – Allen County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Professor of English, Frostburg State University

Graduate School & Other Opportunities

Some Saint Francis graduates are inspired to enter the world of research and academia and pursue graduate and doctoral degrees, and a major in English is also an excellent foundation for law school. Our alumni have been accepted into programs such as:

  • American University – MA in Journalism and Public Affairs
  • Ball State University – Ph.D. in American Literature
  • The Citadel – MA in English Language and Literature/Letters
  • Florida Coastal School of Law – JD of Law
  • Indiana Wesleyan University – MA in Counselor Education
  • Marquette University – Ph.D. in Literature
  • Ohio University – MA in English
  • University of Chicago – MA in Medieval Studies
  • Wayne State – MA in English

Learn more about what makes life at Saint Francis so special.