ENGLISH

Marston Hall
206-281-2036
www.spu.edu/depts/eng/

FACULTY:  Thomas  Amorose, Eve Christine Chaney, Susan VanZanten Gallagher, Jennifer  Maier, April Lynn Middeljans, Luke Mins Reinsma, Kimberly Wedeven Segall, Douglas  Thorpe, Thomas Nicholas Trzyna, Mark D Walhout, Misty Anne  Winzenried, Gregory  Wolfe, Suzanne M Wolfe

Courses in English give students the opportunity to read a rich variety of excellent literature and to improve their own writing and thinking. Literature courses show how language enables us to explore and shape our views of God, humanity, and the earth; writing courses stress writing as a process of communication with readers and as an exploration of one's own ideas and emotions.

Courses in English also allow students to discuss the fundamental questions of human life and meaning, as well as to cultivate an appreciation of individual and cultural diversity. An English major prepares students to enter professions such as the ministry, law, social work, or medicine; to work in a variety of businesses and governmental agencies; to teach in elementary or secondary schools; to pursue graduate study in English or the humanities; and generally to enter life with an appreciation for God's gifts of language and literature.

Goals of the Major
1. Knowledge of British, American, and world literature.
2. Skill in literary criticism and scholarship.
3. Understanding of the relationship between literature and the Christian faith.
4. Skill in prose writing, whether critical or creative.
5. Experience of the central role of the imagination in living lives of compassion and service in a diverse, interconnected world.

Admission to the Major
Applicants for a major in English must display an average GPA of 2.5 or higher (4.0 = A) in any two of the following: ENG 2225, ENG 2251, ENG 2252, ENG 2253.

Requirements for the English Major
English Major: Creative Writing Concentration | English Major: Literature Concentration

Foreign Language Requirement
All students who complete the English major must be proficient in a foreign language. Proficiency is established upon satisfactory completion of the third quarter of a first-year college-level foreign language course or its equivalent. For alternate ways of satisfying this requirement, see the General Education section of the Catalog. Language proficiency is not satisfied by transfer of an associate’s degree from a community college unless the transcript records the completion of foreign language coursework. It is strongly recommended, however, that English majors complete at least two years of study of either a contemporary or ancient foreign language.

Admission to the Minor
Applicants for minors in literature or writing must display an average GPA of 2.5 or higher (4.0 = A) in at least two English courses at the 2000 level or above.

Requirements for the Literature Minor
This literature minor partially fulfills the requirements for a supporting endorsement on a teaching credential. See the School of Education for additional requirements.

Requirements for the Professional Writing Minor
All elective credits must be approved by the minor advisor. Electives may be selected from among courses in various disciplines depending on the student’s major and career goals. English majors may apply no more than 10 credits of work in this minor toward their major.

Requirements for the Creative Writing Minor
All elective credits must be approved by the minor advisor. Non-English majors with an emphasis in creative writing must include at least 10 credits of literature in their electives. English majors may apply no more than 10 credits of work in this minor toward their major.

Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion
Image is a quarterly literary journal with editorial offices at SPU. English majors may apply to work as interns on the editorial staff of the journal.

Lingua
Lingua is SPU's annual student literary magazine. Under the direction of a faculty advisor, students design, edit, and publish the magazine.

British Isles Quarter
A biennial study-abroad program, British Isles Quarter (BIQ) offers students an opportunity to take regular English courses from an SPU professor while residing and traveling in Great Britain for a full academic quarter. For details about upcoming BIQs, visit the English Department.

Summer Program in South Africa
A biennial study tour, the Summer Program in South Africa offers students an opportunity to take regular English courses from an SPU professor while traveling in South Africa for a month. For details on upcoming tours, visit the English Department.

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