Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Academic Bulletin 
    
2023-2024 Academic Bulletin

English BA


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A major in English - the study of literature, writing, and language - invites students to focus on human experience and expression in all its complexity and diversity. As part of learning how to analyze and interpret a wide range of genres, English majors explore texts’ literary history and sociocultural contexts. Students also study and practice the creation of texts, including poems, essays, stories, plays, critical reviews, and many more. Throughout their studies, English majors focus on how humans acquire, live with, and use language. Each of the three concentrations - English Education, Literature, and Writing - grounds students in all these areas while emphasizing a specific aspect of English studies.

Total Credits - 120


Major - 42-44


Core - 10-11


Concentration - 32-34


English Education - 33-34


A concentration for students seeking secondary teaching certification for careers as K-12 teachers in pre-collegiate denominational or public schools. Students normally spend four to five years in residence to complete the requirements.

Literature - 32-33


This concentration is recommended for those planning to do graduate work in English or for those planning professional careers that demand a broad liberal arts background.

Writing - 33


This concentration is suitable for those planning professional careers as writers or those particularly interested in the teaching of writing. Students selecting this concentration are encouraged to select a second major or minor that will enhance future employment.

Additional Requirements


(for English Education concentration only)

Michigan Test of Teacher Certification (MTTC)


English majors enrolled in the English Education concentration seeking Michigan state secondary certification credentials will take the Michigan Test of Teacher Certification—subject area: English (MTTC) in their last year of study. Arrangements for taking the MTTC should be made with the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum in the College of Education & International Services. When test score results are tabulated by the Michigan Department of Education, they are shared with the students’ certification advisor and then passed on to their English Education emphasis advisor. The Department of English decides how and when to share individual results.

General Education (Andrews Core Experience)


Students must fulfill all Bachelor’s Degree requirements listed in the Andrews Core Experience .

Admission Requirements


English Language Requirements


Students whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English-language proficiency before they are accepted into any program in the Department of English. To qualify for admission, students must obtain at least a minimum composite score on one of the following exams:

  • Paper-based TOEFL (ITP) composite score of 600 
  • Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) composite score of 100
  • IELTS composite score of 7

The exam must be taken within two years prior to enrollment. Students who score below these levels may complete language requirements by enrolling in Intensive English Program courses (ENSL) on campus. For required scores on other standardized proficiency exams, contact the department.

Student Learning Outcomes


All students who graduate with a BA in English will be able to:

  • Demonstrate familiarity with a diversity of Anglophone literature, its historical and cultural contexts, its genres, and major critical approaches.
  • Produce interpretive and analytical texts that are clear, organized, supported with evidence, and accurately documented.
  • Identify and discuss elements of a Christian perspective in the analysis and creation of texts and in language use.
  • Know and understand instructional application of diverse texts, a variety of writing contexts, and language development and use (English Education concentration only).
  • Demonstrate cohesive knowledge of the scope and sequence of Anglophone literature, and broad knowledge and application of critical theories (Literature concentration only).
  • Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of genre conventions and exhibit rhetorical adaptability in applying those conventions (Writing concentration only).

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