Writing with clarity, purpose, and empathy is more important than ever in a world of increasing noise and clutter. Join a program that gives you the professional and creative edge for success. Being an English major is more than just writing papers and reading books. You’ll develop a passion for the written word, the ability to think and communicate effectively, and a confidence that will transcend your writing. Heidelberg’s English Program exposes you to the broad world of past and present literature and writing skills in academic, technical, and creative writing. You’ll choose between two concentrations: literature and writing.
Goals for All Majors
- Think effectively.
- State well-reasoned positions on topics, developing and supporting that position fully and consistently with sufficient well-chosen reasons, examples, data and/or details;
- Interpret, analyze, evaluate, and make a decision regarding the statements of others.
- Read effectively.
- Develop interpretive strategies that enable them to construct meaning from their reading of texts;
- Identify the major critical approaches in the discipline.
- Write effectively.
- Produce quality prose writing in English and demonstrate the ability to incorporate others’ ideas—from written and other sources—into their own discourse;
- Develop facility in the composing process, embracing revision as an important tool;
- Write a medium-length (10-15 pages), sourced academic prose about literary topics.
- Prepare for a life of purpose with distinction.
- Articulate the value of aesthetic, cultural, social, and personal awareness;
- Engage in learning experiences beyond the classroom (service learning, internship, practicum, English-related student organizations, study abroad, etc.);
- Become empowered to pursue lifelong learning, through:
- evaluating traditional and electronic resources in the discipline;
- applying academic standards within the discipline, including the ethical use of sources, proper documentation, and stylistic conventions of academic writing;
- becoming aware of career and graduate-school opportunities available to graduates with majors in English.
Morpheus is a student-run literary magazine that publishes short fiction, poetry, and personal essays. By working with the publication, you’ll gain skills in writing, editing, and layout design.
Heidelberg's student newspaper, The Kilikilik, also known as “The Kil,” reports on campus and area news, sports, and entertainment. Any Heidelberg student may join the Kil staff as a writer, photographer, proofreader, or distributor.
Practical experience can be the key to breaking into a career field. Heidelberg English majors have recently interned at Seneca Habitat for Humanity, First Call for Help, Community Hospice, Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, the Sandusky Register, the Cuyahoga County Public Library, and Lakeside Chautauqua.
The series gives students an opportunity to hear from and network with local, regional, and national authors multiple times a semester. It has featured award-winning authors who interact in open workshops and perform readings of their work. The Writer’s Series is made possible by The Jean Warren Gekler English Endowment Fund and named in her honor.
A degree in English provides you with a variety of career options. At Heidelberg you will gain the ability to organize ideas, develop argumentation skills, and analyze complex information to use in the classroom and beyond. You will be a desirable candidate for employers in publishing, teaching, law, journalism, nonprofits, public relations, business, media, and the government. You can use your degree to become an author, editor, or technical writer, but you can also become a web content manager, lawyer, information architect, or speechwriter.
