Current Students

Committed to the study and practice of English in all its forms, the Concordia College English Department offers a variety of majors and minors, from a traditional program in literature to a writing concentration.  The new Multimedia Journalism Major draws its courses from English, Communications and Art.

Our faculty love to teach, and they engage vigorously in research and publication. English students take innovative classes and practice what they learn in a variety of out-of-class settings. Why not enroll in an English class or consider an English major?

The Concordia College English major develops ...

  • a creative and imaginative mind
  • an appreciation of language in all its forms
  • the ability to think critically
  • various strategies for research
  • intellectual curiosity
  • discovery and expression in writing

Department Goals

Concordia's English majors engage the world through words.  By participating in an English major or minor, you equip yourself for life by learning to read challenging texts; to communicate complex ideas concisely and precisely; to use reading, research, and writing to render the ordinary extraordinary and the extraordinary ordinary.


As an English major, you will be able to

  1. Read challenging texts closely and analytically

  2. Articulate and discuss informed opinions about literature and literary craft

  3. Research library, Internet, and field sources to understand texts and contexts

  4. Write in the mode(s) appropriate to your English concentration

  5. Use the discipline of English to examine your beliefs and values

  6. Apply your English degree as you learn, work, and live in community with others, now and in the future.

The department assesses its program using the following expected Student Learning Outcomes (SLO).

Student Learning Outcomes

As an English Major with a Literature Concentration you will be able to...

1.  Read challenging texts closely and analytically
      SLO 1.1:  Demonstrate close reading
      SLO 1.2:  Use critical theory to interpret literature

2.  Articulate and discuss informed opinions about literature and literary craft
      SLO 2.1:  Demonstrate understanding of literary studies vocabulary
      SLO 2.2:  Distinguish one critical view from another
      SLO 2.3:  Position texts in historical/cultural contexts
      SLO 2.4:  Demonstrate ability to respond to others' opinions about literature

3.  Research library, Internet, and field sources to understand texts and contexts
      SLO 3.1:  Compile an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary sources for a literary analysis essay
      SLO 3.2:  Select appropriate primary and secondary sources for a literary analysis essay
      SLO 3.3:  Apply MLA documentation conventions

4.  Write in the mode(s) appropriate to your English concentration
      SLO 4.1:  Write a balanced, unified literary argument
      SLO 4.2:  Write clearly
      SLO 4.3:  Write in a voice appropriate to your topic and audience

5.  Use the discipline of English to examine your beliefs and values
      SLO 5.1:  Articulate how study of a particular literary text cultivates moral, aesthetic, and/or existential understanding

6.  Apply your English degree as you learn, work, and live in community with others
      SLO 6.1:  Produce a resume that incorporates skills developed through the English major
      SLO 6.2:  Recognize transferable skills developed in the English major and used in community life or the work place

As an English Major with a Writing Concentration you will be able to...

1.  Read challenging texts closely and analytically
      SLO 1.1:  Demonstrate close reading of course texts
      SLO 1.2:  Read texts to understand components of craft

2.  Articulate and discuss informed opinions about literature and literary craft
      SLO 2.1:  Demonstrate understanding of genre conventions
      SLO 2.2:  Incorporate vocabulary of the discipline into academic course writing

3.  Research library, Internet, and field sources to understand texts and contexts
      SLO 3.1:  Incorporate research material into academic writing
      SLO 3.2:  Document sources according to MLA standards

4.  Write in the mode(s) appropriate to your English concentration
      SLO 4.1:  Use components of craft effectively in creative work

5.  Use the discipline of English to examine your beliefs and values
      SLO 5.1:  Practice writing that examines the human condition

6.  Apply your English degree as you learn, work, and live in community with others
      SLO 6.1:  Produce a résumé that incorporates skills developed through the English major
      SLO 6.2:  Recognize transferable skills developed in the English major and used in community life or the work place



Information For:

current students
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