Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English
Looking for a flexible major to equip you for a career in law, publishing, library science, or education? Want to teach English overseas? Eager to improve the persuasive power of your writing? Love discussing good books or hoping to write one yourself?
MVNU’s English programs offer rigorous training in writing, reading, and analytical thinking from Christian teacher-scholars to equip students for personal and professional flourishing in a changing world.
Majoring in English cultivates the skillsets sought by future employers, including facility in writing, oral communication, research, self-directed learning, collegiality, empathy, and problem-solving. You’ll gain rich access to “the best that has been thought and said” (in Matthew Arnold’s famous phrase), ensuring your grounding in literature that has stood the test of time.
You’ll spend your days discussing compelling literary works while exploring perennial human questions. You’ll hone your writing, presentation, research, and argumentation skills with professors who offer personalized feedback. And you’ll develop real-world experience through on-campus practicums like editing Penmarks, MVNU’s literary magazine, or tutoring in our Writing Lab, or through internships at local institutions.
What’s more, you’ll create a signature senior project that showcases your literary interests and serves as a graduate program essay, conference paper, or interview highlight. This will prepare you for diverse careers by acquiring transferable skillsets and dispositions desired by employers. At MVNU, you’ll discover your vocation while growing as a Christian thinker and word-steward.
Want to teach language arts? You can pair a major in English with a co-major in Secondary Education to earn your Ohio teaching license in grades 7-12 Integrated Language Arts.
Curriculum
Explore courses designed to help English majors succeed. Pursue the Publishing Pathway or the Pre-Law Pathway by combining an English major with strategic minors to prepare for careers in publishing or law.
Faith & learning at MVNU
As an intentionally Christian University, we integrate our faith into everything we do at MVNU. From prayer before class to exploring real-world moral and ethical dilemmas, we’ll teach you what it means to shine forth.
Travel
Ireland, England and Scotland
MVNU’s very own United Kingdom travel course. Dive into city life as you explore three different European capitals that each have their own unique personality. Walk along the famous cobblestones at Dublin’s Temple Bar, marvel at London’s iconic Big Ben, and fall in love with Scotland’s historic Edinburgh Castle.
Scholarship & Christianity in Oxford (SCIO)
Apply to study literature and culture for a summer or a semester abroad in the city of dreaming spires with the CCCU’s GlobalEd program. Contact your advisor and see their website for more information.
Service Learning:
- Belize (Tropical Biology)
- Swaziland
- Haiti
- Croatia, Austria & Hungary
- Italy
- Spain, Portugal & France
- Greater Columbus Area
- Orlando
- San Francisco
- New Orleans
- Washington, D.C.
- Guyana
- Guatemala
Scholarships
Need a little help with finances? We’ve got you covered. Explore scholarships, grants, and other resources to help you pay for your education.
Penmarks
Penmarks is MVNU’s own student-produced literary magazine that features original poems, artwork, short stories, and creative non-fiction written by MVNU students. The magazine is published annually, during the spring semester.
The magazine exists to showcase and encourage the rich creative life of the MVNU community. The magazine has three main purposes: to provide an aesthetically-pleasing and accessible platform for student writing and visual art; to give students the valuable real-world experience of producing a literary magazine; and to enrich campus culture through quality student writing and visual art.
- Submissions — Current MVNU students may submit original poems, short stories, creative non-fiction essays, or other short pieces of creative writing. Penmarks also accepts photographs of visual art.
- Editing committee — The Penmarks selection committee is composed of the Penmarks faculty advisor and students taking the spring Practicum in Creative Writing course.
- Faculty — Kelly Fig Smith, Adjunct Instructor of English
Accounting facts & figures
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29%
Job growth for Speech Language Pathologists
16%
Job growth for Audiologists
100%
Of MVNU students accepted into graduate school (2022)
Careers
English and ILA majors also become story-tellers and book group hosts, writers and poets, ambassadors of words and of the Word. Majoring in English hones your writing, research, and thinking skills and offers broad preparation for a host of future careers.
TEACHING
Become a public or private school English teacher, international English teacher or tutor, or get ready for graduate school.
LAW
Become an attorney, paralegal, legal assistant, or social worker.
LIBRARY SCIENCE
Become a youth librarian, library director, or law librarian.
PUBLISHING
Become an editor, copy editor, or content specialist.
WRITING
Become a media specialist, technical writer, novelist, web content specialist, or narrative designer.
BUSINESS
Try out human resources, talent acquisition, marketing, project management, or writing press releases.
Our English graduates have been accepted to the following universities for graduate work:
- American University Law School
- Bowling Green State University
- Case Western Reserve Law School
- Kent State University
- The Ohio State University
- University of Buffalo
- University of Toledo
- University of Washington
Meet the Faculty
Learn from faculty members who know how to balance theory and practical application for a relevant, empowering, Christ-centered learning experience.
