In order to support the purpose of Campbell University and the General College Curriculum, the English Department affirms its fundamental mission to develop the following skills in our students:

1. skills in written and spoken composition;
2. skills of research, analysis, synthesis; the proper, clear, logical and honest presentations of their ideas; and
3. skills of critical thinking, reading, and listening which lead to a greater self-awareness and a finer sense of the natural and social world.

Upon these foundations, the English Department seeks to fulfill its further goals:

1. to cultivate in our students an aesthetic appreciation for literature in English and for the ways in which this literature expresses evolving and developing historical and cultural perspectives;
2. to prepare English majors and minors for success in graduate or professional studies; academic, pedagogical, or other professional careers; as well as personal and communal endeavors;
3. to exercise our students’ moral and cultural sensibilities through thoughtful discussion of comparative values and actions in the world; and
4. to promote, within a context of Christian faithfulness, a lifelong and integrated quest for wisdom in pursuit of lives of moral and professional integrity.

Why Should I Study English?

1. It makes you highly marketable in a broad range of professions because as an English Major you develop the ability to think critically and creatively; to write with clarity, precision, and eloquence regardless of the writing task at hand; and to conduct substantive research—all of which are skills sought after in the corporate and high-tech world as well as in academia. Consider, too, that entrepreneurship is spurred as much by creativity as by technical knowledge and start-up funds.
2. Through the reading and intellectual engagement of texts from a variety of cultures and eras, you develop empathy—a real understanding of people and the human condition. Equally important, the exploration of diverse ideas and varying moral situations found in literature demands that you come to know yourself as you develop your skills in comprehending the world around you. And the interaction that takes place in classroom discussions of literature hones your ability to listen honestly, to consider carefully what another person’s perspective might be and how that perspective differs from your own. Life at all levels requires us to interpret what we see and hear, to uncover the meaning beneath the surface of things. A successful career in any field requires not just the ability to read written texts but the skill and sensibility to read ourselves and others in order to understand them as colleagues, patients, clients, and potential clients.
3. The skills sharpened through the study of literature and the rhetorical art of writing develop English Majors into problem-solvers—again, an attractive and necessary trait regardless of the career-path.
4. The study of English prepares you for the rigors of graduate school, law school, or with the addition of a few key courses, even makes you highly competitive in medical school.
5. It’s just plain fun and exhilarating to read great books and to share them in discussion with classmates and professors of like mind.

Ways we help you achieve success

The analytical skills and knowledge gained through the study of English may lead to an exciting career in a wide variety of professions. Here is a sample:

1. writing and editing in such fields as medicine, government, broadcast media
2. advertising and public relations
3. sales and management
4. web design
5. ministry
6. the legal profession
7. teaching at all levels