Program Overview
The English major at Messiah University assists students in studying a wide array of literatures using a variety of critical thinking and writing skills to help them become perceptive readers, insightful thinkers, and responsible writers. Students engage deeply with Christian faith as they explore the way language shapes our identities, deepens our interactions with others, and enables us to change the world.
The English with Secondary Teaching Certification major prepares students to teach literature, academic and creative writing, research, and information literacy in grades 7-12 English and Language Arts classrooms and to pursue careers in classroom teaching, curriculum design, faculty development, and educational administration. Students get training in diverse literary genres, composition, literacy, technology, and pedagogy that prepares them to be confident and capable educators for the future.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates from Messiah’s English program can:
- Analyze literary texts by reading closely and applying disciplinary vocabularies, theories, and methods.
- Respond to literary texts by developing and supporting interpretations informed by the text’s cultural context.
- Demonstrate writing and rhetorical skills appropriate to critical, creative, and professional tasks for a variety of audiences and in a variety of media and genres.
- Develop and challenge their thinking through scholarly research projects that develop significant research questions and effectively analyze primary and secondary evidence to support claims in the field of English.
- Reflect on vocational calling, explore possible career paths, and develop action plans for their professional lives.
- Articulate the connections between Christian faith and the study of English.
Students who complete the Messiah University Teacher Education Program will demonstrate:
- Christian faith and values in personal and professional life.
- Professional attitudes that reflect an understanding of schools and a commitment to teaching.
- Subject matter depth and an understanding of the relationships between and among curricular areas.
- Theoretical knowledge of learning and related instructional practices that support learning.
- Empirical inquiry skills such as observation, hypothesis-testing, data collection, and data analysis.
- Acquisition, analysis, evaluation, and integration of new knowledge throughout professional practice.
- Appropriate professional responses to the roles and responsibilities of individuals and organizations (e.g., teachers, students, families, school districts, communities) associated with educational environments.
- Professional communication (speaking, writing, listening) and technology skills.
- Reflective decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Instructional planning and assessment skills that facilitate equitable participation, an accepting and supportive learning environment, and maximum development for all learners.