The English Major

English
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts

The English major is a broad based program building on the liberal arts foundation all students experience at Lake Erie College. The major in English is directed towards the student who seeks a background in British and American literature as the basis of study in the liberal arts or who wishes to pursue graduate studies in this field. Students may also combine courses in English with a major in another fields such as History or Communications.

Why Choose the English Program at LEC?

Ogden Nash's couplet sums up the attitude of many people when it comes to the study of literature: "Poets aren't very useful/Because they aren't consumeful or produceful."

So why major in English? Allay your parents' fears that you will never find gainful employment and quiet those naysayers who regard your love of reading with benign (or not-so-benign) amusement. Studying literature

• Hones your critical and analytical skills. Studying literature demands careful thought and allows you to develop the ability to engage with, dissect, and evaluate different ideas and viewpoints. In an age that bombards us with information, such ability is crucial.
• Sharpens your communication skills, both written and oral. Studying literature immerses you in language and offers numerous opportunities to polish your persuasive, research, and editing skills-and these are invaluable in any profession.
• Exposes you to a broad spectrum of disciplines. Studying literature incorporates consideration of historical, political, economic, and social conditions, both of the author and of the reader.
• Enlarges your realm of experience and fosters understanding of and compassion for the human condition. Poet Percy Shelley wrote, "A man, to be greatly good, . . . . must put himself in the place of another and many others; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own. The great instrument of moral good is the imagination, and poetry administers to the effect of acting upon the cause."
• Provides pleasure, both intellectual and emotional.

Opportunities in English

Lake Erie College’s English program prepares students for careers in publishing, writing, research and journalism. The program also offers excellent preparation for admission to graduate school.

International Experiences

Lake Erie College encourages all students to participate in international experiences. Students may wish to spend a semester at one of our “sister” institutions. Earning credits towards their degree while learning about other peoples and cultures.

Other international opportunities for students are Study Tours. Study Tours are two-week trips that full-time students may take their Junior or Senior year. Most of the cost of the trip is included within tuition.

Academic Requirements

A Bachelors degree requires at least 128 credit hours.

All students graduating from Lake Erie College will complete 20 semester hours of basic requirements including courses in Math, English, Computers, Public Speaking, and Foreign Language. These courses are normally completed during the Freshman year.

Students will also complete 24 hours of core liberal arts courses. These courses include the subject areas of critical thinking, aesthetic forms, scientific inquiry, cultures and values, sophisticated texts, and social sciences. Each major has course specific requirements, and any remaining credits will be considered as electives.

Requirements of the English Major

The English major requires 44 semester hours of course work in the areas of critical analysis, composition and research, studies in British and American literature.

Specific course listings for the English major and course descriptions can be found on our website: www.lec.edu.

Additionally, every student has an Admissions Counselor at LEC that can answer questions about our academic programs. Admissions can be reached at 1-800-916-0904. Please call to visit our campus and meet with an English professor.

As a Lake Erie College student, you will be the most important part of this endeavor called higher education. You will be a critical participant in our average class of 15 students. Every member of our distinguished faculty will know your name; our 12:1 student to faculty ratio ensures this. Once you join our community, you will benefit from our nearly 150 years of experience in building business leaders, entrepreneurs, scholars, educators, political leaders, and artists.