English - Pacific Lutheran University

English from Pacific Lutheran University is a Campus Bachelor English degree that prepares you for a Liberal Arts career. Why Study English at PLU? PLU\\\'s English program offers emphases in literature and writing, as well as concentrations in children\\\'s literature and publishing. English offers excellent preparation for any future requiring integrative thinking, skill in writing, discernment in reading, appreciation of human experience and aesthetic values, or the mastery of critical and creative expression. There are three areas of concentration: Publishing and Printing Arts For more than twenty years Pacific Lutheran University?s Department of English has offered a way to help students translate a love of books into an exciting professional career in publishing. One of only a few such programs in the country, PLU?s distinctive interdisciplinary curriculum in Publishing and Printing Arts (PPA) is highly respected by employers. It combines pre-professional skills and experience, with the solid foundation of a liberal arts education. PPA is a six-course minor that gives students with talent and interest in writing, graphic design, communication or business a head start into the world of publishing and a broad variety of related professions. The Publishing and Printing Arts program is an especially valuable complement to majors concerned with language and the written word, majors such as English , other languages, education, public relations, journalism, marketing and graphic design. Students majoring in a wide spectrum of disciplines?from biology to music to religion?have also discovered the value of a PPA minor. It helps to connect them to publishing career opportunities in their field, and provides a richer understanding of the complex roles that written communication plays in our modern world. Go to www.plu.edu/~ppa/Alumni.html to find out what jobs recent PPA graduates have. Literature The PLU literature program introduces students to the great literary traditions of Britain, North America and the English-speaking world, as well as courses in ethnic American, women?s and world literature. At the heart of the program are courses organized by historical period, allowing students to read the great works that define the periods and explore the ways in which cultural contexts have an impact on the literary imagination. Students who select the emphasis on literature can expect to learn how educated readers engage texts through their own speaking and writing. They will develop confidence in their insights and grow more sophisticated in constructing effective literary arguments. Students also are introduced to the ways in which major critical traditions frame our approaches to literature, and define the issues that keep literature meaningful and relevant in our lives. The Children?s Literature Program is a special feature of the English Department. By taking three Children?s Literature classes, a student can receive a Special Proficiency in Children?s Literature certificate and a notation on their transcript. PLU?s Mortvedt Library houses a special research collection of children?s books. For more information about Children\\\'s Literature at PLU, contact Suzanne Rahn at 253-535-7313. Writing The Writing Emphasis offers English majors an opportunity for intensive practice in imaginative, analytical and pragmatic modes of writing. Students learn to shape their writing for particular audiences and settings, as well as expand their own creative, stylistic and interpretive gifts. Students develop writing skills in several genres, extensively and carefully read great writers and reflect on theoretical and practical issues raised by the making of meaning. Studies in poetry and fiction writing are complemented by courses in autobiographical writing, the personal essay, writing for children and freelance writing. The inspiration for this program came directly from a group of past PLU English majors. The unique program design addresses the interests and ambitions of students past and present. By completing the English major with a Writing Emphasis, undergraduates learn to integrate their thinking, inquiry, and writing skills in order to adapt to a large range of creative and professional settings. After graduation, some will produce imaginative writing through freelance work. Some will move into writing positions in science, law, business, or industry, and others will find themselves well prepared to pursue advanced degrees in English studies and Master of Fine Arts programs. Careers for English Majors A major in English lays the foundation for many endeavors. PLU English majors have gone on to be practicing writers, pursue Ph.D. programs in literature and composition, follow careers in business and law, and become educators in both the private and public sectors. The pursuits of recent graduates attest to this: Marc Boyer - graphic designer, Warfield Creatives, Tacoma, Wash. Kevin Kay - graduate student, Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, Wash. Emily Larson - online marketing manager, Alexandria Digital Literature, Seattle, Wash. Ingrid Lindeblad - graduate student, writing and publishing program, Emerson College, Boston, Mass. Heidi Robinson - editor, Amazon.com, Seattle, Wash. Maggie Santolla - publicity agent, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Wash. Kevin Schultz - technical writer, Microsoft, Redmond, Wash. Candice Ulam - technical writer, Intel Corporation, Portland, Ore. Heidi Zimmer - informational literature production, Trustees for Alaska, Anchorage. View more details on Pacific Lutheran University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related English courses.