English Major (BA)

What can you do with a mastery of the English language? Let us count the ways.

Our English major provides you with the opportunity to explore your own imaginative power. Do you aspire to be a writer or editor? A teacher? A lawyer? A degree in English can launch your career in these fields and countless others. Become a communicator of clarity and grace – someone who can cast a vision, weave a narrative, and craft an experience.

As an English major, you will be taught to read and write with attention to truthfulness, logic, rhetoric and aesthetics. In an increasingly competitive and changing marketplace, a degree in English can be the foundation for the thinking, imaginative and interpretative skills necessary for workplace success.

Concentrations

Literature

Choose this concentration and become familiar with both classic and contemporary works of world, American and British literature. Skills developed include close reading, critical thinking, analytical and problem solving, empathy, and faith integration.

This path will prepare you to pursue graduate studies to become a teacher at the middle school, high school, community college or university levels; attend law school; or earn a degree in library science.

Writing

Choose a writing concentration and practice writing in a variety of genres, including creative writing (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction), journalistic writing, and technical/business writing. Skills developed include analyzing and writing for specific audiences, marketing, editing and publishing. This concentration requires an internship experience.

Why Study English at George Fox?

Students looking for resources and books in the library

What will I Study?

  • Literature from a variety of times and cultures
  • Various theories of interpreting literature
  • Analyzing and writing for specific audiences
  • Navigating the publishing world and marketing your writing
  • The principles of composition and how to teach writing effectively
Gina Ochsner

Gina Ochsner

Author, winner of 2002 Flannery O’Connor Award

What I appreciated the most about the time I spent studying at George Fox was the creative latitude to explore, define, craft and hone my own creative aesthetic. Under the guidance of gifted instructors I was encouraged to examine rigorously what it is I wanted to write and how best to write it.

What’s after George Fox

  • Freelance Writer and Editor, Travel Oregon, Word Jones, Handheld Group
  • Associate Professor of English, Spring Arbor University
  • Author, The Necessary Grace to Fall (Flannery O’Connor Award winner)
  • Director of Education, Creative Nonfiction Foundation
  • Technical Editor, Apex Companies
  • Librarian, Cedar Mill and Bethany Community Libraries
  • Language Arts Teacher, Sherwood High School
  • ESL Tutor, Immigrant and Refugee Center of Northern Colorado
  • English Professor, Grand Canyon University
  • Project Manager and Marketing Assistant, Soulation
  • Intuitive Coach and Leadership Consultant, The Courage Practice
  • Portland Monthly Magazine
  • Oregon Bride Magazine
  • Ellichor Publishing House
  • Barclay Press
  • Newberg Public Library
  • Newberg Public Schools
  • Yale University
  • Notre Dame
  • Oxford University
  • Duke Divinity School
  • University of St. Andrews
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of Virginia
  • University of Oregon
  • Oregon State University

Here’s what a handful of our recent graduates are up to:

Jordan Enobakhare Herman published her first YA novel, Raybearer, which made the New York Times bestseller list. Jordan, who writes under the name Jordan Ifueko, is currently doing publicity for the book.

Ryan Lackey completed his master’s degree at Oregon State University, taught adjunct writing and literature classes at George Fox, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at University of California, Berkeley – the top-rated graduate literature program in the county.

Brice Ezell, after working for a year as a writer/editor for PopMatters magazine in Chicago, is nearing completion of his fully funded doctoral program at The University of Texas, Austin, where his studies focus on twentieth century and contemporary drama.

Emily Lund, after completing her two-year paid internship with Christianity Today as writer and editorial assistant with the CTLocalChurch website, is at Duke University, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in theological studies.