Degree Programs
Choose a Concentration
English majors can pursue one of two concentrations: literary studies or creative writing.
- The literary studies concentration may lead to careers that require skills in reading, research, synthesis, or evaluative thinking. It is the concentration currently compatible with the state licensure requirements for secondary teaching.
- The creative writing concentration may lead to careers that require skills in communicating information, editing, or imaginative self-expression.
The English major - in either track - is a strong preparation for such professions as teaching, law, ministry, library science, publishing, advertising, and freelance writing. The department encourages English majors to consider a minor, or a second major, in another area of interest.
Interdisciplinary Clusters Courses and Schedules To see which courses are offered in upcoming quarters, view the Course Schedule site.
The department views both the reading and writing of literature as means to understanding ourselves, human life, and the patterns and ideas of human cultures. We see literature as a mode of knowledge, as a liberating process, and as the product of both individual vision and cultural assumptions. Writing is a generative activity, one that helps individuals to find their own stories as well as to think through and express their own positions.
The department encourages English majors to find interdisciplinary clusters of related courses reflective of their own interests. This allows you to pursue a particular direction or interest area. Interdisciplinary minors, such as Black Studies and Women's Studies, are listed in the college catalog. Sample interdisciplinary clusters from which students might choose 4-6 courses are listed here.
English requirements for language arts in elementary, middle, and secondary teaching:
All Department of English program requirements and courses are listed in the Otterbein College Undergraduate Catalog.
