English & Foreign Languages

Apply your passion for writing, poetry, and literature.

As a student in the Department of English & Foreign Languages, you will cultivate reading, writing, speaking, and research skills. You'll be prepared for successful careers and meaningful lives grounded in Christian faith and service.

English majors can choose among three tracks: creative writing, literature, or professional writing. Secondary Education is offered with either the literature or the creative writing track.

Creative Writing

Apply your creativity and passion for writing to develop new stories and narratives. You'll take fiction and non-fiction courses to build a well-rounded skill set.

Learn more about creative writing

Literature

The English Major with a Literature Option is perfect for students that want to study and analyze the great works of literature.

Learn more about literature

Professional Writing

This option will prepare you for a multitude of careers as a professional writer. You'll be able to customize the curriculum to match your career aspirations.

Learn more about professional writing

Secondary Education

In this program, you will choose to follow either the creative writing or literature curriculum in addition to education courses. You will be ready to step into a secondary education classroom and teach grades 7 to 12.

Learn more about English education

The WU advantage

Experienced faculty

Our English faculty are active in their fields. They frequently publish their creative works and present at conferences.

Study the classic and modern

As an English major or minor, you'll study the great works of history as well as the modern classics.

Practical experience

Get involved with our various co-curricular activities that allow you to practice what you're learning. Write for The Yellow Jacket or Muse & Stone.

Department Overview

Mission

The mission of the Department of English and Foreign Languages is to cultivate reading, writing, speaking and research skills in Waynesburg University students to prepare them for successful careers and meaningful lives grounded in Christian faith and service.

Student Outcomes

Students in the English Program will achieve the following objectives:

To develop, support and organize a strong argument in a clear and grammatically correct style.
To effectively research, use information technologies and gain a command of citation styles and formatting.
To cultivate strong reading skills by studying major authors, genres and literary terminology while applying theory to texts.
To grow as writers through workshopping, creating texts in several genres, experimenting with a variety of literary techniques and crafting a personal authorial voice.
To engage in literary studies as a reflection of the University’s commitment to Christian faith and service.
To prepare for post-graduate opportunities in education, further studies or the world of professional writing.