The B.A. in English is the degree of choice for those called to go on to graduate study in literature. English is also an excellent pre-professional degree, preferred by admissions officers in theological seminaries, law schools, journalism schools, etc. Combined with TFC’s strong Bible base, this liberal arts program offers opportunities for the integration of faith and learning unparalleled in most other colleges. Explore the story of those who have told the human story!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the English Major good for besides teaching English?
The B.A. in English is a very popular degree with Seminary and Law School admissions counselors. It is also an excellent general preparation for a career in Christian writing. With Greek to fulfill the language requirement and a Cross-Cultural Studies minor, it would be excellent training for future Bible translators.
2. What if I want to teach English in the public schools?
The Teacher Education Department offers a Secondary Education major with an English concentration that gives attention to the art of teaching as well as English itself, and leads to state certification. The Humanities and Natural Sciences Department provides the English component of that program.
3. I want to write for magazines, promotional literature, books, newspapers, etc. Should I major in English or in Communication Studies with a Mass Communication concentration?
You should plan to major in either one and minor in the other. By the time you have to commit to a major (toward the end of your sophomore year), it will be clear to you which path you should follow.
4. What is the difference between the English degree at a Christian college versus a public college or university?
The university may offer a bewildering smorgasbord of course options while ours is more focused on major periods and authors. Also, English departments at many public colleges and universities have bought into a relativist stance which is fiercely anti-biblical. We still believe that language has meaning and can communicate truth and beauty.
TFC English majors have been accepted for graduate study at schools like The University of South Florida, Clemson University, The University of Georgia, Baylor, The University of Nebraska, The University of Virginia, Notre Dame, Boston College, etc.
“The primary reason students should want to attend a Christian college is not negative but positive: not to escape the evil influence of the secular university but because the Christian college is the West Point for Christian soldiers, preparing them to make an impact on the front lines of the spiritual and cultural wars that rage around us.”
Donald T. Williams, PhD
R. A. Forrest Scholar and TFC Professor of English
THE STUDENTS SPEAK
J.S. (2009): I always loved to read good books, but only when I became an English major at TFC did I realize their importance and the significance of studying them. At TFC I realized that literature is a window into the culture that produces it. The English major at TFC gave me a greater appreciation for good literature and helped me to understand the Great Questions in which it plays such a vital part.
J.K.B. (2010): Studying English at TFC was more than just lit and grammar. I made valuable friendships with my professors and classmates. The English professors do much to extend learning outside the classroom. We got to see Shakespeare performed on stage”not just in our textbooks. A group met with a professor to share what we had written ourselves. We could submit our works for publication through TFC’s own literary magazine. Most of all, we studied the beauty of language as a spiritual pursuit by viewing literature through the lens of the Word of God.