Department of English and Modern Languages
A deep respect for the power and beauty of language lies at the heart of the Department of English and Modern Languages—as demonstrated through interpreting literature, crafting prose and poetry, or learning a new language.
Our department offers a welcoming space for you to develop these skills. Small class sizes allow for highly engaged learning communities; the faculty are dedicated to individualized advising and mentoring. On any given day, the department is filled with the sounds of essay conferences, language tutoring, and students studying together over a cup of tea in the department den.
Student Spotlight
Did you know that you can spend a year studying in France, Italy, Spain, and other countries as a student at WWU? Check out all the unique experiences that some of our students had as they spent this past school year abroad!
College Experience
What will your college experience look like as an English major?
In addition to taking literature and writing courses, you can gain valuable experience working as a peer tutor, reader for faculty members, or staff writer for University Relations or the student newspaper, The Collegian.
Our department sponsors the Pegasus Club, which offers activities like film nights, trips to local bookstores and coffee shops, and departmental suppers. The department, along with the history department, co-sponsors a study tour to the U.K. every other summer. On the alternating summer, you can participate in a study tour to a regional Shakespeare festival.
Through Adventist Colleges Abroad, our department also offers study abroad opportunities to countries like Argentina, Brazil, France, Italy, and Spain, where you can earn a language minor while immersed in the culture.
Career Path
What can your career path as an English major look like?
An English major will prepare you for careers in areas as varied as teaching, non-profit and corporate communication, creative writing, grant writing, journalism, digital and print publishing, library science, fact checking, and public policy. The major will also give you a strong preparation for law, business, medicine, and the social and behavioral sciences. These and other professions place a high value on the ability to read critically, to write clearly, and to understand human experience. Our graduates have held positions as administrators, attorneys, editors, teachers, writers, and more.
