I can’t stress this enough: an English major provides you with the critical thinking and communication skills that are seriously valued in many fields. I have heard from several of my employers that my writing and research skills, creative problem-solving ability, and capacity for observing patterns and connecting those to ‘the bigger picture’ (learned through a lot of close reading in literature classes) made me a stand-out employee.
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Why Major in English?
Employers in all industries love to hire English majors. Why? Because they appreciate the fact that English majors know how to communicate effectively and think critically. Penn State Altoona English majors master these skills through courses in literature, writing, and rhetoric. By studying American, British, non-Anglo-American, and world literatures, you’ll learn how to synthesize and analyze information; formulate reasoned arguments and judgments; and develop perspectives on human nature, culture, and diversity. These skills prepare English majors for careers and postgraduate study in:
- business
- marketing
- education (K-12 and college-level teaching)
- law
- medicine
- creative writing
- social media management
- government
- nonprofit management
- publishing
- advertising
- professional and technical writing
- journalism
- various liberal arts disciplines
You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in career internships and in Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society, and to learn from published faculty who have won University-wide teaching awards.
Request Information About the English Major
Minors and Concentrations Within the Major
The English major offers two minors—the minor in English and the minor in Professional Writing—and three concentrations, Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and Global Narratives. The English minor will allow you to take any combination of literature and writing courses to hone your critical reading and analytical skills. The Professional Writing minor will prepare you to write effectively in the workplace and in academic settings. The Creative Writing concentration will hone your skills in both practical and creative forms by providing you with instruction and intensive practice in writing. The Technical Writing concentration is designed for students who enjoy writing, problem-solving, and engaging with technology. The Global Narratives concentration is designed for students who wish to expand their literary studies in English by exploring literatures and other narrative forms from a wide geographic and temporal scope.
Hard Freight Café Fall 2023
Dozens of students, faculty, and staff attended the fall 2023 Hard Freight Cafe open mic on Tuesday, October 24, in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts. The event is sponsored by the English program and Hard Freight, Penn State Altoona's student literary arts magazine.
Steve Sherrill, professor of English and Integrative Arts, kicked off the open mic with a reading from his new book, Motorcycles, Minotaurs, and Banjos.
Books by Steve Sherrill, professor of English and Integrative Arts.
Student Rebecca Reeder introduces Professor Steve Sherrill.
Professor Steve Sherrill speaks to the crowd.
Student Madison Eisaman reads a poem.
Student Anthony Hammill reads a poem.
Student Bloom Wertz reads a character sketch she wrote in the campus Creative Writing Club.
Xavier Kaiserian reads a poem.
Mario Castillo reads a poem about his father.
The Hard Freight Café open mic audience.
The Hard Freight Café open mic audience.
Tom Liszka, emeritus professor of English, reads work by Geoffrey Chaucer in Middle English.
Student Talon McKendree shares his original artwork.
Maddy Colello performs an original song.
Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, professor of English, reads from her latest book of poetry.
Kylea Myers, Theatre and Gallery Coordinator for the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, reads her original prose.
Student Emma Moniz reads her work.
Student Ella Kenny, a member of the Hard Freight staff, serves as a timekeeper for the event.
Aidan Pellegrino, English major and Editor-in-Chief of Hard Freight, shares an original poem.
Student Gwendalynn McGinley reads one of her poems.
Josue Barahona-Rosales performs a song by the Lumineers.
Fall 2022 English Senior Seminar Presentations
English Senior Seminar participants presented their projects on Monday, Dec. 5, in the Mountain View Room of Port-Sky Café. Their presentations were based on the work they did in ENGL 487W taught by Professor Laura Rotunno. This year's theme was “Widening the Stories, Widening our Worlds."
English faculty are shown with senior seminar participants.
Attendees listen to a student present his project on August Wilson.
Jordan Morral presents “’We might be the only living creatures in the whole world’: The Rock and British Imperialism on Joan Lindsay’s Picnic at Hanging Rock."
Danni West-Habjanetz presents "'Identity in the Substance Abuse Epidemic: Origin and Recovery': A Poetry Collection Conception inspired by Natalie Diaz’s When My Brother Was an Aztec."
Jim Miller presents “John Kane: Marginalization and Identity in Working Class Society.”
Katerina Poulos (right) is inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta English national honor society by Jeannette Lang, assistant teaching professor of English.
Writing and Publishing Opportunities
Interested in creative writing? Penn State Altoona students can take workshops in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and playwriting, as well as pursue a more focused study through the creative writing concentration. Want hands-on experience and practice of your professional skills? Consider writing for the Collegiate Review, the student newspaper, or Hard Freight, the college literary magazine. Outside of the classroom, engage with visiting writers and with the current Emerging Writer-in-Residence. Creative writing faculty have won national and international awards, have published dozens of books, and are excited to help you reach your potential.
English Program Contacts
Contact Megan Simpson, the English Degree Program Coordinator, or reach out to any of our English faculty and staff.
