What do you learn in a bachelor's in English?

A bachelor's degree in English can boost your reading and writing skills. It can also help you develop critical thinking, communication, research, and persuasion skills.

Read on to discover what you can learn in a bachelor's in English program.

What to expect from a bachelor's in English program

A bachelor's in English typically takes four years of full-time study to complete. You can expect to encounter courses that will help you develop skills in:

• Problem-solving and analytical reasoning
• Effective research and investigative techniques
• Language structure comprehension
• Persuasion and influencing
• Public speaking

These skills are highly transferable across a wide variety of industries. Once you graduate, you could find a job in medicine, law, management, human resources, and marketing.

Bachelor's in English curriculum

While courses vary from school to school, you'll likely study these topics.

Composition

This foundational class gives you knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and research. You also learn how to :

• Write for different audiences and across various genres
• Analyze different written works and styles
• Research sources and correctly use and cite them

Literature

Most undergraduate English degrees require English and American literature classes. You'll read, research, and analyze historic, classic, and modern novels, poems, and other works. You might also study Native American, African American, and global literature.

Rhetoric

Rhetoric involves the use of persuasion and influencing. This class gives you the tools to:

• Analyze verbal and written arguments and their effectiveness
• Understand how rhetoric influences audiences
• Make your persuasive case through writing and public speaking

Specializations and concentrations

Depending on your college or university, you could earn a minor or specialize in a specific topic. Common specializations include:

• Journalism: Learn how to research and write for digital and print publications. You'll gain investigative skills and determine how to develop sources.
• Education: Develop the tools to teach English to others. Required classes might include classroom or administration management, curriculum development, and educational theory.
• Film studies: Explore cinematic development, history, and writing. You'll explore the cultural context of movies and take part in scriptwriting and critical review processes.

Graduation requirements for an English bachelor's degree

To graduate with your bachelor's degree in English, you need to:

• Complete 120–124 credits
• Take at least 30-36 credit hours of English-related courses
• Research and complete a capstone project using Modern Language Association citation and formatting
• Maintain the university's required minimum GPA