Overview
James Bowman, Chair of the Division of Literature, Communication, and the Arts
Why Study English at Fisher?
The English major at St. John Fisher University offers students a lens through which to explore the world. Through the study of literature and writing, our students encounter works of art from the past and present, imagine unfamiliar perspectives, and practice high-demand skills. Students have the opportunity to pursue their own interests and develop new ones, while examining the roles of creativity, rhetoric and literary production in our ever-changing world.
Our program supports experiential learning through internships, service-learning, public presentations, independent study, and honors theses. We help students build valuable skills sought by prospective employers, such as clear, accurate, and persuasive writing; research and organizational abilities; careful, analytical thinking; and creative problem-solving. Fisher English majors become editors and entrepreneurs; lawyers and novelists; teachers and community organizers.
The English department also offers students the chance to apply analytical skills to contemporary media with the minor in film and television studies, as well as the opportunity to practice real-world writing with the certificate in public and professional writing.
The English Major
English majors choose from more than 60 courses in literature, creative writing, rhetoric, composition studies, and professional and technical writing. A number of English courses also meet several exploration areas of the Fisher Core.
The English major at Fisher offers students a solid foundation in the breadth of our discipline and allows students to design a major suited to their individual interests, curiosity, and aspirations. It gives students a sense of British and American literary and rhetorical traditions while also demonstrating the diversity of those traditions. We teach students to approach texts with sophisticated critical strategies and help them develop communication and analytical skills needed in the 21st century.
English majors develop skills in and knowledge of analysis, technique, publication, traditions, and process.