Join a community of faithful readers and writers who will sharpen your communication skills, expose you to new authors, genres, and ideas, and prepare you for a variety of careers and vocational callings, including teaching.
Within six months of graduation, over 99% of Wheaton’s Class of 2022 found a job or an internship or continued their education.
Focus your studies in literature, writing, or teaching secondary English. You’ll get to explore aspects of all three before you choose!
Chicagoland’s strong presence of academic and Christian publishers opens up internship and career opportunities.
Wheaton English Students and Alumni in Action
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“[At Wheaton], I found that learning about issues around the world—poverty and justice—was what I was looking for to pair with my love of writing.”
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Arah Ko '18, graduate student in The Ohio State University’s MFA Program in Creative Writing, was awarded the prestigious Lilly Graduate Fellowship from Lilly Endowment Inc.
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Nadia Dervish '17 was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in Turkey to support her doctoral dissertation work at the University of Illinois.
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After 40+ years in Christian publishing, including executive roles at Zondervan and Biblica, Scott Bolinder '73 credits his English major at Wheaton as a key foundation for his impactful career.
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In a project with Central DuPage Hospital, Anna Catherine McGraw '24 embarked on a creative pursuit of visual storytelling, exploring hidden corners of life for those with Parkinson’s disease.
You can reach us anytime via admissions@wheaton.edu.
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An English major from Wheaton is an investment in your future. Our graduates use their skills and talents in fields of all kinds.
Our graduates have gone into a wide variety of career fields including:
Our alumni have been accepted into graduate and professional programs at schools such as:
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Our faculty has a range of research and publishing interests, including fantasy, satire, memoir, magical realism, literary journalism, Renaissance drama, literatures of witness, Caribbean literature, and community-based writing. They publish prolifically, from chapbooks to textbooks. They edit academic journals and anthologies. Their scholarly and creative work appears in top journals and literary magazines.
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Located in Blanchard Hall, our department doubles as a cozy reading and writing nook, complete with comfy couches and a coffee/tea station. The Marion E. Wade Center is a one-of-a-kind venue dedicated to seven British Christian authors, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dorothy L. Sayers, and it offers students unique opportunities to engage with visiting writers and scholars. Over at Wheaton’s Writing Center, many English majors serve their peers as writing consultants.
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Write for the weekly student-run newspaper. Submit your creative work (or help produce) Kodon, our literary magazine. Submit your work to multiple on-campus writing contests. Or participate in Arena Theatre or Shakespeare in the Park. With these opportunities and more, you’ll find plenty of ways to bring your words to life at Wheaton. Our department hosts many events throughout the year, from alumni visits to vocational planning sessions.
When you study English at Wheaton College, you’ll join a community of Christian authors, scholars, poets, playwrights, journalists, and publishing professionals who love the written word as much as you do—and learn from passionate teachers who are fully invested in your success. As part of the English Department, you'll cultivate lifelong and life-changing friendships.
Wheaton offers scores of literature, creative writing, and criticism courses designed around specific authors, eras, cultures, and genres—plus classes that show you how your words can make a difference in the world around you. Examples include:
"Wheaton in England is a transformational experience, both personally and academically. As part of the 2019 cohort, I got the opportunity to read classic works in the physical places they were written, which made them so much more powerful and engaging to me. If you choose to do the program, get ready to hike through England's whimsical countryside, memorize beautiful works of poetry, and ignite your love for reading!" - Maddie Cash '21
Interdisciplinary learning is a way of life at Wheaton. Aside from your work within your chosen major, you can enrich your educational experience and connect with peers and professors across campus (and beyond) in many ways.
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A Wheaton education is built on the foundation of our unique Christ at the Core general education curriculum. Our English major emphasizes the connection between Christianity and literature/writing with courses such as Christianity and Fantasy, Harry Potter and Theology, Literature of the Bible, and Christianity and Crime. By nature, studying writing and language will help you become a more careful and observant reader of the Bible—and exploring literature through a Christian lens will help you discover how your own faith impacts and informs your creative pursuits.
Learn More About Christ at the CoreIf you’re a current student or want to dig deeper in this area of study, here are some additional resources for you to explore.
Visit our department website to learn more about our major, minor, learning opportunities, and more.
Visit the Wheaton College catalog for specific degree requirements and course descriptions.
Want to study English at Wheaton College? Wondering how to become a high school English teacher in Illinois? Request more information or start your application today.