English Department

Department Faculty

Robert Erle Barham
Clifford Foreman
Sarah Huffines
Gwen Macallister
Patricia Ralston
Nola Stephens
William Tate

Department Goals

The Department of English seeks to help students understand, appreciate, and use responsibly God’s gift of language. In its courses the department strives to develop a Christian awareness of the issues and problems in each area of language use and to work toward Christian answers. Specifically, it aims:

in composition and speech courses, to teach students how to generate, organize, and communicate ideas clearly, correctly, and effectively as well as how to analyze and evaluate the ideas of others;
in the study of linguistics, to help students understand language as part of the God-given structure of reality and the relationship of language to other aspects of human life;
in literature courses, to teach students how to approach and appreciate literary art forms, as products both of the creativity which is part of the image of God in humankind and of human beings living in particular cultures and employing particular literary techniques.

For General Education

For the general student, the department provides the core courses in composition, speech, and literature. Interested and qualified students are encouraged to take advanced courses in composition and literature.

English Department Courses Suggested for Students not Majoring in English to Fulfill Core Humanities

ENG 201 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENG 203 American Literature: Beginnings to 1865
ENG 204 American Literature: 1865 to 1965
ENG 210 Classical Literature
ENG 211 European Literature in English Translation
ENG 240 The Inklings
ENG 275 Twentieth-Century African-American Literature
ENG 276 Literature Across Cultures
LIN 100 Studies in Language

The English Major or Minor

For English majors and minors, the department offers a variety of courses in writing and literature. Writing courses focus on different types of communication through writing; literature courses cover literature of different genres, of different historical periods, and of several cultures. The curriculum is designed to enrich the lives of students and to prepare them for teaching English and language arts in elementary and secondary schools, for entering jobs where the ability to use language well is necessary (for example, journalism, advertising, editing, public relations), for undertaking graduate study in literature and related fields, and for entering professional schools such as seminaries or law schools. Students planning to go on to graduate school should consider taking the 36-hour major; those planning to enter professional schools should choose minors carefully.

The Linguistics and TESOL Minors

Covenant College offers two distinct linguistics-related minors: one in Linguistics and one in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Whereas Linguistics is the scientific study of human language in general, TESOL is a subfield of Applied Linguistics. In particular, TESOL integrates insights from Linguistics and Education to prepare students to teach English to non-native speakers in a variety of contexts.

The Writing Minor

A Writing minor gives students a chance to pursue an interest in writing while allowing them to pursue majors other than English. Students will advance through the study of creative writing, learn about theoretical frameworks for understanding the practice of writing, and be exposed to the theory and practice of professional writing.

Teacher Certification

English Pre-MAT

Students interested in teaching English at the 6-12 level should complete a BA degree with a major in English, and then enroll in the one-year Master of Arts in Teaching at Covenant College. It is recommended that the Education Minor be completed. Three of the courses in the minor, EDU 121 Introduction to Teaching , EDU 222 Educational Psychology and EDU 361 Education of Exceptional Children , are required for admission to the MAT. For information about certification, see Teacher Certification under the Education section of the catalog.

Pre-MAT English majors must take all English major requirements including English electives for a total of at least 30 hours of English department courses.

For more information see Dr. Sarah Donaldson in Brock Hall 316 (sarah.donaldson@covenant.edu).