The associate degree curriculum in English is designed to develop proficiency in written communication and in the understanding of human nature through the study of language and literature. Completion of the A.A. degree in English prepares students to pursue upper-division studies as an English major focusing on literature, writing, criticism or other related fields. Students wanting to pursue a career in law, politics, education, or communications often choose the A.A. degree in English because of the emphasis on close reading of texts, strategic employment of language, and strengthened writing skills the program promotes. Because the critical thinking and analytical skills developed as an English major are so versatile, students who may not be sure of their career and/or academic goals might want to consider it.

Learning Outcome(s):

🗸 employ active reading and critical thinking skills to analyze, respond to, and evaluate various texts.

🗸 use the writing process to develop polished compositions that align with the intended purpose and audience.

🗸 use language, sentence structure, and punctuation effectively to convey the intended meaning and tone.

🗸 locate both primary and secondary sources of information (using the web, the library, and the library databases) and evaluate them for credibility and accuracy.

🗸 correctly integrate and document sources in MLA format to avoid plagiarism.

🗸 demonstrate familiarity with major authors, works, genres, literary styles, and literary critical paradigms.