I often tell my students that to major in English is to study what it means to be a human being in the world. In reading great works of literature, students encounter philosophy, theology, history, sociology, psychology, law, politics, criminal justice, economics, business, education—the list continues. There are infinite ways to “use” an English major, because rigorous training in critical reading and writing prepares you for almost any career in which you have to express ideas and support them with evidence.

And here’s the best part: you also learn to appreciate and enjoy the extraordinary art of literature and to place authors and works within specific historical and critical contexts. Our thorough curriculum requires that you comprehend literature’s timeline from the medieval period through the twenty-first century; that you grasp the distinctions among genres and literary language; and that you encounter different theoretical schools.

Plus, you can write for or help to edit The Quatrain, Saint Anselm College’s literary magazine; you can join the Oxford Companions and support poetry readings and trips to theatres; you can join the Abbey Players and act in plays and musicals or help with staging, costumes, or lighting. We invite you to join this dynamic group of students and faculty in their love for literature in all its manifestations.

Professor Ann Norton, Ph.D. 
Professor and Chair, English Department