Instagram Combined Shape quotation Created with Sketch. 69

English: Literature/Writing

B.A. in English: Literature/Writing

B.A. in English: Literature/Writing Major is the perfect fit for students seeking a secondary education certification (in conjunction with a teacher certification program in the School of Education and Professional Studies). Courses focus on literature, rhetoric, creativity, and professional practice while introducing students to common forms in a variety of contexts.

Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • demonstrate competence to write and/or speak clearly in a variety of frameworks and genres.
  • demonstrate the ability to think critically, creatively, and/or construct coherent arguments using claims and reasons supported by credible sources.
  • demonstrate comprehension of literary theories, how to apply those theories to different genres and mediums, and how those theories express diverse cultural experiences, awareness, and ideas.
  • demonstrate an understanding of periodic, national, formal, and/or cultural historical traditions.

Career Outlook

“The literature writing major is required for all students planning to teach secondary English in New York State.  The major works together with the education program to prepare students to become effective, knowledgeable, and inspiring teachers of English. Students who graduate with Literature/Writing degrees have a deep appreciation for how language and communication shape individuals in their communities."

 

 

 Dr. Donald McNutt Professor in the Department of English & Communication
A Creative Mind

Tasked with writing a fractured fairytale in one of his first English classes out of high school, Parker Atlas Yaw ’24 had no way of knowing that he would be a published author just a few years later. Now, a junior at SUNY Potsdam, he has turned those initial pages into a fully formed 300-page novel that will soon be on the digital shelves of Amazon in paperback and eBook. Yaw has excelled academically while pursuing a double major in anthropology and English literature/writing. He plans to teach English at the high school level after graduation, and also pursue a doctorate in linguistics.

read more

Storytelling in the Wild

When he’s not carving through the fresh powder at Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe, Mike Rogge '08 leads a successful career as the editor of The Ski Journal and the founder/owner of the media production company, Verb Cabin. Since graduating with his degree in writing and literature from SUNY Potsdam over a decade ago, Rogge has turned his dream into a reality—skiing as many days as possible and writing about it professionally.

Read more