Degrees type: Bachelor

Main Campus

Study of the English language is, to some degree, fundamental to every academic and professional endeavor. As English speakers, our language shapes and populates even our thoughts. As career preparation, English may well be the singular academic pursuit which opens endless possibilities.

More than just reading classic and popular literature from Beowulf to Harry Potter, the study of English involves honing our use of the spoken and written word, and the ability to assess the validity of what we read and hear.

Students are invited into the world of research and literature; and the program provides excitement in honing abilities as writers, readers and critical thinkers. Therefore, the study of English is an exceptional platform from which to embark on careers as journalists, editors, librarians, professors, public relations professionals, marketers, actors, dramatists, or lawyers. A solid foundation in English can also provide entry into a variety of graduate school options.

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Program Highlights

  • Emphasis on communication and critical thinking skills
  • Strong preparation for graduate programs and/or job placement

  • Opportunities for field experiences

  • English and Theatre scholarships, study abroad, and service learning

  • Opportunities for involvement with the campus newspaper, The Belltower

  • Minor available

Female student in the foreground with books in the background

Graduating with a degree in English opens a world of possibilities. Some career paths include:

  • Social Service Agencies at the state and local level
  • Law
  • Marketing Departments for small business and large corporations
  • Public Relations
  • Management positions in various business tracks
  • Writing and/or editing for newspapers and magazines
  • Academic and Public librarianship
  • English graduates also pursue graduate degrees in English, Business, Library Science, and more

Upon completion of the program, graduates will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English and will be able to:

  • use the English language clearly and appropriately as speakers in given contexts;
  • use the English language clearly and appropriately as writers in given contexts;
  • read, write, speak, and listen with discrimination and defensible judgment;
  • employ such cognitive skills such as reading, listening, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, writing, and speaking in situations which call for critical thinking and creation of sound arguments;
  • use technology in the effective presentation of material;
  • discuss a broad spectrum of literary works, cultures, and historical periods.

Arts Fellowships at Mount Aloysius

A scene from "12 Angry Jurors"
Choral director Nancy Way conducts a Vox Nova concert
A student writes for the Belltower Student Newspaper

Theatre Scholarship

Are you interested in the performing arts? Do you get a thrill from being on stage or have a passion for all things technical? The Mount Theatre Fellowship may be perfect for you!

Learn More About Theatre at Mount Aloysius!

Vox Nova Scholarship (Choral Music)

If you love to sing, you may be interested in joining Vox Nova. This small choral performance group sings a variety of styles and genres and offers many opportunities to perform both on- and off-campus.

Learn More About Vox Nova

Belltower College Newspaper Fellowship

The Belltower Student Newspaper is the perfect experience for students who enjoy writing, especially in an informative and journalistic way. Be a part of a creative writing and production team and develop your skills in digital writing, layout, and design as a part of the Belltower staff.

Learn More About the Belltower Student Newspaper

Mountie Spotlight

Arts for Healing

At Mount Aloysius, we believe in helping people become the best version of themselves and in this instance, that includes art.

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Mountie Spotlight

Weaving a Story

Mountie Wes Caton created a post-apocalyptic world with digital story tools.

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Mountie Spotlight

Word to the Wise

Kristy, ‘16, uses the power of language to create her own powerful works.

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Mountie Spotlight

Mount Aloysius Student Earns National Writing Accolades

Mount Aloysius student Alyson Corey gained the confidence to follow her passion for writing at MAC.

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Watch a video with Dr. Daniel Anderson, a professor in the english and fine arts department, talking about horror movies.

Watch a video about studying abroad through the Mount.

Student Voices & Success Stories

  • John Moist, Class of 2014, is a Graduate Fellow studying Rhetoric at Baylor University
  • Pam Young, Class of 2014, is a Behavior Support Specialist (BSS) at Kaleidoscope Family Solutions, Inc. As an English major with a Theatre minor, Pam has also started her own drama therapy program in Cresson, Pennsylvania.
  • Kalyn Blake, Class of 2016, is the Marketing and Sales Coordinator at Sinclair Broadcast Group in Johnstown, PA.
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Working with the English faculty here is one of the best things I’ve ever experienced.

Courtney Edmundson
Class of 2017

Dig Deeper

  • Secondary Education Specialization
  • Theatre Concentration

This minor course of study focuses on performance, technique (vocal technique and singing technique), and music comprehension.  Students will work in various genres of vocal music. Working with dedicated classmates in the Vox Nova Choir, participants gain valuable communication, organizational, and time management skills.

Visit the Vox Nova page for more information.

A distillation of the English Major, this minor course of study provides a focus on reading, writing, speaking, and listening, providing students pursuing other degrees an added focus on critical thinking. Students in this minor discuss a broad spectrum of literary works, cultures, and historical periods.  In addition, these students are given a solid background in literary research.

This hands-on minor requires the student to understand and apply the A.R.T. (Access-Release-Transform) process for themselves and guide others in using the process for healing; students must work in various modalities (drawing, movement, sound, play/drama, storytelling, poetry, masking, and journaling). Students will study methodology of this therapeutic technique, as well as direct others, create lesson plans, and evaluate the process (for both client and agency). The counseling component of this minor requires the student to study the history of counseling, the need for advocacy, the legal and ethical issues in counseling (American Psychological Association’s Ethics Code), the various theories of human development, the various theories of counseling, and the diversity of client populations and treatment settings.

The Mount Aloysius Theatre produces three major plays during the course of each academic year.  Through participation in the production process, as well as enrollment in theatre classes, students in this minor experience theater on the stage and the page.  Theatre students develop a thorough understanding of theater history and tradition, as well as practice, method, and theory associated with acting, directing, and technical aspects of performance and production.  The demands of each production foster time management, organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills that are invaluable for undergraduate students.

Visit the Theatre page for more information.

Students in this minor are able to analyze the impact of social structure and culture on gender, understand the interdisciplinary nature of women’s studies, acquire an understanding of women’s issues from multi-ethnic and multicultural perspectives, and develop an awareness of the current debates and issues in the field of women’s studies via an analysis of important texts by or about women.

Students may also pursue the English major, and at the sophomore level, enter into the Education certification track (at the secondary or elementary level).  This instruction for future educators provides solid grounding in the English teaching specialty and also provides quality instruction on the latest pedagogical theory and technological tools needed in the classroom.

The Belltower Fellowship is available for majors, as well as non-majors, who hold an interest in journalistic writing. The Belltower is the online campus newspaper, written and produced by students. Students that wish to be involved with The Belltower have the option to be writers, editors, or designers. Upon graduation, students have an extensive writing/editing/design portfolio, which can be linked to an electronic resume.

Featured Video

Faculty & Staff

Headshots of Daniel P. Anderson
Daniel P. Anderson

Assistant Professor of English/Fine Arts Department
Headshots of Dan Evers
Dan Evers

Theatre Director, Assistant Professor Arts, Communication Studies, English
Headshots of Jessica Jost-Costanzo
Jessica Jost-Costanzo

Dept. Chair - English/Fine Arts, Professor for Department of English
Headshots of Glenn Neff
Glenn Neff

Associate Professor of English

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7373 Admiral Peary Highway
Cresson, PA 16630

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