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English

English

Language is God's good gift that reveals how humans interpret and imagine the world. Studying literature is an act of "listening" across time and space to people who differ from us. Writing, in turn, is communication that can speak to the mind and soul. By learning to listen and speak in this way, we create a vibrant community through empathy while learning to love God and love our neighbors.

On this page Overview Graduate Outcomes Programs / Features Faculty Contact

Program Overview

The English department's mission is to teach students to use language well and to appreciate, enjoy, and understand rich works of literature. Additionally, the writing concentration allows students to further explore their passion for writing with attention given not only to creative writing, but also to professional forms of writing. Students learn to engage with nuanced and complex ideas as we discuss literary texts through a Christian lens. 

We train our students to honor God as they hone their written communication skills and stretch their God-given creative capacities. Studying writing in all of its forms also respects the image of God in human beings who, having been made like their Creator, are made to create.

Graduate Outcomes

An English major equips students for a wide variety of vocational callings due to strong communication skills and abilities in analytical thinking.  English major graduates enter a range of fields including education, law, journalism, ministry, marketing, editing, counseling, and entrepreneurial endeavors, to name a few.  

Job Outcomes for English Majors:

  • Founder, Widgets & Stone
  • Director of Education, Advance
  • Reporter, Chattanooga Times Free Press
  • President, Pearl Ministries
  • Editor, World Magazine
  • Teaching Assistant, University of Dayton
  • Assistant Editor, CMC Publications
  • Staff Writer, Curator Magazine
  • Adjunct Professor, Gordon College
  • English and Rhetoric Teacher, Covenant Christian Academy
  • Technical Writer/Editor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Alumni Graduate Schools:

  • University of Virginia at Arlington
  • University of Edinburgh
  • New York University
  • University of Dayton School of Law
  • University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Western Carolina University
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Emma Luke ’23

leah hutcherson

Leah (Klett) Hutcherson ’13

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Mary McCampbell ’94

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What I love about Covenant's English majors is their enthusiasm for doing creative work, their eagerness to wrestle faithfully with complex ideas, and their delight in the beauty of the written word. It's such a gift to teach them.
Sarah Huffines

Associate Professor of English

Programs & Features

In the department's wide range of literature courses, students learn how to approach and appreciate literary art forms as products both of the creativity of God in humankind and of human beings’ creative expression of their particular cultures and particular literary techniques.

Writing Concentration
Students who select a writing concentration learn how to generate, organize, and communicate ideas clearly, correctly, and effectively; students also get practice in analyzing and evaluating the ideas of others. Various courses in creative writing offer students a chance to develop their gifts in particular types of writing such as fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. The communication department's courses in playwriting and screenwriting offer additional options.

View Course Catalog

The English or writing minor can give students a chance to pursue an interest in literature or writing while allowing them to pursue majors other than English. Students will advance through the study of literary works and creative writing, learn about theoretical frameworks for understanding the practice of writing, and be exposed to the theory and practice of professional writing.

View Course Catalog

Students interested in teaching English for grades 6-12 can 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.

View Course Catalog

The journalism certificate consists of classes from a variety of disciplines including history, sociology, photography, and English providing students with skills needed for reporting and writing but also a strong understanding of journalism’s relationship with society

The certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) explores the fields of education, linguistics, English, and foreign languages to better understand how languages work and how to effectively teach a foreign or second language.

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  • ENG 240 The Inklings
  • ENG 245 Journalism
  • ENG 275 African-American Literature Since 1900
  • ENG 302 Creative Writing: Poetry
  • ENG 372 The American Novel

  • “The Progress of Metaphysical Doubt in the Detective Novel”
  • “The Female & the Myth: Tolkien’s Story of Eucatastrophe & His Portrayal of Women”
  • “Reader-Oriented Translation”
  • “The Carnival at Sea: Understanding the Motives of Moby-Dick’s Humor through Bakhtin’s Theory of Carnival”
  • “Lincoln in the Bardo, David Foster Wallace, and Sincerity”
  • “Task of the Translator, Task of the Judge: Expanding Paul Ricoeur’s Philosophy of Translational Faithfulness”

Guided Capstone Requirements

Recent Student Internships

  • The Chattanooga Times Free Press
  • Nooga.com
  • The Asheville Citizen Times
  • Jasper Reynolds Public Relations
  • CMC Publications

Extracurricular Activities

  • The Bagpipe - student newspaper
  • The Tartan - yearbook
  • The Thorn - literary magazine
  • Sigma Tau Delta - national English honorary society open to students who have completed a number of English courses with an above-average GPA
  • Drama Club
  • Musical theatre productions
  • Other special-interest clubs, which may vary from year to year

Many English majors take advantage of opportunities for off-campus study programs. Of particular interest are programs offered in cooperation with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; these include semester and summer programs at Oxford University as well as the semester programs at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center. For those students interested in journalism, The King's College Journalism Semester offers a chance to study journalism in New York City. 

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The Writing Center provides a place where students and tutors can talk about writing. Our goal is to help students take control of their own writing, develop confidence, and write effectively. To that end, we look at writing at any stage of the process - from brainstorming and drafting to final editing.

Learn More

Meet the English Faculty

Gwen Macallister

Gwen Macallister Professor of English
Department Chair

Heather Hess

Heather Hess Assistant Professor of English

Robert Erle Barham

Robert Erle Barham Associate Professor of English

Sarah Huffines

Sarah Huffines Associate Professor of English

William Tate

William Tate Professor of English
Dean of Arts and Letters

Ready to take the next step?

Thank you for your interest in Covenant! By filling out this form, we'll be able to connect you with the best information regarding your program of interest, as well as your Admissions Counselor.

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Graduate School of Education

Undergraduate Departments, Majors, Minors, Certificates, Concentrations, and Programs

Academic Certificates

  • Arts Administration
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
  • Journalism and Society
  • Medical Ethics Consultation
  • Neuroscience
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Art

  • Art, 2-D Concentration 
  • Art, 3-D Concentration 
  • Art, Art History Concentration 
  • Art, Graphic Design Concentration 
  • Art, Photography Concentration 
  • Art minor
  • Art History minor

Biblical & Theological Studies

  • Biblical & Theological Studies 
  • Biblical & Theological Studies, Missions Concentration 
  • Biblical & Theological Studies minor
  • Biblical Languages minor
  • History of Christianity minor
  • Missions minor
  • Youth Ministry minor

Biology

  • Biology, Biomedical Concentration 
  • Biology, Environmental Concentration 
  • Biology, General 
  • Biology, Health Professions Concentration 
  • Biology minor

Business

  • Business 
  • Business, Accounting Concentration 
  • Business, Finance Concentration 
  • Business, Marketing Concentration 
  • Sport Management 
  • Business minor
  • Sport Management minor

Chemistry

  • Chemistry, Biochemistry Concentration 
  • Chemistry, General 
  • Biochemistry minor
  • Chemistry minor

Community Development

  • Community Development 
  • Community Development minor

Computer Science

  • Computer Science 
  • Computer Science minor

Economics

  • Economics 
  • Economics minor

Education

  • Education Studies 
  • Elementary Education (P-5) 
  • Secondary Education Certifications through MAT program 
  • Education minor

Engineering 3:2 Program

  • Natural Science, Pre-Engineering Studies Concentration

English

  • English 
  • English, Writing Concentration 
  • English minor
  • Writing minor

Health, Wellness and Coaching

  • Coaching minor

History, Politics, and International Studies

  • History 
  • History, Art History Concentration 
  • Political Science 
  • International Studies 
  • History minor
  • Political Science minor

Interdisciplinary Studies

  • Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentrations 

Mathematics

  • Mathematics 
  • Mathematics minor

Music

  • Music, Church Music Concentration 
  • Music, Creative Studies Concentration 
  • Music, General Music Concentration 
  • Music, Instrumental Performance Concentration 
  • Music, Music Education (Pre-MAT) Concentration 
  • Music, Organ Performance Concentration 
  • Music, Piano Pedagogy Concentration 
  • Music, Piano Performance Concentration 
  • Music, Vocal Performance Concentration 
  • Music minor

Philosophy

  • Philosophy 
  • Philosophy minor

Physics

  • Physics 
  • Physics minor

Pre-Professional Programs

  • Pre-Law Studies 
  • Pre-Medical Studies 
  • Pre-Nursing Studies 
  • Pre-Physical Therapy Studies 

Psychology

  • Psychology 
  • Psychology minor

Sociology

  • Sociology 
  • Sociology, Family Studies & Social Work Concentration 
  • Sociology minor

Theatre

  • Theatre minor

World Languages

  • French 
  • Spanish 
  • French minor
  • Spanish minor