At Assumption, you will be encouraged to find your voice and make it heard. Our dedicated faculty members enjoy working with students to discover what they are passionate about and to help them map a course for the future. Our courses in writing, literature, and communication and media will push you to become a confident and persuasive writer and a critical thinker able to read between the lines, detecting unstated assumptions and tracing the logic and implications of an argument. Our New York Media Experience, international internships, and opportunities in Worcester and on campus provide an array of options for gaining valuable real-world experience.
A bachelor’s degree in English at Assumption University will challenge you to address profound and enduring questions about what it means to be human. Choose to focus on literature or communication and media, or double-major in English and education. Regardless of your focus of study, you will master skills that will enable you to thrive in a wide range of careers.
As a student in the English Department, you will learn to use your writing to discover and develop ideas and arguments for a variety of audiences, gain a more informed understanding of cultural and historical differences, and be inspired to take intellectual risks. At the same time, you will be preparing for success in the classroom and your career by learning to read carefully, write fluidly, think clearly, and speak persuasively.
A degree in Literature or Communication and Media prepares students to become active and engaged learners in both their personal and their professional lives.
The Major in Literature
As a major in literature, you will read, discuss, and write about the best poetry, fiction, and drama written in English.
The Major in Communication and Media
As a major in Communication and Media, you will learn to read television, radio, and film productions (as well as websites) as constructed texts, while developing your own voice as a writer and your skills in radio and television production. Majors in Communication and Media can specialize in journalism and professional writing, creative writing, media production, or create their own specialization. Several specialty courses also count towards the minor in graphic design. In 2019, 100% of our Communication and Media graduates were employed or enrolled in addition education within six months of graduation.
Double Major in English and Education
You will pair your love of English with a double major in literature and secondary education or a combined single major in English/elementary education. These programs of study will prepare you to teach English at the elementary, middle, or high school level.
Learning Goals of Majors in the Department of English
The department understands “literary,” “literature” and “language” to include written, visual, and performative texts. As members of the English Department, we want our students to do the following:
- To pose questions and employ methods specific to the field of literary studies and to explore the implications of these ways of knowing;
- To read critically and empathetically, recognizing the significance, quality, and consequences of language;
- To write and speak effectively, exhibiting an awareness of audience;
- To ask ethical questions about literature and its consequences for their values and ways of being in the world;
- To gain a more informed and global understanding of cultural and historical differences;
- To take intellectual risks, to synthesize the questions and approaches of the discipline they have learned, and to take responsibility for their own learning. To become lifelong active and engaged learners.
Faculty
Experiential Learning
Assumption's Rome Campus
At Assumption's campus in Rome, Italy, the city and the country become your classroom through daily and weekend-long excursions throughout "the eternal city" and the Italian countryside. This unique study abroad experience will enrich your academic and cultural pursuits as you walk in the footsteps of emperors and gladiators then enjoy delectable Italian cuisine or perhaps a cappuccino after class in a local cafe. (Did you know that your financial aid follows you to Rome?)
Explore the Rome CampusLearn the Skills Employers Seek
Faculty/Student Research
The Assumption curriculum encourages scholarly and real-world experience. With hands-on research conducted alongside faculty mentors, students gain a depth of knowledge and skills that lead to professional success and personal fulfillment.Study Abroad
At Assumption University, the world is your classroom. Students can study and explore abroad in over 50 places from Vienna to England, South Africa, and even our own campus in historic, yet modern, Rome, Italy. Assumption’s study abroad program offers culture, history, and a living classroom for all.Internships
Assumption starts planning for your future the day you arrive on campus. Our Career Development and Internship Center helps students secure exciting and fulfilling internships where you’ll apply knowledge obtained in the classroom in a professional setting, preparing for a future career or additional study. Assumption connects students to internship opportunities in corporations, government agencies, research hospitals, non-profit organizations, and more.Pathways to Success
Graduates majoring in English or Communication and Media work in a broad range of fields and professions, from television and radio broadcasting, journalism, advertising, publishing, and strategic communications to law and education.
The Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation
Churchill School and Center, New York City
Davis Publications
Peabody Essex Museum
Consigli Construction Company
MLB.com
First-rate Academics in a Catholic University Setting
Assumption University awakens in students a sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose, forming graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. Students are provided an education that shapes their souls, forms them intellectually, and prepares them for meaningful careers. Enlivened by the harmony of faith and reason, here, students’ minds and hearts are transformed.
Assumption is dedicated to providing a clear understanding of what your education will cost
Career Paths
Internships
English majors are strongly encouraged to gain career experience and course credit through an internship in their field of interest during their junior or senior year. Internships for academic credit give students practical, hands-on experience, allowing them to explore their career choices before graduating.
The English Department at Assumption University offers internships at more than 70 professional sites in central Massachusetts and beyond. Students can intern with publishing companies, newspapers, magazines, nonprofit organizations, theaters, radio stations, television stations, political organizations, internet providers, public relations groups, and advertising agencies.