English

School of Liberal Arts

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An English Degree to Choose Your Path and Hone Your Craft

English Majors at Marist read, write, and create in a supportive community with many opportunities to hone their craft, share their artistry, and expand their horizons. A self-driven major enables you to choose the classes which interest you. Combine classroom work with hands-on experience to prepare for careers in publishing, education, public service, law, and many other fields.

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Student Learning Outcomes

Customize Your English Curriculum

Marist’s English program offers a broad interdisciplinary foundation, as well as concentrations in literature, writing, and theatre to enable you to choose coursework based on your unique interests.

Literature

All students have the opportunity to add a Literature concentration or minor. Gain a sense of the historical development of the literary tradition with courses such as Literature of the Holocaust and Shakespeare.

Theatre

Those with interests in theatre and drama can either concentrate or minor in Theatre. You’ll be able to take courses that cover all aspects of the theatre discipline, including Acting, Directing, Stagecraft, and many others.

Writing

Students with a passion for writing can explore numerous genres through courses in creative and professional writing, as well as composition and rhetoric. The program offers a concentration in Writing, as well as interdisciplinary minors in Creative Writing and Professional Writing. Take courses like Fiction Workshop, Collaborative Writing, and Writing for the Digital Age

Adolescence Education

As an English major at Marist, you also have the option to prepare for a career in teaching by earning your Adolescence Education Teaching Certification in New York State through our 5-year BA/MA program.

Learn from Active Scholars in English

Our English faculty members are active scholars with a diverse range of specialties. They are teachers and mentors for our students, and they engage in one-on-one work with students in many areas, including Creative Writing, Professional Writing, Literature, and Theatre. Meet a few of our faculty members below, or view all English faculty members>

Moira Fitzgibbons

Dr. Fitzgibbons teaches courses such as Chaucer, Graphic Novels, and the History of the English Language. Her interests include disability studies, comics studies, and the parallels between medieval and modern literary texts. Dr. Fitzgibbons incorporates community-based learning in her courses with partners such as Literacy Connections.

Joshua Kotzin

Dr. Kotzin is a writing and American literature specialist with a focus on Jewish- American Literature. His Holocaust Literature course is a popular option for students inside and outside of the major. Dr. Kotzin is our Jewish Studies Coordinator and organizes important annual events such as the Holocaust Remembrance Event and the Effron Lecture in Jewish Studies.

Lea Graham

Dr. Graham teaches creative writing and literature courses, including contemporary poetry and theory, creative nonfiction, travel writing/place studies, music and cultural studies, and Latin American literature. Her first-year seminars and special topics courses have included Travel Writing in the Time of Pandemic, Blues Poetry/Blues History, and Birth of the Cool: Jazz & 20th Century U.S. Culture.

Design Individualized Research Projects as an Undergraduate

Working on your own, with classmates, and alongside esteemed faculty, you’ll have the opportunity to conduct important research in the field of English and present your work at local, regional, and national conferences. In recent years, English majors have presented work at the Sigma Tau Delta (National English Honor Society) National Convention, the National Collegiate Honors Conference, as well as the Supernatural Studies Conference held right here in the Hudson River Valley.

Image of student presenting research to faculty member.

Design Individualized Research Projects as an Undergraduate

Working on your own, with classmates, and alongside esteemed faculty, you’ll have the opportunity to conduct important research in the field of English and present your work at local, regional, and national conferences. In recent years, English majors have presented work at the Sigma Tau Delta (National English Honor Society) National Convention, the National Collegiate Honors Conference, as well as the Supernatural Studies Conference held right here in the Hudson River Valley.

Gain Hands-on Experience at Premier Internship Destinations

English majors at Marist gain hands-on experience toward their career goals by completing exciting internships at on and off-campus sites. The Albany Summer Internship Program, Tarver Summer Internship Program, Marist in Manhattan Program, the Writing Center, and the Hudson River Valley Institute are only some of the prominent avenues through which our English majors attain their internships. Check out some examples of previous internship locations:

Logos of English internship locations: Hudson Valley Magazine, Tiger Beat, Good Housekeeping, Literacy Connections, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Office, and Credit.com

Logos of English internship locations: NY1 News Channel, Reader’s Digest, United Way, Gallery Media Group, Penguin Random House, and The Vandervort Group

Explore Your Passions

As an English student at Marist, you have many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities related to your major and other interests. The English Department is home to four campus-recognized student organizations: Sigma Tau Delta National English Honor Society, Marist College Club of Theatre Arts (MCCTA), Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society, and the Literary Arts Society. Each provides students from across campus with opportunities to explore our disciplines through performances, publications, workshops, and events. English majors regularly participate in other clubs, play sports, hold internships, and host annual events such as Literary Desserts, The John P. Anderson Playwriting Festival, and the Poetry Slam.

Explore Your Passions

As an English student at Marist, you have many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities related to your major and other interests. The English Department is home to four campus-recognized student organizations: Sigma Tau Delta National English Honor Society, Marist College Club of Theatre Arts (MCCTA), Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society, and the Literary Arts Society. Each provides students from across campus with opportunities to explore our disciplines through performances, publications, workshops, and events. English majors regularly participate in other clubs, play sports, hold internships, and host annual events such as Literary Desserts, The John P. Anderson Playwriting Festival, and the Poetry Slam.

The Opportunities are Endless. Enhance Your Degree with the Academic Triangle.

Marist’s liberal arts curriculum encourages an academic triangle approach: we encourage you to complement your major with an additional major, minor, or supplementary coursework, as well as internship and research experiences to round out your educational career. This trifecta enhances your academics, opening up a wide range of career opportunities after you graduate. Take a look at some real examples of how our English students have been successful with this method:

English Major
+ Writing Concentration
+ Philosophy Major
+ Spanish Minor
+ Theatre Minor
= Political Reporter, New York Post

English Major
Literature Concentration
+ Psychology Minor
+ Theatre Minor
+ Adolescence Education Certification
= Arts Academy Manager, Westhampton Beach Arts Center

English Major
+ Writing Concentration
+ Creative Writing Minor
+ Political Science Minor
= Editorial Assistant, Little, Brown, and Company Publishing

English Major
+ Literature Concentration
+ Philosophy Major
+ Spanish Minor
= Boston University School of Law; Associate Attorney, K & L Gates

My support system at Marist College has grown immensely since my time as a freshman. I have my professors, mentors, and advisors to thank for that. Studying abroad in Western Samoa and my Tarver Internship with Literacy Connections both shaped who I am today.

I never would have dreamed that at 23 I’d be working for a statewide political show and learning from the pros, but the liberal arts education I received at Marist prepared me. Marist’s small class sizes were a huge plus, as was the study abroad program. Because Marist is smaller in size, professors have more time to spend with you, so you develop relationships with the faculty in a way that’s hard to do at a larger school.

One thing that made me attend Marist was the fact that I knew when I graduated I was going to be successful. The teachers, the staff, and the professors provide a community feeling, and people have pushed me to do better. I’m not just a number, people want me to do well. I also received a theatre scholarship - I love the program and everyone in it.

I can’t picture myself in a career that doesn’t allow me to write. Ultimately, my dream is to work in the magazine world and continue to write about issues I care about like wellness, culture, and gender, and Marist is preparing me for that.

Since I’m from New York City, I wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t too far, and Marist is the perfect distance. I really loved the academics and opportunities Marist had to offer, and when I came to visit I instantly fell in love with the campus. My internship was a really great experience and I learned so much. I really loved being able to work and immerse myself in the community and make an impact on people’s lives.

I chose Marist because it had everything I wanted in a college. Most of the students live on campus, so it has an amazing community feeling. The classes are small, so all of my professors know me by name and say hello to me on campus. And, it's close to New York City, which was important to me because I love NYC and it has so many journalism opportunities.

My support system at Marist College has grown immensely since my time as a freshman. I have my professors, mentors, and advisors to thank for that. Studying abroad in Western Samoa and my Tarver Internship with Literacy Connections both shaped who I am today.

Darriel McBride

English Major, Global Studies Minor, Digital Video Production Minor

Read Darriel's Story >

I never would have dreamed that at 23 I’d be working for a statewide political show and learning from the pros, but the liberal arts education I received at Marist prepared me. Marist’s small class sizes were a huge plus, as was the study abroad program. Because Marist is smaller in size, professors have more time to spend with you, so you develop relationships with the faculty in a way that’s hard to do at a larger school.

Bernadette Hogan

Dual Major English and Philosophy, Writing Concentration, Spanish and Theatre Minor

Read Bernadette's Story >

One thing that made me attend Marist was the fact that I knew when I graduated I was going to be successful. The teachers, the staff, and the professors provide a community feeling, and people have pushed me to do better. I’m not just a number, people want me to do well. I also received a theatre scholarship - I love the program and everyone in it.

Cameron Smith

Fashion Merchandising Major, English, Business, and Theatre Minor

Read Cameron's Story >

I can’t picture myself in a career that doesn’t allow me to write. Ultimately, my dream is to work in the magazine world and continue to write about issues I care about like wellness, culture, and gender, and Marist is preparing me for that.

Sarah Lynch

Communication Major, English Minor

Read Sarah's Story >

Since I’m from New York City, I wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t too far, and Marist is the perfect distance. I really loved the academics and opportunities Marist had to offer, and when I came to visit I instantly fell in love with the campus. My internship was a really great experience and I learned so much. I really loved being able to work and immerse myself in the community and make an impact on people’s lives.

Riana Ramirez

English Major, Writing Concentration, Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Public Relations Minor

Read Riana's Story >

I chose Marist because it had everything I wanted in a college. Most of the students live on campus, so it has an amazing community feeling. The classes are small, so all of my professors know me by name and say hello to me on campus. And, it's close to New York City, which was important to me because I love NYC and it has so many journalism opportunities.

Paige DiFiore

Communication Major, Journalism Concentration, English and Digital Video Production Minor

Read Paige's Story >

The Value of a Marist Education

At Marist, we pride ourselves on our dedication to providing our students with a well-rounded liberal arts education that prepares them for practical experience and profound success in their field. But don't just take our word for it - the numbers speak for themselves.