English

Why choose English?

Chemeketa's English program will train you in the skills that employers value most: problem solving, critical thinking, attention to detail, and empathy. You will stretch yourself creatively and intellectually, engaging with ideas, cultures, and genres from around the world and throughout history. In addition to a range of writing, literature, and film courses, Chemeketa offers a transfer degree in Associate of Arts in English. Students have a chance to work as peer tutors in Tutoring Services, participate in Chemeketa Writes workshops led by award-winning writers, and attend Chemeketa Reads events that highlight an annual campus-wide common text.

What will you learn?

Whether you choose to pursue English as a major, take classes to fulfill arts & letters requirements, or simply want to explore, English classes offer a variety of cultural knowledge and practical skills. 

You will:

• Engage with a wide range of literary genres (like poetry, fiction and non-fiction, drama, science fiction, mythology, environmental literature, and graphic novels); 
• Consider the perspectives of many cultures and voices (through classes in World literature, British literature, American literature, women writers, minority writers, and canonical authors like Shakespeare);
• Explore the connections between the past and today (reading both historical and contemporary works);
• Develop close reading and careful analytical skills;
• Improve writing and communication skills;
• Practice careful scholarly and practical research, engaging with larger conversations about literature, culture, and the world around us.

What will you do?

English majors excel in a wide variety of professional and creative fields, including (but not limited to):

• Law
• Medicine
• Social work
• Journalism
• Publishing
• Education
• Marketing
• Business