Bachelor of Arts - English - Writing

English Majors at Marist College 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 students to choose the classes which interest them. Combine classroom work with hands-on experience to prepare for careers in publishing, education, public service, law, and many other fields.

The Writing concentration in the English major enables students to sharpen their skills in a wide range of genres and styles. In a given semester, a student might work with a professional client in a Technical Writing course, compose verse for a Poetry Workshop, and ponder Aristotle's ideas for a Rhetorical Theory class.

Extracurricular opportunities to write are similarly varied. Writers at Marist College perform at poetry slams, conduct staged readings of one another's work, and present both their creative and scholarly work at national conferences. The craft of good writing emerges not through isolated effort, but through collaborative, playful, and thoughtful exchange with others.

Internships play a key role in introducing students to professional opportunities in writing and editing. The experiences of current and former students demonstrate the many venues in which students can pursue careers in publishing, magazine writing, and editing.

The Writing Program includes not only the variety of courses offered by the English Department’s Concentration in Writing and Creative Writing and Professional Writings minors, but also the diverse array of student events and activities of interest to writers outside the classroom. This includes regular visits to campus by established writers in all genres, student readings, excursions to places of literary interest, and popular campus-wide events like the Red Fox Poetry Slam. All Marist College students are welcome to participate in Writing Program events, regardless of major. Student organizations like the Literary Arts Society and Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society) are active in planning many of these annual events, and they always welcome new members.