

Bolster an interest in English with training in secondary education, and multiply your career opportunities. Whether you find yourself leading a high school classroom, tutoring program or multi-lingual overseas corporation, you’ll guide people to important discoveries about language and culture.
The major in English is designed to develop in students an understanding of language and its uses; an effective, individual writing voice; a critical and aesthetic appreciation of literature; and an understanding of how literature illuminates the diversity of human experience. Because of its comprehensive nature and its focus on critical and analytical thinking and writing skills, the major prepares students for graduate study in English, library science, and law as well as career paths in which effective communication is central, such as teaching, publishing, advertising, public relations, and professional writing.
Strike a unique balance with interdisciplinary study in English and Education: Explore writing and literature—from mythology to modern drama—alongside faculty with years of experience as editors, playwrights and essayists. And, with guidance from Education faculty, learn effective strategies—including the use of emerging technologies—for teaching language arts to adolescents, including ESOL, special education, multicultural and at-risk populations.
As a student yourself, you'll find your voice through seminars and the Sandhill Review literary magazine. As a future educator, you'll engage with classmates in both English and Education; then model that collaborative classroom community among secondary students in your field placement.
Students who pursue their degrees at Saint Leo’s main campus near sunny Tampa Bay, Florida, join a community of enthusiastic learners just like them.
Saint Leo University’s online learning experience provides a well-rounded education with the flexibility to tailor your course of study to meet your individual needs. We know our students have lives outside school, and we seek to meet them where they are. Online students can count on receiving excellent academics as well as opportunities for hands-on learning.
Taking online classes has afforded me the opportunity to learn while maintaining a job. They give me some flexibility to study at times that work more cohesively with my schedule and allow me to utilize resources such as the library 24 hours a day.
Bentley Streat | Hayes, VA
You may also choose to pursue your degree through one of our education centers, which merge a traditional in-person education with the flexibility to match your lifestyle. Education centers offer eight-week academic terms as well as evening and weekend classes.
Saint Leo University offers specialization options for english students. You can customize your degree to match your passions by choosing one of the following concentrations.
No matter which learning experience you choose, you will receive plenty of professional development opportunities, industry knowledge from expert professors, and support from the Saint Leo community. All this together means that you will be ready for a successful career or continued studies upon graduation.
Gain experience writing lesson plans and teaching in a real-world classroom. The minor includes one practicum, with an optional second practicum and an optional extra semester for full-time teaching experience.
Discover how to enhance learning with technologies such as iPads, the Mimio Teach and MimioVote™ assessment system and interactive SMART Boards.
Attend writing and English Honor Society conferences.
Participate in the Future Teachers Association. Become an active member of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society for Educators, and the Alpha Alpha Alpha chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society.
Graduates put their teaching, writing and critical thinking skills to use in a variety of settings, including schools, nonprofits, libraries and businesses. If you want to teach, many school districts and states will require a teaching certificate, which may require additional preparation.
The College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Leo University offers students a broad education that lays a durable foundation for critical and independent thinking. The essential spirit of the liberal arts is a cornerstone of the varied degree programs. From biology to English to sociology, students enjoy a nice selection of in-demand degree programs for all interests.
Learning takes place both in and out of the classroom. Students travel to Europe through our cultural immersion courses, research unique plant species while trekking through the Peruvian Amazon, and attend film screenings and poetry readings. With highly experienced professors who bring a wealth of practical knowledge to the classroom, students are prepared to work in a variety of rewarding fields. The College supports more than 30 degree programs across University Campus, education centers in five states, and online.
"What if, two years ago, I could have seen my future? What if that opportunity allowed a peek at who I'd become after completing Saint Leo's Creative Writing MA Program? What would I tell myself? Well, self—indubitably, you made the right choice! The tools in your writer’s toolbox were obtained from a team of well-versed faculty, like-minded peers, several residency programs, assignments, and academic reviews. Creative Writing MA graduate, you made the right choice."
Violetta Deloatch-Woods (Fiction, 2023)
"Pursuing my MA at Saint Leo was the scariest decision I ever made; it also turned out to be one of the best. I have grown exponentially within this community of honest and talented writers, and I couldn’t have asked for better peers."
Derora Williams (Poetry, 2023)
"Saint Leo's Creative Writing MA program genuinely changed my life for the better. I learned so much about myself as a reader, writer, and human being with every assignment, and I was constantly challenged to grow outside of my comfort zone. My professors and peers were always there to celebrate achievements and overcome obstacles, making the program feel like my second family. I wouldn't be the person I am today without Saint Leo."
Emmett Ferree (Poetry, 2023)
"Saint Leo's Creative Writing MA program helped me immensely as a reader and a writer. Learning to read not only what is in a story, but paying careful attention to how it's written, is just one of the memorable gifts I received from this program's helpful faculty and encouraging environment."
Janna Correa, (Fiction, 2022)
This program allows growth as a writer and as a person. The experience was absurdly personal. Absurd because of the organic evolution fostered by its leadership and absurd because of the personal touches from the instructors. Why expect that? St. Leo is invested in its students. You get more than you bargained for.
Jimmy Sutman, (Poetry, 2022)
It can be intimidating to go back to school after decades of being in the workforce. But as a non-traditional student, I felt nothing but a warm welcome from Saint Leo faculty and my classmates. I started my first semester at another university and wasn't happy. I transferred to Saint Leo and learned more than I could have ever imagined in this program. Best decision I ever made. Thanks to my studies there, I'm getting ready to release my first book at the end of this year!
Lisa Moody, (Nonfiction, 2021)
Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
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