The faculty, staff, and students of the Department of English and Philosophy dedicate themselves to liberal education through increasing verbal dexterity, creating and applying critical knowledge, and exploring the rich resources of language and literature. Our work together aims toward imagining and encouraging a just and equitable society, global engagement, and responsible, humane living in our local communities.
MSSU's Department of English and Philosophy offers several major tracks in English leading to the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Education degrees. The Department provides students with General Education Requirements courses in composition and literature. These courses emphasize writing and analytical skills and cultivate an appreciation of literature in all its variety. The department also offers training and experiences that help fulfill the University's International Mission.
The B.A. in English provides an excellent preparation for graduates who plan to enter business and industry, who plan to pursue graduate studies in English and who plan to enter professional schools such as law and medicine. Graduates of this program are employed in such diverse occupations as human resources, advertising, publishing, sales management, law, mass communications and college teaching. English majors develop strong skills in writing organization and creativity and they develop a perception of and appreciation for the human values that grow out of the study of literature.
The Bachelor of Arts English major at Missouri Southern includes two majors:
The Bachelor of Science in Education English degree prepares students who wish to teach English/Language Arts at the secondary level (grades 9-12). The English BSE program is accredited by the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), following all the guidelines for teacher preparation of both of these organizations.
Taking a prescribed set of courses in Teacher Education and in English, candidates for this degree may choose to certify to teach English as a single field (Plan B) or English plus another field (Plan A). Students who wish to certify to teach English/Language Arts in the middle school should consult the Teacher Education Program information in the MSSU College Catalog.
The English and Philosophy Department also offers an English minor with a choice of three emphases, as well as a Philosophy minor.
Chair, English & Philosophy Department
417-625-3054
watson-z@mssu.edu
