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Bachelor of Arts in
English
On-Campus or Online

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Wall Street Journal ranks Cornerstone University as one of America's best colleges 2025.

Transfer Friendly
Transfer up to 75% of your program credits

Your Creative Future Begins with an English Bachelor’s Degree

Imagine a career where your critical thinking, communication, and writing skills are in high demand. With a Bachelor of Arts in English from Cornerstone University, you can pursue a wide range of influential creative roles across industries like marketing, public relations, education and technical writing. Cultivate your gifts of creative writing, language learning, research, and speaking to communicate with purpose. Explore the history and beauty of the human experience through literature and the lens of a Christian worldview while developing workplace-ready communication skills.

Develop Market-Ready Communication Skills for English Degree Professionals

Gain highly sought-after skills that apply to every industry, acquired through Cornerstone’s career-focused English curriculum. On-campus students may also choose concentrations in Professional Writing, Publishing and Creative Writing.

Literary Analysis – Interpret and evaluate imaginative literature from various periods and cultures to enhance critical thinking and comprehension.

Cultural Understanding – Apply insights gained from the form, style, and function utilized by authors across different historical, sociological, and cultural contexts.

Effective Communication – Craft persuasive, accurate, and empathetic written and verbal communication to influence and connect with audiences.

Creative Writing – Develop the ability to write creatively and effectively across genres.

Language Influence – Develop language proficiency while examining literature through the lens of a Christian worldview, exploring the historical and sociological contexts of texts that reflect the human experience.

Morally Grounded Decision-Making – Create and support communication that is accurate, transparent, Christ-centered and beneficial to society.

Courses

Cornerstone is ready to help you excel in your chosen field. The courses below reflect just a few of the general education and industry-focused courses you will experience to achieve your degree.

Featured Courses

ENG-320: Advanced Writing Workshop

Advanced creative writing workshop covering forms and techniques.

ENG-342: British Romantic & Victorian Literature

Survey Romantic and Victorian writers from historical, ideological and aesthetic viewpoints.

ENG-347: Religious Authors

Explore British and American authors, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Milton, and John Donne, gaining insights into their impact on literature and faith.

ENG-364: Writers & Styles

A reading course focused on analyzing the styles and techniques of well-regarded writers in various genres.

View all of the courses for your academic program.

Academic Catalog

General Education

A Christian Worldview of Liberal Arts and the G.O.O.D. Life

The humanities are integral to Cornerstone’s liberal arts approach, exploring culture, literature, history, and philosophy through a Christian worldview. Developed by our renowned Christian worldview scholars, students consider how to apply G.O.O.D. Life Biblical principles to inspire their spiritual growth and to profoundly influence society, industry and ministry for Jesus Christ. Our G.O.O.D. Life foundations guide students to answer life’s biggest questions from a rich Biblical perspective to shape Christ-centered moral leaders.

  • God: Who is God? What is His beauty, goodness and greatness?
  • Others: What does it mean to live in a community with responsibility and grace?
  • Ourselves: Who am I? What is the beauty and frailty of being human?
  • Dual Citizenship: What is my role as a citizen of heaven and earth?
  • Life: How do we live, know, and love the good life, valuing truth, beauty, and goodness?

English Concentrations

Expand your career opportunities and gain specialized skills with optional concentrations in professional writing, publishing or creative writing. Concentrations are for on-campus students only.

Professional Writing

Professional Writing Concentration

Develop writing proficiencies for print, digital media, and grant writing careers by developing skills in technical writing, editing, and publishing. Courses may include:

  • COM-201: Newswriting – Cultivate information gathering, interviewing, and news writing techniques to prepare for careers in journalism, public relations, and publishing.
  • MDA-250: Writing for Film – Develop skills in screenwriting, genre exploration, and storytelling, preparing students to craft scripts for film and media production.
  • ENG-310: Grant Writing – Understand the grant writing process and gain hands-on experience in crafting effective grant proposals.
  • ENG-317: Creative Nonfiction – Develop prose writing that blends elements of fiction, journalism, and personal essay to create compelling narratives.
  • MDA-318: Writing for Media – Cultivates skills in broadcast, news, advertising, documentary, and dramatic script writing, preparing students to write for various media platforms.

Publishing

Publishing Concentration

Learn to create, produce, and distribute print and digital content while combining creativity and business skills. Courses may include:

  • ENG-227: Introduction to Professional Writing – Develop rhetorical techniques, document design, editing, technical and business writing, with a focus on workplace communication.
  • MDA-213: Graphic Design I – Learn design principles, industry software, and workflows, focusing on typography, composition, balance, and digital tools (Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign).
  • MKT-251: Principles of Marketing – Understand product, pricing, distribution, and promotion, emphasizing market orientation and marketing in business strategy.
  • ENG-318: Introduction to Editing – Examine the principles and practice of preparing manuscripts and articles for publication.
  • ENG-327: Introduction to Publishing – Explore the book publishing process and industry, including authors, agents, publishers, retailers, and readers.
  • ENG-329: Selected Topics in Professional Writing – Explore technical writing and digital communication through rotating industry topics.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing Concentration

Prepare for careers or advanced study in writing, media, and publishing by developing their storytelling and literary skills. Courses may include:

  • ENG-315: Poetry Writing – Focus on crafting and refining poetry with the goal of producing publishable work in this advanced workshop.
  • ENG-316: Fiction Writing – Develop storytelling techniques, craft short stories and novel fragments, and refine your work for publication.
  • ENG-317: Creative Nonfiction – Explore the boundaries between fiction, journalism, and personal essay while developing your voice in narrative prose.
  • ENG-320: Advanced Writing Workshop – Refine your craft by exploring advanced forms and techniques of creative writing in a workshop setting.
  • ENG-364: Writers and Styles – Analyze the techniques of renowned writers across genres to develop your own writing style and craft.

Influential Careers with a Bachelor of Arts in English Degree

  • Writer/Editor
  • Content Creator
  • Copywriter
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Social Media Manager
  • Technical Writer
  • Marketing Specialist
  • Grant Writer
  • Publishing Professional
  • Research Assistant
  • Corporate Communications Specialist
  • Library Specialist

Tuition

On-Campus

$22,000 per year

Generous scholarship and payment options available.
Review information about student fees and housing packages on our Tuition & Fees page.

ScholarshipsFile the FAFSA

Online

$4,740 per semester for full-time students

Generous scholarship and payment options available.

ScholarshipsFile the FAFSA

Your Degree Starts Here

Start your degree at one of the most affordable Christian universities in the region. An admissions counselor is ready to help you begin the enrollment process.

  1. Apply — our application is free.
  2. Set goals — your admissions counselor is here to guide you.
  3. Maximize your credits — you could transfer in up to 75% of your degree credits.
  4. Discover affordability — scholarships and grants are available for qualified students.

Cornerstone University

Hours

MON - FRI: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
SAT & SUN: Closed

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