Department of English

ENGLISH IS ABOUT MORE THAN WORDS.

ITS ABOUT BRINGING STORIES TO LIFE.
The Department of English prepares graduates who are passionate about writing stories, reading
literature, and teaching English with a rich, diverse understanding of the world. Youll be challenged to
discern what it means to be a Christian reader and writer in a world searching for strong, wise voices.
You get more than a bachelors degree from Bethel. You join a community driven to help you accomplish
great things.

Our Majors Our Minors

English Literature Creative Writing
English Literature and Writing English Literature
Communication Arts and Literature Education Film Studies
Grades 5-12 (English Education) Journalism
Journalism
For more information, contact:
Susan Brooks, chair
Department of English
susan-brooks@bethel.edu | Academic Center 319
FIND YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD.
 About the Department of English

We know that preparing for a career is more than sitting in a classroom. Your dynamic education involves
experienced faculty, study abroad options, in-house publications, and internship opportunitiesall offered
within a Christian learning environment. Its about bringing the beauty of literature and the craft of writing
to life. Its learning about the world around you as we study literature, writing, and journalism. Its about
experiencing the stories, traditions, and diversity of the world firsthand to grow in our understanding of others
and ourselves. Its about taking our faith in Christ and integrating it into everything we learn, into everything
we do, so you can accomplish incredible thingsin your career, in your community, and in your world.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Clarion
The Clarion is Bethels student-run
campus newspaper. Editorial teams from
the past few years have been recognized
with multiple regional and national
collegiate student publication awards.

Coeval
coeval: noun, of the same age.

Each semester, a new Coeval features

peer-reviewed written and visual work
open to submission from any Bethel
student. Printed, bound, and released
during a formal reading, the Coeval
highlights creativity from across campus.
ON-CAMPUS SPECIAL EVENTS
Our department organizes about a
dozen special events for our majors each
semester. These include readings with
local and national authors, presentations
by journalists, guest visits by our alumni
working in a variety of fields, and other
writing professionals.

20+
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
ATTENDANCE SUBSIDIZED BY THE
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

2 | bethel.edu/undergrad/english
 OFF-CAMPUS STUDY OPPORTUNITIES

ENGLAND TERM
Every other year, a group of
about 20 Bethel students and a
professor spend their semester
taking in the British life. The
term includes extended free
travel around Europe, taking
in theatre (Shakespeare, of
course), and some C.S. Lewis
and J.R.R. Tolkein stops as well,
all while soaking in the richness
of British literature.

Above: Students explore a British castle tower.

Below: The Travel Writing interim course at a stop in Japan.

NYC SEMESTER
Spend the semester living,
learning, and interning in
Manhattan at Kings College.
Their Journalism program
features world-renowned
reporters and journalists. You
will have an internship in NYC
that can open doors youve
always dreamed of and so
much more!

TRAVEL WRITING
The Travel Writing course
over the month of January
(J-term) will send you to exotic
locations during Minnesotas
frigid weeks. Youll read travel
writing from many eras and
learn to write about travel
experiences for yourself as
they happen. This course most
recently occured in Japan.

FIND YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD. | 3

 B.A. in ENGLISH LITERATURE
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Shakespeare: The Art of the Dramatist
The Shakespeare course gives students the
opportunity to explore the Twin Cities vibrant
theatre scene with off-campus trips to local
theaters to see Shakespeare in production.
Literature changed who I was, allowed
me to look at the world in a new way, to
become a more curious person. Faith-
learning integration at Bethel helped
prepare me to link my faith with my work.
Amy Williams 07
Major: English Literature
Current job: Major Gifts Officer at Ecumen
4 | bethel.edu/undergrad/english
MAJOR IN ENGLISH LITERATURE (B.A.)
ENL102 Survey of British Literature I..........................4
ENL202 Survey of British Literature II........................4
ENL204 American Literary Traditions........................4
ENL498 Research Seminar in English......................... 1
ENL499 Senior Seminar in Literature..........................3
Choose one from Drama:...........................................................4
ENL303 Shakespeare: The Art of the
Dramatist
ENL321 Dr ama in Great Britain
Choose one from Pre-1930 Readings:...................................4
ENL301 Chaucer and Writers of Arthurian
Quests
ENL304 Milton and the Seventeenth Century
ENL309 Enlightenment and Romantic British
Literature
ENL311 Studies in American Literature: The
Civil War
ENL313 Studies in American Literature: The
Harlem Renaissance
Choose one from Post-1930 Readings:..................................4
ENL350 20th Century Literature
ENL352 Contemporary Literature
ENL354 Literature on Location: Major British
Authors
Choose one from Focused Study:........................................3-4
ENL215U World Literature
ENL365 Topics in Literary Studies
Major 31-32
General Education 51-52
Electives 40-42
Total Credits 122-126
Degree listings are from the 2016-2017 Catalog and are subject to change.
Above: Ellie Jaeger 16 received funds to travel to Northhampton,
Massachusetts to see Silvia Plaths original notes in her copy of
Virginia Woolfs The Waves.
CAREER OUTCOMES
In addition to pursuing careers such as teaching
and writing, our alumni work as:
Corporate trainers Human resource
Web developers professionals
Attorneys Marketing
Project managers professionals

Bethels English literature graduates also have

a strong record for acceptance into top-notch
graduate programs in literature at schools like:
University of University of COURSE HIGHLIGHT
California, Berkeley Minnesota Topics in Literature Studies
Emory University University of Iowa Enjoy the best of teaching and learning with our
University of Cambridge University biannual topics courses which focus on a trend or
Nottingham University of Chicago topic of interest. One recently featured monster
literature. Another, titled, Big Bad Books focused
on the problem of evil in literature.

FIND YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD. | 5

 B.A. in ENGLISH LITERATURE AND WRITING
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Publishing and Being Published
From debating design elements to soliciting
submissions to editing, students learn what its
like to create a real publication as they work
through the publishing process of Bethels literary
magazine, the Coeval. The course has most
recently included visits from memoirist April
Vinding and editor of the Water-Stone Review,
Patricia Weaver and a field trip to the Rain Taxi
Book Festival in St. Paul.
Bethels English Department helped me
to grow as a writer and an academic,
and gave me the opportunity to see
firsthand all the different ways people
can use their English degrees after
college. I learned a lot from my great
classes, local internship experience, and
amazing opportunities to study through
England Term and NYCAMS.
Kaylin Creason 14
Major: English Literature and Writing
Current job: Acquisitions and InterLibrary
Loan Supervisor at Bethel University
6 | bethel.edu/undergrad/english
MAJOR IN ENGLISH LITERATURE & WRITING (B.A.)
ENL102 Survey of British Literature I..........................4
ENL202 Survey of British Literature II........................4
ENL204 American Literary Traditions........................4
ENW100A Introduction to Creative Writing..................3
Choose one from Prose Writing:.........................................3-4
ENW205A Prose Studio
ENW303AZ Travel Writing
Choose one from Capstone Experience:...............................4
ENL498 Research Seminar in English
& ENL499 Senior Seminar in Literature
ENW481 Internship in Writing
Choose two from Early British Readings:...........................8
ENL301 Chaucer and Writers of Arthurian
Quests
ENL303 Shakespeare: The Art of the
Dramatist
or ENL321 Drama in Great Britain
ENL304 Milton and the Seventeenth Century
ENL309 Enlightenment and Romantic British
Literature
Choose two from Modern/Contemporary Readings:......8
ENL311 Studies in American Literature: The
Civil War
ENL313 Studies in American Literature: The
Harlem Renaissance
ENL350 20th Century Literature
ENL352 Contemporary Literature
ENL354 Literature on Location: Major British
Authors
ENL365 Topics in Literary Studies
Major 42-43
Electives from writing (ENW) courses
(7 credits must be at 300 level or above) 11
General Education 51-52
Electives 22-23
Total Credits 126-129
Degree listings are from the 2016-2017 Catalog and are subject to change.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Writers Workshop
Students slow down and watch the snow fall while
they focus on just one writing project for all of
January. Fiction, non-fiction, or poetry collections
are developed through the process of working
with peers and the instructor to write and revise.
Practicing writers often visit the class to share
their creative processes and their work.
 INTERNSHIPS
CAREER OUTCOMES Were committed to providing
In addition to pursuing careers such as teaching students with relevant off-campus
and writing, our alumni work as: experiences through internships.
Corporate trainers Project managers These internships lead many of our
Web developers Ministry graduates to full-time employment,
Attorneys professionals either at their internship location, or
Human resource Marketing through the connections made there.
professionals professionals Our students gain valuable
experience through a wide range of
opportunities. Some settings include:
Our literature and writing alumni frequently go on
to M.F.A. programs and other programs at: Bethany House Christians
Coffee House for Biblical
University of University of Iowa Press Equality
California, Berkeley Northwestern
Tiger Oak Press alongside local
Emory University University playwrights
University of University of Sun
Publications and authors
Nottingham Minnesota
St. Paul Pioneer National
Press Kidney
Foundation
local churches
and many more

FIND YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD. | 7

 B.A. in ENGLISH EDUCATION (COMMUNICATION ARTS & LITERATURE 5-12)
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Beginning with the very first education class,
students are in area schools working alongside
local teachers. Students have over 100 hours of
school experience before they student teach, and
student teaching is a full semester with almost
weekly in-school coaching from the university
supervisor.
Elementary education students pursuing an
endorsement in teaching middle school English
have a 100% pass rate on the Minnesota licensure
exams for English Education. The pass rate on the
exams for those seeking licensure for grades 5-12 is
95%.
Above: Students show off their Minnesota Nice t-shirts
after attending the Minnesota Council of Teachers of
English Workshop a Go-Go in Glenwood, Minnesota.
100+
HOURS LOGGED IN LOCAL SCHOOL
CLASSROOMS BEFORE STUDENT
TEACHING
8 | bethel.edu/undergrad/english
MAJOR IN ENGLISH EDUCATION 5-12 (B.A.)
ENL102 Survey of British Literature I..........................4
ENL200 Juvenile Literature.............................................3
ENL202 Survey of British Literature II........................4
ENL204 American Literary Traditions........................4
ENL215U World Literature..................................................3
ENW115 Reporting I.............................................................3
ENW201 Methods of Tutoring Writing......................... 1
Choose from Drama:...................................................................4
ENL303 Shakespeare: The Art of the
Dramatist
ENL321 Drama in Great Britain
Choose from Modern and Contemporary Literature:.....4
ENL313 Studies in American Literature: The
Harlem Renaissance
ENL350 20th Century Literature
ENL352 Contemporary Literature
ENL354 Literature on Location: Major British
Authors
Choose from Writing:.................................................................4
ENW205A Prose Studio
ENW303AZ Travel Writing
COM110N Basic Communication.......................................3
LIN300 Introduction to Linguistics.............................3
EDU200 Introduction to Education................................3
EDU201 Introduction to Education Field
Experience............................................................. 1
EDU203 School Health and Drugs..................................2
EDU220 Introduction to Middle Level Education.....3
EDU240 Educational Psychology....................................3
EDU241 Educational Psychology Field Experience....1
EDU317GZ Educational Equity.............................................3
EDU320 Pedagogy and the Young Adolescent
Learner................................................................... 1
EDU321 Integrated Literacy in the Content Areas... 1
EDU407 Middle Level Education Practicum in
English.................................................................... 1
EDU408 Methods of Teaching 5-12 English................3
EDU490 Student Teaching Block..................................14
Major 76
General Education 51-52
Total Credits 127-128
Degree listings are from the 2016-2017 Catalog and are subject to change.
 STUDENT TEACHING
95% TEACHING IS ABOUT
MORE THAN DISPENSING
KNOWLEDGE.
ITS ABOUT TRANSFORMING
teaching licensure exam pass rate STUDENTS INTO LIFE-LONG
LEARNERS.
During your time at Bethel as a future
teacher, you will be given multiple
opportunities to apply your own
coursework in classroom settings. Youll
teach in a variety of environments and to
several age levels to master your ability
to manage the class, implement different
teaching methologies, and apply
learning technologies.
Both the cooperating school teacher
and a Bethel supervising professor will
mentor you with frequent observations
and feedback throughout each semester.

Above: English Education students gather around the

lunch table at the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English
Workshop a Go-Go in Glenwood, Minnesota.
CAREER OUTCOMES
Get your Minnesota teaching license to teach
middle school and high school English, including
literature, writing, speech, journalism, and media
My Bethel education has helped me
studies. Our graduates teach in:
gather the necessary knowledge and
skills I need to teach students. Its Colorado Minnesota
helped me learn how to establish lasting Czech Republic Montana
and meaningful relationships with Hungary Nebraska
students and colleagues. I would not
Illinois South Dakota
be the teacher I am today if it were not
for the staff, faculty, and students who Indiana South Korea
walked with me on my Bethel journey. Indonesia Washington
Massachusetts Wisconsin
Kelsey Christensen 16 Mexico
Major: Communication Arts and
Literature Education 5-12
Graduate school programs our alumni pursue:
Current job: Language Arts teacher
at Nicollet Middle School Special education Literature
School counseling Library media studies
FIND YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD. | 9
 B.A. in JOURNALISM

MAJOR OVERVIEW
Journalism is changing, but the need for talented
storytellers is as strong now as its ever been. We
teach journalism with a purpose and sense of
calling. Integrate your Christian faith as you hone
your skills in reporting, writing, and editing. Learn
to tell stories of significance across multiple media
platforms.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Reporting I
This course introduces you to comprehensive
jouralism strategies. Youll be posting online right
away, building your portfolio of clips. You also
receive a media backpack, providing you with the
tools and technology to capture both video and still
images while on location.
MAJOR IN JOURNALISM (B.A.)
ENW115 Reporting I.............................................................3
ENW120 Digital Storytelling............................................3
ENW211 Feature Writing...................................................3
ENW213 Graphic Storytelling..........................................2
ENW214 Principles of Editing..........................................2
ENW319 Reporting II...........................................................3
ENW481 Internship in Writing........................................4
ENW499 Senior Seminar in Journalism.......................3
ENL498 Research Seminar in English......................... 1
COM170A Media Production I.............................................4
COM302 Media Law.............................................................3
One literature course (300 level or above).......................3-4
Choose one from Literary Survey..........................................4
ENL102 Survey of British Literature I
ENL202 Survey of British Literature II
ENL204 American Literary Traditions
Choose one from Focused Study...............................................
ENW342 Journalism for Social Change
ENW360 Topics in Journalism
Choose one from Specialty Journalism...........................3-4
ENL341K Environmental Writing
ENW303AZ Travel Writing
ENW330GZ Media and Communication in Developing
Countries
COM352 Broadcast Journalism
Major 41-43
General Education 51-52
Electives 30-32
Total Credits 122-127
Degree listings are from the 2016-2017 Catalog and are subject to change.

I love journalism because I love people. At

the end of the day, its not about making a
deadline or pleasing your editor; its about
telling a story that matters about people
that matter and making sure their voices are
heard. Bethel has not only shown me how
to be an excellent journalist, but also how to
be a journalist rooted in Christ and that has
been extremely valuable in my education
experience.

Kellie Lawless 17
Majors: Journalism and English
Literature and Writing
Clarion Staff Member

10 | bethel.edu/undergrad/english
 THE BETHEL UNIVERSITY
CLARION
In print | racks across campus
The Clarion staff produces a printed
newspaper for campus each month
during the academic year.

On the web | bethelclarion.com

With its own website, the staff publishes
both the print and exclusive content to
the web.

Above: Students learn from a class guest over Skype. Social media | @bethelclarion
In addition to traditional and new forms
THE JOHNSON CENTER FOR of publishing, the staff also works to
JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION promote their stories through Instagram,
Our program is supported by a funding center Twitter, and Facebook platforms.
backed by local newspaper owners, Gene and Kathy
Johnson. Led by a board of alumni and prominent
media voices, we are able to connect frequently
with journalists from around the country, often
hosting Skype sessions in classes and also bringing
other professionals on campus for classes and other
special events.

Above: Clarion staff pose with their 2015 Best in Show

Associated Collegiate Press award. The current staff
was also awarded 2016 Best in Show this October in
Washington, D.C.

CAREER OUTCOMES
In addition to pursuing careers as journalists, our
alumni also work in:
Magazine publishing Law and politics
Book publishing Corporate
Above: Eugene Scott, CNN reporter, visits Bethels
Public relations communications
campus. Scott was a chapel guest and spoke with Web-based International
several classes. communications photography
FIND YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD. | 11
Our Full-time Faculty

DR. THOMAS BECKNELL DR. MARION LARSON

Professor of English Department Co-chair and Professor of
B.A., Wheaton College English
Ph.D., University of Iowa B.A., Wheaton College
American literature, environmental writing, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
and modern myth makers Literature and inter-faith dialogue

DR. SUSAN BROOKS DR. DANIEL RITCHIE

Department Co-chair and Professor of Professor of English
English B.A., Amherst College
B.A., Bethel College M.A., Rutgers University
M.S., Mankato State University Ph.D., Rutgers University
Ph.D., University of Minnesota British literature, specializing in 18th century
English education and juvenile literature

DR. MARK BRUCE ANGELA SHANNON

Associate Professor of English
Assistant Professor of English
B.A., Bethel College
B.A., Florida State University
M.A., Colorado State University
M.F.A., Warrem Wilson College
Ph.D., University of Iowa
Poetry and creative writng
Medieval literature and Shakespeare

DR. YU-LI CHANG ZACHER APRIL VINDING

Associate Professor of Journalism Associate Professor of English and Director
B.A., Fu-Jen Catholic University (Taiwan) of Writing
M.A., University of Missouri-Columbia B.A., Bethel College
Ph.D., Ohio University M.F.A., Hamiline University
Newswriting and mass communication Composition and creative nonfiction

DR. JOEY HORSTMAN DR. SCOTT WINTER

Associate Professor of English Assistant Professor of Journalism
B.A., Northwestern College (IA) B.S., University of North Dakota
M.A., DePaul University M.A., University of Nebraska
Ph.D., Purdue University Ph.D. (in process), University of Nebraska
Contemporary, postmodern literature, Journalism, sportswriting, and photojournalism
and film studies

Facebook: Bethel University English Department | Instagram: @BUEnglishDepartment

Department of English
3900 Bethel Drive
St. Paul, MN 55112

bethel.edu/undergrad/english