English, B.A.

Program overview

Rider’s B.A. in English helps students develop marketable skills in language, writing, analysis and critical thinking. Students can focus their studies in the literature track or the writing track. Both concentrations offer substantial grounding in the rich heritage of world literature and in the cultural diversity of contemporary life. Additionally, there is a cinema studies track for undergraduates who wish to concentrate on film analysis.

Admission options

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First-year - How to Apply

Rider is where your future begins. First-year students are defined as recent high school graduates who are attending college for the first time. There are so many opportunities ahead. Take the first step towards your tomorrow at Rider.

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Transfer - How to Apply

No matter where you began your journey, Rider has the resources you need to continue moving forward. At Rider, transfer students are defined as students who are under the age of 25 and have credits from another college or university.

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Continuing Education - How to Apply

Rider offers flexible pathways for adult learners aged 25 or over, including veterans and active duty military personnel, that allow you to earn your bachelor's degree or take courses for personal enrichment. Non-matriculated or visiting students should apply using the Continuing Education application.

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Program requirements

The English curriculum will develop your creativity and skills in language, writing, analysis and critical thinking in literature and writing courses.

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Three concentrations

Choose to concentrate your studies in either English Literature, Cinema Studies or Writing.

English Literature

Delve into your passion for English literature, and explore literary history and works of the past and present with a minor in English literature. This 18-credit minor integrates literary history with courses and subjects ranging from the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, to poets and novelists of the 1990s to dramatic and fictional works by Shakespeare, Faulkner and Hurston.

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Begin new chapters

English can be a preparation for the many professions and vocations that emphasize imagination, sensitivity, analytical skills and writing abilities. Rider English majors have been hired by such businesses and government organizations as the ICT Group, NFL Films, Bristol Myers-Squibb, International School Services, Anderson Consulting, Hastings Healthcare Group and the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy in Philadelphia.

Student Opportunities