English and Communications Studies student and professor in library

English and Communication Studies Major

Bachelor of Arts

English and communication studies bachelor's degrees in Minnesota

 

Develop creative expression and communication skills to produce work with the power to change the world and examine the impact of that work. With Hamline’s English and communication studies major, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills that are critical to helping you make the world you want to live in, including:

  • Environmental justice and climate storytelling
  • Communication skills for complex, diverse communities
  • Analytical and practical skills to understand and produce media
  • Public-facing and community-centered communication and advocacy (in journalism and through various civic collaborations)

These critical thinking and communication skills are not merely about individual growth but are crucial for leaders and advocates.

As part of the BA in English and communication studies, you’ll examine—and directly engage with:

  • Significant challenges in social and climate justice
  • Systemic problems that impact cities and small towns alike (from our Midway neighborhood to the other side of the world)
  • How the complexities of culture differently shape how we communicate and how we live
Student in English and communication studies

English and communication studies major and concentrations

English and communication studies major (BA)

Develop core skills in critical thinking and analysis while simultaneously defining and enhancing core skills in communication across various media.

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English and communication studies major (BA) - professional communication and cultural rhetorics concentration

Integrate a broad foundation in critical analysis, literary study, and theoretical practice with focused training in the craft of professional communication across diverse media and contexts.

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English and communication studies major (BA) - texts, media, and culture concentration

This major provides you with a broad foundation in critical analysis, literary and cultural studies, and theoretical practice with focused training in the craft of critical analysis.

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English and communication studies major (BA) - writing, editing, and publishing concentration

Gain a broad foundation in critical analysis and textual study with guided practice in the craft of writing and editing for various contexts, media, and audiences (e.g., creative writing, journalism, and writing for various fields such as law and criminal justice, environmental studies, and health sciences).

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Writing, editing, and publishing minor

Strengthen your writing and editing skills and learn how to effectively apply them to production, design, and marketing.

Writing, Editing, and Publishing Minor

English and communication courses

Courses in the English and Communication Studies program can complement and enhance any major.

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Asli Abdi a Hamline Student smilling to the picture

I'm a huge English, communications, and public speaking geek. I've always been super interested in nonprofits and communications, and it's great that I can study both at Hamline. We have such a broad set of classes, I've never felt that there's not a major here for me.

— Asli Abdi '25, English and communication studies; of Willmar, Minnesota
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English and communication studies program details

Student research opportunities

At Hamline, English and communication studies majors will participate in research and community engagement with faculty as early as your first year, something that is usually reserved for graduate students at other institutions. For each research and engagement project, you will design and conduct your own research project based on your individual interests and goals.

The list of possible engagement projects is as varied as our English and communication studies majors. For example, picture yourself:

  • Interviewing neighbors to develop service journalism and public history projects that tell stories of marginalized communities
  • Serving as a writer, artist, or editor in the student-centered media organizations, including The Fulcrum, Untold Magazine, or The Oracle newspaper
  • Analyzing the structure of mass-market memoirs about adoption through the lens of the politics of adoption and foster care in the US
  • Examining how narratives about characters with disability continue to marginalize the voices of people with disabilities and suggesting a vision of what inclusive, equitable representation can look like
  • Studying how zombie narratives have changed from the mid-twentieth century to today and writing a feature-length film script based on the results
  • Researching young adult fantasy trends to produce a draft of a novel and an inquiry letter for literary agents

During your research process, you’ll collaborate with researchers at major research institutions, publish your research in academic journals, and present your work at local, regional, and national conferences.

Hamline’s English and Communications Studies department is recognized by the US Department of State as the first university in the world to host international journalists who visit through the Edward R. Murrow fellowship program.
 

Learn more about undergraduate student research at Hamline

Internships for English and communication studies majors

At Hamline, we make sure that you have both hands-on, relevant career experience as well as the necessary career knowledge and skills when you graduate.

The list of potential internship opportunities is boundless. No matter what career you want to explore, we have exciting opportunities with some of the biggest names in your field.

Examples of past internships include:

  • Council for Advancement and Support in Education (CASE), advancement intern
  • Graywolf Press, publishing and editorial internship
  • Epic Games, data analyst intern
  • Green Card Voices, program intern
  • The Loft Literary Center, program intern
  • Governor's Office of Minnesota, digital media analyst
  • US Department of State and World Vision, All Children Reading program coordinator
  • The Arc Minnesota, human resource intern
  • International Institute of Minnesota, social media content creator
  • The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation, program and engagement coordinator
  • Minnesota Twins, media relations intern
  • Global Minnesota, marketing and administration intern

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Explore career paths for English and communication studies majors

What can you do with a major in English and communication studies? Our innovative courses and one-on-one mentoring by faculty will provide you with the tools to succeed in a variety of careers, such as:

Examples of possible positions

  • Content writer and designer
  • Young adult literature editorial lead
  • Governor's office press secretary
  • Journalist
  • High school English and creative writing teacher
  • Attorney
  • Public relations director
  • Grant writer and fundraising lead
  • Strategic development program manager
  • Marketing and communications specialist

Actual positions acquired by new grads:

  • UX researcher, Google
  • Programmatic analyst, Haworth Marketing and Media
  • Digital content analyst, Star Tribune
  • Communications and engagement specialist, Sun Country Airlines
  • Study abroad assistant director, Whittier College
  • Legislative assistant, State of Minnesota Senate
  • Marketing project manager, MoneyVerbs
  • Law clerk, Swor & Gatto, PA
  • Assistant account executive, Macabee Public Relations
  • Content specialist, ShopHQ

You can also put your degree to work in any number of fields, including:

  • Public relations and communications
  • Journalism
  • Publishing
  • Law
  • Education
  • Digital marketing
  • Environmental law
  • Media production
  • Information and data analysis

Take your studies further with graduate school

Our English and communication studies graduates have gone on to graduate schools across the country in the pursuit of master’s and doctoral degrees.

Examples of programs and schools include:

  • MS in Scientific and Technical Communications, University of Minnesota
  • Master of Public Policy, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
  • MA in folklore, University of California, Berkeley
  • PhD in creative writing, University of Houston
  • Master of Arts in Information, University of Michigan
  • Master of Science in Web Design and Communications Technology, University of Denver
  • Master of Education, Alverno University

Student media and publications

Get involved with Hamline’s literary journals and magazines. It's a great way to build your skills, enhance your resume, add to the Hamline experience of all students, and build lifelong friendships.

 

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Untold Magazine cover
Jacob Aloi Hamline Student holding a book

There are always professors ready to help you pursue what you're interested in. They guide you and also let you have your freedom. My English professor, David Hudson, really encouraged me to shift a written project into an audio one inspired by a radio show that I hosted.

— Jacob Aloi '22, history and English; arts reporter at Minnesota Public Radio in Saint Paul, MN
Read Jacob's story

English and communication studies news

Take your next step today.

Come see our English and Communication Studies program yourself, or get your questions answered by one of our admissions counselors.

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