English BA
Write your own success story with a degree in English.

Understanding the art of the written word opens the door to so many career opportunities.
English majors develop numerous in-demand soft skills that employers seek and that translate into a wide range of professional fields.
In-Demand Careers
- Editor
- Copywriter
- Social Media Manager
- Grant Writer
- ESL Teacher
- Risk Management Analyst
Why English? | Why Our Program?
- Our students learn to understand diverse perspectives, communicate and persuade, research and think imaginatively – all highly marketable, transferable skills with a broad range of applications.
- We offer two concentrations – creative writing and professional writing, which allow students to pursue more specialized learning goals.
- Our minors in creative writing and professional writing allow students majoring in other disciplines to develop as writers, thinkers and communicators.
- Topics covered in the include: creative writing, professional writing, theory and criticism, children’s literature, writing for health professions and poetry.
Our accelerated English BA-to-MA program enables students to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees in English as little as five years.
English Faculty

Dr. Susan C. W. Abbotson
- Professor

Dr. Jeremy P. Benson
- Associate Professor

Dr. Vincent Bohlinger
- Professor

Dr. Karen Lee Boren
- Professor

Dr. Becky Lynn Caouette
- Professor

Dr. Joan C. Dagle
- Associate Dean
- Faculty Arts and Sciences

Dr. Anita Duneer
- Professor

Dr. Brandon Hawk
- Professor

Dr. Jennifer Holl
- Professor

Dr. Zubeda Jalalzai
- Professor

Dr. Kathryn M. Kalinak
- Professor

Dr. Michael J. Michaud
- Professor

Dr. Janice L. Okoomian
- Assistant Professor

Dr. Russell A. Potter
- Professor

Ricardo Quintana Vallejo
- Assistant Professor

Dr. Carrie Shipers
- Associate Professor

Dr. Alison Shonkwiler
- Professor

Dr. Rosalind A. Sibielski
- Assistant Professor

Dr. Joseph L. Zornado
- Professor
Hear from a Student

Jailene Perez
“People have often asked me, ‘What are you going to do with an English degree?’ I always felt like I had to have a Plan B…I learned that I can expand on my English degree as far as I’m willing to go with it. I can write. I can research. I can edit. For the first time, I don’t feel afraid to tell someone that I’m interested in writing professionally.”
Primed for Career Success

Let these successful alumni show you what they did with theirs.

Take the Next Step!
Arts and Sciences
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences is a community of scholars that pride themselves on academic excellence, diversity and service.
- emailDeanFAS@ric.edu
- phone401-456-8106
- placeGaige Hall
