"My success in the English & Communications department at MCLA was due largely in part to the student body—classes made up of peers I found to be vibrant, enthused and at times, absolutely delightful. I think for an enterprising student, MCLA is a goldmine of opportunity." — Jonathan Hoel, '17
In the English & Communications Department at MCLA, we educate our students to become
effective, adaptable critics and creators of a variety of human discourse—individuals
whose dynamic understanding of the literary and media arts contributes both to their
own well-being and the well-being of others.
To this end, the department offers a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts
in English. Students majoring in English think, study, and write about the multifaceted
ways people use language across cultures. The Foundation of the program gives students
a broad background in literature, language, and media, with an emphasis on how cultures
shape storytelling in its many forms. Beyond the Foundation, students take additional
courses in one of the following Concentrations: Film Studies, Literary Studies, or
Writing (in either the Creative Writing or Professional Writing track).
We offer three concentrations in:
Our major emphasizes hands-on experience that you can gain in a wide variety of academic and professional settings including the college radio station (WJJW), the television and video studio (Beacon Web News (BWN) and AVID editing suite, an analogue/digital production lab for film studies, the award winning student newspaper (The Beacon), and our student literary magazine (Spires).
We elevate student learning by providing opportunities for internships, independent studies, and community-based learning. Our alums can be found in a variety of graduate programs and careers. To see specific examples of post-graduate student success, visit Alumni page.
If you want to pursue a secondary major in Education and licensure to teach, this program provides the strong foundation you need.
Our faculty members hold expertise in variety of humanities fields, including American and global Anglophone literatures; rhetoric and writing studies; Latina/o studies; critical race theory; gender and sexuality studies; hybrid poetics; experimental fiction and non-fiction writing; visual culture; media studies; public relations and professional writing; print and digital journalism.
Jennifer Dermady
Office Manager
Phone: 413.662.5371
Fax: 413.662.5209
Read the Anti-Racist Pledge from the English & Communications faculty
The Beacon is the weekly student newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Beacon Web News (BWN) is the weekly student news broadcast of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Spires is MCLA's student-run Literary Arts Magazine. In addition to our online platform, students publish a high quality print issue of the journal every spring semester.
WJJW (91.1 FM) is the radio station for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. We feature a wide variety of programming, 7 days a week, from hip-hop, comedy, vaporwave, folk, metal, and more!
