Missouri Southern’s Language and Literature department is dedicated to liberal arts education by increasing verbal dexterity, creating and applying critical knowledge, and exploring the rich resources of language and literature.
The study of English covers the art and scholarship of the written language. The field teaches students to think critically and how to read, write, and communicate effectively in a variety of manners and contexts. With the degree's versatility, there are many career opportunities for English graduates in fields such as such as publishing, education, medicine, translation, and even government and law.
What degree tracks does the Language and Literature department offer?
There are several degree tracks offered through the MSSU Language and Literature department. Those pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in English can add an emphasis in Literary Studies or Professional/Technical Writing. The program also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Two tracks for Bachelor of Science in Education are offered, with emphases in Spanish Education K-12 or English Education 9-12 available to students. Minors such as Writing, Creative Writing, and Literature can complement students’ majors. Certificates in subjects like Linguistics, Spanish for the Professions, Creative Writing, and Professional Writing are also available.
What can you do with an English degree?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for English graduates is $60,000. Many English majors become writers and authors in various fields and have a median salary of $72,270. Careers such as public relations specialists and postsecondary teaching roles are expected to grow 6 and 8% respectively through 2033. BLS also reports that the job growth of technical writers, those who prepare documents such as manuals to clearly convey complex information to readers, will rise 4% through 2033—the average for all occupations—and the medium salary in 2024 was $91,670.
On average, Spanish graduates have the same median annual wage as English majors, and both concentrations pursue similar occupations: BLS reports that postsecondary teaching careers are projected to see a 19% growth through 2033, career paths in interpretation or translation of a median annual salary of $59,440, and interestingly, 1% of software developers hold a foreign language degree—a field projecting an 18% growth through 2033.
Why pursue an English degree?
The skills English graduates develop during their studies are in high demand by employers. In MSSU’s Language and Literature department, students will expand their writing skills through classes like Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and Professional Writing. They will also gain valuable research and critical thinking skills such as close reading and analysis through courses like Literary Theory and Criticism—the study of many viewpoints and lenses of literature one uses to analyze literature—and History of the English Language.
Readers who are passionate about the written word will have plenty of courses focusing on literature. By studying the best which had been thought and said, English majors learn to understand other perspectives, a valuable skill in the ever more connected world.
Special Event Spotlight: Saltzman Series for Visiting Writers
MSSU’s Language and Literature department sponsors the Saltzman Series for Visiting Writers, a program that brings contemporary poets and fiction and creative nonfiction writers to Joplin.
Named after the late English professor Dr. Art Saltzman, the series introduces today’s emerging and veteran writers to not just English majors but area college students and the surrounding community.
“Saltzman did a superb job in balancing his job at MSSU with being a creative writer and literary critic,” said Dr. Joey Brown, retired MSSU English professor. “He was a literary force, campaigning hard for reading to be the primary job of a creative writer. Saltzman lobbied, raised funds, and pursued orders through the MSSU library for literary journals, award-winning books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, as well as books and magazines focused on the non-writing work of being a writer. We were all a little bit in awe of his talent, brilliance, and wit."
The series aims to feature “working writers,” writers who are both publishing and can speak on the business side of the craft.
“We want students to hear from people who, in addition to great readings, can discuss the writing process—editing; the submission process; working with editors, journals, publishers, and agents; the bookkeeping and calendar management; and what it is like going on the road,” Brown explained. “We emphasize the career aspects of being a creative writer, and we want students see and meet those who were actively working in various aspects of those careers.”
Previous writers such as fiction writer Olivia Clare Friedman and Alan Berecka, Pushcart-nominated poet and the first Poet Laureate of Corpus Christi, Texas, have presented at the Saltzman Series for Visiting Writers. Most recently, Hadara Bar-Nadav—poet and professor of English at University of Missouri-Kansas City—read from her new poetry collection “The Animal Is Chemical” and hosted a Q&A session with audience members about her work.
“We are always excited to bring writers to campus,” said Dr. Zak Watson, chair of the Language and Literature department. “This year, we were supported by Immersive Learning funds—the series is a great opportunity for students to hear from working writers who usually visit a class or two in addition to giving a reading, and it connects us with the community.”
