Every element of the English program at Concordia College–New York is designed to promote strong thinking, writing, and communication skills. Our students become strong communicators and critical thinkers, who are able to synthesize information and make informed, ethical decisions. Consequently, our graduates demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary for “lives of service,” and they excel in many professions.
Graduates of Concordia’s English program:
Write Well. Students in the English program write extensively in every course in the program, so their progress is evident in their portfolios. Advanced writing courses are available, and students demonstrate their skills in college publications, internships, and independent studies.
Are Critical and Ethical Thinkers. From the first core courses, students in the English program are challenged to produce work that requires moral and ethical reasoning. They are expected to analyze, debate, synthesize, and sometimes dramatize texts that foster a global prospective and encourage them to examine their world and themselves.
Use Their Talents. Concordia’s English program students express themselves fluently. They learn how to use their skills in the ‘real world’ through experiential learning courses and internships.
Appreciate Literature. Literature in the English program is experienced in breadth in survey courses and in critical depth through specialized topic courses. It is a solid foundation for graduate study but, more importantly, it opens windows into life.
English Areas of Study
Students focus on one of the following:
- Writing
- Literature
- New Media and Communications courses are available under both the English and Liberal Studies programs
- Five-Year B.A./M.A. Communications Program with University of Fordham
English Program Courses
- Genre courses in fiction, drama, and poetry
- Survey courses covering British and American literature from the Middle Age to present
- Writing courses, including creative writing, journalism, and new media
- In-depth studies of major literary figures
- Special topics, which have included African-American Literature, Women in Literature, and Origins of Drama
- Courses linking literature to criticism, culture, and current events
- Capstone experience, a required course in which students will create, develop, and present their own thesis project
English Faculty
John Bahr
Dean of Experiential Learning and Associate Professor of English
M.Div., Union Theological Seminary; B.A., Concordia College, Bronxville; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Kate Behr
Chair, Professor of English
D.Phil., Pembroke College, Oxford University; B.A., Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London
Christopher Koutsovitis
Associate Dean for Student Development and Associate Professor of English
M.A., Teacher's College, Columbia University; B.A., Manhattanville College
Dr. Mandana Nakhai
Assistant Dean of Liberal Studies and Professor of English and Writing
Ph.D., M.A., B.A., University of Tennessee
Dr. Gabriel Haley
Assistant Professor of English
Ph.D, M.A., University of Virginia, B.A. Hillsdale College
Dr. Erin Obermueller
Assistant Professor of English
Ph.D., St. Louis University; M.A., Northeastern University; B.A., Luther College
Dr. Matthew Bolton
Assistant Professor of English
Ph.D., Ohio State University, M.A., University of North Texas, M.S., University of Pennsylvania, B.A., University of Texas
Sara Weiss
Instructor of English and Director of The Writing Center
M.A., Sarah Lawrence College; B.A., Tufts University
English Career Paths
Literature:
- Campaign manager
- Communications specialist
- Teacher/professor
- Novelist
- Copywriter
- Journalist
- Librarian
- Non-profit administrator
- Researcher
- Legislative assistant
- Community relations specialist
Writing:
- Journalist
- Advertising copywriter
- Teacher/professor
- Novelist
- Freelance writer
- Screenplay writer
- Newspaper reporter/editor
Pre-Law:
- Lobbyist
- Public defender
- Private practice
- Politics
- Consumer advocate
Students of the English program have interned with the following companies:
- ABC–TV
- Christopher’s
- Condé Nast
- Dover Press
- Kenyon Ridge
- Law firms–various
- NBC–TV
- MTV News
- Red Cross
- TV Guide