Online Bachelor of Arts in English DegreeOnline Bachelor of Arts in English DegreeOnline Bachelor of Arts in English Degree

Meet Dr. Jessica Bowers.

Dr. Jessica Bowers is an assistant professor of English and a writer of short fiction. She won the 2014 Midwest Short Fiction Prize and the 2016 Winter Anthology Prize. She is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, and she has received consideration for several other awards and honors. Her work on literary tourism was published in Poe Studies, and her short fiction has appeared in publications and literary journals like The Portland Review, cream city review, Redivider, StoryQuarterly, The Indiana Review, Zone 3, Oyez Review, and more. Through her creative writing expertise, she can help you expand your craft to give you a stronger understanding of how to create engaging, powerful stories.

Assistant Professor of English

• Ph.D., University of Missouri
• M.A., Hollins University
• B.A., Goucher College

As you analyze American, English, and world literature, you can use your online B.A. in English to invigorate your own writing. Creative writing is a key aspect of understanding how language is used in the context of culture, and Maryville instructors such as Dr. Bowers teach from their extensive experience.

During more than 10 years of teaching, Dr. Bowers has taught a diversity of courses and content, but the bulk of her work is focused on the art of writing — the research process, composition, storytelling, fiction writing, and critical analysis. In addition to her years as a professor, Dr. Bowers has a history in fiction, nonfiction, and criticism publication that spans nearly two decades.

As your instructor, Dr. Bowers brings her extensive knowledge and experience to the online classroom to help you reflect on literature, workshop your ideas, and push your writing further. She is emblematic of the standard to which we hold our online B.A. in English faculty. Our academic community comprises authors and writers who publish regularly, appearing in both academic and literary journals. Join Maryville, and our online English degree faculty can help you advance as a writer in your chosen field.

We’ve asked Anthony Santirojprapai, assistant dean for humanities and assistant professor of English, for his thoughts on the Bachelor of Arts in English program. Here are his responses:

• What are the most important skills employers are looking for that the English degree can help students develop?

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  Recent trends suggest that students graduating with a humanities-based degree such as English are increasingly appealing to a diverse job market. Studies show that the job market for candidates skilled in writing and critical thinking is stable not only in fields commonly connected to humanities — such as editing, communications, and professional writing — but also in high-earning fields such as marketing, public relations, and digital media production, especially in tech-based industries.

• Why should students choose to enroll in this program at Maryville?

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  The faculty members in our English program are not only experts in their fields but also passionate about their commitment to student success. At Maryville, our goal of keeping class sizes small allows for more one-on-one interaction with instructors. The advice and mentorship that our faculty can provide through such connections means that our students will not get lost in the shuffle and will receive our fullest attention as they work toward their career goals.

• What do you think prospective students should know about the program?

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  The English program is probably Maryville’s most diverse program in terms of curriculum and student outcomes. We offer a variety of courses that go beyond English literature and history and into other areas, such as world mythology, film studies, women’s literature, the history of theater, creative writing, and much, much more. Our English majors are also a part of a program where they can choose many career paths, including teaching, social media design, journal editing, and museum and gallery archiving.

• How does your background in creative writing help you cultivate diverse research and writing skills in students?

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  I had careers in public relations and alt-weekly arts journalism before joining academia full time. Every career opportunity I earned came to me because my training in creative writing taught me how to adapt my writing style on the fly based on audience and register. If a person can write poetry or prose well, then they can write a profile, a press release, website copy, business correspondence — really, anything that needs to be written. Strong writing and communication skills are always in demand. I try to help my creative writing students see how easily aptitude in fiction and poetry can translate into a career that supports their creative pursuits.