A female professor discusses a writing assignment with one of her female students.

English and Language Arts

Welcome to the English and Language Arts Division Page!

The English & Language Arts Division serves all Taft College students pursuing general education requirements, an associate degree, or transfer.

The English major develops:

  • communication skills and mastery of the English language; 
  • aesthetic awareness and critical thinking skills that enable students to appreciate and evaluate texts across disciplines; 
  • analytical skills to decipher cultural codes and value systems; an appreciation of our multicultural inheritance and identity; 
  • an awareness of ethnic diversity; and ethical research practices.

The purpose of the English major is to develop citizens with an awareness of their own humanity and the importance of reflection on, analysis of, and empathy for the human condition. Taft College offers an Associate in Arts in English for Transfer degree.  

English communications and critical thinking courses also are components of programs to fulfill the lower division General Education requirements of a University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) campus prior to your transferring to a four-year university. See the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) Certificate of Achievement, and the CSU GE-Breadth Certificate of Achievement program.

Guided Pathways will help you with clear, well-sequenced curriculum and program design, and Meta Majors allows you to explore the major pathways at a glance. See links, below.

Full-Time Faculty

Degree Program: Associate in Arts in English for Transfer

Learn more about the Associate in Arts in English Degree for Transfer.

Earnings Potential

Career options are across a wide spectrum of fields. Careers typically require a minimum of a four-year degree.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage is $46,010 for proofreaders and copy markers; $48,370 for news analysts, reporters, and journalists; $60,660 for fundraisers;  $61,820 for high school teachers;$63,350 for editors; $69,510 for writers and authors; $82,680 for postsecondary English language and literature teachers; $127,990 for lawyers; and $133,380 for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers.1

Learn more.

1 “Occupational Outlook Handbook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 8 Sept. 2022. www.bls.gov/ooh. Accessed 19 April 2023.

Taft College English Courses

See the English Courses Flow Chart that begins with the first course offered in the series.

Writing Resources

For More Information