Congratulations to Felicia Tonga. Her documentary The Irrevocable Call won in the Ministerial/Pastoral category at the 2013 SONscreen Film Festival. Felicia, a senior Communication major, took her passion for women in ministry and explored it in film. The Irrevocable Call, takes viewers on a journey through a long debated conversation over the struggle of ordaining women clergy within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Experts explore the church’s history, focusing on the definition of the word, the Biblical stance and the role women have played in ministry since its founding. This conversation has caused a division amongst the world church bringing into question, “Should women be ordained?” Ending with three powerful stories of women who are currently serving as Pastors in various locations allows viewers to see that God calls both men and women into ministry. With an interesting twist at the end, the conclusion is drawn that, “God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable” Romans 11:29.

Mission

The Department of English, Communication, & Drama recognizes that communication, on both the personal and social levels, is the foundation of human interaction. Our mission is to understand ourselves and our world more fully by returning again and again to those linguistic forms which have continually shaped and reshaped us, which define and limit us and then wonderfully set us free--recast in new forms. We take language seriously as a tool of self- and social-understanding, as a means of entry into the life and responsibilities as the adult, the church member, and the citizen, as a means to professional advancement, yet not so seriously as to overlook the important roles language plays in recreation and entertainment. Finally, the department emphasizes the importance of a liberal arts education with a firmly grounded knowledge of the communication process to prepare students for graduate education and for success in a wide variety of occupations.

Preparation for Teaching

Students preparing to teach at the secondary level should plan to qualify for state of California teaching credentials by completing the bachelor's degree and passing the PRAXIS (or SSAT) subject area assessment. During the freshman year prospective teachers of both secondary and elementary levels should see the School of Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin and consult the credential analyst and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education for detailed information concerning requirements.

A further program leading to the Master of Arts degree in English is described in the Graduate Bulletin.

Ten Reasons to be an English or Communication Major at La Sierra

1. You can write a play and then watch it performed at the Festival of One Act Plays.
   
2. Our Speech and Debate team travels internationally.
   
3. Being in small classes means your teacher knows your name and the name of your dog, too.
   
4. Undergraduates go to conferences and present papers.
   
5. Enroll in fun classes like Edutainment, Humor Writing, Children's Literature, Topics in Film, Introduction to Acting, and Tolkien.
   
6. You can dine with published authors.
7. You can join the vibrant Sigma Tau Delta.
8. Take part in the annual Natures Conference.
9. We are in a great location for the arts!
10. Lots of La Sierra Students are getting published.
11. Plus!!! Bonus: Internships.
    

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Read and listen perceptively, analytically and empathically.
2. Write (create content) effectively for a variety of styles and genres.
3. Design and deliver effective presentations.
4. Analyze and critically evaluate texts.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of basic rhetorical and critical perspectives from classical traditions through contemporary innovations.
6. Retrieve, evaluate and employ information.