Pennsylvania Community Colleges
English Programs
English coursework at community colleges in this state. Composition, literature, and writing-track classes for transfer-track liberal-arts students.
10 colleges · 1654 sections · 129 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
English composition is required at virtually every four-year college in Pennsylvania for graduation, and the two-semester intro composition sequence (English I and II) is among the most-enrolled courses at PA CCs community colleges. The 1654 sections across 10 institutions this term cover composition, intro literature, technical writing, and creative writing.
The English associate is a transfer pathway — completing the first two years of an English bachelor's at community-college tuition. Direct career roles in English (technical writer, copy editor, content marketer) typically need a bachelor's and a strong portfolio. Compare colleges below for online section availability; English I and II are among the most-online-available courses across PA CCs.
Earnings & outcomes for English graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 2301 — English Language and Literature, General. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering English
Pick a college to see its full plan — every required course, which ones transfer to the school you want, and what’s open now.
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community College of Philadelphia | 547 | 35 | 109 | 34 | — |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | 205 | 18 | 74 | 33 | — |
| Community College of Allegheny County | 193 | 20 | 71 | — | — |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | 172 | 16 | 65 | — | — |
| Montgomery County Community College | 165 | 20 | 78 | — | — |
| Northampton Community College | 161 | 16 | 61 | — | — |
| Delaware County Community College | 126 | 10 | 46 | — | — |
| Luzerne County Community College | 67 | 10 | 13 | 7 | — |
| Westmoreland County Community College | 14 | 6 | 14 | — | — |
| Reading Area Community College | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
English Availability Snapshot
How english sections are being offered across 10 colleges in Pennsylvania this term (1654 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person1043 (63%)
- online475 (29%)
- hybrid79 (5%)
- zoom57 (3%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)658
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)423
- Evening (5 PM and after)166
- Asynchronous / TBA407
Start dates
Sections begin on 25 distinct dates. 818 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 365 distinct instructors across 10 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Community College of Allegheny County1 program
Powered by Modern Campus Catalog™.
Plan all required coursesFirst Semester (Fall 1)
Total: 13 Credits
13 creditsSee catalog for course list
Second Semester
Total: 13 Credits
13 creditsSee catalog for course list
Total: 7 Credits
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Fourth Semester
Total: 13-14 Credits
13 creditsSee catalog for course list
Fifth Semester
Total: 14-15 Credits
14 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Common English courses
- ENGL 101English Composition I(377 sections)
- ENG 101English Comp 1(194 sections)
- ENG 102Eng Cmp 2 Resch Wr(95 sections)
- ENG 105Creative Writing(92 sections)
- ENG 100English Composition I(88 sections)
- ENGL 098English Accel Learning Program(85 sections)
- ENGL 102The Research Paper(81 sections)
- ENGL 190Introduction to Literature(58 sections)
- ENGL 097English Coreq Seminar Program(40 sections)
- ENGL 151LEnglish II(36 sections)
- ENG 112English Composition II: Writing About Literature(30 sections)
- ENG 106Introduction to Literature(25 sections)
Frequently asked questions
- Will my English composition credits transfer?
- Yes — English I and English II from any PA CCs college transfer 1:1 to every Pennsylvania public four-year. Most also transfer to out-of-state public and private institutions, though the specific course-equivalence depends on each receiving school's catalog. English composition is among the most reliably transferable courses you can take.
- Can I major in English at a community college?
- You can complete the associate of arts with an English focus — the first two years of an English bachelor's — but the upper-division (literature theory, advanced writing seminars, capstone) only happens at a four-year. CC English faculty often teach intro literature and creative writing well, especially small workshop-style courses; serious English majors get strong preparation at the CC level.
- What jobs does an English degree qualify me for?
- With just the associate: limited direct roles — entry copywriting at small companies, administrative work, content moderation. With the bachelor's added: technical writer, content marketing, editor, communications coordinator, teacher (with certification), journalist, publishing assistant. The strongest English-major careers combine the writing skills with a domain specialty.
- Is the writing instruction at community college as good as at a four-year?
- Often yes, sometimes better. Community-college composition classes are typically smaller (20-25 students) than the large-lecture composition courses at flagship state universities, and CC English instructors are usually full-time teaching faculty (not graduate students). The instruction quality is high; the credential signaling is what differs.
Compare English programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Pennsylvania’s english programs stack up.
Other programs in Pennsylvania
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.