A major in English gives the student an appreciation of literary works in the English language and an introduction to critical approaches to those works. It develops skills in reading, critical thinking, and writing.
A degree in English is not intended to provide specific vocational training, but to give a broad, open-ended education which can lead to many different careers. Recent graduates have gone on to careers in publishing, television, film, advertising, public relations, teaching, insurance, and government. In addition, English is an excellent preparation for professional schools, and recent graduates have gone on to graduate programs in architecture, library (information) science, business, educational technology, law, and medicine. More information about career opportunities for an English major is available at the Career Center and from the English Department Advisor, Mary Moore.
Requirements
English majors must complete 30 hours of course work in English. A minor is recommended. At least 24 hours in the major must be in courses numbered 3000 or above. No more than 40 hours of English courses may be counted toward graduation. The required hours of English composition are excluded from this maximum and must be taken before the student enrolls in any literature courses numbered 2000 or above. The English courses must be distributed among the following four units as indicated.
Unit One: Sophomore Seminar (3 hours)
2100 Writing About Literature
Unit Two: Literature (18 hours) At least 3 hours in each of the four areas listed
below (Courses that cover more than one historical period
may be used in either area where they appear.)
A. Beginning to 1603
3200 Survey of British Literature, part one
4166 Major Authors (Shakespeare)
4210 Medieval Literature
4226 Renaissance and 17th Century British Literature
B. 1603 to 1789
3200 Survey of British Literature, part one
3300 Survey of American Literature, part one
3400 Survey of Anglophone Africana Literature, part
one
4227 Renaissance and 17th Century British Literature
4240 Restoration and 18th Century British Literature
4300 Early American Literature
C. 1789 to 1890
3400 Survey of Anglophone Africana Literature, part
one
3210 Survey of British Literature, part two
3300 Survey of American Literature, part one
3310 Survey of American Literature, part two
4250 19th Century British Literature
4310 19th Century American Literature
D. 1890 to the Present
1810/1820 Introduction to Film, parts one and two
2140 20th Century Literature
3180 Historical Survey of Women Writers
3210 Survey of British Literature, part two
3310 Survey of American Literature, part two
3410 Survey of Anglophone Africana Literature, part
two
4140 Modern Literature
4260 20th Century British Literature
4320 20th Century American Literature
4420 Africana Womanism
Placing Literature Courses Not
Listed Above:
Other English literature courses may be used in
a period, but since these courses vary historically
each semester (e.g. English 4160 Major Authors offered
as Milton would be used in Area B; the same course
offered as Mark Twain would be used in Area C), consult
with the English Department Advisor for the placement
of these courses each semester.
Unit Three: Folklore/Oral Literature,
Language, Writing and Rhetoric, and Theory (Minimum 6
hours)
Folklore/Oral Literature
2700 Introduction to Folklore
2770 Introduction to Oral Literature
3700 American Folklore
4700 Themes in Folklore
4710 Themes in Africana Folklore
4770 Oral Tradition
4780 Women's Folklore and Feminist Theory
Language/Linguistics
1060 Introduction to Language
4200 Introduction to Old English
4600 Structure of American English
4610 History of the English Language
4620 Regional and Social Dialects of American English
4630 Phonology
4640 Syntax
4650 Teaching English as a Second Language
Writing/Rhetoric
2010 Intermediate Composition
2030 Professional Writing
3010 Advanced Composition
4040 Topics in Writing
4050 Historical Survey of Rhetoric
Criticism/Theory, Honors Seminar
3080 Sexuality and Gender Theory
4060 Studies in Critical Theory
4070 History of Criticism
4996 Honors Seminar in English Studies
Unit Four: Capstone Experience (3 hours)
4970 Capstone Experience or 4995 Honors Senior Essay
(honors students only)
To graduate "with Honors in English," students
must have a 3.3 GPA and take English 4996 and, as their
capstone, English 4995. Click here for
the 4995 Honors Senior Essay guidelines.
Options
Students may choose an optional track in Africana
studies, creative writing, folklore or language. Choosing
one of these tracks increases the major requirements to
33 credits. The requirements in Units II and III (described
above) are reduced by 3 credits each and a student takes
9 credits in one of the four tracks described below. (Note:
tracks do not appear on transcripts or diplomas.)
The English language track
requires three courses in the English language, choosing
from English 1060, 4200, 4600, 4610, 4620, 4630,
4640, and 4650.
The creative writing track
requires three courses in one of the creative writing
genres: Fiction: English 1510, 2510, and 4510. Poetry:
English 1530, 2530, and 4530. Creative Nonfiction:
English 1520, 2520, and 4520. Playwriting: English
2560, 3560, and 4560.
The folklore track
requires three courses in Folklore and Oral Literature,
choosing from English 2700 (or 2770), 3700, 4700,
4710, 4770, and 4780. The folklore student also takes
a minimum of three courses in associated fields outside
the English department (such as anthropology, linguistics,
art history, or classics); these courses can be used
as Related Field credit or to fulfill general requirements
in the College of Arts and Science.
The Africana track
requires three courses in Africana studies from among
English 2400, 3400, 3410, 3420, 4410, 4420, 4400,
4480, and 4710.
Please direct questions about the undergraduate major
in English to Mary Moore.
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