Undergraduate Majors
English
The English Option is organized to provide instruction in literature in English, literary theory and criticism, the English language, expository and creative writing, writing studies, English education, film, cultural studies, and closely related fields. Students who major in English have many choices in planning a field of study, but the basic program is designed to accommodate students who seek to broaden their familiarity with our literature, to intensify their language skills for personal and professional reasons, and to learn more about literature's relationship to the other arts, history, philosophy, psychology, and the modern languages.
Download English Major Graduate Check-List (pdf)
The English Teaching Option leads to certification to teach in Secondary School. Students must select one option. The department also offers a major in Rhetoric/Creative Writing, a minor in English, and a teacher education minor in English.
English Option
Degree title: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minimum required major and supporting course work normally equate to 39 hours including a minimum of 33 hours of English courses.
General education: The LAS General Education requirements are set up so that students automatically complete the Campus General Education requirements.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours
Departmental distinction: A student interested in graduating with distinction or high distinction must enter the honors program with at least a 3.33 grade point average, complete three honors seminars, and write a senior honors essay. The level of distinction is assigned by the honors committee on the basis of grade point average, work in English courses and in honors seminars, and the readers' evaluations of the honors essay or honors thesis. Interested students should consult the departmental honors adviser for details.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | Introductory Literature: English 200: Intro to Literary Study |
| 12 | Core Courses (the 200-level courses in this group need not be taken strictly in the order listed, but should be taken before the 300-level coursework). Note the special prerequisites for these courses: |
| 3 hrs ENGL 209: English Lit to 1798. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and ENGL 200. | |
| 3 hrs ENGL 210: English Lit 1798 to Present. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and ENGL 200. | |
| 3 hrs ENGL 255: Survey of American Lit I. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and English 200. | |
| 3 hrs ENGL 301: Critical Approaches to Lit. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and ENGL 200. | |
| 18 | Distribution Requirements: Choose one course from each of the following groups: You must include 12 hours at the 300- or 400-level (at least six of these must be in literature), including a section of ENGL 300+ (Writing about Literature) designated as fulfilling one of the distribution requirements. It is recommended that English 300+ be taken before your other 300- or 400-level coursework. |
| Note: Courses listed under more than one group can count for only one group requirement. Topics of courses marked with an asterisk (*) must be identified as satisfying the appropriate group to count. | |
| 3 hrs Shakespeare: | |
| 418 Shakespeare I | |
| 419 Shakespeare II | |
| 300+* | |
| 6 hrs | British Literature: Choose one course from both Group I and Group II |
| Group I: British literature before 1800. | |
| 202 Medieval Lit and Culture | |
| 204 Renaissance Lit and Culture | |
| 206 Enlightenment Lit and Culture | |
| 274* Literature and Society | |
| 280* Women Writers | |
| 281* Women in the Lit Imagination | |
| 415 Early Renaiss Poetry & Prose | |
| 407 Introductions to Old English | |
| 416 Drama of Shakespeare's Contemp | |
| 421 Later Renaiss Poetry & Prose | |
| 426 Earlier 18thC Literature | |
| 427 Later 18thC Literature | |
| 428 English Drama 1660-1800 | |
| 429 18th Century Fiction | |
| 461* Topics in Literature | |
| 475 Lit and Other Disciplines | |
| 300+* Writing About Literature | |
| Group II: British literature after 1800. | |
| 207 Romantic Lit and Culture | |
| 208 Victorian Lit and Culture | |
| 247 The British Novel | |
| 274* Literature and Society | |
| 280* Women Writers | |
| 281* Women in the Lit Imagination | |
| 285 Postcolonial Lit in English | |
| 431 English Romantic Literature | |
| 434 Victorian Poetry and Prose | |
| 435 19thC British Fiction | |
| 441 British Lit 1900 - 1930 | |
| 442 British Lit Since 1930 | |
| 461* Topics in Literature | |
| 462* Topics in Modern Fiction | |
| 466* Topics in Modern Drama | |
| 475* Lit and Other Disciplines | |
| 300+* Writing About Literature | |
| 3 hrs | Group III: American literature: |
| 250 The American Novel to 1914 | |
| 251 The American Novel Since 1914 | |
| 256 Survey of American Lit II | |
| 259 Afro-American Literature I | |
| 260 Afro-American Literature II | |
| 274* Literature and Society | |
| 280* Women Writers | |
| 281* Women in the Lit Imagination | |
| 286 Asian American Literature | |
| 449 American Lit 1820 - 1865 | |
| 450 American Lit 1865 - 1914 | |
| 451 American Lit 1914 - 1945 | |
| 452 American Lit 1945 - Present | |
| 460 Lit of American Minorities | |
| 461* Topics in Literature | |
| 462* Topics in Modern Fiction | |
| 466* Topics in Modern Drama | |
| 475* Lit and Other Disciplines | |
| 300+* Writing About Literature | |
| 3 hrs | Group IV: an Author-studies course: |
| 411 Chaucer | |
| 423 Milton | |
| 455 Major Authors | |
| 300+* Writing About Literature | |
| 3 hrs | Group V: Special-topics courses: Choose from one of the following groups or an English 300+ identified as a Group V topic: |
| Theme, Mode, Genre: | |
| 213 Modernist Lit and Culture | |
| 241 Beginnings of Modern Poetry | |
| 242 Poetry Since 1940 | |
| 243 Modern Drama I | |
| 244 Modern Drama II | |
| 247 The British Novel | |
| 248 Brit Amer & Contin Fiction | |
| 250 The American Novel to 1914 | |
| 251 The American Novel since 1914 | |
| 274* Literature and Society | |
| 285 Postcolonial Lit in English | |
| 403 History of the English Language | |
| 416 Drama of Shakespeare's Contemp | |
| 428 English Drama 1660-1800 | |
| 429 18th Century Fiction | |
| 435 19thC British Fiction | |
| 461* Topics in Literature | |
| 462* Topics in Modern Fiction | |
| 465 Stage Comedy | |
| 466* Topics in Modern Drama | |
| 475* Lit and Other Disciplines | |
| Gender and Ethnic Studies: | |
| 211 Intro to Mod African Lit | |
| 259 Afro-American Literature I | |
| 260 Afro-American Literature II | |
| 272 Minority Images in Amer Film | |
| 280 Women Writers | |
| 281 Women in the Lit Imagination | |
| 284 Modern Jewish Literature | |
| 285 Postcolonial Lit in English | |
| 286 Asian American Literature | |
| 359 Lit Responses to the Holocaust | |
| 363 Jewish Immigrant Literature | |
| 470 Modern African Fiction | |
| Film Studies: | |
| 272 Minority Images in Amer Film | |
| 273 Intermediate Film Studies | |
| 373 Special Topics in Film Studies | |
| Critical Theory: | |
| 461* Topics in Literature | |
| 483 Lit Crit From 1800 to Present | |
| 485 Literature for the High School | |
| 6 | Supporting Coursework: |
| 6 hrs | Western Civilization Requirement: Choose one of the following pairs: |
| CWL 241 and 242: Masterpieces of West Culture I & II | |
| HIST 141: Western Civ to 1660 and 142: Western Civ Since 1660 | |
| HIST 171: US Hist to 1877 and 172: US Hist Since 1877 | |
| HIST 255: British Isles to 1688 and 256: Great Britain Since 1688 |
elve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.
All foreign language requirements must be satisfied.
NOTE: Students planning to enter graduate school should elect as many 300- or 400-level courses as possible, including a course in either Chaucer or Milton; a course in the history or structure of the English language; and a course in critical theory. Further, these students should consult the specific requirements of the graduate schools they plan to enter.
Minor in English 1
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | English 200 Intro to Literary Study |
| 3 | One 200-level course in British literature before 1800 |
| 3 | One 200-level course in British or American literature after 1800 |
| 3 | English 301 Critical Approaches to Lit |
| 6 | 300 or 400-level work |
| 3 | Rhet 243, any Creative Writing (CW) course, or any English (ENGL) course. |
| 21 | Total |
1. Three hours of creative writing courses or Rhet 243 may be included in the above minor.
