Academic Programs Catalog

College of Arts and Letters

Department of English

Undergraduate Program
English

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in English

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the English major is met by completing one of the following: English 360, 362, 364, 368, 413, or 499. These courses are referenced in item 3. below.
  2. The requirements of the College of Arts and Letters for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. The following courses (34 to 40 credits):
    (1) One of the following courses (1 credit):
    AL 250 Career Exploration Strategies for Arts and Letters Students 1
    AL 460 Advanced Career Strategies 1
    (2) Both of the following courses (6 credits):
    ENG 210 Introduction to Literary Studies 3
    ENG 280 Introduction to Literary Theories 3
    (3) One of the following Tier II writing courses in English (3 or 4 credits):
    ENG 360 Studies in Postcolonial and Diaspora Literature (W) 3
    ENG 362 Studies in Modern/Contemporary Literature (W) 3
    ENG 364 Studies in 18th-/19th-Century Literature (W) 3
    ENG 368 Studies in Medieval/Early Modern Literature (W) 3
    ENG 413 Critical Questions in Language and Composition (W) 4
    ENG 499 Senior Thesis Research (W) 3
    (4) One of the following courses on diversity in literature or film (3 credits):
    ENG 350 Readings in African, African American, or African Diaspora Literature 3
    ENG 351 Readings in Chicano and Latino Literatures 3
    ENG 352 Readings in Asian/Asian American/Asian Diaspora Literature and Visual Culture 3
    ENG 353 Readings in Women Writers 3
    ENG 354 Readings in Native American Literature 3
    ENG 355 Readings in Sexuality and Literature 3
    ENG 356 Readings in Jewish Literature 3
    ENG 360 Studies in Postcolonial and Diaspora Literature (W) 3
    ENG 448 Seminar in Gender and Literature 3
    ENG 449 Seminar in Race, Ethnicity, and Literature 3
    ENG 450 Seminar in African American Literature 3
    ENG 460 Seminar in Global and Postcolonial Literature 3
    ENG 466 Seminar in Literatures of the Pacific Rim 3
    ENG 482 Seminar in Feminist Literary and Cultural Theory 3
    FLM 450 Studies in Ethnic Film 3
    FLM 451 Studies in Postcolonial Cinema 3
    FLM 452 Studies in Film, Gender, and Sexuality 3
    If English 360, 450 or 460 is used to fulfill this requirement it may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. a. (2) below.
    (5) One of the following courses in literature before 1800 (3 credits):
    ENG 318 Readings in Shakespeare 3
    ENG 324 Readings in Epic 3
    ENG 368 Studies in Medieval/Early Modern Literature (W) 3
    ENG 441 Seminar in Early American Literature 3
    ENG 454 Seminar in Medieval Literature and Culture 3
    ENG 455 Seminar in Early Modern Literature 3
    ENG 457 Seminar in 18th Century British Literature 3
    If English 368 is used to fulfill this requirement it may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. a. (2).
    (6) One of the following seminars in literature (3 credits):
    ENG 422 Seminar in Genre and Form 3
    ENG 426 Seminar in Drama or Performance Studies 3
    ENG 440 Seminar in Popular Culture Studies 3
    ENG 441 Seminar in Early American Literature 3
    ENG 443 Seminar in 19th Century American Literature 3
    ENG 445 Seminar in 20th and 21st Century American Literature 3
    ENG 448 Seminar in Gender and Literature 3
    ENG 449 Seminar in Race, Ethnicity, and Literature 3
    ENG 450 Seminar in African American Literature 3
    ENG 452 Seminar in 20th and 21st Century British Literature 3
    ENG 454 Seminar in Medieval Literature and Culture 3
    ENG 455 Seminar in Early Modern Literature 3
    ENG 457 Seminar in 18th-Century British Literature 3
    ENG 458 Seminar in 19th-Century British Literature 3
    ENG 460 Seminar in Global and Postcolonial Literature 3
    ENG 462 Seminar I in Transatlantic Literature 3
    ENG 466 Seminar in Literatures of the Pacific Rim 3
    ENG 473A Literature and Medicine 3
    ENG 473B Law and Literature 3
    ENG 475 History of the Book: From Manuscripts to Comics 3
    ENG 478A Literature, Technology, and Representation 3
    ENG 478B Literature and Visual Culture 3
    ENG 481 Seminar in Critical and Cultural Theory 3
    ENG 482 Seminar in Feminist Literary and Cultural Theory 3
    (7) One of the following capstone course requirements (3 credits):
    ENG 484B Critical Questions in Region, School, Movement 3
    ENG 484C Critical Questions in a Literary Period 3
    ENG 484D Critical Questions in a National Literature 3
    ENG 493 English Internship 3
    (8) English electives: Additional credits in English courses as needed to meet the requirement of at least 34, but not more than 40, credits in courses in the major, including no more than 4 credits in a 100-level English course.

Creative Writing Concentration
The creative writing concentration is available to students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in English except those students seeking teacher certification. Students interested in the concentration should consult with their advisor. Students who elect this concentration must complete the following courses, all of which will count toward the 34 to 40 credits in the Bachelor of Arts in English degree. The concentration will be noted on the student's transcript.

1. The following foundational courses (4 credits):
ENG 320D Methodologies of Literary History: History and Theory of Creative Writing 3
ENG 200 Creative Writing Community 1
ENG 320D replaces the literary history requirement in item 3. a. (2) above.
2. Two of the following introductory courses (6 credits):
ENG 223 Introduction to Creative Non-Fiction Writing 3
ENG 226 Introduction to Creative Writing 3
ENG 227 Introduction to Playwriting 3
ENG 228 Introduction to Fiction Writing 3
ENG 229 Introduction to Poetry Writing 3
FLM 334 Introduction to Screenwriting (W) 3
One of these courses may be used to satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. (6) above, as well as the requirements for the creative writing concentration.
3. Two of the following advanced courses (6 credits):
ENG 423 Advanced Creative Non-Fiction Writing 3
ENG 428 Advanced Fiction Writing 3
ENG  429 Advanced Poetry Writing 3
FLM 434 Advanced Screenwriting (W) 3
4. One creative writing elective, drawn from either 3. a. (3) or 3. a. (4) above, or one of the following complementary courses
(3 credits):
ENG 323 Readings in Nonfiction 3
ENG 325 Readings in Graphic Narrative 3
ENG 326 Readings in Drama and Performance Studies 3
ENG 328 Readings in Novel and Narrative 3
ENG 329 Readings in Poetry and Poetics 3
ENG 342 Readings in Popular Literary Genres 3
ENG 392 Special Topics in English: Creative Writing 3
ENG 475 History of the Book: From Manuscripts to Comics 3
ENG 483 Seminar in Literary Editing and Publishing 3
ENG 484E Creative Writing Capstone 3
FLM 337 Topics in Film Form 3
FLM 355 Studies in Film Genres 3
TE  458 Reading, Writing, and Teaching Poetry 3
WRA 320 Technical Communication (W) 3
WRA  355 Writing for Publication Workshop 3
WRA  370 Introduction to Grammar and Editing (W) 3
WRA  453 Grant and Proposal Writing 3
WRA  471 Rhetoric of Grammar 3
WRA 480 Publication Management II 3
5. One creative writing focused capstone course from among the following (3 or 4 credits):
ENG 483 Seminar in Literary Editing and Publishing 3
ENG 484E Creative Writing Capstone 3
ENG 489H Senior Honors Independent Project 4
ENG  493 English Internship 4

Popular Culture Studies Concentration
The Popular Culture Studies concentration is available to students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in English except those students seeking teacher certification. Students interested in the concentration should consult with their advisor. Students who elect this concentration must complete the following courses, all of which will count toward the 36 to 40 credits in the Bachelor of Arts in English degree. The concentration will be noted on the student’s transcript.

1. The following foundational course (3 credits):
ENG 340 Theory and Methods of Popular Culture Studies  3
This course will fulfill the requirement of 3. a. (1) above in lieu of ENG 280.
2. Both of the following courses (6 credits):
ENG 342 Readings in Popular Literary Genres 3
ENG 440 Seminar in Popular Culture Studies 3
ENG 342 can be used to satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. (6) above as well as this requirement.
3. One of the following options, either a. or b. (3 credits):
a. One of the following courses:
ENG 325 Readings in Graphic Narrative 3
ENG 342 Readings in Popular Literary Genres 3
ENG 440 Seminar in Popular Culture Studies 3
Content repeated in any of these courses must be different from content previously taken to fulfill a requirement for the degree.
b. One of the following courses approved by the advisor for the concentration or associate chairperson to ensure sufficient popular culture content:
ENG 308 Readings in Literature for Young Adults 3
ENG 314 Readings in North American Literatures 3
ENG 315 Readings in British Literatures 3
ENG 316 Readings in Irish Literature and Culture 3
ENG 317 Readings in African and Caribbean Literatures 3
ENG 318 Readings in Shakespeare 3
ENG 323 Readings in Non-Fiction 3
ENG 324 Readings in Epic 3
ENG 326 Readings in Drama and Performance Studies 3
ENG 328 Readings in Novel and Narrative 3
ENG 329 Readings in Poetry and Poetics 3
ENG 350 Readings in African, African American, or African Diaspora Literature 3
ENG 351 Readings in Chicano and Latino Literatures 3
ENG 352 Readings in Asian/Asian American/Asian Diaspora Literature 3
ENG 353 Readings in Women Writers 3
ENG 354 Readings in Native American Literature 3
ENG 355 Readings in Sexuality and Literature 3
ENG 356 Readings in Jewish Literature 3
ENG 360 Studies in Postcolonial and Diaspora Literature (W) 3
ENG 362 Studies in Modern/Contemporary Literature (W) 3
ENG 364 Studies in 18th and 19th Century Literature (W) 3
ENG 368 Studies in Medieval/Early Modern Literature (W) 3
ENG 391 Special Topics in English 3
ENG 422 Seminar in Genre and Form 3
ENG 426 Seminar in Drama or Performance Studies 3
ENG 441 Seminar in Early American Literature 3
ENG 443 Seminar in 19th Century American Literature 3
ENG 445 Seminar in 20th and 21st Century American Literature 3
ENG 448 Seminar in Gender and Literature 3
ENG 449 Seminar in Race, Ethnicity, and Literature 3
ENG 450 Seminar in African American Literature 3
ENG 452 Seminar in 20th and 21st Century British Literature 3
ENG 454 Seminar in Medieval Literature and Culture 3
ENG 455 Seminar in Early Modern Literature 3
ENG 457 Seminar in 18th-Century British Literature 3
ENG 458 Seminar in 19th-Century British Literature 3
ENG 460 Seminar in Global and Postcolonial Literature 3
ENG 462 Seminar in Transatlantic Literature 3
ENG 466 Seminar in Literatures of the Pacific Rim 3
ENG 473A Literature and Medicine 3
ENG 473B Law and Literature 3
ENG 478A Literature, Technology, and Representation 3
ENG 478B Literature and Visual Culture 3
ENG 481 Seminar in Critical and Cultural Theory 3
ENG 482 Seminar in Feminist Literary and Cultural Theory 3
ENG 492 Seminar in English 3
ENG 492H Honors Seminar in English 3
4. One of the following capstone experience options, either a. or b. (4 credits):
a. One of the following courses:
ENG 489H Senior Honors Independent Project 4
ENG 490 Independent Study 4
ENG 499 Senior Thesis Research (W) 4
b. The following course:
ENG 493 English Internship 4
Students must obtain approval by the advisor or associate chairperson for enrollment in any of these courses to ensure sufficient popular culture studies content.
Either capstone experience may satisfy requirement 3. a. (7) above.


English Education Concentration
The English Education concentration is available to students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in English and seeking secondary education teacher certification. Students interested in the concentration should consult with their advisor. Students who elect this concentration must complete the following courses, all of which will count toward the 36 to 40 credits in the Bachelor of Arts in English degree. The concentration will be noted on the student’s transcript.

1. The following introductory course (3 credits):
ENG 302 Introduction to English Language Studies 3
2. The following genre course (3 credits):
ENG 308 Readings in Literature for Young Adults 3
3. The following seminar (4 credits):
ENG 408 Critical Literacies and Communities 4
4. The following capstone course (3 credits):
ENG 413 Critical Questions in Language and Composition (W) 3