2022-2023 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Bachelor of Arts in English
Requirements for a Major in English
All English majors will earn the B.A. degree, which in addition to general education course requirements mandates third-semester proficiency in a foreign language of the student's choice. (A placement test is available to students who desire advanced placement or waiver of the foreign language requirement.) All English majors must choose an emphasis within the major and complete the three English foundation courses and the Capstone course, ENG 495 - Language and Literature.
Foundation Courses
There are nine credits required at the 200-level, including:
- ENG 215 - Foundations of Literary Study: Genre (3 credits)
- ENG 216 - Foundations of Literary Study: Critical Approaches (3 credits)
- ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study (3 credits)
Requirements for the Emphases
All English majors must choose one of the following emphases:
- Language and literature
- Secondary English education
Each emphasis requires different options from the six course categories that follow.
Note: ENG 215 - Foundations of Literary Study: Genre and ENG 216 - Foundations of Literary Study: Critical Approaches serve as prerequisites for all 300- and 400-level literature courses not offered in the General Education Program. ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study serves as a prerequisite for all 300- and 400-level linguistics courses not offered in the General Education Program. *Courses marked with an asterisk are courses that belong to general education Issues.
A. American Literature
The courses in this category focus on important periods, themes, and fields in American literary history. They seek to define, explore, and broaden our understanding of literature in the context of its historical moment.
- ENG 225 - American Literature I: to 1860 (3 credits)
- ENG 226 - American Literature II: from 1860 (3 credits)
- ENG 231 - Early African American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 232 - Modern African American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 325 - American Literature to 1800 (3 credits)
- ENG 326 - Nineteenth-Century American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 327 - Modern American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 328 - Contemporary American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 334 - American Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults (3 credits)
- * ENG 335 - Literature of American Minorities (3 credits)
B. British Literature
The courses in this category focus on important periods, themes, and fields in British literary history. They seek to define, explore, and broaden our understanding of literature in the context of its historical moment.
- ENG 220 - British Literature I (3 credits)
- ENG 221 - British Literature II (3 credits)
- ENG 313 - British Literature: Shakespeare (3 credits)
- ENG 321 - British Literature: Medieval (3 credits)
- ENG 322 - British Literature: Renaissance (3 credits)
- ENG 323 - British Literature: 18th-Romantic (3 credits)
- ENG 324 - British Literature: Victorian-Present (3 credits)
C. International Literature
The courses in this category focus on a variety of international literatures in translation as well as on global literatures written in English. They seek to define, explore, and broaden our understanding of literature in the context of its historical moment.
- ENG 204 - World Mythology (3 credits)
- ENG 303 - Studies in World Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 304 - International Literature for Children and Young Adults (3 credits)
- ENG 378 - Contemporary Latin American Literature (3 credits)
- *ENG 388 - Emigration and Immigration in Contemporary World Literature (3 credits)
D. Approaches to Literature
The courses in this category focus on different genres, methods, topics, and concepts through which to approach, analyze, and interpret literature.
- ENG 314/DS 314 - Digital Literacies (3 credits)
- ENG 320 - Studies in Poetry (3 credits)
- ENG 330 - Studies in Fiction (3 credits)
- ENG 331 - Comics and Graphic Novels in Contemporary Culture (3 credits)
- ENG 336/WGS 336 - Lesbian, Gay, and Queer Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 337/AAA 337 - Contemporary Black Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 340 - Studies in Drama (3 credits)
- ENG 360 - Studies in Nonfiction (3 credits)
- ENG 380 - Special Topics in English (1 to 3 credits)
- *ENG 382 - Literature and the Environment (3 credits)
- *ENG 383 - "Make It New'': Literary Modernism (3 credits)
- *ENG 384 - Literature of War (3 credits)
- *ENG 386 - Literary Responses to Death and Dying (3 credits)
- ENG 436 - Women and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 440 - Studies in Major Author(s) (3 credits)
- ENG 445 - Studies in Literary Criticism and Theory (3 credits)
E. Approaches to Language
The courses in this category focus on major topics in linguistics and introduce students to fundamental principles of linguistic theory and research. ENG 261 serves as a prerequisite for 300- and 400-level language courses.
- ENG 362 - History of the English Language (3 credits)
- ENG 363 - Applied Linguistics (3 credits)
- ENG 364 - Sociolinguistics (3 credits)
- ENG 365 - Teaching English as a Second Language (3 credits)
- ENG 366 - English Grammar and Usage (3 credits)
- ENG 390 - Topics in Language and Rhetoric (3 credits)
- * ENG 392 - Language and Power (3 credits)
- ENG 461 - Language and Gender (3 credits)
- ENG 465 - Teaching Second Language Reading and Writing (3 credits)
- ENG 467 - Language Disorders and English Literacy (3 credits)
- ENG 469 - ESL Teaching Practicum (3 credits)
F. Approaches to Pedagogy
The courses in this category focus on the teaching of the language arts in English secondary schools. The courses introduce students to literatures, concepts, theories, and practices of relevance to the elementary and secondary classrooms.
- ENG 310 - Teaching Writing: Secondary (3 credits)
- ENG 311 - Teaching Literature to Adolescents (3 credits)
- ENG 400 - Critical Issues in K-12 Literacy (3 credits)
Language and Literature Emphasis Requirements
Foundation Courses (9 credits)
- ENG 215 - Foundations of Literary Study: Genre (3 credits)
- ENG 216 - Foundations of Literary Study: Critical Approaches (3 credits)
- ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study (3 credits)
Elective Requirements (27 credits)
Category requirements include:
- One course each from course categories A-E
Historical requirements include:
- At least one course on literature before 1700
- At least one course in 18th or 19th century literature
- At least one course in 20th or 21st century literature
300-level+ courses include:
- At least 15 credits of 300-level+ courses in categories A-E, plus at least one 400-level literature course (categories A-D).
Capstone (3 credits):
Total: 39 credits
Secondary English Education Emphasis Requirements
Foundation Courses (9 credits)
- ENG 215 - Foundations of Literary Study: Genre (3 credits)
- ENG 216 - Foundations of Literary Study: Critical Approaches (3 credits)
- ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study (3 credits)
Track Requirements (12 credits)
- ENG 310 - Teaching Writing: Secondary (3 credits)
- ENG 311 - Teaching Literature to Adolescents (3 credits)
- ENG 313 - British Literature: Shakespeare (3 credits)
- ENG 400 - Critical Issues in K-12 Literacy (3 credits)
Elective Requirements (15 credits)
- One course from category A
- One course from category B
- One course from category C
- One course from category E
- One course from category A-F
Capstone (3 credits)
Total: 39 credits
Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in English Language and Literature
The following schedule assumes that students will consult with an advisor to make appropriate choices in general education courses.
Year One
- ENG 215 - Foundations of Literary Study: Genre (3 credits)
- ENG 216 - Foundations of Literary Study: Critical Approaches (3 credits)
- MTH 110 - Algebra (4 credits)
- WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing (4 credits)
- Foreign language 101 and/or 102
- General education Foundations (four courses)
Year Two
- ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study (3 credits)
- English elective at the 200-level (two courses)
- English elective at the 200- or 300-level
- Electives (three courses)
- Foreign language 201
- General education Foundations (three courses)
Year Three
- English elective at the 300-level (three courses)
- English elective at the 300- or 400-level
- General education Foundations (two courses)
- General education Issues
- Electives (three courses)
Year Four
- English elective (300- or 400-level)
- English elective (400-level)
- General education Issues (two courses)
- Electives (four courses)
- ENG 495 - Language and Literature (3 credits)
Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Secondary English Education
Year One
- Foreign language 101 and/or 102
- General education Foundations (four courses)
- English Department foundation course
- One course in teachable minor
- MTH 110 - Algebra (4 credits)
- PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology (3 credits) Prerequisite for PSY 301 plus social studies foundation.
- WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing (4 credits)
Year Two
- Foreign language 201
- General education Foundations (four courses)
- English Department foundation (two courses)
- Three courses in teachable minor
- PSY 301 - Child Development (3 credits)
Year Three
- English Department major track (five courses)
- General education Foundations (final two courses)
- One or two courses in teachable minor (One can be in general education.)
- EDI 338 - Teachers as Decision Makers: Instruction and Assessment in Elementary Schools (3 credits)
- EDF 315 - Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 credits)
Year Four
- English Department major track (four courses)
- One, two, or three courses in teachable minor
- General education Issues (May double count in English major track.)
- EDI 331 - Methods and Strategies of Secondary Teaching (5 credits)
- EDI 310 - Building and Sustaining Positive Learning Environments (3 credits)
- EDR 321 - Content Area Literacy (3 credits)
Year Five
- General education Issues
- ENG 495 - Language and Literature (3 credits)
- EDT 370 - Technology in Education (3 credits)
- EDS 379 - Universal Design for Learning: Secondary (3 credits)
- EDI 431 - Student Teaching, Secondary (8 credits)
- EDF 485 - The Context of Educational Issues (3 credits)