The BA in English with a Minor in Secondary Teaching Endorsement provides students with foundational knowledge in literature, writing and practice, critical thinking, literary theory, culture and diversity, and the power of language that will empower them to innovate, communicate, and discover the necessary skills to thrive in their professional career paths and serve their community. Students will also works closely with the Teacher Education Program to gain the experience and necessary skills to thrive, lead, and innovate in the classroom.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the B.A. in English program, students will:

1. Demonstrate fluency in literary history, cultural contexts, and current issues in English studies.
2. Conduct, analyze, evaluate, and integrate academic research.
3. Employ critical and rhetorical theory to analyze and interpret texts.
4. Construct persuasive and reasonable arguments, using a range of rhetorical strategies.
5. Analyze literary and non-literary texts and synthesize ideas with clarity, accuracy, and coherence.

Outcomes Assessment Activities

Assessment of the English program is the responsibility of all English Program faculty. The English Program’s annual reports evaluating the program and proposing any needed changes are compiled from the following information:

• A central file of course syllabi with representative assignments is maintained by the department for inspection by the committee and other qualified persons.
• All English majors begin the program with ENG 201 Introduction to Literary Theory (3 c.h.) which establishes the emphasized professional standards and the writing and analytical skills students will have acquire in the program. All students in ENG 201 write a final paper, one copy of which is submitted to the department chairperson or committee for assessment.
• All English majors take a ENG 493 Senior Seminar (3 c.h.) emphasizing professional standards and synthesizing the writing and analytical skills students have acquired in other English classes. All students in ENG 493 write a senior research paper, one copy of which is submitted to the department chairperson for dissemination for review. In order to pass ENG 493, students must demonstrate satisfactory levels of achievement in meeting the program goals.
• English Program faculty review the papers from ENG 201 and ENG 493 on an annual basis and prepare an analysis of what they reveal about the program's success.
• The English Program administers a student-satisfaction questionnaire to all senior English majors each year. Similar questionnaires are sent to recent graduates and representative employers on a periodic basis.
• The English Program faculty consider the English curricula at leading comparable institutions and apprise the department of innovations worthy of consideration.

 Specific Program Requirements

• Students should consult with an advisor in English prior to registration.
• All major courses must be completed with a C or better. 
• Students must fulfill the University foreign language requirements for the BA degree: first year world language (6-8 credit hours), or ENG 106 & WL 100, or ASL 101 & ASL 102. International students are still required to complete the language requirements. 
• For teaching endorsement requirements, see the Teacher Education Program section.
• Students completing a major in English with Secondary Teaching Endorsement are required to complete a minor in education and meet all other requirements outlined by the Teacher Education Program.

Specific Core Requirements

Specific Concentration Requirement 

In addition to the completion of the English Core Requirements students must also complete the following:

Specific Requirements for the Secondary and K-12 Teaching Endorsements/Minor

The student must complete an appropriate major and the following Education courses:

¹

Music students may take PSYC 151 Human Development (GT-SS3) (3 c.h.) or PSYC 251 Childhood and Adolescence (3 c.h.).

²

Music Education students may complete MUS 103 Music and Computer Technology I (1 c.h.) and MUS 306 Technology for Music Educators (2 c.h.) for ED 280 Educational Media and Technology (3 c.h.).

³

English/Language Arts student must also complete RDG 355 Linguistics for Educators (3 c.h.)

⁴

Physical Education students may complete EPER 465 Adapted Physical Education (3 c.h.) or ED 412 Teaching Diverse Learners (3 c.h.).

⁵

GPA of 2.6 required

⁶

English/Language Arts student must also complete ED 447 Teaching English in Secondary Schools (4 c.h.)

Specific Co-Curricular Requirements

The English faculty supports and encourages English majors’ involvement in student organizations and participation in tutoring activities in the community and on campus.

• Faculty advisors meet individually with each of their students on a regular basis to help plan schedules and discuss educational and career goals. Advisors maintain an accurate and up-to-date record of each student’s progress towards completion of the requirements for the major.
• All English majors will participate in a senior-year seminar in which all of the writing and analytical skills acquired in other English classes will be synthesized. Students in the class will be expected to complete a senior research project.

Planning Sheet

Disclaimer: The Planning Sheet is designed as a guide for student's planning their course selections. The information on this page provides only a suggested schedule. Actual course selections should be made with the advice and consent of an academic advisor. While accurately portraying the information contained in the college catalog, this form is not considered a legal substitute for that document. Students should become familiar with the catalog in effect at the time in which they entered the institution.

Note: Students completing a major in English with a Secondary Teaching Endorsement are required to complete a minor in Education and meet all other requirements outlined by the Teacher Education Program.