English, Bachelor of Arts
The BA in English 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.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the B.A. in English program, students will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of significant traditions, historical and cultural contexts, and current issues in literature and language studies.
- Conduct, analyze, evaluate, and integrate academic research.
- Apply strategies of critical theory.
- Analyze literature and synthesize ideas with clarity, accuracy, and coherence in speech and writing.
- Use a range of English syntactic structures effectively.
- Construct a convincing argument using a range of rhetorical strategies in speech and writing.
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.
- Faculty advisers monitor each student's progress toward completing major requirements listed in the catalog.
- All English majors take a senior-year seminar (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 Senior Seminar (3 c.h.) 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 Senior Seminar (3 c.h.), students must demonstrate satisfactory levels of achievement in meeting the program goals.
- English Program faculty review the papers from ENG 493 Senior Seminar (3 c.h.) 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.
Requirements for the English Major
- Specific requirements for the English major are listed below. Students should consult with an adviser in English before registration.
- Students must complete, with a grade of C or better, all courses counting toward the major or minors.
- Students must fulfill the University language requirements for the BA degree, first year world language (6-8 credit hours) OR ENG 106 LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTURE (3.0 c.h.) and WL 100 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE LINGUISTICS (3.00 c.h.) OR ASL 101 BEGINNING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I (3.0 c.h.) and ASL 102 BEGINNING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II (3.0 c.h.). For International students, ENG 101 RHETORIC & WRITING I (3.0 c.h.) and ENG 102 RHETORIC & WRITING II (3.0 c.h.) fulfill the World Language Requirement.
- For teaching endorsement requirements, see the Teacher Education Program section.
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.
English Major
- Faculty advisers meet individually with each of their students on a regular basis to help plan schedules and discuss educational and career goals. Advisers 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.
General Education
The general education requirement for graduation includes a total of 35 semester credits in two categories: Skills Component and Knowledge Component. Please see the General Education Requirement section under Academic Policies for more information.
Specific Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in English
A total of 46 credits in English beyond ENG 101 RHETORIC & WRITING I (3.0 c.h.) and ENG 102 RHETORIC & WRITING II (3.0 c.h.) (WL 100 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE LINGUISTICS (3.00 c.h.) and ENG 106 LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTURE (3.0 c.h.) may be counted, but not double counted for World Language), distributed as follows:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO THEORY (to be taken at or near the start of the program) | 3 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO RHETORIC | 3.00 | |
| LITERARY CRITICISM AND THEORY | 3.00 | |
| SENIOR SEMINAR (to be taken at or near the end of the program) | 3 | |
| Select two courses for Development and Impact (one must be COMR 350) | 6 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL WRITING | 3.0 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS WRITING | 3.0 | |
| INTRO. SCIENTIFIC/MEDICAL WRITING | 3.0 | |
| COMMUNICATING IN PROFESSIONS | 3.00 | |
| RESEARCH | 3.00 | |
| FIELD EXPERIENCE | 1.00 | |
| Select at least three courses in Writing & Practice 2 | 9 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING | 3.00 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO USER EXPERIENCE | 3.00 | |
| ADVANCED COMPOSITION | 3.00 | |
| ADVANCED RHETORICAL STUDY | 3.00 | |
| TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC REPORT WRITING | 3.00 | |
| VISUAL RHETORIC | 3.00 | |
| ADVANCED LITERARY FORMS & GENRES | 3.0 | |
| CREATIVE WRITING: POETRY | 3.00 | |
| CREATIVE WRITING: FICTION | 3.00 | |
| CREATIVE NONFICTION | 3.00 | |
| CREATIVE WRITING: DRAMA | 3.00 | |
| PROFESSIONAL EDITING | ||
| ENGLISH SYNTAX AND USAGE | 3.00 | |
| USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN | 3.00 | |
| USABILITY AND USER EXPERIENCE | 3.00 | |
| YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE | 3.00 | |
| ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP | 3.0 | |
| MAGAZINE EDITING AND PRODUCTION | 3.00 | |
| SPECIAL TOPICS | 1.00 | |
| Select at least three courses in Literature in Historical Perspective 1 | 9 | |
| AMERICAN LITERATURE I | 3.00 | |
| AMERICAN LITERATURE II | 3.00 | |
| MASTERPIECES OF LITERATURE I | 3.00 | |
| MASTERPIECES OF LITERATURE II | 3.00 | |
| LITERATURE OF ENGLAND I | 3.00 | |
| LITERATURE OF ENGLAND II | 3.00 | |
| CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LIT | 3.0 | |
| HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE | 3 | |
| HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES IN WESTERN LITERATURE | 3 | |
| HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES IN NON-WESTERN LITERATURE | 3 | |
| Select at least two courses in Major Writers (at least one of which must be in Shakespeare) | 6 | |
| CHAUCER AND HIS AGE | 3.00 | |
| SHAKESPEARE | 3.00 | |
| STUDIES IN MAJOR WRITERS | 3.00 | |
| Select two courses for Diversity and Inclusion. | 6 | |
| LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTURE | 3.00 | |
| MULTI-ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE | 3.0 | |
| WOMEN IN LITERATURE | 3.00 | |
| GENDER AND COMMUNICATION | 3.00 | |
| CHICANA WRITERS | 3.00 | |
| CHICANA WRITERS | 3.00 | |
| INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | 3.00 | |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select at least 12 credits of English electives 4 | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 48 | |
| 1 | Selected with the approval of the major adviser, two of which are recommended to comprise of a sequence of American or British literature at the 200 level (i.e., ENG 210 AMERICAN LITERATURE I (3.00 c.h.) and ENG 212 AMERICAN LITERATURE II (3.00 c.h.) or ENG 221 MASTERPIECES OF LITERATURE I (3.00 c.h.) and ENG 222 MASTERPIECES OF LITERATURE II (3.00 c.h.) or ENG 231 LITERATURE OF ENGLAND I (3.00 c.h.) and ENG 232 LITERATURE OF ENGLAND II (3.00 c.h.)), while the third must be at the 300 level or above. |
| 2 | Beyond ENG 101 RHETORIC & WRITING I (3.0 c.h.) and ENG 102 RHETORIC & WRITING II (3.0 c.h.). |
| 3 | WL 100 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE LINGUISTICS (3.00 c.h.) and ENG 106 LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTURE (3.0 c.h.) may be counted, but not double counted for World Language. |
| 4 | Selected with the approval of the major adviser (General Education and World Language requirements may not be double counted). |
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: In addition to requirements for the major and general education, students must complete either:
- Any minor degree program listed in the catalog other than their major; or
- 18 credit hours outside of the major.
Students may not use the same credits to satisfy requirements for both major and minor degrees, or use credits taken to satisfy general education requirements.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 101 | Rhetoric & Writing I | 3 |
| ENG 161 | or ENG 461 taken Fourth Year | |
| General Education | 10 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 102 | Rhetoric & Writing II | 3 |
| General Education | 13 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 201 | Introduction to Theory | 3 |
| General Education | 6 | |
| Elective 3 credits must be first sequence in English Historical Perspective. 3 credits must must be outside the major. | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective 3 credits must be second sequence in English Historical Perspective. 3 credits must be English Writing course. 3 credits must be English Language & Linguistics. 5 credits must must be outside the major. | 14 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 481 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 485 | Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| Elective 3 credits must be ENG upper division. 6 credits must be outside the major. | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 484 or ENG 441 |
Studies in Major Writers or Chaucer and His Age |
3 |
| Elective 6 credits must be ENG upper division. 3 credits must be ENG Genre course. 3 credits must be outside the major. | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective 6 credits must be ENG upper division; 3 credits must be English Historical Perspective. 6 credits must be upper division and outside the major. | 16 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 493 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Elective 6 credits must be upper division. | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 119 | |