The Major
Any student can enroll in the English major, but students must complete the following sequence to proceed in the major: first, ENGLWRIT 112 College Writing with a grade of C or better, and second, ENGLISH 200 Intensive Literary Studies Seminar for Intended Majors with a grade of B- or better. Exceptions are students who have tested out of College Writing and Talent Advancement Program students who take College Writing and ENGLISH 200 simultaneously. The English major requires eleven courses beyond English 112, most of which include heavy reading loads and call for skilled writing of multiple essays. Note: 100-level courses and ENGLISH 254 do not count toward the major. A typical schedule for the first semester of the English major includes ENGLISH 200 Intensive Literary Studies Seminar for Intended Majors and ENGLISH 221 Shakespeare or ENGLISH 270 American Identities. British Literature (3 courses) American Literature (2 courses) Writing and Criticism (1 course) Departmental Electives (4 courses) Restrictions on acceptance of transfer credit: Options within the English Major The department also offers four areas of focus that confer Letters of Specialization: American Studies, Creative Writing, Nonfiction Writing, and Professional Writing and Technical Communication (PWTC). American Studies offers a concentration that enables students to shape an interdisciplinary course of study in American culture, combining courses in literature with courses from other disciplines, such as history, art or Afro-American studies. Creative Writing involves a series of courses, mostly in the form of workshops, that develop students’ craft in the writing of poetry, fiction or drama. Nonfiction Writing prepares students for careers in free-lance writing or publishing; it also prepares majors for graduate programs in publishing, nonfiction writing, or rhetoric and composition. PWTC provides training in professional research and editing, grant writing, software and hardware documentation, report writing, and business communications. Majors interested in Letters of Specialization should consult the department's website for more information. English majors are urged to consider the possibility of study abroad by taking advantage of the department’s summer program in Oxford, or be engaging in a semester or year-long program at universities in Great Britain, Ireland, and other countries. Honors in English |
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