Bachelor of Arts in English
A bachelor of arts degree in English is founded on building your critical writing and thinking skills through the analysis and production of rhetoric and literature within their historical and sociopolitical contexts. You will learn to evaluate the ways that rhetorical and literary conventions create meaning, and in doing so you will gain social, philosophical, and moral insights about socially just communities both large and small.
Our department is committed to fostering a sound liberal arts academic experience and to preparing you to meet the educational, professional, and cultural needs of the region. The B.A. in English will prepare you for a variety of careers outside the obvious ones of professional writing and teaching--you will be well equipped to deal with the professional demands of many jobs, since you will be a great communicator who has been trained to think analytically and interact effectively with people.
Our department has a large network of alumni and community supporters who contact us frequently looking for graduates of our program (like you!), so job placement is also one of the ways we strive to support our students both during their studies and after graduation.
Explore such topics as:
- American, British, and World Literature
- Technical and Professional Writing
- Creative Writing
- Composition and Rhetoric (Theory and Practice of Teaching Writing)
- Sociolinguistics
- Comparative Literature
- Critical Theory
Programs of Study
English Majors
- Teacher Certification
- Non-Certification
(concentrations in literature, writing, rhetoric/linguistics)
English Minors
Concentrations
Requirements for all English B.A. degrees
- Completion of Core and Academic foundations (language)
- ENGL 3326 – Advanced Expository Writing
- One American Literature class: 3322, 3324 or 3392
- One British Literature class: 3382 or 3384
- One World Literature class: 3330 or 3332
- 6 hours of the 12 academic electives must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.
You must fulfill all the above requirements, and then you may choose one of four concentration areas, each with its own further requirements. Those four options are as follows:
Writing Concentration
- You must take three additional courses from among the following list: 3310 (Technical Writing), 3316 (Poetic Analysis), 3326 (Adv Expository Writing), 3350 (Creative Writing – Poetry or Fiction), 4310 (Teaching of Writing), 4312 (Studies in Language and Linguistics), 4345 (Writing Seminar), 4347 (Multimedia Writing), 4355 (Editing Technical Communication), 4361 (Documentation Design), some additional writing courses from outside of the department also qualify, including COMM 3330 (Adv Journalistic Writing), etc. As listed in the catalog, some courses may be taken more than once to fulfill requirements (3350, et al.).
- You must take three additional 4000-level English electives.
Literature Concentration
- You must take corresponding second 4000-level classes in American, British and World Literature. In other words, you must take two American, two British and two World Literature classes, one from the junior level as required (above) on all degree plans, but then another in each category at the 4000-level.
- You must take three additional 4000-level English electives.
Rhetoric/Composition Concentration
- You must take three additional courses from among the following list: 3327 (Advanced Argumentation), 4300 (Introduction to Linguistics), 4301 (History of the English Language), 4303 (Sociolinguistics), 4312 (Studies in Language and Linguistics), 4314 (Studies in Critical Theory), 4346 (Studies in Rhetoric) and 4347 (Multimedia Writing).
- You must take three additional 4000-level English electives.
Teacher Certification
- Emphasis on literature with the Pedagogy concentration taken instead of a minor.
- The Department suggests that you take English 4312 — language and linguistics (Grammar) and 4310 Teaching Writing.
Minors in Our Department
English Minor
A minor in English requires 18 hours above the 9-hour core composition and sophomore literature requirements, with at least 6 hours at the advanced 4000-level (no grade less than a “C”).
- May include one additional sophomore literature course.
- Must include one advanced 3000 or 4000-level British literature course.
- Must include one advanced 3000 or 4000-level American literature course.
- Must include one advanced 3000 or 4000-level Genre or World literature course.
- Must include two additional advanced 3000 or 4000-level literature and/or linguistics courses.
Writing Minor
A minor in writing requires 18 hours above the 6-hour core curriculum composition requirement, of which 9 hours must be chosen from the following advanced-level creative, technical or critical writing courses (no grade less than “C”):
- ENGL 3326 Advanced Expository Writing.
- ENGL 3350 Creative Writing: Poetry.
- ENGL 3350 Creative Writing: Fiction.
- ENGL 4345 Writing Seminar: Poetry.
- ENGL 4345 Writing Seminar: Fiction.
- ENGL 3310 Technical Report Writing.
- ENGL 4310 Teaching of Writing.
- ENGL 4347 Multimedia Writing.
- ENGL 4312 Studies in Language and Linguistics (Grammar).
- COMM 3330 Advanced Journalism (with permission of Instructor).
Philosophy
Students who wish to minor in philosophy must complete 18 hours of courses in philosophy while adhering to the following guidelines:
- PHIL 1370 or PHIL 1360 Philosophy of Knowledge (or approved transfer core curriculum equivalent)
- PHIL 2303 Logic
- PHIL 2306 Ethics
- Nine hours of advanced 3000-or 4000-level Philosophy course work
- A C or better in all course