BA Major in English
B.A., Major in English
The major in English prepares students for graduate study within the field of English or within related fields and for all professional study that relies on preparation, analysis, or interpretation of texts. The English department offers degrees for students interested in graduate study, employment in a variety of careers requiring strong critical thinking and communication skills, employment in the realm of professional writing or creative writing, or employment as a secondary educator.
Choose an emphasis area:
All requirements of one emphasis area below:
Emphasis in Digital Storytelling
Major requirements*
- ENG 202 Introduction to Literary Studies (3 hours)
- ENG 230 Culture in Context (3 hours)
- ENG 280 Digital Literacy (3 hours)
- ENG 299 Literary Theory and Criticism (3 hours)
- ENG 359C/D Tesserae Practicum (1 hour, minimum 2 hours)
- ENG 340 Language: Structure and Meaning (3 hours)
- ENG 426 Professional Writing (3 hours)
- ENG 454A Senior Project (1.5 hours)
- ENG 454B Senior Project (1.5 hours)
Two additional courses from the following:
- ENG 213 Survey of English Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 227 Survey of American Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 335 Survey of World Literature (3 hours)
Two courses from the following:
- ENG 330 Creative Writing: Short Story (3 hours)
- ENG 337 Creative Writing: Poetry (3 hours)
- ENG 343 Creative Writing: Playwriting (3 hours)
- ENG 348 Creative Writing: Novella (3 hours)
- ENG 445 Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction (3 hours)
- ENG 447 Creative Writing: Genre Fiction (3 hours)
Cognate Requirements
- COMM110 Media Writing (3 hours)
- COMM204 Introduction to Digital Media Studies (3 hours)
- COMM205 Introduction to Photography (3 hours)
- COMM207 Social Media (3 hours)
- COMM218 Media Development (3 hours)
- COMM313 Digital Storytelling (prerequisite Media Development or Video Production)
Emphasis in Writing
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates in English (B.A.) with an Emphasis in Writing will:
- Foster habits of careful reading, clear writing, critical thinking, and analysis
- Analyze underrepresented experiences and cultural diversity, including issues of race, gender, class, sexuality, and ethnicity, through the study of literary texts
- Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of literary analysis
- Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of literary history
- Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of the development of the English language
- Demonstrate the necessary skills to pursue graduate studies, teaching, or careers that rely on writing, analyzing, and interpreting texts
Major requirements*
- ENG 202 Introduction to Literary Studies (3 hours)
- ENG 213 Survey of English Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 227 Survey of American Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 280 Digital Literacy (3 hours)
- ENG 299 Literary Theory and Criticism (3 hours)
- ENG 335 Survey of World Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 340 Language: Structure and Meaning (3 hours)
- ENG 347 Mythology and Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 359C Tesserae Practicum (1 hour)
- ENG 359D Tesserae Practicum (1 hour)
- ENG 426 Professional Writing (3 hours)
- ENG 454A Senior Project (1.5 hours)
- ENG 454B Senior Project (1.5 hours)
Emphasis Requirements
Five courses from the following:
- ENG 330 Creative Writing: Short Story (3 hours)
- ENG 337 Creative Writing: Poetry (3 hours)
- ENG 343 Creative Writing: Playwriting (3 hours)
- ENG 348 Creative Writing: Novella (3 hours)
- ENG 445 Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction (3 hours)
- ENG 447 Creative Writing: Genre Fiction (3 hours)
- COMM110 Media Writing (3 hours)
Three additional courses from the following:
- ENG 325 The Renaissance (3 hours)
- ENG 341 18th and 19th Century Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 349 20th and 21st Century Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 425 Genre: Short Story (3 hours)
- ENG 427 Genre: Poetry (3 hours)
- ENG 429 Genre: Novella (3 hours)
- ENG 430 Genre: Drama (3 hours)
- ENG 440 Major Authors and Movements (3 hours) (may be repeated for credit – see course description)
Emphasis in Secondary Education
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates in English (B.A.) with an Emphasis in Secondary Education will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of English language arts subject matter content that specifically includes literature and multimedia texts as well as knowledge of the nature of adolescents as readers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of English language arts subject matter content that specifically includes language and writing as well as knowledge of adolescents as language users.
- Plan instruction and design assessments for reading and the study of literature to promote learning for all students.
- Plan instruction and design assessments for composing texts (i.e. oral, written, and visual) to promote learning for all students.
- Plan, implement, assess, and reflect on research- based instruction that responds to students’ diverse context-based needs.
- Use knowledge of theories and research about social justice, diversity, equity, and student identities to enhance students’ opportunities to learn in English Language Arts.
- Interact and collaborate knowledgeably with students, families, and colleagues, and actively develop as professional educators.
Major requirements*
- ENG 202 Introduction to Literary Studies (3 hours)
- ENG 213 Survey of English Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 227 Survey of American Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 280 Digital Literacy (3 hours)
- ENG 299 Literary Theory and Criticism (3 hours)
- ENG 335 Survey of World Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 340 Language: Structure and Meaning (3 hours)
- ENG 347 Mythology and Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 359C Tesserae Practicum (1 hour)
- ENG 359D Tesserae Practicum (1 hour)
- ENG 426 Professional Writing (3 hours)
- ENG 454A Senior Project (1.5 hours)
- ENG 454B Senior Project (1.5 hours)
Four additional courses from the following:
- ENG 325 The Renaissance (3 hours)
- ENG 341 18th and 19th Century Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 349 20th and 21st Century Literature (3 hours)
- ENG 425 Genre: Short Story (3 hours)
- ENG 427 Genre: Poetry (3 hours)
- ENG 429 Genre: Novella (3 hours)
- ENG 430 Genre: Drama (3 hours)
- ENG 440 Major Authors (3 hours) (can be repeated for credit – see course description)
Teacher Education Licensure Requirements
- EDUC150 Introduction to Education (2 hours)
- EDUC215 Foundations of Education (3 hours)
- EDUC216 Diversity Field Experience (1 hour)
- EDUC220 Educational Technology (3 hours)
- EDUC238E Teaching English in the Secondary Schools (3 hours)
- EDUC322 Educational Psychology (4 hours)**
- EDUC323 Introduction to Exceptionalities (4 hours)**
- EDUC329 Children’s and Adolescent’s Literature (2 hours)
- EDUC336 Introduction to the Reading Process (3 hours)
- EDUC343 Home, School, and Community (3 hours)
- EDUC344 Content Area Literacy (3 hours)
- EDUC352 Principles of Effective Secondary Instruction (3 hours)
- EDUC439 Secondary School Methods and Management (4 hours)**
- EDUC440 Student Teaching Seminar (1 hour)**
- EDUC449 Observation and Supervised Teaching in the Secondary School (4-12 hours)**
**Taken after formal admittance to the Teacher Education Program.
Cognate requirement
- MATH215 Introduction to Statistics and Probability (3 hours)
- PSYC112 General Psychology (3 hours)
- PSYC218 Child Psychology (3 hours) or PSYC252 Developmental Psychology (3 hours)
