Academics

Department of English > Requirements

English Major
The department has designed a curriculum for English majors that reflects our commitment to the study of literature as well as writing. Hence we offer two areas of concentration: a literature track and a writing track. Both are grounded in a study of literary tradition. All majors learn how to read and interpret complex texts, how to relate one text to another and to a tradition, and how to read texts within historical and multicultural contexts. We offer literature courses organized in various ways, focusing on historical periods, single authors, literary types, thematic issues, multicultural literatures, and gender issues. Majors who choose the writing track elect to focus on either imaginative or nonfiction writing.

After choosing either a literature track or a writing track, students continue to diversify  and deepen their study in advanced courses appropriate to the track.

Literature Track Requirements
Classics of Literature Sequence (to be taken in chronological order): English 210, 211, and 212.

Two period courses from English 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 316, 331, 341, 342, 345, 351, 400, 401, 402, and 403.

One course from English 204, 216, 220, 221,  or a third course from the second list above.

English 450.

At least two electives to complete a nine-course minimum for the major.

Writing Track Requirements
Classics of Literature Sequence (to be taken in chronological order): English 210, 211, and 212.

Two courses from English 204, 216, 217, 218, 220, 221, 230, 253, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 316, 325, 331, 341, 342, 345, 351,  400, 401, 402, and 403.

The Writing Courses
For imaginative writers: 235; then 360, 361, or 242; and 440.

For nonfiction writers: 235; then 330 or 332; and 440.

At least one elective to complete a nine-course minimum for the major.

First-year students considering an English major are advised to take English 110 or 210. Once a major has been declared, the student will consult with a departmental advisor and work out an appropriate study program. Majors in the literature track who plan to do graduate work in literary studies should consult with their advisors and orient their programs toward the period courses and have a reading knowledge of at least one modern foreign language, preferably French or German. Special studies courses in which topics may vary from year to year may be taken more than once, but majors may count them only once toward the nine-course minimum for the major.

Students declaring the English major will be required to pass a qualifying examination within two semesters of declaring. The examination will involve defining 25 terms descriptive of literary form. These 25 will be drawn from a list of 75 that the department distributes in all its courses. All required 200-level courses in writing and literature will involve discussion of these formal terms. Except in extraordinary circumstances, students will have two chances to pass the exam.

English Minor
Classics of Literature Sequence: 210, 211, and 212, to be taken in chronological order.

Two courses from 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 330, 331, 341, 342, 345, 351, 360, 361, 400, 401, 402, and 403.

One course at 200 or above, to complete a six- course minimum for the minor.

Senior Rule
The following rule applies to all seniors majoring or minoring in English: No written work submitted for any course offered within the English department shall be considered acceptable unless it is free of errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage.