Major in English
We offer two areas of concentration: the Writing Track and the Literature Track.
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. Majors who choose the writing track practice their craft with four targeted creative courses, including two intermediate workshops in topics such as fiction, new media writing, poetry, and environment writing. We offer literature courses organized in various ways, focusing on historical periods, single authors, literary types, thematic issues, multicultural literature, and gender issues.
Requirements for the Major:
At least 10 credits
Literature Track
- Classics of Literature Sequence (must be taken in chronological order):
- English 210: Ancient and Medieval Literature
- English 211: English Literature I: The Renaissance and Eighteenth Century
- English 212: English Literature II: The Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
- American Literature Sequence
- 1 course from the 19th century or earlier
- English 203: Early American Literature
- English 204: Nineteenth Century American Literature
- English 216: African American Literature 1
- English 316: Voices of Reform: Nineteenth-Century African American Writings
- English 345: Nineteenth-Century American Novels
- 1 course from the 20th century or later
- English 205: Twentieth-Century American Literature
- English 206: American Environmental Literature
- English 217: African American Literature II
- English 218: Blues Women in African American Literature
- English 224: Special Studies: Literature of the Vietnam War
- English 228: Women Writing Women
- English 250: Contemporary Literature
- English 325: Black Literature of the 1960s
- English 326: Postmodernism
- 2 period courses chosen from:
- English 220: Shakespeare
- English 262: The History of the Book and Beyond
- English 300: Medieval Studies: The Chaucerian and Arthurian Traditions
- English 301: The Renaissance
- English 302: John Donne and His Contemporaries
- English 304: The Romantic Period
- English 305: Victorian Literature
- English 306: The English Novel
- English 308: Renaissance Drama
- English 316: Voices of Reform: Nineteenth-Century African American Writings
- English 321: Modern Fiction
- English 322: Modern Poetry
- English 331: The Enlightenment
- English 333: The Rise of the Novel
- English 345: Nineteenth-Century American Novels
- English 400: Herman Melville
- English 401: John Milton
- English 402: Geoffrey Chaucer
- English 403: Emily Dickinson
- English 404: W.B. Yeats
- At least 2 electives, one of which may be English 110: Literary Studies
- English 450: Theory of Literature to complete the Senior Studies Requirement (A senior thesis may be undertaken by approval of the Chair, but cannot be completed in lieu of the senior seminar.)
Writing Track
- Classics of Literature Sequence (must be taken in chronological order):
- English 210: Ancient and Medieval Literature
- English 211: English Literature I: The Renaissance and Eighteenth Century
- English 212: English Literature II: The Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
- American Literature Sequence
- 1 course from the 19th century or earlier
- English 203: Early American Literature
- English 204: Nineteenth Century American Literature
- English 216: African American Literature 1
- English 316: Voices of Reform: Nineteenth-Century African American Writings
- English 345: Nineteenth-Century American Novels
- 1 course from the 20th century or later
- English 205: Twentieth-Century American Literature
- English 206: American Environmental Literature
- English 217: African American Literature II
- English 218: Blues Women in African American Literature
- English 224: Special Studies: Literature of the Vietnam War
- English 228: Women Writing Women
- English 250: Contemporary Literature
- English 325: Black Literature of the 1960s
- English 326: Postmodernism
- Writing Courses
- English 135: Creative Writing (formerly English 235)
- 2 of the following:
- English 242 / Theater 270: Playwriting
- English 330: Advanced Nonfiction Writing
- English 332: Environmental Writing
- English 360: Creative Writing: Fiction
- English 361: Creative Writing: Poetry
- English 362: Creative Writing: New Media/Electronic Writing
- English 363: Writing Children’s Literature
- English 364: Creative Unwriting and Remix Workshop
- English 365: Poetry and Nature
- English 366: Creative Writing: The Essay
- Any English course at the 300 level or above, or English 220. English 440 and English 450 do not count for this requirement (for those declaring the major from Fall 2012 onward) OR at least one elective (for those who declared the major beginning Fall 2010 and before the start of the Fall 2012 semester)
- English 440: Advanced Writing Seminar/Tutorial: Re-Writing Chicago to complete the Senior Studies Requirement (A senior thesis may be undertaken by approval of the Chair, but cannot be completed in lieu of the senior seminar.)
Requirements for the Minor:
At least 6 credits
- English 210: Ancient and Medieval Literature
- 2 of the following 4 options
- English 211: English Literature I: The Renaissance and Eighteenth Century
- English 212: English Literature II: The Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries(prerequisite English 211)
- 1 course from the 19th century or earlier
- English 203: Early American Literature
- English 204: Nineteenth Century American Literature
- English 216: African American Literature 1
- English 316: Voices of Reform: Nineteenth-Century African American Writings
- English 345: Nineteenth-Century American Novels
- 1 course from the 20th century or later
- English 205: Twentieth-Century American Literature
- English 206: American Environmental Literature
- English 217: African American Literature II
- English 218: Blues Women in African American Literature
- English 224: Special Studies: Literature of the Vietnam War
- English 228: Women Writing Women
- English 250: Contemporary Literature
- English 325: Black Literature of the 1960s
- English 326: Postmodernism
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.
