Bachelor of Arts in English
Coordinator: Dr. Claudia M. Champagne
Program Description
The English curriculum offers a broad spectrum of courses aimed at training students
- to think clearly,
- to communicate effectively,
- to read carefully,
- to analyze and interpret critically, and
- to appreciate the aesthetic beauty of great literature.
Along with required survey courses in American and British literature, the curriculum requires courses in Shakespeare, Advanced Composition, and a 400-level seminar course. Other courses include Women in Literature, World Literature, Southern Literature, African-American Literature, and Creative Writing. A Special Topics seminar is offered as needed; possible topics are Linguistics, Literary Criticism, Christianity and Literature, The Bible as Literature, and Epic Poetry. During their senior year, English majors must 1) serve as interns in a pre-professional capacity in a communications-related field, such as book editing, public relations, television, radio, or newspaper, or 2) pursue an approved independent study project manifesting scholarly-level writing and research and aimed at producing a Senior Thesis or engage in a creative writing project as a Senior Thesis.
Student Learning Outcomes of the English Program:
Upon successful completion of the English Program, English majors should be able to
- demonstrate critical thinking;
- demonstrate effective oral and written communication;
- critique literary passages in terms of style, tone, historical context, genre, and technique;
- identify themes common to various genres of both British and American literary works; and
- critically analyze literary works.
Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in English Program
The English Program has an open enrollment policy; all students who are admitted to the University and who declare the major are admitted.
Requirements for the English Major
An undergraduate major in English consists of a total of 39 semester hours in English courses. English majors must complete 30 semester hours from courses above the 9 hours of General Education requirements in English (ENG 101, 102, and 200). Most of the courses in the English major are required.
All English courses, both General Education (ENG 101, 102, and 200) and major courses, must be passed with a grade of C or higher for students to be eligible for graduation. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher is also required.
English courses at the 300 and 400 levels, except ENG 321 (Creative Writing) and ENG 401 (Advanced Composition) are offered according to a 2-year cycle. Students are advised to plan ahead as early as possible to make sure their major is well balanced and that courses they wish to take are available.
Note: MAT 100A and 100B are not accepted as electives.
Freshman
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| | | |
| HIS 101 | History of Western Civilization I | 3 |
| | And | |
| HIS 102 | History of Western Civilization II | 3 |
| | | |
| MAT 105 | College Algebra | 3 |
| PHI 207 | Introduction to Logic & Critical Thinking | 3 |
| SPE 101 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| THE | Theology Elective | 3 |
| | Biological Science Elective | 4 |
| FRE/LAT/SPA | Foreign Language Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 31 |
Sophomore
| ENG 200 | Introduction to Literary Forms | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 250 | American Literature I | 3 |
| | And | |
| ENG 251 | American Literature II | 3 |
| | | |
| HIS 201 | History of the United States I | 3 |
| | And | |
| HIS 202 | History of the United States II | 3 |
| | | |
| MAT | Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| | Art/Fine Arts/Music Elective | 3 |
| FRE/LAT/SPA | Foreign Language Elective | 3 |
| | Natural Science Elective | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 29 |
MAT (Mathematics Elective): above 105
Junior
| ENG 300 | British Literature I | 3 |
| | And | |
| ENG 301 | British Literature II | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG | English Elective | 3 |
| PHI | Elective | 3 |
| SOC/PSY | Electives | 6 |
| | Social Science Elective | 3 |
| | Art/Fine Arts/Music Elective | 3 |
| | General Electives | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 30 |
ENG (English Elective): 300 level or above
Senior
| ENG 401 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| ENG 352 | Shakespeare I | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 407 | Seminar in Selected Topics | 3 |
| | Or | |
| ENG 410 | Shakespeare II | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 498 | Senior Internship | 3 |
| | Or | |
| ENG 499 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG | English Elective | 3 |
| | Art/Fine Arts/Music Elective | 3 |
| THE | Theology Elective | 3 |
| | General Electives | 9 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 30 |
ENG (English Elective): 300 level or above
Total Credit Hours: 120
English Summary
| English |
39 |
| Art/Fine Arts/Music Electives |
9 |
| Foreign Language |
6 |
| History |
12 |
| Mathematics |
6 |
| Natural Sciences |
9 |
| Philosophy |
6 |
| Social Sciences |
9 |
| Speech |
3 |
| Theology |
6 |
| General Electives |
15 |
| Total |
120 |
Required Courses for English Minor
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| | And | |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 200 | Introduction to Literary Forms | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 250 | American Literature I | 3 |
| | And | |
| ENG 251 | American Literature II | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 300 | British Literature I | 3 |
| | And | |
| ENG 301 | British Literature II | 3 |
| | | |
| ENG 352 | Shakespeare I | 3 |
| ENG | Elective 300 or 400-level | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
Note: All English courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher for the successful completion of the English minor.
Requirements for Certification to Teach English At the Secondary Education Level:
Students who want to be certified to teach English at the Secondary Education level (Grades 6-12) may use their General Electives to fulfill 12-16 hours of the following Education requirements:
Required
| EDU 301/EDU 301 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU 304A | The Learner with Special Needs | 3 |
| EDU 306 | Classroom Organization & Management | 3 |
| EDU 311 | Teaching Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| EDU 345 | Professional Laboratory Experience Program | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12-16 |
EDU 345: May be taken after graduation, must have passed PRAXIS I and II as a prerequisite
Requirements
Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a GPA of 3.00 in all EDU courses, students may complete the ALTERNATIVE PATH TO CERTIFICATION IN SECONDARY (Grades 6-12) EDUCATION by passing the PRAXIS I and II and successfully completing the following courses:
Post-Baccalaureate certification
Please see the admissions requirements given in the Department of Education’s description of the Alternative Certification Program in this Catalog. English majors who wish to complete certification at the secondary level should consult an Education advisor.