English

Chair: Associate Professor J. Lewin (also Director of General Education)
Faculty: Endowed Professors: William D. Williams Endowed Professor J. Murphy (also Director of Interdisciplinary Studies, on leave Spring 2025), Edward Everett Hale Jr. Endowed Professor J. Smith (Director of Creative Writing minor); Professors C. Bracken, A. Burkett (also Program Director of STS, Co-Director of the Templeton Institute), K. Doyle (on leave from English as Dean of Academic Departments and Programs), H. Jenkins, P. Wareh (on leave Spring 2025); Associate Professors B. Kuhn, K. Lynes, J. Mitchell (also Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging), J. Troxell (also Co-Director of Film Studies), B. Tuon, S. McAuliffe (on leave AY 2024-2025); Senior Lecturer in English and Russian A. Pease; Visiting Assistant Professors A. Juarez, K. Staudt
Staff: Debora Catharine (Administrative Assistant)

Recent Innovations in Union’s English curriculum:

New, six-course minor in Creative Writing begins this fall (see under minors).
Number of courses to complete an English literature minor reduced from seven to six.
“Confronting the Canon” & BIPOC authors courses added to the curriculum with the Class of 2025 (see below).
Major requirements for historical range remain in place (medieval to early-modern literature, Shakespeare, and pre-1900 literature).

In June 2020, Union’s English department affirmed the following pledge:

“We will restructure our curriculum so as to include and make visible the experiences of underrepresented students. We pledge to do more to center the lives and experiences of those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in our scholarship, teaching, and service both within and beyond the Union College community.” In order to put this pledge into practice we developed a “Confronting the Canon” series of courses (EGL 190-199) and expanded our offerings on literature by BIPOC authors in order to embed their lives and experiences into the undergraduate study of literature. One course on BIPOC-authored literary texts is required of all English students.

“Confronting the Canon” courses are designed to introduce questions raised when interrogating and reconfiguring what has long been considered the traditional, Western literary canon, with which English students are expected to be familiar. The courses emphasize the fact that English literary study has an established history of focusing on texts by white male authors, often at the expense of works written by, among others, women, writers of color, and queer writers. By confronting curricular choices and their implications, “Confronting the Canon” courses explore reimagining the canon intentionally. The courses ask questions such as: Who determined the canon? What does the canon perpetuate? Who is included and who excluded? What is at stake in upholding or dismantling it? What do we envision as our role in the field of English literary and cultural studies?

Course Selection Guidelines

Placement in Union’s English Curriculum:

Students enroll in any English 100-level course. If you have credit for AP exams see placement explanation below; regarding International Baccalaureate or A/O level credit, speak with English chair.

All Students, regardless of major:

All students may enroll in 100-level English courses, which fulfill CQ requirements and are prerequisites to English 200-level courses.
All 100-level courses are equal in difficulty. Students may not enroll in multiple English courses between 100-149 without permission.
“Confronting the Canon” courses between 190-199 are designed for and required of prospective English majors, who have priority, but are open to all (see also AP 5 information).
All 200-level courses are equal in difficulty and appropriate for prospective English majors and minors as well as other interested students (with one 100-level or AP 5 credit). (see below)

AP English general credit:

A score of four or five on Advance Placement exam in either English Literature or English Language transfers as one unassigned course credit toward the 36 credits required to graduate. An AP credit, however, does not substitute for requirements in the Complex Questions: Global Challenges & Social Justice general education system. An AP score of four transfers as one credit but does not fulfill the prerequisite of a 100-level English course for GenEd credit or further English study. For an AP score of five, see below.

Students scoring a “5” on AP English Exams:

The English Department recognizes a “5” on AP English Exams as fulfilling the prerequisite for 200-level coursework; by securing a waiver from the registrar, “AP 5” students may begin their studies in 200-level English courses. For prospective English majors, minors and IDs, an AP 5 score does not reduce the ultimate number of courses, but rather by eliminating a course between 100-189, de facto “AP 5” major, minors and IDs earn an extra elective. (More information for prospective majors or minors below).

Prerequisites in Union’s English curriculum:

One 100-level course is a prerequisite for any 200-level course. (Except: see AP 5 above)
300-level (Jr. seminar) EGL course registration requires a total of at least three English courses: one 100-level course (or AP 5) and two 200-level courses
400-level (Sr. seminar) EGL course registration requires a total of at least six English courses: one 100-level course (or AP), one 190-199 course, and four 200-level courses. Junior and Senior EGL seminars are designed mainly for majors, IDs and minors, who have priority. Some seats may be available to interested non-majors at the discretion of the instructor.

Summary of the requirements for the English major, English ID major, English minor and Creative Writing minor.

Requirements for the English Majors

Twelve courses, including:

two introductory-level courses:

one 100-189 (or AP 5) and one “Confronting the Canon” (190-199) course

seven intermediate courses (200-level), among which are required:

one course on Shakespeare; one pre-1700 course; one 1700-1900 course; one BIPOC-literature course; and three electives.

three seminars:

one junior seminar (300-level), one senior seminar (400-level), and a third seminar at either level.

FAQ:

Thesis is not required of English majors, who may still earn college GPA distinctions (summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude).
Students seeking Honors in English apply to write a thesis and take 14 English courses, the additional two courses being a two-term Honors thesis seminar, EGL 402-3, during the Fall-Winter of students’ senior year.
All English majors, including those who write a thesis, take a senior seminar to fulfill their WS requirement.
An AP 5 score may waive the required 100-level course (100-189), substituting a 200-level elective - but “Confronting the Canon” (190-99) and BIPOC lit remain requirements.

Requirements for the ID Majors

Eight courses, including:

two introductory-level courses:

one 100-level course (100-189) (or AP 5) and one “Confronting the Canon” (190-199) course

five intermediate courses (200-level), among which are required:

either a Shakespeare course (200 or 201) or a pre-1700 course (202-215); one BIPOC literature course and three electives

one seminar at the 300- or 400-level.

FAQ:

An AP 5 score may waive the required 100-level course (100-189) - substituting a 200-level elective - but “Confronting the Canon” and BIPOC lit remain requirements.
Interdepartmental majors must pay particular attention to the requirements of both departments and complete one senior seminar/project (WS) that satisfies both departments. English does not require a thesis but the other department in the ID major may require a combined thesis.
Students seeking an Honors ID degree combining English and another department have a 10-course requirement, the additional two courses being the two-term Honors thesis seminar (EGL 402-3, but assigned an individual Interdepartmental thesis number). ID Honors students should be sure to take EGL 302 Literary Theory during the Winter of their Junior year.

Requirements for the English Minor:

Six courses, including:

one 100-level course between (100-199) (including Confronting the Canon);

either a Shakespeare course (200 or 201), or a pre-1700 course (202-215), or a 300-level seminar;

one BIPOC- literature course;

three 200-level electives.

FAQ:

An AP 5 score may waive the required 100-level course (100-199) - substituting a 200-level elective - but not the BIPOC lit requirement.

Requirements for the Creative Writing Minor:

Six courses, including:

one 100-level course between 100-199 (including Confronting the Canon);

one BIPOC - literature course;

two 200-level creative writing workshops in two different genres (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, playwriting, screenwriting);

one 200-level course that is either a creative writing -cognate course, or a third creative writing workshop.

one 300- or 400-level creative writing workshop.

FAQ:

An AP 5 score may waive the required 100-level course (100-199) - substituting a 200-level elective - but not the BIPOC lit requirement.
A second 300/400- level workshop may substitute for one of the 200-level CW workshops with instructor’s permission.

For detailed information about the content of English department courses, departmental talks and activities, see our posters and emails, the English Department’s website (https://www.union.edu/english), Facebook page (“Union College English Department”), or Instagram account (@unionegl).

Programs

Bachelor of Arts

Minor

English Minor

Courses

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