English

Chair: Associate Professor J. Lewin (also Director of General Education)
Faculty: Endowed Professors: William D. Williams, Professor J. Murphy (also Director of Interdisciplinary Studies), Edward Everett Hale Jr. Professor J. Smith (also advisor for Creative Writing minor); Professors C. Bracken, A. Burkett (also Director of Science and Technology Society Program, Co-Director of the Templeton Institute, on leave Spring 2026), H. Jenkins (Term Abroad, Fall 2025), B. Tuon (on leave Spring 2026), P. Wareh (on leave Spring 2026); Associate Professors B. Kuhn, K. Lynes, J. Troxell (also Co-Director of Film Studies), S. McAuliffe; Senior Lecturer A. Pease; Visiting Assistant Professors A. Juarez, K. Staudt.

Affiliated Faculty: Professors K. Doyle (Dean of Academic Departments and Programs), J. Mitchell (Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging); Associate Professor Dan Venning (Department of Theater and Dance).

Staff: Debora Catharine (Administrative Assistant)

Union’s English curriculum:

Creative Writing minor began in Fall 2024.
English literature minor - reduced from seven to six courses in Fall 2024.
“Confronting the Canon” & BIPOC authors courses introduced in Fall 2021 (see details below).
Historical range requirements remain (medieval to early-modern literature (pre-1700), Shakespeare, and pre-1900 literature).

English curriculum rationale:

Our curriculum aims 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 [BIPOC] in our scholarship, teaching, and service, both within and beyond the Union College community.” To put this pledge into practice we expanded our curricular offerings focused specifically on literature by BIPOC authors and developed a series of courses called “Confronting the Canon.” These introductory-level “Confronting the Canon” courses introduce questions that interrogate and reconfigure what is considered the traditional, Western literary canon, with which English literature students are expected to be familiar. The “CTC” courses examine how English literary study has historically only read texts by British or American white male authors, often at the expense of works written by, among others, women, writers of color, queer writers, and other global English-language writers. By considering these 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? One of each of these course types is required of English department students.

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 O level credit, please speak with the English chair.

All Students, regardless of major:

All Union students may enroll in 100-level English courses, which have no prerequisites, fulfill a variety of Complex Questions Curriculum perspectives, and are prerequisite 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.
EGL 190-199 “Confronting the Canon” courses are open to all, but are designed for and required of prospective English majors, who have priority, (see also AP 5 information).
All 200-level courses are equal in difficulty and appropriate for English majors, 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 Advanced Placement exam in English Literature or English Language transfers as one unassigned course credit toward the 36 credits required to graduate. AP credit, however, does not substitute for Complex Questions: Global Challenges & Social Justice general education system requirements. An AP score of four transfers as one credit but does not fulfill the prerequisite of a 100-level English course for further English study. For an AP score of five, see below.

“AP 5s”: Students with top scores on AP English Exams:

The English Department recognizes a “5” on AP English Exams as fulfilling the prerequisite for 200-level coursework. After securing a waiver from the registrar for this score on either English AP exam, “AP 5” students may begin their studies in 200-level English courses. For prospective English majors, minors and IDs, a waiver of an introductory course for 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. Speak with the department chair regarding credit and/or placement for IB exams or O-levels.

More information for prospective English 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)
An EGL 300-level (Jr. seminar) course requires at least three prior English courses.
An EGL 400-level (Sr. seminar) course requires six or more prior English courses
Junior and Senior EGL seminars are designed for English majors, IDs and minors, who have priority. Some seats may be available to interested non-majors at the discretion of the instructor.

The following summarizes 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)

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:

English does NOT require a thesis, rather a WS (senior seminar) is the required capstone.
English majors are eligible to earn college GPA honors distinctions (summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude).
Students seeking English Honors must:
- Take EGL 302 Literary Theory (only offered in Winter)
- apply to write a thesis
- 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, must take a senior seminar.
An AP 5 score waives the 100-level course (100-189) and substitutes an extra elective, but “Confronting the Canon” (190-99) and BIPOC authors courses are required of all.

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 are required of all students.
Interdepartmental majors must pay particular attention to the requirements of both departments and complete one senior seminar/project (WS) that satisfies both departments. Although English does not require a thesis, the other department in the ID major may require a combined thesis.
Students seeking an Honors ID degree in combinination with English have a 10-course requirement, the additional two courses being the two-term Honors thesis seminar (EGL 402-3, although assigned an individual Interdepartmental thesis number). ID Honors students must take EGL 302 Literary Theory during the Winter of their Junior year.
To be eligible for an Honors degree, ID majors must achieve honors in both departments.

Requirements for the English (Literature) Minor:

Six courses, including:

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

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

one BIPOC-authors 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 authors 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 another writing workshop.

one 300- or 400-level creative writing seminar

FAQ:

An AP 5 score may waive the required course between 100-199 - substituting a 200-level elective - but not the BIPOC authors requirement.
With instructor’s permission, a second seminar-level workshop may substitute for a 200-level workshop.

For even more detailed information about English department courses, year-long schedule, special events, invited speakers and student activities (Sigma Tau Delta honors society), look for posters and emails, and to the English Department’s web page (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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