English

Chair: Associate Professor J. Lewin (also Director of General Education)
Faculty: Professors C. Bracken; A. Burkett (also Director of the Templeton Institute and of the Program in Science, Technology and Society); B. Kuhn; William D. Williams Professor J. Murphy (also Director of Interdisciplinary Studies); B. Tuon; Edward Everett Hale, Jr. Professor P. Wareh; Associate Professors K. Lynes (also Director of Africana Studies); J. Troxell (on leave AY 2026-27); S. McAuliffe (Term Abroad, Fall 2026, also advisor for Creative Writing); 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).

Faculty Emeriti: Hugh Jenkins; Jim McCord; Jordan Smith; Ruth Stevenson.

Staff: Debora Catharine (Administrative Assistant)

Placement in Union’s English Curriculum:

All 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 General Education perspectives, and are prerequisite to English 200-level courses.
100-level courses are all equal in difficulty.
Students should 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). These courses, if taken as a second 100-level, do not count toward an eventual minor.
200-level courses are all equal in difficulty and appropriate for all interested students who have either taken a 100-level prerequisite or scored 5 on either English literature or language exam AP 5 credit, see below).

Prerequisites in Union’s English curriculum:

One 100-level course is a prerequisite for any 200-level course. (See waiver for top exam scores).
Take at least three English courses before enrolling in a 300-level (Jr. seminar).
Take six or more courses before enrolling in a 400-level (Sr. seminar.
English department Junior and Senior seminars are designed for English majors, IDs and minors, who have priority. Some seminars cross-count with interdisciplinary programs, in which case seats may be available at the discretion of the instructor.

Credit for AP, IB, or A levels:

Advanced Placement exams in English Literature or English Language with scores of 4 or 5 may be recorded for entering students as unassigned course credit(s) toward the 36 credits required to graduate.
AP credit, however, does not fulfill Complex Questions General Education requirements.
An AP score of 4 counts as a credit but does not change a student’s placement level (does not replace the prerequisite of a 100-level English course) for further English studies.

Placement according to AP, IB, or A level scores:

The English Department recognizes top scores (5) on AP English Exams or comparable scores on IB exams or O-levels as adequate preparation for placement in 200-level coursework.
Exam scores must be reported to the Registrar, who will then verify and issue a waiver of the 100-level prerequisite so students may begin their studies in 200-level English courses.
Note that a waiver of an introductory course does not reduce the ultimate number of courses required prospective English majors (12), minors (6), and IDs (8), but rather, by eliminating one required introductory course, de facto “AP 5” students earn an extra elective toward their English major, minor or IDs.

The following summarizes requirements for the English major, English ID major, English minor and Creative Writing minor and includes FAQs for each.

Requirements for the English Majors

Twelve courses, including:

two introductory courses:

one between 100-189 and one “Confronting the Canon” (190-199) course

seven intermediate courses (200-level)

one course on Shakespeare; one on literature before 1700; one on literature between 1700-1900; one on literature written by BIPOC authors; and three free electives.

three seminars:

one junior seminar (300-level), one senior seminar (400-level), and a third seminar of choice.

*(Only) English honors students write a two-term thesis (as 13-14^th courses).

FAQ:

English does NOT require a thesis; a senior seminar (WS) is required of all honors-, double- and regular majors. For ID majors, see below.
All English majors are eligible to earn college GPA distinctions (eg. summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude).
Students seeking English departmental Honors must write honors theses, which includes:
- Taking EGL 302 Jr. Seminar: Literary Theory, offered each winter term, only during winter term;
- Submitting a thesis proposal the third week of spring term (normally junior year)
- Completing 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 must take a senior seminar, “Confronting the Canon” and a BIPOC authors courses.

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), including:

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

one seminar at the 300- or 400-level*.

*ID honors students write a two-term thesis (shared between departments).

FAQ:

An AP 5 waiver may be used to skip the required introductory course (100-189) and substitute a 200-level free elective.
*ID majors must meet the requirements of both contributing departments, which may include completing one senior seminar/project (WS) that combines and satisfies both departments (IDM 498-499). Although English does not require a thesis, the other department in the ID major may require one.
Students seeking an Honors ID degree in combination with English have a 10-course requirement, the additional two courses being attendance in the two-term Honors thesis seminar (EGL 402-3, although students register for an interdepartmental thesis IDM 498-9). ID Honors students must take EGL 302 Literary Theory during the Winter of their Junior year in order to qualify to write honors thesis.
To be eligible for an Honors degree, ID majors must achieve honors in both departments.
All English ID majors must take “Confronting the Canon” and BIPOC authors courses.

Requirements for the English 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 be used to waive the introductory course (100-199) - substituting a 200-level elective - but not the BIPOC authors requirement.
Only one 100-level course (100-199) counts toward the six-course minor.

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 be used to waive the introductory course (100-199) - substituting a 200-level elective - but not the BIPOC authors requirement.
Only one 100-level course (100-199) counts toward the six-course minor.
With permission, a second seminar-level workshop may substitute for a 200-level workshop.

For detailed, up-to-date information about English department courses, year-long schedule, special events, invited speakers and student activities, look to the English Department’s web page (https://www.union.edu/english), Facebook page (“Union College English Department”), or Instagram account (@unionegl), for posters and sign up for department email.

Programs

Bachelor of Arts

Minor

English Minor

English

Programs

Courses