Academic Catalog 2019-2020 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
Academic Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

English, B.A.


Requirements for the Major:


The English major requires twelve courses: two introductory, seven intermediate, and three advanced. The English major does not require a senior thesis, except for those applying for Honors (see below).

Two Introductory Courses chosen from the following:


Seven Intermediate Courses:


At least one Introductory Course is a prerequisite to courses at the Intermediate level (see exception for students who received a 5 on their AP exam in either English language or literature). In this group, majors must complete the following required courses:

*One course on literature from a period before 1700 (202-215):


Four more intermediate courses of choice (200-299):


In addition to the courses listed above, these include the following:

Three Advanced Courses:


Advanced courses, or Junior and Senior Seminars, are writing intensive and research oriented. Majors must complete three advanced courses, including one Junior and one Senior Seminar, and a third seminar of choice. Students must take at least two Intermediate Courses before enrolling in a Junior Seminar. Students must take at least four Intermediate Courses and both Introductory Courses before enrolling in a Senior Seminar. Students are strongly advised to take Junior Seminar before enrolling in a Senior Seminar.

Requirements for English Honors: Thesis (402-3):


Fourteen courses are required for honors, which includes the usual twelve plus a two-term honors thesis seminar, EGL 402  and EGL 403 . The two-term thesis does not replace the required senior seminar. Other qualifications to be eligible to apply to write an honors thesis include a 3.3 GPA both cumulatively and in the English major; the Literary Theory seminar; an accepted proposal (submitted during fourth week of Spring Term, students’ junior year). See the English Department website for a more complete description. 

In this seminar, students are expected to learn research methods, discuss their subjects and approaches to them, and share ideas and writing, as they work toward completing their individual theses under the direction of the seminar instructor. Prospective Honors thesis writers are required to take the Literary Theory Seminar EGL 302  in Winter of their Junior year, prior to applying to write a thesis, whether proposing a creative or an analytical thesis. Students proposing creative theses are strongly encouraged to have already participated in a creative writing workshop in the proposed genre. Interested students should discuss possible thesis subjects with their advisor and other departmental members in order to develop an appropriate thesis topic. Prospective Honors students are required to submit a two-to three-page thesis proposal and writing sample in Spring of their junior year, for review by the department’s Honors selection committee.