English, B.A., Literature

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Kate McCarthy-Gilmore, Ph.D., Chair

General Education	36-39 credits
Major	36 credits
General Electives	45-48 credits

The English program offers majors in Creative Writing and Literature, and many students choose to double major in both. The program also offers minors in English and in Rhetoric and Public Writing .

Student Learning Outcomes - English: Literature

Demonstrate critical reading skills required to articulate a persuasive and insightful close reading, and a persuasive and insightful formal or structural analysis of a literary text (Goal #1 common to all Literature/Writing majors).
Demonstrate the rhetorical skills required to make a persuasive and insightful written argument using evidence from a literary text. (Goal #2 common to all Literature/Writing majors).
Integrate source material from literary research accurately, smoothly, and usefully into an argument, citing sources according to prevailing conventions.
Demonstrate a clear understanding of the elements of literature, including plot, structure, character, setting, ideas, point of view, imagery, metaphor, symbolism, allegory, and prosody.
Articulate how a work of literature may be understood in its social context, including such contexts as biography, psychology, gender, ethnicity, race, class, religion, nationality, or sexuality, as well as political, social, religious, intellectual or cultural history.
Articulate how a work of literature may be understood in the context of literary history (including such concepts as the Renaissance, Romanticism, or Modernism), as well as the context of the history of aesthetic movements (including such concepts as classicism, romanticism, realism, naturalism, or surrealism), and the context of literary traditions (including such concepts as genre, sub-genre, myth, archetype, or mode).
Orally articulate their composition and revision processes, and explain how the study of literature and individual authors provides them with models and an understanding of literary conventions and traditions which informs their own writing.

General Education Requirements

Requirements for the major in English: Literature (B.A.):

L.ENG 145 - Literature and Public Life-EI Credits: 3
L.ENG 200+: One additional Literature course (not general education) Credits: 3
L.ENG 200+: One additional Literature course (not general education)
L.ENG 468 - Thinkers, Critics, and Public Intellectuals Credits: 3
L.ENG 490 - Senior Literature Capstone-IN Credits: 3
L.ENG 490D - Capstone Defense Credits: 0

Select one from:

(Diversity)

L.ENG 221 - World Literature: Beginnings to Middle Ages-EC Credits: 3
L.ENG 222 - World Literature: Renaissance to Modern Credits: 3
L.ENG 224 - African American Literature Credits: 3
L.ENG 253 - Native Voices Native Lives-EC Credits: 3
L.ENG 285 - Modern Irish Literature & Culture Credits: 3

Select one from:

(British Literature, pre-1800)

L.ENG 333 - Shakespeare Before 1600 Credits: 3
L.ENG 334 - Shakespeare After 1600 Credits: 3
L.ENG 337 - Medieval & Renaissance British Literature Credits: 3
L.ENG 351 - Milton & 17th Century Literature Credits: 3
L.ENG 352 - 18th Century British Literature Credits: 3

Select two from:

(British Literature, 1800 to Present)

L.ENG 340 - Romantic Age: 1798-1832 Credits: 3
L.ENG 341 - Victorian Age: 1832-1901 Credits: 3
L.ENG 342 - Victorian Age Novel Credits: 3
L.ENG 343 - British/Irish Poetry 1900-Present Credits: 3
L.ENG 344 - British Fiction 1900-Present Credits: 3
L.ENG 345 - British Drama 1890-Present Credits: 3
L.ENG 355 - English Novel: 1800-1840 Credits: 3

Select two from:

(American Literature)

L.ENG 224 - African American Literature Credits: 3
L.ENG 325 - American Literature: 1820-1860 Credits: 3
L.ENG 326 - American Literature: 1861-1900 Credits: 3
L.ENG 328 - American Literature: Modern & Contemporary Poetry Credits: 3
L.ENG 329 - American Literature: Modern & Contemporary Drama Credits: 3
L.ENG 330 - American Literature: Modern Prose, 1900-1945 Credits: 3
L.ENG 331 - American Literature: Contemporary Prose, 1945-Present Credits: 3
L.ENG 332 - Major American Authors Credits: 3

Select one from:

(Major Figures)

L.ENG 332 - Major American Authors Credits: 3
L.ENG 333 - Shakespeare Before 1600 Credits: 3
L.ENG 334 - Shakespeare After 1600 Credits: 3
L.ENG 351 - Milton & 17th Century Literature Credits: 3

Department Courses

English Courses

Double Major in Literature & Creative Writing (B.A.):

Students must complete 33 literature credits plus a Senior Literature Capstone, as well as 18 creative writing credits plus a Senior Thesis Seminar. They also must defend both a Literature Capstone paper, and a Creative Writing Thesis.