The English Major
THE
ENGLISH MAJOR—By
majoring in English, students set out to refine their ability to comprehend
works of literature, to understand how literature and culture affect one
another, and to express their interpretations in speech and in writing. While
students may choose to concentrate either in LITERATURE or CREATIVE WRITING,
both concentrations are designed to equip students to achieve these goals by
requiring a minimum of twelve courses
divided into the categories below.
English Department Required Courses – Major Program in
Literature
1. Read a literary work closely
and critically.—English
260. Introduction
to Literary Studies. (This is a required course for all English majors,
beginning with the class of 2002.) The department strongly recommends that
students take English 260 before enrolling in any upper-level English course.
2.
Recognize the importance of the cultural
contexts in which each work locates itself. The department requires two
courses in “cultural
context.”
Beginning with the Class of 2005, one of the courses must be one of
the following surveys—English
204, 205, 210, 211, 213, or 217. Alternately, Guided Studies 252 or Guided
Studies 253 shall count as filling this requirement.
3.
Become knowledgeable about the broad
traditions of American and English literature. The department requires three
300/400-level courses emphasizing literature before 1800; two
300/400-level courses emphasizing literature after 1800; and two
courses as electives (at least one elective English course must be at the
300/400-level).
4.
Develop and refine the interpretive
theories and formal patterns students use to understand works of literature.—The
department requires one course in “literary
theory.”
5. Bring to bear on each work
students read all their experience as a reader and a critic.—The English major project may be a
thesis or a senior seminar, or, with special permission, a graduate course.
You should undertake your project in your senior year.
English
Department Required Courses –
Major Program in Creative Writing
Follow
numbers 1 and 2 listed above in the Major Program in Literature. In addition,
you need to complete the following:
3. Become knowledgeable about the
broad traditions of American and English literature. The department
requires three 300/400-level
courses emphasizing literature before 1800; and two
300/400-level courses emphasizing literature after 1800.
4.
Cultivate your talents for imaginative
writing. The department requires
the following two workshop(s)/electives.
All Creative Writing concentrators are required to take English 111. Fiction
writers should add English 110 as your second elective. Poets may select a
300/400-level course to serve as your second elective.
5.
Take one
advanced creative writing workshop. (English 334; English 336; or Theater
and Dance 393)
6.
Take a senior workshop in fiction,
poetry, or playwriting. (English 492; English 494; or Theater and Dance
493.) (Note: All 400-level Creative Writing workshops may be repeated for
major credit without securing advance special permission.)
Major Credit:
A course will count toward the major if the grade earned is a C- or higher.
Honors: A
select number of graduating seniors is chosen for departmental honors each
year. Candidates qualify for honors in the English Department by: (1)
attaining a cumulative average of A- or higher in all English courses
counted toward the major; and (2)
doing distinguished work in an English major project (or 400-level workshop
for Creative Writing concentrators).
Students who plan to continue the study of English in graduate school
should see Professor Chloe Wheatley or the Department Chair about special
preparation, preferably in their sophomore or early in their junior year.
COGNATE
COURSES—The
Department of English recommends that its majors work in the widest range of
fields, including mathematics and the natural sciences. We also urge students
to choose appropriate cognates from the following fields: American studies,
classics, comparative literature, educational studies, computer science, fine
arts (art history), history, international studies, modern languages and
literature, philosophy, psychology, religion, sociology, theater arts, and
women’s
studies. Majors should consult their advisers when choosing courses.
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