English Major Requirements

Students who entered the university in Spring 2025 or earlier should follow the requirements in place at the time of matriculation, but they may choose to update their requirements to the current ones.

Total Credit Hours: 30 above the 100 level (including at least 15 hours at the 300 level or above)

REQUIRED COURSES 15 credit hours	ENGL 201 Introduction to the English Major
ELECTIVES* 12 credit hours; at least 3 credit hours of the 12 must be at the 300 level   DISCIPLINARY COMMUNICATION 3 credit hours   CAPSTONE IN ENGLISH         ENGLISH MAJOR PORTFOLIO	ENGL 300 English Literature to 1800 ENGL 302 English Literature since 1800 ENGL 308 American Literature Additional 3-credit course in literature before 1800 (ENGL 310, ENGL 312, ENGL 320, ENGL 323, ENGL 324, ENGL 325, ENGL 327, ENGL 328, or ENGL 329)
	Suggested pathways					Design your own pathway You can design any pathway in consultation with your major advisor
	Literature	Concentration in creative writing	Concentration in film	Concentration in journalism	Rhetoric and language
	ENGL 380 Disciplinary Writing Seminar Suggested for junior year
	Capstone course designated in SIS with a C. A Capstone in English can be used towards the 12 credit hours of elective courses in English. If pursuing a double major or a secondary major in English, you may take the Capstone, with permission of the Chair of English, in your other major area.
	The English Major Portfolio should contain the following: ·       One essay from ENGL 201 ·       One essay from the required course in the concentration or from ENGL 300/302/308 if you did not declare a concentration ·       One researched essay from ENGL 380 ·       Capstone paper or project ·       Reflective Essay If your capstone is in another department, you will supply a copy of your capstone project for the English Department’s major portfolio requirement.

* Note: No more than one of the following can be used towards the 12 credit hours of elective courses: WRIT 210: Business Writing; WRIT 211: Writing for the Health Professions; WRIT 212: Legal Writing; WRIT 213: Introduction to Technical Communication; WRIT 250: Scientific Communication.

Revised: Spring 2025

The Capstone:
Under the SAGES Capstone structure in English, the department will offer a choice of cross-listed capstone courses each semester. These courses will enroll both capstone and non-capstone students, but capstone students will pursue different writing requirements. Each school year the department will offer cross-listed capstones in different fields of literary and cultural studies, as well as fields such as creative writing, journalism, and film.

Students who register for these cross-listed capstone courses (which are designated with a “C” after the regular course number) will be required to complete the same readings, attend the same classes, take the same quizzes and exams, and participate in the same class discussions as the students registered for the regular course. Capstone students, however, will not complete all the same writing assignments as non-capstone students. Instead, capstone students will  develop an independent research topic in the field of study covered by the course (though not limited to the books on the syllabus), and produce a research paper of approximately 25pp. (or in the case of an advanced creative writing or journalism course, a comparably ambitious independent project with an accompanying critical introduction). Capstone students will also be required to design an oral report on their project, delivered with the other capstone course projects for that semester as a separately scheduled public presentation at the end of the semester.

Prerequisites and other enrollment conditions for the cross-listed capstone courses:
All capstone courses have ENGL 380 as a prerequisite, and all require “Permission of Instructor” for registration. Some of the capstone courses (such as those in film, creative writing, and Renaissance studies) have an additional prerequisite to ensure that students have enough background expertise to complete a capstone project in that specific area of study. Students should plan ahead and speak with their major advisor about the prerequisites (which are listed in the English Course Descriptions and University General Bulletin) and about capstone planning in general.

With the exception of the Creative Writing courses, students will not be able to repeat a course for capstone credit if they have taken that exact same course before in its regular version (i.e. with the same syllabus and subtitle).

How to enroll in an English capstone:
If you are planning to complete your capstone in English, look over the list of fall capstone offerings and projected spring capstone offerings and determine which ones best fit your interests and schedule. You should then make sure you have the required prerequisites for the capstone you have chosen and that you are eligible to enroll. Discuss your capstone choice with your major advisor and request permission to enroll with the faculty instructor listed for the course. Then, once you have received permission of instructor, you may enroll for the capstone “C” section of that course.

These capstone classes are also open to non-majors who have taken ENGL 380 (departmental seminar) and who have met any additional prerequisites that may be required.

Students minoring in English, creative writing, or film may take their capstone in English, but must fulfill the prerequisites to enroll.

Departmental honors

To qualify for honors, English majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.75 in English courses taken for honors and follow a track consisting of at least 33 hours above the 100-level, including the general requirements for the major; at least 18 hours of approved electives in literary and cultural studies; and a designated capstone course in English.

*Capstones completed in Integrated Language Arts (EDUC 390C) will count as capstones in English.