Major/Minor Requirements
The Major
What are the requirements to major in English?
All English majors take four upper-level classes in literature and culture across the centuries, exposing them to the textual foundations of America, Britain, and the Anglophone world.
The six remaining courses depend on their concentrations. They can choose from four options to focus their English studies: Creative Writing, Literature, Rhetoric and Writing, and Technical Communication.
Major Concentrations
Creative Writing
Creative writers develop their imaginations and learn how to tell stories in engaging ways. They explore the diversity of creative genres, from fiction to poetry to screenwriting to nonfiction. They cultivate their ability to describe the world in startling ways and create compelling visions of life as it is and as it should be.
Literature
Literature buffs dive deep into the cultures of English-speaking nations. They understand how stories shape the way we think, and they can explain and communicate what various texts mean. They make forceful arguments about how we should interpret the data, and they offer surprising insights by using their robust analytic skills.
Publishing
A concentration in Publishing can open doors to a wide range of careers in the real world, especially in industries related to books, magazines, digital media, and content creation. If you love reading or storytelling, this concentration will give you the practical and creative tools to create, design, and market literature and more.
Rhetoric & Writing
The rhetoricians are particularly attentive to genres of writing and how to tailor communication to effectively address diverse audiences. They understand how to build persuasive arguments with a mixture of logic, feeling, and ethical force. They know writing inside out and how most fittingly to get a point across to other people.
Technical Communication
Technical communicators know the importance of precision in writing for the sciences and other specialized fields. They organize information like pros and understand how to present data and text efficiently and effectively. They make technical details accessible, appreciative that knowledge can’t advance without clear communication.
Double Concentrations
Students may choose to pursue two of the above concentrations. To do so, they must take at least four distinct courses (12 hours) in the additional concentration. One course may overlap between the two concentrations. For details on this option, please talk to our English advisor, Kirsten Pitcock.
Declaring English
Declare Your Major
Congratulations on your decision to become an English major! We are excited to take this journey with you. We have many resources as you pursue your interest here at our Course Conversations area, and here at our Career Tracks area.
English Major Handbook & Curriculum Checklist
Use this English major handbook and curriculum checklist to ensure you have the correct prerequisites and number of hours to complete your degree.
Forms
- Petitions (we highly recommend consulting with your English advisor or the Director of Undergraduate Studies about petitioning courses)
- Independent Study Guidelines
- Earning Academic Credit for an Internship
- Sample Internship Proposal
- Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society Application
Assistance
If you have questions about requirements for either minor, please reach out to our dedicated English advisor, Kirsten Pitcock.
The Minor
The perfect complement to any major.
An English minor is a perfect complement to majors in other fields, especially those that do not offer much training in written communication. The general minor in English offers almost complete freedom in taking what classes interest you, allowing you to improve those writing and analytic skills so highly in demand across all professions.
Minor in English
The general Minor in English is achieved by taking five classes in any topic or concentration, with at least four that are upper-level (300 or 400), including one 400-level class minimum. One 200-level course may be counted among the five required classes.
Minor in Technical Communication
The more specialized Minor in Technical Communication focuses on writing for the sciences and other expert fields. Technical communication minors learn to organize information like pros and understand how to present data and text efficiently and effectively.
Technical communication minors choose among the following courses:
- at least three courses in technical communication (chosen from 360, 460, 461, 462, 466, or any special topics course in technical communication)
- one course in expository writing, argumentative writing, language, rhetoric, or another technical communication course (chosen from 355, 357, 360, 371, 372, 455, 460, 461, 462, 466, 470, 471, 472, 484, 485, 495, or 496)
- any other 300- or 400-level English course
Assistance
If you have questions about requirements for either minor, please reach out to our dedicated English advisor, Kirsten Pitcock.