The Major
Any student can enroll in the English major, but students must complete ENGLWRIT 112 College Writing with a grade of C or better before they can enroll in English 200 Intensive Literary Studies, the introductory course to the major. Exceptions are students who have tested out of College Writing through the University's writing placement test; have earned a high enough score on the AP Language and Composition Test; or have taken a college writing course elsewhere.
Students must earn a GPA of 2.00 or higher in all major requirements. English 200 can be taken concurrently with many other English courses.
Summary of Requirements
English 200 Intensive Literary Studies (1 course)
One course in early modern British Literature (Shakespeare counts) (1 course)
Two courses total: one course each in two of the following categories: (2 courses)
British Literature and Culture After 1700
American Literature and Culture Before 1865
American Literature and Culture After 1865
One course in global Anglophone or ethnic American literature, culture or rhetorics, 200 or higher level (1 course)
Departmental Electives (3 courses)
One elective must be at a 400 or higher level. One elective must be at a 300 or higher level. One elective must be at a 200 or higher level.
Writing and Criticism (1 course)
300 Junior Year Writing. (Topics for these courses change from semester to semester; students should contact the department.)
Integrative Experience (1 course)
Restrictions on acceptance of transfer credit:
A maximum of three courses from other institutions, including other members of the Five College system, may count toward the major. Students should pre-approve these courses before taking them and can do so at the English Undergraduate Office.
Options within the English Major
Upper-level and special-topics courses are opportunities for students to expand their knowledge and hone their skills in specific areas of interest. There is no requirement that students choose a particular focus for their upper-level courses, but they may choose to concentrate on an area of literature, rhetoric or culture that interests them, suits their career plans, or integrates with other academic programs they are pursuing. The department's faculty have a broad range of research and teaching specializations; students seeking to focus on particular areas may search the department's faculty webpage by specialization to identify the faculty whose interests align with their own. Any students thinking of going on to graduate-level work in English should consult their faculty advisor about what range of courses will best support a graduate-school application, and students intending to seek teacher-certification should similarly seek informed advising about course selection.
The Department also offers four areas of focus that confer Letters of Specialization and one certificate. American Studies, Creative Writing, Digital Humanities and Games (DHG), and the Study and Practice of Writing (SPOW) confer Letters of Specialization. American Studies offers a concentration that enables students to shape an interdisciplinary course of study in American culture, combining courses in literature with courses from other disciplines, such as history, art or Afro-American studies. Creative Writing involves a series of courses, mostly in the form of workshops, that develop students' craft in the writing of poetry, fiction or drama. Digital Humanities and Games aims to better prepare interested students for jobs that require both a familiarity with technology and sound written and communication skills. We believe this specialization will also help our students become critically informed and productive digital citizens. SPOW prepares students to rhetorically analyze, effectively participate in, and critically reflect on writing experiences across disciplines, professional workplaces, and community and civic environments. Professional Writing and Technical Communication (PWTC) is a five-course certificate program that provides training in professional research and editing, grant writing, software and hardware documentation, report writing, and business communications.
Majors interested in any of the specializations, including the PWTC certificate, should consult the Department's website for more information.
English majors are urged to consider the possibility of study abroad by taking advantage of the Department’s summer program in Oxford, or by engaging in a semester or year-long program at universities in Great Britain, Ireland, and other countries.
Honors in English
The Departmental Honors track serves the interests of students with the most intense passion for writing and criticism. To join the program, students must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.400, and should arrange to meet with the English Department Honors Program Director, Janis Greve, as soon as possible after becoming an English major to discuss course scheduling and writing interests. An appointment may be made in the Undergraduate Office, E345 South College, (413) 545-1612, ideally at the end of the sophomore year or early in the junior year, and subsequent meetings should be arranged as the thesis year approaches. To complete Departmental Honors, students must take four English honors courses with a grade of B+ or better, one of which may be at the 200 level, and two of which are either a 2-semester individually-contracted thesis or a 2-semester thesis/project seminar. All Departmenal Honors students are required to complete either a research-based, critical thesis or a creative writing project sponsored by an English faculty mentor.