Undergraduate programs

The study of English has long been considered one of the best ways to obtain a liberal education. Courses are designed to develop students’ critical capabilities, to deepen their understanding of diverse cultural issues, and to improve their abilities to analyze and produce complex texts. The department prepares its majors for careers in writing and teaching, as well as for a variety of professions in which high levels of literacy and critical thought are required.

Various concentrations in literature and writing allow students flexible ways to combine interests in the literary arts with personal and professional goals. Community-based learning courses encourage students to integrate their academic skills with experience in the metropolitan area. Indeed, the breadth of knowledge and the communication skills that English majors typically acquire make them attractive to many potential employers and prepare them for graduate work leading to professions such as law.

For those who wish to teach, the English Department prepares majors for graduate work leading to teaching certification or for entry into graduate master’s or doctoral programs in English. PSU graduates in English have gone on to succeed in advanced degree programs at many major universities.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

English B.A.

Creative Writing B.F.A.

English Minor

Writing Minor

Film Studies Minor

Secondary Education Endorsement (GTEP)

English B.A.

Requirements

In addition to meeting the general University B.A. and University Studies or Honors requirements, the English major will meet the following requirements for the B. A. degree:

Lower-division courses

Total Credit Hours:

8

Two courses selected from the following: (8 credits)

Eng 201	Introduction to Shakespeare	4
Eng 204	Survey of English Literature	4
Eng 205	Survey of English Literature	4
Eng 253	Survey of American Literature	4
Eng 254	Survey of American Literature	4
Eng 260	Introduction to Women?s Literature	4
Wr 200	Writing About Literature	4

Upper-division courses

Total Credit Hours:

52

English majors will be expected to choose their courses in consultation with their advisers. For upper-division coursework in the several groups, consult the following lists of acceptable courses:

Theory (Group A)

Eng 300

Introduction to the English Major

4

Elective in criticism and practice (4 credits)

Eng 414	Contemporary Composition Theories	4
Eng 416	History of Rhetoric	4
Eng 491	History of Literary Criticism and Theory I	4
Eng 492	History of Literary Criticism and Theory II	4
Eng 493	Advanced Topics in Feminist Literary Theory	4
Eng 494	Topics in Critical Theory and Methods	4

Literatures of Ethnicity, Gender, Class, and Culture (Group B)

Electives (8 credits)

Eng 305U	Topics in Film	4
Eng 309U	American Indian Literature	4
Eng 330U	Jewish and Israeli Literature	4
Eng 351U/BSt 351U	African American Literature	4
Eng 352U/BSt 352U	African American Literature	4
Eng 353U	African American Literature	4
Eng 367U	American Literature and Culture	4
Eng 372U/WS 372U	Topics in Literature, Gender, and Sexuality	4
Eng 373U	Topics in Literature, Race, and Ethnicity	4
Eng 387U	Women's Literature	4
Eng 420	Caribbean Literature	4
Eng 421	African Fiction	4
Eng 422	African Fiction	4
Eng 441	Advanced Topics in Renaissance Culture	4
Eng 443	British Women Writers	4
Eng 444	British Women Writers	4
Eng 445	American Women Writers: 19th Century	4
Eng 446	American Women Writers: 20th Century	4
Eng 467	Advanced Topics: American Literature and Culture	4
Eng 469	Advanced Topics in Asian-American Literature and Culture	4

Period Studies and British and American Literature (Group C)

12 credits, 3 courses total

One must be a Pre-1800 course and two courses must be 400-level

Pre-1800 courses

Eng 301U	Topics: Shakespeare	4
Eng 311	Tragedy	4
Eng 312	Comedy and Satire	4
Eng 314	The Epic	4
Eng 320U	The English Novel	4
Eng 340U	Medieval Literature	4
Eng 341U	Renaissance Literature	4
Eng 342U	Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature	4
Eng 343U	Romanticism	4
Eng 360U	American Literature to 1865	4
Eng 411	English Drama	4
Eng 426	Advanced Topics in Medieval Literature	4
Eng 430	Sixteenth Century Literature	4
Eng 440	Advanced Topics in Seventeenth Century Literature	4
Eng 441	Advanced Topics in Renaissance Culture	4
Eng 450	Advanced Topics in Eighteenth Century Literature	4
Eng 458	Advanced Topics in Romanticism	4
Eng 460	Advanced Topics in American Literature to 1800	4

Other Group C courses

Eng 313U	The American Short Story	4
Eng 321	English Novel	4
Eng 344U	Victorian Literature	4
Eng 345U	Modern British Literature	4
Eng 351U/BSt 351U	African American Literature	4
Eng 352U/BSt 352U	African American Literature	4
Eng 353U	African American Literature	4
Eng 363U	American Literature 1865-1965	4
Eng 364	American Fiction I	4
Eng 365U	American Fiction II	4
Eng 366	American Fiction	4
Eng 367U	American Literature and Culture	4
Eng 384	Contemporary Literature	4
Eng 385	Contemporary Literature	4
Eng 412	English Drama	4
Eng 461	Topics: American Literature to 1900	4
Eng 464	American Literature: 20th Century	4
Eng 467	Advanced Topics: American Literature and Culture	4
Eng 475	Advanced Topics in Victorian Literature	4
Eng 477	American Poetry	4
Eng 478	American Poetry	4
Eng 480	Advanced Topics in Twentieth Century British Literature	4
Eng 484	Modern Drama	4
Eng 485	Contemporary Drama	4
Eng 486	Contemporary American Novel	4
Eng 487	Contemporary American Short Story	4
Eng 488	Contemporary American Poetry	4

Writing, Rhetoric, Composition, and Linguistics (Group D)

One upper-division writing course elective (4)

Eng 331U	Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition Studies	4
Eng 413	Teaching and Tutoring Writing	4
Eng 414	Contemporary Composition Theories	4
Eng 415	Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition	4
Eng 416	History of Rhetoric	4
Eng 425	Practical Grammar	4
Eng 490	Advanced Topics in Rhetoric and Composition Studies	4
Ling 390	Introduction to Linguistics	4
Wr 300	Topics in Composition	4
Wr 312	Intermediate Fiction Writing	4
Wr 313	Intermediate Poetry Writing	4
Wr 323	Writing as Critical Inquiry	4
Wr 324	Advanced Writing About Literature	4
Wr 327	Technical Report Writing	4
Wr 328	Media Editing	4
Wr 330	Desktop Publishing I	4
Wr 333	Advanced Composition	4
Wr 394	Writing Careers for English Majors	4
Wr 400	Advanced Topics in Composition	4
Wr 412	Advanced Fiction Writing	4
Wr 413	Advanced Poetry Writing	4
Wr 416	Screenwriting	4
Wr 420	Writing: Process and Response	4
Wr 425	Advanced Technical Writing	4
Wr 426	Document Design	4
Wr 427	Technical Editing	4
Wr 428	Advanced Media Writing	4
Wr 429	Writing Computer Documentation	4
Wr 430	Desktop Publishing II	4
Wr 456	Forms of Nonfiction	4
Wr 457	Personal Essay Writing	4
Wr 458	Magazine Writing	4
Wr 459	Memoir Writing	4
Wr 460	Introduction to Book Publishing	4
Wr 461	Book Editing	4
Wr 462	Book Design Software	4
Wr 463	Book Marketing	4
Wr 464	Business of Book Publishing	4
Wr 465	Intellectual Property and Copyright	4
	appropriate adviser-approved, upper-division course	4

Wr 312, Wr 313, Wr 412, Wr 413, Wr 416, Wr 420, Wr 425, Wr 427 may be taken twice for credit.

Electives (Group E)

Any 300 or 400 level English or Writing Course (16 credits)

Courses to be selected from any upper-division English or writing course.

Alternate Courses

The following courses, depending on their content, may fulfill major requirements in Groups A, B, C, and D. Students should consult specific offerings each term and meet with their adviser to have them approved:

Courses

Eng 305U	Topics in Film	4
Eng 399	Special Studies	1-5
Eng 404	Cooperative Education/Internship	0-12
Eng 407	Seminar	1-6
Eng 410	Selected Topics	1-6
Eng 447	Major Forces in Literature	4
Eng 448	Major Figures in Literature	4

Total Credit Hours: 60

• Eng 300 Introduction to the English Major is the expected preparation for all 400-level courses in the English major.
• English majors in upper-division English courses are expected to be able to write a library research paper when required. The department recommends that majors without prior training in research paper writing enroll in Wr 222. Wr 222 does not count toward the English major.
• Only courses in which a student receives a C or above can count for the English major.
• No more than 12 credits taken for the Minor in Writing may be applied to the English major.
• No more that 8 credits taken for the Minor in Film Studies may be applied to the English major.
• A minimum of 24 credits in English and/or writing at PSU is required to graduate from PSU with a major in English.
• Only courses taken for a letter grade can count toward English major.
• One upper-division WLL Literature in Translation course may be used in English with adviser approval.
• Chiron courses will not count toward the English major or the Minors in English, Writing or Film Studies.