What Is an English Major?
Well, let's see. It depends. Do you just mean someone who likes to read, likes to write, and wants either to enjoy both or to make a living at reading or writing? Do you mean someone with the Literature Option or with the Professional Writing Option? Or do you mean just someone smart enough to look for a major that will land an inside job with no heavy lifting?
What Can a Major Do?
Hey, it's almost like what can't a major do? Sure, there are some pretty technical things some majors learn, but anybody can learn technical details!
A major can go into advertising, business management, education (both teaching and administration!), government, politics, and writing of many kindsfreelance (ah, the time to think!), journalism, military (yup), science, industry, and even television and film (Michael Eisner is an English major).
Of course, some of these mean you might want to choose a minor carefully or (why not?) a second major, but the English major is what makes you able to take on all kinds of jobs. After all, you learn to think, not just to memorize, you learn to read critically, not just to skim mechanically, and you learn to write effectively, not just to plop down some words.
And if you want, you can go on to graduate school in maybe more fields than any other undergraduate major will prepare you for:
- British Literature
- American Literature
- Rhetoric & Composition
- Technical & Professional Writing
- American Studies
- Comparative Literature
- Law
- Education
- Library Science
- Religious Studies
- Political Science
- Administration
- Business
- Classics
- History
Where should you stop? Nowhere. Whew. And why should you stop? As you start out and continue, you keep learning new stuff all the time, and that will lead you into many new lands of imagination and experience.
Literature Option
Description
This option lets you explore the basics of what literature is all about in a historical context, while leading you towards contemporary and local literary creations.
Coursework
123 hours needed for graduation
General Education
51-53 hours
English Courses
42 hours thus:
Core Courses, ALL of
230 Introduction to General Linguistics
250 Introduction to English Literature
303 Expository Writing
315 Shakespeare
334 Principles of Literary Criticism
401 History of the English Language
477 Senior Seminar (for majors Fall 2003+)
American Literature, ONE of
316 Americal Literature to 1860
317 American Literature 1860-1940
408 Contemporary American Literature
Diversity Component, ONE of
337 The Black Writer in America
338 Black Novelists in America
339 Black Poets in America
340 Readings in African Literature
342 Women Writers
343 Appalachian Literature and Culture
World Literature (for majors Fall 2006+), ONE of
320 Literature of the Western World I
321 Literature of the Western World II
350 World Literature, Classical Era
351 World Literature, Modern Era
six more 300- and 400-level English courses, or
five more for majors Fall 2003+, or
four more for majors Fall 2006+
Cognates
6 hours of a foreign language at 200-level or higher
3 hours of British, American, or World History (can be cross-listed with General Education)
Electives
21 hours or as needed
Professional Writing Option
Description
This option lets you establish an understanding of and some experience in writing for a variety of purposes, with an eye kept keenly on the skills expected of those who write for a living.
Coursework
123 hours needed for graduation
General Education
51-53 hours
English Courses
42 hours thus:
Core Courses, ALL of
112 Technical Writing
204 Writing for Business
225 Journalism
250 Introduction to English Literature
303 Expository Writing
304 Introduction to Creative Writing
315 Shakespeare
334 Principles of Literary Criticism
477 Senior Seminar (for majors Fall 2003+)
Language Study, ONE of
230 Introduction to General Linguistics
255 The Power of Language
306 Principles of Grammar
401 History of the English Language
American Literature, ONE of
316 Americal Literature to 1860
317 American Literature 1860-1940
408 Contemporary American Literature
Diversity Component, ONE of
337 The Black Writer in America
338 Black Novelists in America
339 Black Poets in America
340 Readings in African Literature
342 Women Writers
343 Appalachian Literature and Culture
Writing Group 1, ONE of
227 Copy Editing and Makeup
430 Poetry Writing Workshop
431 Fiction Writing Workshop
432 Creative Nonfiction
Writing Group 2, ONE of
310 Technical & Report Writing
429 Writing for Publication
Cognates
9 hours of your Area Study (12 hours before Fall 2003)
6 hours of a foreign language at 200-level or higher
Art 213 Graphic Design or Art 217 Computer Graphics
Electives
21 hours or as needed