Note: Students seeking to major both in English and Creative Writing are advised to declare the “English Major with Emphasis in Writing,” which blends essential coursework in the two majors and requires two separate senior theses (one in literary analysis, one in creative writing).
English majors and minors are encouraged to download program worksheets, useful tools for tracking your progress toward your English degree.
Minimum of 13 courses, distributed as follows:
One gateway course
Nine courses at the 300/400 level, including one Approaches course, distributed as follows:
Two foundational courses in literary antecedents:
Two courses in literature before 1800, selected from:
Two additional courses in literature at the 300 level, at least one of which must be in literature written after 1800.
Three 400-level courses:
Three elective literature courses, at least two at or above the 200-level.
In the major in literature, one creative writing course is allowed, but expository writing and public speaking courses are not, with the exceptions that student teachers and students with an Emphasis in Writing may substitute English 310, Creative Nonfiction Workshop, for one literature elective.
Minimum of 13 courses, distributed as follows:
One gateway course
Seven literature courses at the 200/300 level, including one Approaches course, distributed as follows:
Two foundational courses in literary antecedents:
Two elective literature courses, at the 200-level or above
One 300-level course in literature written before 1800 (see relevant courses in the listing for the “English Major”)
One 300-level course in literature written after 1800 (consult online catalog for relevant offerings)
Four creative writing workshop courses, as follows:
Three 400-level courses:
Minimum of 18 courses, distributed as follows:
Eleven courses in literature:
One gateway course:
Eight courses at the 300/400 level, including one Approaches course, distributed as follows:
Two foundational courses in literary antecedents:
Two courses in literature before 1800, selected from:
One additional 300-level course in literature written after 1800.
Three 400-level courses:
Two elective literature courses at or above the 200-level.
(Students may substitute ENGL 310, Advanced College Writing, for one literature elective.)
Seven courses in writing:
One gateway course:
Two 300-level writing workshops:
Three 400-level courses:
One elective from the following:
Minimum of six courses, distributed as follows:
One gateway course
One 300-level course in Literature before 1800:
From list under major in Literature, to which may be added 329.
One 300-level course in Literature after 1800, selected from:
322, 323, 326, 350, 360, 365, 367, 370, 372, 373, 374, 375, 380, 382, 384, 385, and 386
Also ENGL 350, 367, 368, and 470 in literature after 1800
Three additional literature courses at the 200-level or above, to be selected in consultation with student’s advisor
At least three of the 300-level literature courses must be distinct from those used to satisfy the Creative Writing major.
Minimum of six courses, distributed as follows:
Five courses in Writing:
Two foundational writing courses:
Two 300- or 400-level Writing Workshops:
One or two elective courses totaling at least 3 credits:
One Literature course, either ENGL 190 or at the ENGL 200-level or above
Junior Review in the English major is a formal review of the courses you have taken to date and a conversation about your academic plans for senior year and your educational and career plans after graduation. Required prior to pre-registration in the spring of your Junior year, the review brings you, your advisor, and another full-time member of the department together to ensure that you are on track to meet all degree requirements, to agree upon your proposed course of study for your senior year, and to discuss possible senior project topics.
To prepare for the review, download the Junior Review Form, fill it out, and submit copies to your advisor and a consultant advisor of your choosing before the date that the three of you have set for the review.
In the spring of your junior year, you will begin developing your proposal for your Senior Project.
Literature Project Proposal Form
Creative Writing Proposal Form
As a senior English major, working in consultation with a faculty member in the department, you will produce a written senior project. It will be either a long paper exploring a particular author or subject or a manuscript of creative writing. As a rule, senior projects are written during the January term of senior year, though reading and research begin at an earlier date.
In the spring of your junior year, you will work with a faculty advisor to broadly define the project. Over the summer, you will read intensively in the subject area and begin to develop more specific ideas.
In the fall of your senior year, you will work with the advisor to develop a more focused and specific proposal. This proposal is then reviewed by a departmental committee and in some cases revised and clarified. You will then write the senior project under the direct guidance of the advisor, preferably during January term.
Finally, you will participate in a conference on the paper with the advisor and another department faculty member, known as the second reader. The grade for the project is assigned by the advisor in consultation with the second reader.
