Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

English, B.A.


The English degree provides a strong academic foundation for a variety of careers as well as graduate or professional school. Students are introduced to literary research and analysis and the masterworks of ancient and medieval literature before advancing to required courses in writing, theory, and literature, both past and present. English majors are encouraged to study abroad in the third year. All students engage in original research in the senior capstone seminar

Program Requirements


The minimum number of credits (exclusive of the University’s Core curriculum) required for the major is 42. No more than 12 credits in 200-level courses may count toward the major.

English majors must meet the following English Department requirements. All courses must be passed with a grade of C- or better and six hours with a grade of B or better. Prior to beginning the English major, students must complete ENG 100 - College Writing  (or an equivalent writing course), ENG 102 - Academic Writing  (or an equivalent writing course), and ENG 140 - Reading Literature . After satisfying these prerequisites, students should take ENG 245 - Introduction to Literary Studies  before concentrating on more advanced work to complete the 42-credit major requirement. No more than six credits of the English major may be used to fulfill requirements for the minor in Creative Writing, the minor in Public and Professional Writing, nor the Certificate in Public and Professional Writing.

Prerequisites


Students must take the following courses before beginning study in the English Major. These courses do not count as credit toward the English major.

Interdisciplinary and Cultural Studies Course (3 credits)


At least one 300- or 400-level Interdisciplicary and Cultural Studies course

Historical Period Courses (12 credits)


Four 300- or 400-level historical period courses, one of which must be before 1800

Capstone Seminar (3 credits)


A Capstone seminar is a small class (limited to approximately 15 students) designed to encourage independent thinking, intensive student participation, and in-depth research on topics of the student’s choice related to the seminar topic. Typically seminars allow a professor to teach a focused subject of special interest, one on which the professor has done recent research or scholarly writing. Each semester, detailed descriptions of seminars will be published in the English Department’s Course Guide. Seminars satisfy the General Education Capstone requirement. Though they may also fulfill requirements under other categories, seminars still count as only 3 credits toward the major requirements.

USM Core Requirements


The USM Core Curriculum is a coherent, integrative, and rigorous liberal education that enables our graduates to be world-minded, intentional, life-long learners and captures your general education degree requirements. 

Please Note: Core requirements may be part of your major and/or minor, and Core may have been fufilled with transfer credit. Please consult your MaineStreet Degree Progress Report (DPR) and review your degree progress with your Advisor.  For additional information, access the USM Core webpage.