English Major: Standard Program

Program Requirements

All standard majors require a minor in a second discipline or a second major.

English majors and minors must complete the required course ENG 250 Critical Approaches to Literature (GT-AH2) with a minimum grade of “C” before registering for upper-division courses in English.

A minimum of 39 credits is required, including a three-credit, upper-division literature elective, and the following:

ENG 161Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1)3
ENG 250Critical Approaches to Literature (GT-AH2)3
ENG 358Global Literatures: Studies in: The Underworld3
ENG 371Literary Theory and Criticism3
ENG 493Senior Seminar I: Studies in: Criminal Justice3
ENG 494Senior Seminar: Studies in:3
Select one of the following:3
Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Literary Culture of the American West
Environmental Literature (GT-AH2)
Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2)
Women Writers
Myth and Culture
Select one of the following:3
Creative Writing: Fiction
Creative Writing: Poetry
Creative Writing
Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
Select two of the following:6
British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts
British Literature: Milton through the Romantics
British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day
Major British Authors:
Select two of the following:6
American Literature Early to Civil War
American Literature-Civil War to Present
Major American Authors:
Total Credits36

Western Watershed General Education Requirements

Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate. 

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation.  Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above).  Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued. 

Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements

Degree Plans are for planning purposes.  They reflect a suggested plan to complete the degree in a projected timeframe per program of study.

"Western Watershed Course(s)” refers to a course from the Tributaries area of the Western Watershed program. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Sample Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
WWGE 101 Headwaters: Studies in Sustainability (Western Watershed Course) 2
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
ENG 161 Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) 3
Western Watershed Courses 6
 Credits14
Spring
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
ENGENG elective (200-level) 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
Western Watershed Courses 6
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ENG 220 Grammar and the English Language 3
ENG 250 Critical Approaches to Literature (GT-AH2) 3
Elective or Minor 3
Western Watershed Courses 6
 Credits15
Spring
ENG 358 Global Literatures: Studies in: The Underworld 3
Elective or Minor Courses 8
Western Watershed Courses 4
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENG 372
British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts
or British Literature: Milton through the Romantics
or British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day
3
ENG 230
Environmental Literature (GT-AH2)
or Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
or Literary Culture of the American West
or Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2)
or Women Writers
or Myth and Culture
3
Elective or Minor Courses 10
 Credits16
Spring
ENG 371 Literary Theory and Criticism 3
ENG 384
American Literature Early to Civil War
or American Literature-Civil War to Present
3
ENG 300
Creative Writing: Fiction
or Creative Writing: Poetry
or Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
3
WWGE 302 Delta: Studies in Global Knowledge 1
Elective or minor 6
 Credits16
Year Four
Fall
ENG 405 Advanced Writing 3
ENG 373
British Literature: Milton through the Romantics
or British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts
or British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day
3
ENG 493 Senior Seminar I: Studies in: Criminal Justice 3
Elective or Minor Coureses 6
 Credits15
Spring
ENG 384
American Literature Early to Civil War
or American Literature-Civil War to Present
3
ENG 494 Senior Seminar: Studies in: 3
ENG 499 Internship in English 2
Elective or Minor Courses 6
 Credits14
 Total Credits120

Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.