Guide for English Majors and Minors
New major requirements effective Fall 2010 for all new freshmen, new transfer students, and students changing majors to English.
Continuing students who were English majors before Fall 2010 must meet the previous set of requirements, still included below.
If you are confused about this, contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Ali Schultheis Moore.
English
- Core Requirements (21 semester hours)
- Historical Perspectives
- Medieval to Enlightenment, one (1) course from the following: ENG 211, 213, 251
- Romantic to Postmodern, one (1) course from the following: ENG 212, 214, 252
- Perspectives on Literature
- Two (2) courses in literature before 1800 (only one of which may be Shakespeare) from ENG 332, 336, 337, 338, 339 or 340 or 540, 342, 343, 360, 372, 381, 450, 510, 537, 541, 561
- One (1) course in literature after 1800 from ENG 315, 316, 331, 333, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 358, 359, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 382, 451, 545, 550, 558, 559, 563, 564, 565, 582
- Contemporary Theoretical Approaches: ENG 303
- Approaches to Rhetoric: ENG 305
- Historical Perspectives
- English Electives (15 semester hours)
Five courses in English at or above the 200 level
English with High School Teaching Licensure
- Core Requirements (21 semester hours)
- Historical Perspectives
- Medieval to Enlightenment, one (1) course from the following: ENG 211, 213, 251
- Romantic to Postmodern, one (1) course from the following: ENG 212, 214, 252
- Perspectives on Literature
- Two (2) courses in literature before 1800 (only one of which may be Shakespeare) from ENG 332, 336, 337, 338, 339 or 340 or 540, 342, 360, 372, 381, 450, 510, 537, 541, 561
- One (1) course in literature after 1800 from ENG 315, 316, 331, 333, 344, 345, 346, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 358, 359, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 382, 451, 545, 550, 558, 559, 563, 564, 565, 582
- Contemporary Theoretical Approaches: ENG 303
- Approaches to Rhetoric: ENG 305
- Historical Perspectives
- Additional Requirements (15 semester hours)
- Teaching of Writing: ENG 322
- Linguistics for Teachers: ENG 321
- World Literature, one (1) course from the following: ENG 201, 202, 204, 209, 315, 316
- Two additional courses in English at or above the 200 level
Besides completing the above courses in English, candidates for teaching licensure must meet additional requirements, including admission to teacher education (end of sophomore year) and to student teaching (junior year), successful completion of Praxis, and course work outside the English Department. For full current information about all requirements see Teachers Academy and the UNCG Teacher Education Handbook. Note: admission to teacher education and student teaching in English requires a minimum grade point average of 2.75, overall and in the major.
Requirements for continuing students (English majors before Fall 2010) remain the same as before. See below.
The English Department offers two concentrations leading to a B. A. degree. The first, "English," is the "traditional" English major. Requirements are listed below. The second, "English with Licensure," leads to teaching licensure. It qualifies students to teach English in North Carolina high schools and in states that have licensure agreements with North Carolina. The requirements for this program are more extensive than the first. The minimum number of hours in English required for the major is 30 (ten courses). You may take additional courses, up to 60 hours at the 200 or 300 level.
For further information about any of these programs, see Ali Schultheis Moore, Director of Undergraduate Studies. For all these programs, no requirement may be met by a grade lower than C-.
Undergraduate Bulletin 2011-2012
Requirements
for the Major, English (30 hours)
I.
Survey Courses (9 hours)
211. Major British Authors: Medieval to Neoclassical
212. Major British Authors: Romantic to Modern
251. Major American Authors: Colonial to Romantic
Since these courses provide an overview of English and American literature,
we recommend that students take them as early in their major as possible.
II. 303W. Approaches to the Study
of Literature (3 hours)
III. One course in Language, Criticism, Creative Writing, Expository Writing,
or Internship or English 321 for English Education Majors (3 hours)
Expository
Writing and Journalism
Criticism219. Journalism I: Fundamentals of Newswriting
223. Writing of Essays
318. Journalism IV: Advanced Reporting and Writing
319.Journalism II: Editing the Newspaper
320.Journalism III: Feature Writing and Reviewing
322. The Teaching of Writing
323. Literary Nonfiction
327. Writing in the Professions
Language531. Feminist Theory and Women Writers
549. The Critical Canon and Contemporary Issues
Theories and Applications260. Introduction to the English Language
261. Dialects of American English
321. Linguistics for Teachers
513. History of the English Language
590. Literacy, Learning and Fieldwork
522. Teaching Composition
Creative Writing524. Writing--Advanced: Analytical and Technical
Internship221. Writing of Poetry: Introductory
225. Writing of Fiction: Introductory
325. Writing of Fiction: Intermediate
326. Writing of Poetry: Intermediate
425. Writing of Fiction: Advanced
426. Writing of Poetry: Advanced
401. Internship in Journalism and Editing
402. Internship in English Studies
IV. Four Courses in Literature (12 hours)
A. Two courses in literature before 1800, only one of which may be in Shakespeare:B. Two courses in literature after 1800:332. English Women Writers before 1800
336. Introduction to Chaucer
337. English Literature to 1500
338. The Sixteenth Century
339. Shakespeare: Early Plays and Sonnets
340. Shakespeare: Later Plays
342. The Seventeenth Century
360. The Eighteenth Century
372. Early American Literature
381. English Drama to 1800
450. Senior Seminar: Pre-1800
510. Old English
537. Middle English Literature
540. Shakespeare, Eight Plays
541. Milton
561. Eighteenth-Century British Writers
315. Postcolonial Literatures
331. Women in Literature
333. Southern Writers
344. Romantic Poetry and Poetics
345. Victorian Literature
346. English Literature from Victorian to Modern
348. Contemporary British Literature and Culture
349. English Novel from Defoe to Hardy
350. Twentieth-Century English Novel
351. American Novel Through World War I
352. Twentieth-Century American Novel
353. Contemporary Novel
358. Modern Poetry
359. Contemporary Poetry
373. American Romanticism
374. Early African-American Writers
376. African American Writers after the 1920's
377. American Realism and Naturalism
378. American Life-Writing
379. American Women’s Writing
382. Modern British and American Drama
450. Senior Seminar: Post-1800
545. Nineteenth-Century British Writers
550. Modern British Writers
558. American Poetry after 1900
559. Twentieth-Century British Poets
563. American Poetry before 1900
564. American Prose before 1900
565. American Prose after 1900
582. Modern Drama
V. One additional course in English at the 200-level or above.
English 322 for English Education majors. This course can be any of the courses listed above or one of the following:
201. European Literary Classics: Ancient to Renaissance
202. European Literary Classics: Enlightenment to Modern
204. Nonwestern Literary Classics
208. Topics in Global Literature
209. Topics in Nonwestern Literature
210. Literature and the Arts
235. Science Fiction
236. Genre Fiction
252. Major American Authors: Realist to Modern
311, 312. Literary Studies Abroad
329. Literature and Film
Requirements for the B.A. in English with Teacher Licensure in High School Teaching
By declaring and earning a B.A. in English with high school teaching, you are fulfilling two separate but related sets of requirements -- those set by the university to complete your degree and those set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for your licensure. Some of these state requirements are fulfilled through coursework, while others are fulfilled by qualifying national test scores, a minimum GPA of 2.75, the technology portfolio, and acceptance into the Teachers Academy.
Course Requirements in English
These requirements are identical to those for the program, English-B. A. (see pp. 3-4), except for the following: students must take English 321, Linguistics for Teachers, and English 322, The Teaching of Writing to meet requirements III and V. A grade of “C” or better in each course is required for admission to student teaching.
Additional Course Requirements
Health [HEA] 201 (3 hours); Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations [ELC] 381 (3 hours); Curriculum and Instruction [CUI] 545(3 hours), 450 (3 hours), 535 (3 hours), 551 (3 hours), and 465 (12 hours).
Other Requirements
a. Admission to the Teachers Academy: In the semester in which you expect to complete 60 hours of work toward the degree (usually the last semester of your sophomore year), you should apply for admission to the Teachers Academy with the Director of English Education, Dr. Jeanie Reynolds (3106 MHRA). The requirements are: (1) an overall grade point average of 2.75; (2) a 2.75 grade point average in English courses above the 100 level; (3) successful completion of at least 12 semester hours at UNCG; (4) recommendation of the English department; and (5) achievement of a satisfactory score as set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction on the Praxis I Exam (PPST).
b. Admission to Student Teaching (CUI 465, twelve hours): Apply for student teaching the year before you expect to graduate. The application period is from the first day of classes in January through February 15. The requirements are: (1) admission to the Teachers Academy, (2) proof that the major and education course requirements will be successfully completed in the semester before student teaching, (3) a consistent grade point average of 2.75 or higher after being admitted to the Teachers Academy, and (4) recommendation of the English Department. Except in unusual circumstances, students may not take additional courses during the student teaching semester.
c. To apply for your license, you need to successfully complete the following: the BA in English with high school teaching degree with a grade point average of 2.75 or higher, your student teaching internship, the Praxis II professional knowledge and pedagogy examination in two parts, and the state mandated technology requirements.
Notes:
(1) Either at the end of your last semester of your second year or at the beginning of your third year, you should request an official audit through the Registrar’s Office in Mossman. The online form is at http://web.uncg.edu/adv/degreeaudits/. By doing this, you and your academic advisor will have a more accurate record of your course progress and will be better able to sequence the coursework during your third and fourth years (see the Guide on pages 6-7).
(2) If you wish to do study abroad and you still plan to complete this program in four years, recognize that the education courses for the last three semesters of this program are sequenced; therefore, you will want to plan ahead. To fulfill this degree and related licensure requirements, the most flexible semesters for study abroad are summers, spring semester of sophomore year, and fall semester of junior year.
(3) Since the student teaching semester consists of only 12 hours of work, the student must arrange to make up the deficit of 3 hours in another semester or in summer school.
(4) CUI 545 is a prerequisite for 551. CUI 551 (English Methods) is a prerequisite to CUI 465 (Student Teaching). CUI 551 will normally be offered only in the fall semester and CUI 465 only in the spring semester.
A
Guide for English Education Course Sequencing and Advising
B.A. in English with Licensure in High School Teaching
First and Second Years of a Four-Year Program (Freshman & Sophomore)
• Take
GEC and CAR Requirements: Aim for 2.75 or higher GPA.
Besides the suggested ENG 211 and ENG 212 to meet these, a nonwestern literature
class is recommended and encouraged (10th grade English teaching is World Literature).
HEA 201 meets GEC requirement, and
it is needed for state licensure.
• Take ENG 211, 212, and 251
• Spring semester of second year: If possible, take ENG 321W and/or ELC 381.
• Declare major with Director of Undergraduate Studies, Steve Yarbrough.
• Toward end of 60 hours, sign up for and take PPST/PRAXIS I (http://www.ets.org/), and apply to the Teachers Academy with the Director of English Education. Applications, requirements, and criteria are available through the Director of English Education, Jeanie Reynolds, in 3311 MHRA.
• To prepare for your PRAXIS I exams (reading, writing, and math), use the “Tests at a Glance” on the ETS website and/or use the Praxis I preparation software in the Teaching Resources Center in 249 Ferguson (334-4035).
• If you are working to raise your GPA or if you need to retake the PRAXIS I, understand that you must be accepted by the Teachers Academy no later than 1 June at the end of your junior year in order to take CUI 551 & to be eligible to student teach.
Third Year of Four-Year Program (Junior)
Fall Semester
• Take ELC 381: The Institution of Education, if student has not done so
• Take ENG 321W: Linguistics for Teachers, if student has not done so
• Take 300-level literature courses and/or 303W
Spring Semester
• Take ENG 322W: The Teaching of Writing
• Take CUI 545: Diverse Learners
• Take CUI 450: Educational Psychology
• Take 300-level literature courses and/or 303W
•January of third year, apply for student teaching at Teachers Academy (321 Curry).
Fourth Year of Four-Year Program (Senior)
Fall Semester
• Take ENG 322W: The Teaching of Writing, if student has not done so
• Take ENG 303W: Approaches to the Study of Literature, if student has not done so
• Take CUI 535:Literacy in the Content Areas (CUI 470 is now for K-12 programs, not secondary)
• Take CUI 551: English methods course
• Take 300-level literature courses
Spring Semester
• Take CUI 465 student teaching (12 hours)
• During fourth year, sign up for and take PRAXIS II licensure exam.
• During fall of fourth year, attend technology portfolio workshops and Praxis II preparation workshop
• January of fourth year, apply for graduation.
• During spring semester, present advanced technology skills portfolio for assessment.
• During May, conduct program exit interview with the Director of English Education or a Member of the English Education Committee, and apply through the Teachers Academy for Teaching License (321 Curry).
For more information, see the English Education website or the Director of English Education: Jeanie Reynolds, Office 3311 MHRA, 334-3981. The Director keeps regular office hours to answer questions, provide application forms, and advise.
English as a Second Academic Concentration for Education majors (excepting Middle Grades Education) (18 hours)
The department also offers an 18-hour second academic concentration in English that meets requirements for Elementary Education (School of Education) and certain other University programs in education. Consult with your major advisor or with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in English. Education students who are required to complete another approved major or concentration in a basic academic discipline must fulfill the following requirements (18 semester hours) for a second academic concentration in English.
1. Required core courses: 9 s.h.
Three of the following:
ENG 211: Major British Authors: Medieval to Neoclassical, 3 s.h.
ENG 212: Major British Authors: Romantic to Modern, 3 s.h.
ENG 251: Major American Authors: Colonial to Romantic, 3 s.h.
ENG 252: Major American Authors: Realist to Modern, 3 s.h.
2. Either
ENG 321 (Linguistics for Teachers) or
ENG 262 (Sociolinguistics) or
ENG 302 (Second Language Acquisition)
3. Two electives at the 200 or 300 level, 6 s.h.
English as a Second Academic Concentration for Middle Grades Education Majors (27 hours)
Middle Grades Education majors must fulfill the following requirements (27 semester hours) for a second academic concentration in English.
1. English and American Literature (9 sh)
Three courses from the following: ENG 211, 212, 251, 252
2. Language and Writing (6 sh)
ENG 321 and 322.
3. Expressive Writing (3 sh)
One course from the following: ENG 221, 223, 225, 323, 325, 326
4. Literature (6 sh)
Two courses chosen from English courses at the 200 or 300 level, in consultation with major advisor, from the following: ENG 332, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 342, 360, 372, 381, 510, 537, 539, 540, 541, 542, 561, 315, 331, 333, 344, 345, 346, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 355, 358, 359, 373, 374, 376, 377, 379, 382
5. Elective (3 sh)
Chosen from literature or writing courses at the 200 or 300 level (items 3 and 4 above), in consultation with major advisor
Teacher Licensure in English
Students who already have baccalaureate degrees but who are seeking licensure only should apply for admission to The Teachers Academy, School of Education, 318 Curry. These licensure candidates must meet the same course requirements as students in the BA - High School Teaching program. Transcripts will be evaluated at the time of application to determine which of these requirements were fulfilled as part of the applicant's baccalaureate program and which remain to be satisfied. For further information consult the Teachers Academy website.
English as a Second Major
Required: minimum of 30 semester hours. Students must complete the requirements described for the English major (30 s.h.).
The Minor in English
The requirements for a minor in English are as follows:
1. A minimum of 18 hours in English.
2. Any two of the following courses: English 201, 202, 211, 212, 251, 252.
3. No more than 6 hours at the 100-level. Any 100-level English course will count except English 101, and 102.
4. At least 6 hours at the 300-level or above.
Students may declare a minor in the Office of Academic Advising, 159 Mossman. For further advice about the English minor, see Ali Schultheis Moore, Director of Undergraduate Studies in English.
Honors in English
Requirements:
•Three semester hours of HSS 490 (Honors Thesis)
•Six semester hours of any English Honors course above the 100 level
•Three semester hours of English at the 500 level, or three semester hours of a Contract Honors course in English at the 300 level
Six semester hours from any of the following options:
•Any 500-level course in English
•Any Contract Honors course in English
•ENG 493 (Honors Work-independent study)
•ENG 494 (Honors Seminar)
•Any Honors courses, whether in English or not
Qualifications:
•A grade of at least B in all course work used to satisfy the Honors requirement in English
•A declared English Major
•At least a 3.30 overall GPA at graduation
Recognition:
The designation "Completed Disciplinary Honors in English" and the title of the Senior Honors Project will be printed on the student's official transcript.
Honors Advisor:
Contact Amy Vines for further information and guidance about Honors in English.
Goals for the English Major at UNCG
The English Department has established the following "goals" for the undergraduate English major. They reflect the basic subject matter and skills we would like our majors to learn from the core requirements of the English major. The department is studying how best to accomplish these goals. If you have suggestions about how we might do this or about the goals themselves, please give them to Ali Schultheis Moore, Director of Undergraduate Studies in English.
1. Reading Texts
The ability to
• read texts with careful attention
• read texts with careful attention
• understand how authors and readers create meaning in texts
• recognize rhetorical and literary techniques in texts
• recognize key ideas in texts and rhetorical strategies used to develop them
• respond to aesthetic, rhetorical, and cultural qualities in texts
2. Writing
The ability to
• write clearly and fluently
• organize coherently and logically
• edit writing so that it conforms to standard usage
• develop convincingly argued essays
3. Understanding Literature
The ability to
• understand the relationship of literature to history and culture
• understand the history of literature in English in terms of major periods and authors
• recognize and define major genres of literature
• recognize and define forms and techniques in literature
4. Understanding Criticism
The ability to
• understand several critical approaches to interpreting texts
• apply these approaches to specific texts
• relate the study of texts in English to other disciplines
• understand the general nature, purpose, and methods of English studies
5. Doing Research
The ability to
• understand and use basic research tools
• develop questions and topics worth researching
• use research to develop theses effectively
• incorporate research into writing
Notes on Program Planning, Course Selection, and Co-Curricular Activities
Advising.
Your advisor can help you design a program of study that will help you attain your goals. Feel free to talk with your advisor about any aspect of your undergraduate studies that concerns or interests you. Ali Schultheis Moore would also be glad to talk with you.
Total Number of Hours.
The minimum number of hours required for an English major is 30. You may choose, however, to take as many as 60 hours in English at the 200-level or above as part of the 122 hours required for graduation.
English Courses at the 100-Level.
Although 100-level courses do not meet major requirements, they are excellent preparation for advanced courses. This is especially true of English 106, Introduction to Poetry.
Cognate Courses.
Cognate courses—courses offered by other departments and that relate to English—can enrich your English major. When you take the English literature survey courses (211 and 212), for example, consider supplementing them with a course in English history. Or consider supplementing a Chaucer course with a course in medieval art history.
Designing Your Major.
The "English--B. A." program allows you much freedom to choose the courses you feel are important. You could select a wide variety of courses to get a broad overview of English studies. Or you could concentrate on a particular area of study. The English Department's brochure, "Writing Courses," for example, indicates how you could develop a concentration in writing. You could choose English courses that complement courses in a minor or a second major. You could design a program of study that will prepare you for further study, in graduate school.
Even the "English--High School Teaching" program, which is more restrictive than the "English--B. A.," provides some latitude for developing concentrations both within and outside the major. Teacher certification students, for example, might like to develop expertise in teaching a foreign language or working on publications and in theatrical productions.
Whatever your ambitions and interests, your advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies are eager to make your English major as rewarding as possible for you.
Study Abroad.
The English Department participates in a junior year exchange program with the University of Hull in England. There are, furthermore, numerous opportunities for exchange with other universities abroad. These programs are very reasonably priced--the cost of attending UNCG plus transportation. For information on these programs, visit the Office of International Programs, 127 McIver St.
On occasion, the Department organizes and staffs a Summer School Abroad in England. Ordinarily this is a six-week program; the location and subject matter vary from year to year. The program usually carries six undergraduate credits, but arrangements are often made to offer graduate credit as well.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center offers tutorial help to any student in the University. English majors may use the services of the center and become tutors by taking English 390, Writing Center Theory & Practice (3 credit hours).. If interested, see Sara Littlejohn , Director of the Writing Center, MHRA 3330.
Student Media.
English majors, particularly those interested in careers in journalism or publishing, may write and work for various student-published campus media. Coraddi, the fine arts magazine, welcomes submissions of poetry, fiction, art, and photography. The editorship and staff positions (for editing, design, layout and other tasks in magazine publishing) are often filled by English majors. The Carolinian, the student newspaper, has paid staff and editorship positions. If you are interested in video photography, inquire into the video yearbook, Kaleidoscope.
Sigma Tau Delta.
The national English Honor Society, recognizes excellence in the undergraduate study of language and literature. Each year the department nominates qualified Juniors and Seniors.
