Program Description

Study in the Department of English leads to an understanding and appreciation of British, American and other literatures in English, and of the English language, its aesthetic and functional properties, its uses, and the methods by which impressions and ideas are articulated and communicated.

The BA in English emphasizes in-depth study of the nature of the English language, the British, American and other literary traditions, creative writing, and critical approaches to literature. The Department of English offers a BA in English with two emphases: The English Major in Language and Literature (EMLL) and the English Major with Credential Emphasis (EMCE). The EMLL program offers both breadth and flexibility in preparation for diverse career opportunities, while the EMCE provides subject matter preparation for prospective English Language Arts teachers.

The department also offers a minor in English Literature, a minor in Linguistics, and a minor in Children’s Literature. In addition, the department has two post-baccalaureate certificates, in Writing and in Children’s Literature.

Program Goals and Objectives

Linguistics (EMLL and EMCE)

Linguistic Description: Students will be able to describe the grammar of English.

Composition (EMLL and EMCE)

Writing Conventions: Students will be able to compose texts that conform to the conventions of a particular genre as well as the rules of standard written English.

Expository Writing: Students will be able to compose expository essays that demonstrate cohesion and clarity.

Literature (EMLL and EMCE)

Literary Analysis: Students will be able to analyze literary texts using evidence from the primary texts themselves.

Applying Critical Theory: Students will be able to apply specific critical approaches to literary works.

Researching Criticism: Students will be able to survey the existing criticism on any literary text.

Creative Writing: Students will be able to compose poetry, fiction, or drama.

Pedagogy (EMCE only)

Theoretical Foundations: Students will be able to describe theoretical foundations essential to teaching and learning in the high school English Language Arts classroom.

Pedagogical Skills: Students will be able to assess pedagogical skills essential to teaching and learning in the high school English Language Arts classroom.

Sigma Tau Delta

The English department is home to the Xi Tau Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an international honor society for English majors and minors. Juniors, seniors, and graduate students are encouraged to apply. Faculty advisors are Dr. Emerson Case and Dr. Andy Troup.

California Writers Series

Each year the English department sponsors two or more readings by poets and fiction writers living and working in California. Previous presenters have included Wanda Coleman (Guggenheim and NEA Fellow) and Kay Ryan (Pulitzer Prize winner and former United States Poet Laureate). Faculty contact is Dr. Marit MacArthur.

Lectures in Language and Linguistics

Linguists from universities throughout the state and region come to campus two or more times per year to present lectures on phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Faculty contact is Dr. Sophia Adjaye.

English Club

Students majoring or minoring in English are welcome to meet in an informal setting to discuss literature, language, classes, and all other aspects of campus life. Meetings are generally held every Friday afternoon. Faculty advisors are Dr. Emerson Case and Dr. Andy Troup.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
General Education Requirements
First-Year Seminar (FYS)		2
Lower Division Area A: Foundational Skills		9
Lower Division Area B: Natural Sciences		9
Lower Division Area C: Arts and Humanities		3
Lower Division Area D: Social and Behavioral Sciences		3
Lower Division Area E: Student Enrichment and Lifelong Learning (SELF) 6		0
Lower Division Area F: Ethnic Studies		3
American Institutions: Government and History		6
Junior Year Diversity & Reflection (JYDR)		3
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)		3
Upper Division Thematic Area B and D		6
General Education Capstone 6		0
General Education Subtotal 6		47
Major Requirements
Lower Division
ENGL 1109	Writing and Research	3
ENGL 1208	Introduction to Literature (or equivalent)	3
ENGL 2000	The English Major and Career Opportunities	1
Select two of the following:		6
ENGL 2208	American Literature Survey I
ENGL 2210	American Literature Survey II
ENGL 2220	Ethnic-Minority American Literature
Select two of the following:		6
ENGL 2308	British Literature Survey I
ENGL 2310	British Literature Survey II
ENGL 2408	Introduction to World Literature
Select one Elective course: Any lower-division literature, linguistics, or creative writing course. 1		3
Upper Division
ENGL 3000	Critical Approaches to Literature	3
ENGL 3610	General Linguistics	3
or ENGL 4650	History of the Language
Literature before 1800:
ENGL 3300	Medieval English Literature: 450-1500	3
or ENGL 3320	Renaissance English Literature 1500-1660
or ENGL 3350	Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English Literature: 1660-1785
Major Writer before 1800:
ENGL 3310	Chaucer	3
or ENGL 3330	Shakespeare
or ENGL 3340	Milton
Gender and/or Ethnicity:
Select one of the following:		3
ENGL 3220	Studies Fiction: African-American Experience
ENGL 3230	Studies in Chicano Literature
ENGL 3248	Ethnic Literatures
ENGL 3250	Literature by Women of Color
ENGL 3410	Gender in Literature and Film
Major American Authors:
ENGL 3200	Major American Authors: Beginnings to 1900	3
or ENGL 3210	Major American Authors: 20th Century
Select two Elective courses that focus on literature after 1800 from the following:		6
ENGL 3200	Major American Authors: Beginnings to 1900
ENGL 3210	Major American Authors: 20th Century
ENGL 3220	Studies Fiction: African-American Experience
ENGL 3230	Studies in Chicano Literature
ENGL 3250	Literature by Women of Color
ENGL 3268	Writing Nature: Literature and the Environment
ENGL 3360	Romantic English Literature: 1798-1837
ENGL 3370	Major British Authors: 20th Century to the Present
ENGL 4410	Studies in 19th Century Children Literature
ENGL 4420	Studies in 20th Century Children Literature
ENGL 4708	Studies in Genre
ENGL 4710	Topics in Literature 2
Select three Elective upper-division courses in literature, linguistics, creative writing or film studies that are not counted toward the core requirements 3		9
Senior Seminar:
ENGL 4908	Senior Seminar	3
Optional Practicum: (3 units)
ENGL 4800	Directed Study in the Instruction of English
EMLL Optional Specialization
Select one lower-division and two upper-division electives toward the optional emphasis for a total of 9 units. 4
World Literature Specialization:
ENGL 2408	Introduction to World Literature
ENGL 3400	Contemporary World Literature
ENGL 3440	International Folk Narrative
ENGL 3420	World Mythology
ENGL 3268	Writing Nature: Literature and the Environment
ENGL 3430	Selected Readings in Western and Non-Western Literature
ENGL 4708	Studies in Genre 5
Children’s Literature Specialization:
ENGL 4410	Studies in 19th Century Children Literature
ENGL 4420	Studies in 20th Century Children Literature
ENGL 4430	The Young Adult Novel
ENGL 4440	Children's Literature and International Myth, Folk Tale, and Film
Ethnic Literature Specialization:
ENGL 2220	Ethnic-Minority American Literature
ENGL 3220	Studies Fiction: African-American Experience
ENGL 3230	Studies in Chicano Literature
ENGL 3248	Ethnic Literatures
ENGL 3250	Literature by Women of Color
ENGL 4708	Studies in Genre 5
Creative Writing Specialization:
ENGL 2100	Intro to Creative Writing
ENGL 4100	Creative Writing (may be repeated for different course content)
Linguistics Specialization:
ENGL 3610	General Linguistics
ENGL 3650	Theories of Language Acquisition
ENGL 4600	Morphology
ENGL 4610	Phonology
ENGL 4620	Syntax
ENGL 4630	Semantics and Pragmatics
ENGL 4649
ENGL 4650	History of the Language
ENGL 4660	Historical Linguistics
Film Studies Specialization:
ENGL 2518	Introduction to Film Studies
ENGL 3410	Gender in Literature and Film
ENGL 3518	Special Topics in Film Studies
Contract Specialization:
A topic of your choice, to be developed in consultation with an advisor. Examples include medieval literature, early American literature, poetry and poetics, and narrative studies. Dependent on the availability of appropriate courses.
Major Subtotal		58
Additional Units Needed Towards Graduation		15
Total Units		120

¹

May count toward Optional Emphasis; see below

²

Depending on Topic – See Department Chair

³

Including ENGL 4708 Studies in Genre and ENGL 4710 Topics in Literature which may be repeated for different content.

⁴

ENGL 4708 Studies in Genre and/or ENGL 4710 Topics in Literature may also count toward the optional emphasis when course content is deemed appropriate by the department chair.

⁵

And/or ENGL 4710 Topics in Literature when course content is appropriate.

⁶

The SELF requirement may double count with B, C, or D. Students are waived from UDC area of their program. Capstone may be satisfied within the senior seminar.