English

Return to: College of Liberal Arts

Maria K. Bachman, Chair

Albakry, Baines, Barger, Barnett, Blackwell, Bradley, Brantley, Brewer, Brown, Burleson, Cain, Carter, Casal, Castelo, Cavender, Comas, Cox, Detweiler, E. Donovan, K. Donovan, Dubek, Fant, Gaitely, Garner, Hague, Hamby, Helford, Henderson, Hibbard, Hixon, Hollings, Holtzclaw, Hudson, Jackson, Johnson, J. Kates, R. Kates, Kaufman, King, Knox, Kostkowska, Lawrence, Lee, Levine, Lumpkin, Lutz, Lynn, Mackin, Marchant, McClure-Wade, McCluskey, McDaniel, McInturff,  Mitchell, Moonshower, Neth, Ostrowski, Otto, Pantiledes, Petersen, Phillips, Porth, Reed, Renfroe, Scannell, Sherman, Smith, Soule, Sublette, Therrien, Tormey, Tyner, White, Whittemore, J. Williams, L. Williams

Courses in the Department of English meet the General Education needs of all students through the development of verbal and written communication skills and the appreciation of literature.

The department offers five undergraduate major programs, all leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree: The traditional English major, the English major with concentrations in Writing, Literature and Culture, Literary Studies, or the English major with a concentration in Secondary Education Teaching Licensure.

The non-teaching, traditional Bachelor of Arts in English is designed to give students a well-rounded background in the study of the English language and its literature. The four concentrations allow students to pursue special career and/or intellectual interests.

The main goal of the Literature and Culture concentration is to provide students with the opportunity to examine culture through the study of texts within an interdisciplinary framework. Students may choose a general cultural studies curriculum or they may specialize within the concentration by choosing courses in an area such as women in literature, popular culture and film, folklore, world literature, children’s literature, multicultural literature, etc. The course of study is designed to help students broaden their understanding of the relationship between culture and literature.

The Literary Studies concentration is designed to provide students with the opportunity to take a greater number of advanced courses in literature and to focus on their interests within specific areas of English studies. Students may choose to emphasize a period, an author, or a genre or they may choose to increase their general knowledge of the field. Many students choose the Literary Studies concentration as a preparation for graduate or professional school.

The Secondary Education Teacher Licensure concentration is for students who wish to teach English in grades 7-12. English department courses in this concentration are chosen to provide students with a strong background in the subject they will be teaching. Students pursuing this curriculum along with the requirements of the licensure program will be prepared to teach 7-12 English in the state of Tennessee.

The Writing concentration gives students who are interested in developing themselves as writers the opportunity to do so while pursuing a major in English. Students may choose a general writing curriculum or they may specialize within the concentration by choosing courses in one area such as creative or professional writing.

Students in the English program have gone on to careers in editing, teaching, public relations, management, public service, and many other areas that value clarity of expression and logical thinking. In addition, many students have gone on to graduate programs, law school, and other professional education.

All students in the English Department are assigned an advisor upon declaration of an English major. Students should meet with their advisors for guidance in planning their schedules and fulfilling all requirements. Those intending to get a professional license to teach English must consult with their advisors early in their university careers in order to ensure completion of the degree in a timely fashion. The University does not recommend anyone for licensure in English who has not satisfied requirements set by the College of Education for post baccalaureate endorsement.

The English Department participates in interdisciplinary majors and minors in African American Studies; American Culture; Classical Studies; Early Modern European Studies; Environment and Human Society; Film Studies; Global Studies; Great Books; Jewish and Holocaust Studies; Linguistic Studies; Media, History, and Culture; Medieval Studies; Middle Eastern Studies; Native American Studies; Russian Studies; Southern Studies; Twentieth-Century European Studies; Women’s and Gender Studies; and Writing. Interdisciplinary minors are open to all students in the University. (See Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors section for more information.)

Before beginning the junior year, students should fill out an upper-division form with an advisor and file it with the graduation coordinator for Liberal Arts. For 3000- and 4000-level courses, there is normally a prerequisite of 9 semester hours of English with a grade of C- or better.

General Requirements

A minimum of 9 semester hours in General Education composition and literature is required of all students for graduation. Students complete this requirement by taking ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 in sequence and ENGL 2020, ENGL 2030, or HUM 2610.

Students must pass ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 in sequence before taking ENGL 2020 or ENGL 2030 or HUM 2610. A minimum grade of C- in ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 is required to receive credit.

On the basis of ACT or SAT scores, MTSU will place students in the appropriate English course or require further testing. Students without ACT or SAT scores are required to take a placement test. (See University Studies for more information.)

Students whose native language is not English are required to take a placement test and may be required to enroll in ENGL 1008 or ENGL 1009 for ESL students before being allowed to enroll in ENGL 1010.

Some students are eligible for advanced standing credit to meet General Education English requirements. (See Advanced Standing for more information.)

Successful completion of  ENGL 1008, ENGL 1009, ENGL 1010, and ENGL 1020 requires a grade of C- or better. The grade of N may be awarded in ENGL 1008, ENGL 1009, ENGL 1010, and ENGL 1020. An N may be awarded only to students who are completing the course for the first time and who have met all course requirements (including completing all writing assignments and meeting attendance requirements) yet who have not demonstrated satisfactory writing skills to pass the course with a C- or better. The grade of N can be assigned only for a student’s first completed attempt of  ENGL 1008, ENGL 1009, ENGL 1010, and/or ENGL 1020; in subsequent attempts the student will be assigned a grade of F if minimum writing standards are not met. The grade of N is not punitive; it will calculate into Hours Attempted but not into Quality Hours, and thus it will not have an impact upon a student’s GPA. However, since the grade is calculated into Attempted Hours, students receiving financial aid are strongly encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office to see what, if any, impact an N grade may have on their status.

The English major is considered a “resident” major. Students may not apply more than twelve (12) hours of upper-division distance learning (Web-based, correspondence, or videoconference) to the major without permission of advisor. English minors may not apply more than three hours of upper-division distance learning towards the minor without permission of advisor.

All students will complete the required 9 semester hours of English General Education by passing the following courses in the sequence in which they are listed.

1. ENGL 1010
2. ENGL 1020
3. ENGL 2020 or ENGL 2030

Teacher Licensure

Students seeking a license to teach in secondary schools (grades 7-12) must complete (1) a major in the subject they intend to teach; (2) a minor approved for the B.A. degree (see Academic Policies and Procedures) or any interdisciplinary minor (see Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors); and (3) the Secondary Education Minor.

Honors College

The Department of English offers the following courses in Honors:

ENGL 1010 (Fall Semester)
ENGL 1020 (Fall and Spring Semester)
ENGL 2020 (Fall and Spring Semester)
ENGL 2030 (Fall and Spring Semester)

Graduate Study

The Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees are offered in English. Requirements for these degrees and a list of the courses offered for graduate credit are published in the Graduate Catalog.

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