English, B.A.

Major in English Core Courses

All English majors are required to take the following four core courses:

ENGL 3010 - British Literature I: Beginnings to the Restoration 

ENGL 3020 - British Literature II: Restoration to the Present 

ENGL 3030 - American Literature: Colonial Era to the Present 

Major in English

A major without specific concentration (the “traditional” or general major) consists of 33 upper-division semester hours.

1. Students should take the required ENGL 3000  as soon as possible after declaring an English major or completing freshman and sophomore General Education requirements for English. The other core courses should be distributed throughout the student’s remaining time at the University. It is not recommended to take all three in one semester.
2. In addition to the required four core courses (ENGL 3000 , ENGL 3010 , ENGL 3020 , and ENGL 3030 ), an English major includes one from each of the seven areas of English studies:
   
   1. British Literature I: Courses numbered 3100 or 4100 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on British literature before the Restoration)
   2. British Literature II: Courses numbered 3200 or 4200 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on British literature after the Restoration)
   3. American Literature: Courses numbered 3300 or 4300 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on American literature)
   4. World Literature and Backgrounds of English Studies: Courses numbered 3400 or 4400 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on world literature, or such courses outside the department as HUM 3950  and WGST 4209 )
   5. Writing, Language, and Pedagogy: Courses numbered 3500 or 3600 or 4500 or 4600
   6. Gender Studies or Cultural Studies: Courses numbered 3700 or 4700 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on gender or cultural studies, or such courses outside the department as FREN 3130  and WGST courses focusing on literature) 
   7. Film or Popular Literature: Courses numbered 3800 or 4800 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on popular literature or with a substantial film component)
3. Courses from the Special Topics 3900/4900 number sequence will apply to the category(ies) appropriate to the topic. Each special topics course will be substituted into the appropriate category by the student’s advisor.
4. When taught by an English faculty member, certain interdisciplinary Honors seminars (UH 3500  and UH 4600 ) may be substituted, with approval, in one of the above groups.
5. Students who wish to pursue the concentrations in Cultural Studies , Literary Studies , or Writing  will have most of the same requirements as the majors without a concentration, but they will take six additional hours and will only be required to take courses from six out of the seven areas of English studies above.
6. Students who wish to pursue a license to teach English in grades 7–12 should carefully follow the major requirements outlined in English, Secondary English Teacher Licensure Concentration, B.A. .
7. Students may not apply more than twelve (12) hours of upper-division distance learning (web-based, correspondence, videoconferencing, or other format) without special permission. No more than three (3) of these hours may be taken outside MTSU.
8. ENGL 1010 , ENGL 1020 , ENGL 2020 , ENGL 2030 , or other lower-division English courses may not be counted as part of the hours required for an English major.

Majors are expected to consult a member of the English faculty each semester regarding the selection and arrangement of electives. Recommended minors for English majors include Foreign Language, History, Linguistics, Philosophy, Political Science, Speech and Theatre, Film Studies, Writing, and Women’s and Gender Studies, but students may choose a minor either from those listed under the B.A. requirements (see Academic Policies and Procedures ) or from the interdisciplinary minors (see Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors ).

All students pursuing a major in English must complete the General Education requirements. Following is a suggested pattern of study for the first two years; however, consultation with an assigned advisor is necessary before each registration.

Recommended Curriculum for Non-teaching Majors