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English Major BA

The English major helps students to examine and interpret literature in English from a variety of viewpoints, and to understand the role literature plays in human cultures. Students completing the English major develop strong analytic and interpretative abilities as well as enhanced skills in written and oral communication. Those abilities and skills help prepare English majors for careers in writing, editing, publishing, advertising, law, education and business. Students planning to complete a degree program in English should consult with a faculty member of the department before enrolling in classes.

Acceptance to the Program

To be eligible for acceptance to the English major, students must submit a College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Program Declaration Form. Consult with a department faculty member before enrolling in courses toward the major.

Requirements (36 total credits)

1. One course from the two-semester survey of American literature (4 credits)
   
   
   • LIT 341 American Literature: Beginnings--1870
   • LIT 342 American Literature: 1870--Present 
     
2. One course from the two-semester survey of English literature (4 credits)
   
   
   • LIT 371 English Literature: Beginnings--1800
   • LIT 372 English Literature: 1800--Present 
     
3. One course in literature written by women (4 credits)
   
   
   • LIT 312 Women Writers
   • LIT 315 Gender in Literature and Film
   • LIT 362 Black Women Writers 
     
4. One course in ethnic or world literature (4 credits)
   
   
   • LIT 361 African-American Literature
   • LIT 362 Black Women Writers
   • LIT 363 American Indian Literature
   • HUM 310 The First Civilizations
   • HUM 311 The Classical World: Greece
   • HUM 312 The Classical World: Rome
   • HUM 313 Medieval Civilization
   • HUM 314 The Renaissance
   • HUM 315 The Enlightenment
   • HUM 316 Romanticism
   • HUM 317 Modernism
   • HUM 318 Postmodernism
   • HUM 321 Myth
   • HUM 326 Folklore 
     
5. One course in Shakespeare (4 credits)
   
   
   • LIT 377 Shakespeare 
     
6. Electives (8 credits)

   Additional upper-division courses in literature or humanities subject areas.  LIT 362 may apply to one requirement only. Any of the above courses can be taken as an elective, but a course can be applied to only one area of the major requirements. (No double-counting within the major.)

   Please refer to our listings on the Course Descriptions Web page for other course offerings which can be taken as electives.

7. One of the following (4 credits)
   
   
   • LIT 501 Literary Criticism: Beginnings--1950
   • LIT 502 Literary Criticism: 1950--Present
   • LING 547 History of the English Language
     
8. Capstone Seminar (4 credits)

   The department recommends that students take this course within the last two semesters prior to the graduation.

   • LIT 480 Literature Capstone Seminar

Notes:

• At least half of these 36 credits must be earned at Metropolitan State.
• Any course used in the English major may be applied to one major requirement only.
• With advisor approval, upper-division transfer credits may be applied to specific major requirements or electives; up to 12 semester credits at the 200-level may be applied to specific major requirements.
• With advisor approval, specific major requirements may be met by particular sections of LIT 390 authors and Topics in Literature, or LIT 590 Advanced Studies in Literature.

See the English Major Checklist.