The Bachelor of Arts program in English requires a minimum of 120 credits, with at least 33 upper-level (numbered 300 to 499) credits in the major. Six of the 33 credits may be taken in upper-level foreign literature read in the original language or upper-level foreign literature in English translation (FLET). UNIV 111 and UNIV 112 (or equivalent) and a 200-level literature course (or equivalent) do not count toward the major.
English majors must take a minimum of nine credits at the 400 level, including the senior seminar, ENGL 499. Students may expect 300-level courses in the department to emphasize historical breadth, while 400-level courses will offer in-depth focus. ENGL 410-ENGL 414, ENGL 480-ENGL 485 and ENGL 499 will include British, American or other literatures (world, transatlantic, etc.). For specific topics, see the Schedule of Classes; majors are encouraged to choose 400-level courses from more than one literary tradition (British, American, other literatures).
Program goals and student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
- Read closely a wide variety of texts from diverse traditions and recognize how texts are shaped by historical, geographical and generic contexts
- Learning outcome 1: Employ strategies for interpreting form and ideas through close reading in order to build knowledge of human experience
- Learning outcome 2: Demonstrate competence at synthesizing ideas within given contexts and perspectives
- Write clear and effective compositions that reflect their understanding of literary genres, critical perspectives and rhetorical purposes
- Learning outcome 3: Evince a thorough understanding of context, audience and purpose
- Learning outcome 4: Organize and synthesize ideas to reveal insightful patterns related to the focus of the writing assignment
- Employ various strategies for research in order to write persuasive essays
- Learning outcome 5: Demonstrate discernment at engaging high-quality, credible, relevant sources as parts of published scholarly conversations
- Learning outcome 6: Integrate evidence into a well-structured, logical argument
Degree requirements for English, Bachelor of Arts
Course | Title | Hours |
| 30 |
| |
ENGL 301 | Introduction to the English Major | 3 |
ENGL 499 | Senior Seminar in English | 3 |
| |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| |
| 6-9 |
HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
1 | 1-3 |
| 0-6 |
| 0-6 |
| Western World Literature I | |
| Western World Literature II | |
| British Literature I | |
| British Literature II | |
| American Literature I | |
| American Literature II | |
| Contemporary World Literature | |
| Women in Literature | |
| Topics in Literature | |
| Early German Literature | |
| Modern German Literature | |
| Topics in Foreign Literature in English Translation | |
| 38-55 |
Total Hours | 120 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Major requirements lists
Required electives/optional focus
As part of the English major, electives allow students to take courses of particular interest to them. Electives may not be used to satisfy any other requirements for the major, except ENGL 499. In consultation with an adviser, students are encouraged to cluster their elective courses in one of the following focus areas.
- Literary studies (including courses grouped by historical period, genre, region, national and minority traditions, thematics, literary movement, literary influence, etc.)
- Writing (including both expository and creative writing)
- Criticism and theory (including approaches to literature, form and theory courses, etc.)
- Cultural studies (including courses that focus on race, class, gender, ethnicity, film, popular culture, etc.)
- Linguistics (including courses that focus on history of the language, cross-cultural communications, etc.)
Students are advised to consult the full listing and description of English courses before planning their elective courses.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Freshman year |
Fall semester | Hours |
UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I () | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II () | 3 |
| 1-3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 14-16 |
Sophomore year |
Fall semester | |
UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication () | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
ENGL 301 | Introduction to the English Major | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| Term Hours: | 16 |
Junior year |
Fall semester | |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Senior year |
Fall semester | |
| 3 |
| 12 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
ENGL 499 | Senior Seminar in English | 3 |
| 12 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
| Total Hours: | 120-122 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Accelerated B.A. and M.A.
The accelerated B.A. and M.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.A. and M.A. in English in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count a maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate courses toward both the B.A. and M.A. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 138 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
The accelerated M.A. in English program is designed for students who wish for continued study of and competency in the discipline and/or are considering a Ph.D. in English.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of at least 60 and no more than 75 undergraduate credit hours including ENGL 301 and a minimum of three courses at the 300 or 400 level (completion of a course in the 480s is strongly recommended) or permission of the chair; an overall GPA of 3.0; and a GPA of 3.5 in English course work. Students who are interested in the accelerated program should consult with either the director of undergraduate students, the senior adviser in English, the director of the master’s in English or the graduate program adviser before they have completed 60-75 credits. Successful applicants would enter the program in the fall semester of their senior year.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided initially by the coordinator of undergraduate advising, and then the director of the master’s program and coordinator of graduate programs. If a student who is admitted to the program chooses not to complete the degree, the graduate credits hours will be applied to the B.A. The department is committed to providing strong and seamless mentoring and advising for students in this program.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin. A minimum of two letters of reference (at least one from an English faculty member) and a paper of any length written in a 300- or 400-level English course that demonstrates the student’s commitment to the discipline must accompany the application.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in English will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. Up to 12 of these graduate credits will substitute for open elective credits for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
The graduate English courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are listed below.
Course | Title | Hours |
ENGL 560 | Studies in British Literature and Culture | 3 |
ENGL 570 | Special Topics in American Literature and Culture | 3 |
ENGL 605 | Introduction to Scholarship in English Studies | 3 |
ENGL 606 | Literary Criticism | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year. Note: It is recommended that students take at least one course numbered in the 480s during the junior year.
Course | Title | Hours |
| |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
| 15 |
| |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3-6 |
| 12-15 |
| |
ENGL 499 | Senior Seminar in English | 3 |
ENGL 570 | Special Topics in American Literature and Culture | 3 |
or ENGL 560 | Studies in British Literature and Culture |
ENGL 605 | Introduction to Scholarship in English Studies | 3 |
| 6 |
| 15 |
| |
ENGL 560 | Studies in British Literature and Culture | 3 |
or ENGL 570 | Special Topics in American Literature and Culture |
ENGL 606 | Literary Criticism | 3 |
| 9 |
| 15 |
| |
ENGL 692 | Independent Study | 3 |
| 6 |
| 9 |
| |
ENGL 692 | Independent Study | 3 |
ENGL 695 | Directed Study/Major Project and Presentation | 3 |
| 3 |
| 9 |