English, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) < Virginia Commonwealth University

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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
General education
Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser.		30
Major requirements
• Major core requirements
ENGL 301	Introduction to the English Major	3
ENGL 499	Senior Seminar in English	3
• Additional major requirements
Linguistics, writing, criticism: Select one course from two of the three areas. (See list below.)		6
Literature: Select two courses in literature prior to 1700. (See list below.)		6
Literature: Select two courses in literature between 1700 and 1945. (See list below.)		6
Literature of diversity: Select one course. (See list below.)		3
• Major electives
Select required elective/optional focus credits. (See description below.)		6-9
Ancillary requirements
HUMS 202	Choices in a Consumer Society	1
Experiential fine arts ¹		1-3
Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement)		0-6
Literary contexts: Complete a foreign language through the 202 or 205 level by course or placement or select six credits in literary history and culture from:		0-6
ENGL 201	Western World Literature I
ENGL 202	Western World Literature II
ENGL 203	British Literature I
ENGL 204	British Literature II
ENGL 205	American Literature I
ENGL 206	American Literature II
ENGL/INTL 211	Contemporary World Literature
ENGL/GSWS 236	Women in Literature
ENGL 291	Topics in Literature
FLET 321	Early German Literature
FLET 322	Modern German Literature
FLET 391	Topics in Foreign Literature in English Translation
Open electives
Select any course.		38-55
Total Hours		120

Course offered by the School of the Arts

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Major requirements lists

Course	Title	Hours
Linguistics, writing, criticism
Select one course from two of these three areas for six credits.
• Linguistics
ENGL/ANTH/LING 390	Introduction to Linguistics	3
ENGL 392/ANTH 328/FRLG 328/LING 392	Language, Culture and Cognition	3
ENGL/LING 450	Modern Grammar	3
ENGL/LING 451	History of the English Language	3
ENGL/GSWS/LING 452	Language and Gender	3
ENGL/LING 453	Modern Rhetoric	3
ENGL/INTL 454/ANTH 450	Cross-cultural Communication	3
• Writing
ENGL 302	Legal Writing	3
ENGL 303	Writing for Stage and/or Screen	3
ENGL 304	Persuasive Writing	3
ENGL 305	Writing Poetry	3
ENGL 307	Writing Fiction	3
ENGL 309	Writing Creative Nonfiction	3
ENGL 310	Professional Writing	3
ENGL 350	Digital Rhetoric	3
ENGL 367	Writing Process and Practice	3
ENGL 388	Professional, Scientific and Technical Writing	3
ENGL/TEDU 389	The Teaching of Writing Skills	3
ENGL 393	Rhetoric in Public Life	3
ENGL 394	Topics in Professional Writing	3
ENGL 395	Digital Rhetoric	3
ENGL 433/THEA 426	Advanced Dramatic Writing	3
ENGL 435	Advanced Poetry Writing	3
ENGL 437	Advanced Fiction Writing	3
ENGL 439	Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing	3
ENGL 441	Literary Technique:____	3
ENGL 459	Political Rhetoric in the U.S.	3
ENGL 491	Topics in Writing (by specific topic)	3
• Criticism
ENGL 311	Introduction to Literary Theory	3
ENGL/GSWS 352	Feminist Literary Theory	3
ENGL 391	Topics in Literature (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 445	Form and Theory of Poetry	3
ENGL 447	Form and Theory of Fiction	3
ENGL 449	Form and Theory of Creative Nonfiction	3
ENGL 485	Literary Theory and Criticism: ____	3
Literature
Select two courses in literature prior to 1700 for six credits. ¹
ENGL 320	Early Literary Traditions	3
ENGL 321	English Drama From 900 to 1642	3
ENGL 322	Medieval Literature: Old English to Middle English	3
ENGL 324	Late Medieval Literature	3
ENGL 325	Early Modern Literature	3
ENGL 326	Shakespeare in Context	3
ENGL/RELS 361	The Bible as Literature	3
ENGL 391	Topics in Literature (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 401	Shakespeare	3
ENGL 402	Chaucer	3
ENGL 403	Milton	3
ENGL 407	Medieval Epic and Romance	3
ENGL 410	Medieval Studies: ____	3
ENGL 411	Early Modern Studies: ____	3
ENGL 480	Authors: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 481	Genres: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 482	Literary Topics: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 483	Literary Texts and Contexts: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 484	Literary Movements: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 497	British Virginia Internship	1-3
Select two courses in literature between 1700 and 1945 for six credits. ¹
ENGL 330	The London Stage: 1660-1800	3
ENGL 331	Restoration and 18th-century British Literature	3
ENGL 332	18th-century British Novels and Narratives	3
ENGL 335	British Literature of the Romantic Era	3
ENGL 336	19th-century British Novels and Narratives	3
ENGL 337	Victorian Poetry	3
ENGL 340	Early 20th-century British Literature	3
ENGL 371	American Literary Beginnings	3
ENGL 372	U.S. Literature: 1820-1865	3
ENGL 373	U.S. Literature: 1865-1913	3
ENGL 374	U.S. Literature: Modernism	3
ENGL 377	19th-century U.S. Novels and Narratives	3
ENGL 391	Topics in Literature (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 412	18th-century Studies: ____	3
ENGL 413	19th-century Studies: ____	3
ENGL 480	Authors: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 481	Genres: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 482	Literary Topics: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 483	Literary Texts and Contexts: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 484	Literary Movements: ____ (by specific topic)	3
AMST 391	Topics in American Studies (by specific topic)	3
AMST 394	Perspectives in American Studies (by specific topic)	3
Select one course in the literature of diversity for three credits. ¹
ENGL/GSWS 353	Women's Writing	3
ENGL/GSWS 354	Queer Literature: ____	3
ENGL 358	Native American and Indigenous Literatures	3
ENGL/AMST 359	Studies in African American Literature: ____	3
ENGL/AFAM 363/INTL 366	African Literature	3
ENGL/ANTH 364	Mythology and Folklore	3
ENGL/AFAM 365/INTL 367	Caribbean Literature	3
ENGL 366	Writing and Social Change: ____	3
ENGL/AFAM 379	African-American Literature: Beginnings Through the Harlem Renaissance	3
ENGL 381	Multiethnic Literature	3
ENGL/AFAM 382	African-American Literature: Realism to the Present	3
ENGL 417	Themes in African American Literature: ____	3
ENGL 480	Authors: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 481	Genres: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 482	Literary Topics: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 483	Literary Texts and Contexts: ____ (by specific topic)	3
ENGL 484	Literary Movements: ____ (by specific topic)	3

No single course may be used to satisfy two of these requirements.

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 (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
Foreign language 101		3
General education course (select quantitative foundations; MATH 131 or STAT 208 recommended)		3
General education course (select BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry)		3
General education course (select BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in human experience		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 (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
Experiential fine arts		1-3
Foreign language 102		3
General education course (select AOI for global perspectives)		3
General education course (select BOK for natural science and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning)		3
	Term Hours:	14-16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
General education course (select any AOI)		3
Literary contexts: literary history and culture course (from list) or foreign language (201)		3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ENGL 301	Introduction to the English Major	3
Linguistics, writing or criticism (from list)		3
Literary contexts: literary history and culture course (from list) or foreign language (202 or 205)		3
Literature between 1700 and 1945 (from list)		3
Open electives		4
	Term Hours:	16
Junior year
Fall semester
Linguistics, writing or criticism (from list)		3
Literature of diversity (from list)		3
Literature prior to 1700 (from list)		3
Open electives		6
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ENGL 400-level elective		3
Literature prior to 1700 (from list)		3
Literature between 1700 and 1945 (from list)		3
Open electives		6
	Term Hours:	15
Senior year
Fall semester
ENGL 400-level elective		3
Open electives		12
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ENGL 499	Senior Seminar in English	3
Open electives		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
Junior year
Fall semester
ENGL 300- or 400-level linguistics, writing or criticism		3
ENGL 300- or 400-level literature of diversity		3
ENGL 300- or 400-level literature prior to 1700		3
Open electives		6
Term Hours:		15
Spring semester
ENGL 300- or 400-level literature prior to 1700		3
ENGL 300- or 400-level literature between 1700 and 1945		3
ENGL 400-level elective		3
Open electives		3-6
Term Hours:		12-15
Senior year
Fall semester
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
Open electives		6
Term Hours:		15
Spring semester
ENGL 560	Studies in British Literature and Culture	3
or ENGL 570	Special Topics in American Literature and Culture
ENGL 606	Literary Criticism	3
ENGL 400-level electives		9
Term Hours:		15
Fifth year
Fall semester
ENGL 692	Independent Study	3
Literature courses (500- to 600-level ENGL)		6
Term Hours:		9
Spring semester
ENGL 692	Independent Study	3
ENGL 695	Directed Study/Major Project and Presentation	3
Literature course (500- to 600-level ENGL)		3
Term Hours:		9