English
The English Department’s curriculum is designed to develop students’ understanding of the English language and the literature written in that language while also fostering analytical ability and writing skills. Students who complete the English major will comprehend the historical and cultural context of literature and will see literature as a reflection of diverse cultures.
They will learn how to use the written word to communicate clearly, effectively, accurately, logically, and gracefully. They will also be able to speak and write effectively on a wide range of literary issues and to apply analytical reasoning to literary texts.
Students have many opportunities for involvement outside the classroom. They may join the English honor society (Sigma Tau Delta), write for the campus newspaper (The Georgetonian), and contribute to and edit the student literary magazine (Inscape). Qualified students may tutor their peers in the Writing Center and in literature survey classes.
Many of our English majors go on to graduate school in journalism, literary studies, law, ministry, communications, or creative writing. Upon graduation, others enter a variety of fields, such as personnel management, public relations, writing, business, or teaching. A student majoring in English will develop the flexibility of mind that comes from a broadly based liberal education.
Students who successfully complete the English major will:
- demonstrate core knowledge of the English literary tradition;
- show familiarity with key works of American and world literature;
- apply understanding of diverse historical and cultural contexts to literature;
- speak skillfully on a range of literary topics;
- read literature analytically;
- communicate skillfully in writing.
Additionally, students who are English majors with a creative writing emphasis or who are creative writing minors will demonstrate:
- improvement in their creative writing in one or more of three genres: fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction;
- an ability to apply editing skills to their own writing by effective revision;
- an ability to apply editing skills to the writing of others, both by line editing and writing reading responses; and
- a capacity to apply analytical reasoning to literature to discuss not only its formal elements such as plot and imagery, but also to discuss the techniques that writers have used to achieve these effects.
Students have many opportunities for involvement outside the classroom. They may join the English honor society (Sigma Tau Delta), write for the campus
For more information about the English major leading to a teaching certification please contact the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education.
Degree Type: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Program Contact: Professor Holly Barbaccia
Majors and Minors
- American Studies Major (AMS)
- English Major (ENG)
- English Minor (ENG)
- English with Creative Writing Concentration Major (ENG)
- English with Creative Writing Concentration Minor (ENG)
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor (MRST)
- Women's Studies Minor (WST)
Classes
AMS450 : Senior American Studies Seminar
Credit Hour(s)
3ENG111 : English Composition I
Credit Hour(s)
3Semester Offered
ENG112 : English Composition II
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG111. All students must be enrolled in ENG111, ENG112, or ENG115 until they have successfully completed
the freshman writing sequence.
Semester Offered
ENG196 : Topics in World Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
FDN111.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG211 : English Literature Survey I
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG213 : English Literature Survey II
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG292 : Introduction to Literary Analysis
Introduction to the skills and methods of literary analysis. Designed to supplement the introductory English literature survey courses. Must be taken prior to or concurrently with the major’s first 300- or 400-level literature class in English. Student majoring in English should enroll in this course as early as possible. Minors are also encouraged to enroll.
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Corequisites
ENG211, 213, 296, 298, or the first 300- or 400-level literature class.
Semester Offered
ENG296 : World Literature Survey I
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG298 : World Literature Survey II
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG311 : Medieval Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG313 : Renaissance Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG321 : Neo-Classical Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
ENG323 : British Romantic Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG327 : Victorian Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG329 : English Novel
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG331 : Modern Literature
A survey of modern poetry, drama, and fiction written during the first half of the twentieth century.
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG337 : Native Literatures of North America
A survey of Native American literature from indigenous oral traditions through contemporary works.
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG341 : Survey of African-American Literature 1745-Present
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG343 : American Literature to 1870
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG345 : American Literature from 1870
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Area of Inquiry
Semester Offered
ENG347 : American Novel
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG349 : Southern Novel
The novel as representative of the culture of the American South, from the beginnings to the late twentieth century.
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG352 : Media Journalism
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG354 : Magazine Editing an Publishing
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG356 : Linguistics
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Semester Offered
ENG358 : Survey of Women and Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112 or HON200.
ENG361 : Creative Writing: Poetry
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG363 : Creative Writing: Fiction
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Semester Offered
ENG365 : Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
Semester Offered
ENG375 : Tutorial Topics
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298, and permission of instructor.
Semester Offered
ENG403 : Contemporary Poetry
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG407 : Contemporary Fiction
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG409 : Contemporary Drama
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG412 : Chaucer
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG414 : Shakespeare
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG416 : Milton
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG418 : Topics in Medieval and Renaissance Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
ENG424 : Topics in Nineteenth-Century Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
ENG432 : Special Topics in Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
ENG436 : Irish Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
Semester Offered
ENG440 : Independent Study
Credit Hour(s)
1 - 3Semester Offered
ENG445 : Topics in American Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG196, 211, 213, 296, or 298.
ENG447 : Topics in Multiethnic American Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG452 : Topics in the English Language
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG460 : Internship
Credit Hour(s)
1 - 3Prerequisites
consent of the supervising instructor.
ENG462 : Topics in Writing and Literature
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
ENG112, 115, or HON200.
ENG482 : Senior Seminar in English
Senior capstone course for the English major.
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
EN211, 213, 292, and 414.
Semester Offered
WST112 : Women and Culture: An Introduction
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
FDN111.
WST211 : Introduction to Women’s Studies
Credit Hour(s)
3WST341 : Women in the Christian Tradition
Credit Hour(s)
3Semester Offered
WST450 : Senior Seminar in Women’s Studies
Credit Hour(s)
3Prerequisites
WST211.