English (BA)

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Affiliation: School of Arts and Letters

Studying language and texts is at the core of the liberal arts tradition. Students in the B.A. English program participate in this tradition by:

analyzing the content, form, and techniques authors use in literary works, criticism, and other texts;
examining words and texts in order to develop their literacies and foster their own power to communicate and participate in communities;
developing their aesthetic appreciation of diverse texts, pursuing personal enrichment through their work with these texts, and actively seeking opportunities for professional development; and
crossing borders, imagining different worlds, and exploring human expression in order to better understand their own and other cultural conditions.

Through this work students pursuing the B.A. in English at Truman develop the habits of thought needed to make intelligent and humane decisions, to communicate those decisions to diverse communities, and to lead others. They should emerge from our program as committed lifelong learners, ready to pursue meaningful lives as they enter the world of work and pursue graduate or professional studies.

Note for Students interested in the Master of Arts in Education
B.A. English majors interested in pursuing an advanced degree in secondary English teaching at Truman State University must meet the requirements for admission to the Master of Arts in Education program as stated in the Education section of this catalog. These requirements are consistent with the standards set forth by the National Council of Teachers of English and should provide a strong foundation for teacher preparation for those pursuing certification or a degree here or elsewhere. Missouri state certification requirements are also listed in the Education section. Close consultation with an English academic advisor as well as with the secondary English Master of Arts in Education program coordinator is strongly recommended for students interested in the Master of Arts in Education.

ENGLISH COMMUNICATION

All English majors will develop their skills as speakers and as writers. In our paired Introduction to English courses (ENG 209 and ENG 230), students gain experience with developing literary arguments and analysis, finding and ethically citing sources, and following MLA style (the style guide for the discipline). Our senior capstone seminar is both Writing- and Speaking-Enhanced, as students undertake a semester-long research project that involves multiple stages and revisions and that culminates in a public presentation at the English and Linguistics Senior Seminar. In preparation for this presentation, students practice in front of and receive feedback from their classmates and professor to ensure effective organization, visual support, and delivery. English major courses require students to complete writing projects, which may range from short response papers to seminar papers. In addition, many English classes involve presentations, including group presentations and video presentations, in some cases.

DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN ENGLISH

English majors who have maintained a 3.50 or better overall GPA and a 3.75 or better GPA in the major are eligible to be nominated for departmental honors by faculty who deem their work exceptional.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

Dialogues Requirements: 42-61 Credits

Missouri Statute (1-4 credits)

Bachelor of Arts Requirement: 0-8 Credits

Intermediate Proficiency in ONE foreign language

Major Requirements: 34 Credits Minimum

A minimum of 20 credits must be at the 300-level or above.
No grade of “D” in major courses is accepted toward an English degree.

B.A. English Major Required Courses: 10 Credits

These three courses both introduce concepts and terms that facilitate literary study and guide students as they engage in larger conversations about the purpose of literary study.

ENG 209 - Introduction to English: Writing about Literature Credit(s): 3
ENG 230 - Introduction to English: Engaging with Critical Communities Credit(s): 3
ENG 498 - Senior English Capstone Credit(s): 4

Aesthetic Literature Requirement: 7 Credits Minimum

Complete at least seven credits from this list. This requirement extends students’ knowledge of literary texts through the study of writing from select literary periods, literary movements, and/or national literatures; the study of representative texts spanning successive literary periods; the study of literary genres; and/or topic-based inquiries into literary texts.

With the approval of the Chair of the Department of English and Linguistics, courses from Classics, French, German, Russian, Theater, Spanish, or another department may be substituted toward this requirement.

ENG 206 - Popular Literature: Topics Credit(s): 3
ENG 211 - Critical Explorations of Literature and Film Credit(s): 3
ENG 225 - World Literatures: Chronology Credit(s): 3
ENG 226 - World Literatures: Topics Credit(s): 3
ENG 245 - British Literatures: Chronology Credit(s): 3
ENG 246 - British Literatures: Topics Credit(s): 3
ENG 250 - Shakespeare Credit(s): 3
ENG 265 - American Literatures: Chronology Credit(s): 3
ENG 266 - American Literatures: Topics Credit(s): 3
ENG 306 - Topics: Women Writers Credit(s): 4
ENG 307 - Contemporary World Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 308 - Mythology Credit(s): 4
ENG 315 - Studies in Shakespeare Credit(s): 4
ENG 316 - Chaucer Credit(s): 4
ENG 320 - Asian Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 321 - International Literatures: Topics Credit(s): 4
ENG 326 - Literature of American Minorities: Topics Credit(s): 4
ENG 330 - North American Indian Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 331 - African American Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 341 - Old English Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 342 - Medieval Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 343 - British Renaissance Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 345 - Restoration and Eighteenth Century British Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 346 - British Romantic Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 347 - British Victorian Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 348 - Modern British Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 349 - Contemporary British Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 351 - Beowulf Credit(s): 4
ENG 353 - American Authors Credit(s): 4
ENG 355 - Introduction to Literary Genres: Poetry Credit(s): 3
ENG 356 - Introduction to Literary Genres: The Novel Credit(s): 3
ENG 357 - Introduction to Literary Genres: The Short Story Credit(s): 3
ENG 358 - Introduction to Literary Genres: Nonfiction Credit(s): 3
ENG 365 - Folklore Credit(s): 4
ENG 366 - Early American Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 367 - American Romanticism Credit(s): 4
ENG 368 - American Realism and Naturalism Credit(s): 4
ENG 369 - Modern American Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 370 - Contemporary American Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 421 - Literature and History: Topics Credit(s): 4
ENG 440 - Literature and Geography: Topics Credit(s): 4
ENG 509 - Topics in British and Commonwealth Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 511 - Topics in American Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 516 - Studies in Literary Genres Credit(s): 4
ENG 517 - Topics in World Literature Credit(s): 4

Literature and Geography Requirement: 4 Credits

Select at least one course from this list. This requirement further acquaints students in the B.A. English program with cultural diversities in literary texts as well as with relations among, between, and within global, national, and/or regional literatures.

ENG 440 - Literature and Geography: Topics Credit(s): 4
ENG 511 - Topics in American Literature Credit(s): 4
ENG 517 - Topics in World Literature Credit(s): 4

Literature and History Requirement: 4 Credits

Select at least one course from this list. This requirement develops the ability of B.A. English students to recognize and explain how literature, language, and related phenomena (such as genre) change over time.

ENG 417 - History of the English Language Credit(s): 4
ENG 421 - Literature and History: Topics Credit(s): 4
ENG 431 - History of Literary Criticism Credit(s): 4
ENG 509 - Topics in British and Commonwealth Literature Credit(s): 4

B.A. English Electives: 0-9 Credits

Select a combination of (a) ENG or LING courses at or above the 200-level, and/or (b) any film or literature course from another program for which you receive a substitution (see below), to total a minimum of 34 credits in the English major.

This area of the major (which includes courses in theory, literature, language, and culture) encourages students to focus their coursework - in consultation with their advisor and their instructors - on their distinct professional, intellectual, scholarly, and creative goals and passions.

With the approval of the Chair of the Department of English and Linguistics, film courses from programs other than English and/or literature courses from Classics, French, German, Russian, Theater, or Spanish may be substituted in this area of the major.