Undergraduate Programs in English

General Information

Degrees and Areas of Concentration
The English department offers or participates in offering the B.A. in English, the B.A. in English with certification for secondary teaching, and the B.S. in secondary education with an emphasis area in English. The department also offers a minor in English. Additionally, students with any major in the university may earn a Certificate in Writing so that they may demonstrate evidence of training in creative, journalistic, or technical writing.

The department has a graduate program leading to the master of arts degree. Students may pursue a literature track where they acquire a broad coverage in British and American writers or a writing track where half of the course work deals with composition and writing theory. The department also offers the master of fine arts in creative writing, in which half of the courses are writing workshops and independent writing projects. In addition, the department of English participates in a Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Writing.

Undergraduate Studies

Departmental Honors
Candidates for departmental honors in English must achieve a 3.2 average in English at graduation and complete an undergraduate or graduate seminar in English, the final paper for which must be acceptable to the instructor as an honors thesis.

General Education Requirements
English courses may be used to meet the university's humanities requirement, except the following:

1100, Freshman Composition
1110, Freshman Composition for International Students
2120, Topics in Writing
2810, Traditional Grammar
3090, Practical Criticism: Writing About Literature
3100, Advanced Expository Writing
3110, Advanced Expository Writing for International Students
3120, Business Writing
3130, Technical Writing
3140, News Writing
3150, Feature Writing
3160, Writing in the Sciences
3180, Reporting
4000, Writing in the Professions
4860, Editing
4870, Advanced Business and Technical Writing
4880, Writing for Teachers
4885, The Curriculum and Methods of Teaching English
4890, Independent Writing Project

The college's foreign language requirement may be met in any language.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option
A maximum of 6 satisfactory/unsatisfactory hours may be taken in the department. Majors must complete at least 18 graded (i.e., not satisfactory/unsatisfactory) hours in English courses at the 3000 level or above with a grade point of 2.0 or better in these courses.

English majors may take any English course on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis except the following:

1100, Freshman Composition
1110, Freshman Composition for International Students
3090, Practical Criticism: Writing About Literature
3100, Advanced Expository Writing
3110, Advanced Expository Writing for International Students
3120, Business Writing
3130, Technical Writing
3140, News Writing
3150, Feature Writing
3160, Writing in the Sciences
3180, Reporting
4000, Writing in the Professions
4860, Editing
4870, Advanced Business Writing
4880, Writing for Teachers
4885, The Curriculum and Methods of Teaching English
4890, Independent Writing Project
Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in English

English majors must complete at least 36, but no more than 45, hours in English exclusive of Englsh 1100, Freshman Composition; Englsh 1110, Freshman Composition for International Students; and Englsh 3090, Practical Criticism: Writing About Literature.

1) Students majoring in English must take:
2310, English Literature I
2320, English Literature II
2710, American Literature I
2720, American Literature II
2810, Traditional Grammar--or test out

2) English 3090, Practical Criticism: Writing About Literature. (For English majors, this course is a prerequisite or corequisite for 4000-level courses in English.)

3) Students must also complete one course from five of the following 10 areas:

Area 1 Medieval English
4250, Old English Literature
4260, Chaucer
4270, Medieval English Literature

Area 2 Shakespeare
4370, Shakespeare: Tragedies and Romances
4380, Shakespeare: Comedies and Histories

Area 3 The Renaissance
4320, Elizabethan Poetry and Prose
4340, Early Seventeenth-Century Poetry and Prose
4350, Milton
4360, Tudor and Stuart Drama
4931, English Women Writers, 1300-1750

Area 4 Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English
4410, Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama
4420, Age of Dryden and Pope
4440, Age of Johnson
4450, The Eighteenth-Century English Novel

Area 5 Nineteenth-Century English
4510, Early Romantic Poetry and Prose
4520, Later Romantic Poetry and Prose
4540, The Nineteenth-Century English Novel
4560, Prose and Poetry of the Victorian Period
4580, Literature of the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
4934, Austen and the Brontes
4935, Women Heroes and Romantic Tales

Area 6 Nineteenth-Century American
4610, Selected Major American Writers I
4620, Selected Major American Writers II
4630, African American Literature Prior to 1900
4640, American Fiction to World War I

Area 7 Twentieth-Century English/American
4650, Modern American Fiction
4660, African American Literature Since 1900
4740, Poetry Since World War II
4750, Modern British Fiction
4760, Modern Drama
4770, Modern Poetry
4937, Irish and Irish-American Women Writers
4938, American Women Poets of the 20th/21st Centuries

Area 8 Literary Criticism
4000, History of Literary Criticism
4030, Contemporary Critical Theory
4050, Forms and Modes of Poetry
4070, The Two Cultures: Literature and Sciences
4080, Narrative, Cognition, and Emotion

Area 9 Special Topics
4060, Adolescent Literature
4900, Seminar
4910, Studies in African/African American Literature, Criticism, and Diaspora
4920, Major Works of European Fiction
4930, Studies in Gender and Literature
4932, Female Gothic
4933, Female Novel of Development
4936, Tales of the Islamic East
4940, Special Topics in Jewish Literature
4950, Special Topics in Literature
4960, Ethnic Literatures

Area 10 Linguistics
4800, Linguistics
4810, English Grammar
4820, History of the English Language

Work in 2000-level courses provides background in literary history and forms, as well as the means for discussing literary issues, on paper and orally. Thus, the department requires Englsh 2310 or consent of the instructor as a prerequisite for all courses in Areas 1-4 and Englsh 2320 or consent of the instructor as a prerequisite for all courses in Areas 5 and 7, except American literature courses. Englsh 2710 or consent of the instructor is a prerequisite for all courses in Area 6, and both Englsh 2710 and Englsh 2720 or consent of the instructor are prerequisites for Englsh 4650. All survey courses (Englsh 2310, 2320, 2710, and 2720) must be taken before the major has completed 90 hours toward a degree.

Students majoring in English must complete a minimum of 12 graded hours in English courses at the 4000 level or above in residence with a grade point average of 2.0 or better in these courses or students must receive special consent of the department.

Students should consult with faculty advisers to determine which upper-level courses best satisfy their major needs and interests.

Bachelor of Arts in English with Certification for Secondary Education

In addition to the requirements for the B.A. in English, students must meet the following requirements for secondary certification:

1) Two courses in American literature. This requirement may be met by courses counted for the major.

a. American literature must include a unit or course in the literature of ethnic groups.
b. American literature must include a unit or course in literature for adolescents.

2) Twelve hours in composition and rhetoric:
English 1100, Freshman Composition, may be counted.
English 3090, Practical Criticism: Writing About Literature, is required.
English 4880/Sec Ed 4880, Writing For Teachers, is required.
Recommended courses include creative writing, journalism, and business writing.

3) English language requirements

a. English 2810, Traditional Grammar Students with sufficient background may gain exemption from the English 2810 requirement by passing the English-Education Test of Basic Grammar. This test may be taken only twice. Certification candidates must pass English 2810 or the Test of Basic Grammar before applying for student teaching.
b. English 4810, English Grammar
c. English 4800, Linguistics, or Englsh 4820, History of the English Language

4) English/Sec Ed 4885, The Curriculum and Methods of Teaching English. Prerequisite: Completion of Level II courses and a near major in English. Must be taken concurrently with professional internship, and before student teaching.

5) English/Sec Ed 4888, English Teaching Seminar, must be taken concurrently with Sec Ed. 4990, Secondary School Student Teaching.

6) Candidates for certification in Missouri must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA, computed from the beginning of freshman year and including all colleges attended. They also need a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their English courses. All grades in professional education and in required English courses must be C or better.

Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an Emphasis Area in English

All candidates for certification to teach English must enroll in a program in the College of Education involving Level I, Level II, and Level III coursework plus student teaching. See the Division of Teaching and Learning in this Bulletin for information.

The required courses in English and professional education are the same as those for the B.A. with certification for secondary education. However, students fulfill the general education requirements of the College of Education rather than those of the College of Arts and Sciences. For example, students seeking the B.S. in Education are not required to study a foreign language.

Certification to Teach Secondary Speech and Drama

All candidates for certification to teach Speech and Drama must enroll in a program in the College of Education involving Level I, Level II, and Level III coursework plus student teaching. See the Division of Teaching and Learning in this Bulletin for information.

In addition, undergraduates who wish to be certified to teach Speech and Drama must meet the requirements for a major in Communication as well as requirements set by the Theatre faculty.

Minor in English
A student may minor in English by taking at least 18 hours of English courses exclusive of Basic Writing, Englsh 1100, Freshman Composition, and Englsh 1110, Freshman Composition for International Students. Englsh 3090 is required, and 12 of the 18 hours must be in literature courses, 9 of which must be in courses at the 3000 or 4000 level. Every student taking a minor in English must consult with an adviser in the English department to ensure a coherent program of studies. The GPA in courses for the minor must be 2.0 or better. Nine of the 18 hours must be taken in residence at UM-St. Louis. No more than 3 hours taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis may be counted toward the 18-hour minimum.

Certificate Program in Writing

A student may receive the Certificate in Writing by completing a total of 18 hours in writing courses chosen from the following list. The GPA in courses for the certificate must be 2.0 or better, and 12 of the 18 hours must be taken at UM-St. Louis. Courses may not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Commun 2212, Broadcast Writing and Reporting
Commun 2217, Script Writing for Business and Industry
Englsh 2030, Poetry Writing
Englsh 2040, Short Story Writing
Englsh 2050, Play Writing
Englsh 2060, Introduction to the Writing of Poetry and Fiction
Englsh 2080, or Commun 1108, Advertising Copywriting
Englsh 2120, Topics in Writing
Englsh 3030, Intermediate Poetry Writing
Englsh 3040, Intermediate Fiction Writing
Englsh 3090, Practical Criticism: Writing About Literature
Englsh 3100, Advanced Expository Writing
Englsh 3110, Advanced Expository Writing for International Students
Englsh 3120, Business Writing
Englsh 3130, Technical Writing
Englsh 3140 or Commun 3214, News Writing
Englsh 3150, Feature Writing
Englsh 3160, Writing in the Sciences
Englsh 3180, Reporting
Englsh 3280 or Commun 2228, Writing for Public Relations
Englsh 4130, Advanced Poetry Writing
Englsh 4140, Advanced Fiction Writing
Englsh 4160, Special Topics in Writing
Englsh 4850, Topics in Teaching Writing
Englsh 4860, Editing
Englsh 4870, Advanced Business and Technical Writing
Englsh 4880, Writing for Teachers
Englsh 4890, Independent Writing Project (This course is required. It is to be taken as the last course a student will take in the program, and it is to be used to generate an extensive final project or internship.)
Englsh 4985, Editing Litmag
Honors 3100, Writing the City

Technical Writing Emphasis

The technical writing emphasis provides a more career-specific strategy for students enrolled in the Writing Certificate program. The technical writing emphasis is composed of three required courses:

3130, Technical Writing
4860, Editing
4870, Advanced Business and Technical Writing or 4890, Independent Writing Project

In addition, students take three electives for a total of 18 hours chosen from the following:

Business Administration
1800, Computers and Computer Information
3100, Contemporary Business Communication

Communication
1065, Introduction to Information Technology

Computer Science
1250, Introduction to Computer Science (Prerequisite: Math 1030, College Algebra)

English
3120, Business Writing
3140, News Writing
3150, Feature Writing
3160, Writing in the Sciences
3280, Public Relations Writing
4870, Advanced Business and Technical Writing (if 4890) is taken as requirement)
4890, Independent Writing Project (if 4870 is taken as requirement)

Career Outlook

In addition to traditional employment as teachers at the primary, secondary, and community-college levels, recent UM-St. Louis graduates in English are working in journalism, editing, advertising, public relations, and other fields that place a premium upon creation and interpretation of the written word. Numerous recent English majors have successfully entered law school.