Navigating the English Major: A Comprehensive Guide

Students with a passion for language, literature, and culture will find a rewarding path in pursuing an English major. This comprehensive guide explores the requirements, specializations, and opportunities available to English majors, providing a roadmap for success in this versatile field.

Declaring and Personalizing Your English Major

For students at the University of Pennsylvania, the journey begins with a meeting with the Undergraduate Chair (Nancy Bentley) or Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies (Becky S. Friedman). This pre-declaration meeting serves as an opportunity to discuss your interests and choose from various options within the English major, including the Standard Curriculum ("General English") and specialized versions emphasizing Creative Writing and Cinema Studies. These specializations are also available at Commonwealth University. Furthermore, you can explore concentrations that align with your specific intellectual interests, adding or changing them as your academic journey evolves.

The declaration process involves selecting a faculty advisor in collaboration with the Undergraduate Chair or Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies. Your faculty advisor is a valuable resource for course selection, concentration guidance, and even exploring second majors. Regular communication with your advisor, especially during pre-registration periods, is highly encouraged. Should you wish to change advisors, the Undergraduate Chair or Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies can facilitate the transition.

Core Requirements: Building a Foundation

At the University of Pennsylvania, a 6-course core forms the foundation of the English major, encompassing:

Two courses devoted to genre and critical approach.
Four courses devoted to historical periods that span the development of literature in English.

In addition to the core, The One Series (TOS), formerly the Junior Research Seminar (JRS), provides a small seminar environment to develop research methods and skills (English 4500-4599). Advanced seminars offer in-depth analyses and explorations led by faculty in their active research and writing areas. Free Electives count toward your 13 courses and allow the flexibility to take classes and pursue concentrations that interest you. Free Electives include courses within the English Department and approved courses from other departments.

Concentrations: Tailoring Your Expertise

Majors adopting General English may choose to change their Concentration at any time if they wish. Concentrations do not increase the total number of courses for the major; students instead build the concentration from courses already taken to fulfill the major.

Commonwealth University offers three concentrations within the English major:

Creative Writing: This concentration allows students to hone their creative writing skills in various genres through workshops and the study of literature. It prepares students for careers such as social media manager, ad copy writer, and corporate storyteller.
Literature and Society: This concentration focuses on the study of literary periods, styles, genres, linguistics, and writing courses, preparing students for careers in digital and print publishing, law, marketing, public relations, and English graduate study.
Professional Writing: This concentration develops technical and professional writing skills for print and online platforms, preparing students for careers in advertising, banking and finance, business administration, content marketing, copy editing, education, freelance writing, game design, government service, health care, information technology, internet marketing, journalism, law, media, publishing, real estate, sales, social media management, technical writing, and web development.

Course Highlights: A Glimpse into the Curriculum

The English major encompasses a wide range of courses designed to cultivate critical thinking, analytical skills, and effective communication. Here's a glimpse into some of the course offerings:

Advanced Workshop in Poetry: Designed for students who want to work on studying and writing poetry, this workshop explores contemporary poetic techniques and culminates in the creation of original poems.
The History of the English Language: This course delves into the evolution of the English language, exploring its transformations and the factors involved in language change.
Romanticism and the Uncanny: This course analyzes key Romantic texts, exploring themes of the uncanny and its connection to repressed emotions.
Specialized courses: These courses survey a particular theme or topic of literary study and foster in students the capacity for critical thinking. Recent examples are Wilderness Literature, Beat Literature, Living Writers and Travel Literature.
An introductory, historical survey of prominent themes in literature: Course topics vary and may include coming of age, human-nature relations, war and revolution, technology, and publishing house culture.
Surveys the literature of one or more cultural groups: Factors of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and class will be of prime consideration.
Surveys the literature, primarily in translation, of both historical and contemporary world writers: Emphasizing the global context of literature.
A variable topic survey: Of the texts, writers, histories and languages that describe Jewish literatures.
Courses designed to examine both the formal characteristics of a particular genre and its historical development: Focus of a particular section may be the novel, the short story, drama, poetry, the essay, memoir, epic or popular writing.
A descriptive study of American English grammar and the history of the English language.
Intensive and advanced study of reading and writing about literature: Includes close analysis of literary texts in historic, generic and cultural contexts; study of research methods and writing the research paper; and attention to traditional and recent critical theory.
This course introduces students to academic writing in English studies: By exploring varied models of successful scholarly writing.
Students gain hands-on experience in digital publishing and storytelling: By contributing to Me/Us/U, a publicly circulated podcast.
An introduction to and an intensive, rigorous workshop in the basic forms of book reviewing: The short book review, the review essay and the longer literary critical essay.
This course offers experience in the theory and practice of professional writing: Students will first choose a company or organization for which they would like to write. They will then gain experience writing a wide range of genres such as letters and memos; feature stories, interviews and biographical sketches; press kits; flyers and brochures; and proposals.
A study of literary works by a single author: Students will come to understand individual works better and will gain insight into the author’s particular vision and sense of literary craft. Offerings are likely to include Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Twain, Austen, Dickinson and Morrison.
A study of literature written originally in English by writers from countries other than the United States and Britain: The course may include writers from Canada, Ireland, the Indian subcontinent, the Caribbean and English-speaking countries in Africa.
Advanced courses designed to examine the formal characteristics of a genre: As well as the historical factors influencing its development or manifestation at any given moment, and the theoretical approaches to understanding the genre.
Courses exploring such topics as women in literature, literature by women, literature and sexuality, the construction of gender in literature and feminist literary theory.
An advanced experiential learning course where students apply editing, design and business theories to hands-on practice: Students work for Susquehanna University Press, a professional publisher that seeks to bridge the gap between the creative and business sides of the industry.
In this course you will study the book as a material object: A concrete text that is produced, sold, circulated and read. More broadly, we will address the wider social and political pressures that have shaped book production as well as the social and political consequences of producing books and other media.
An interdisciplinary workshop course focusing on the environment: Students explore the way scientists’ knowledge, methods and values have informed public rhetoric and scholarly rhetorical criticism, as well as the ways that rhetorical criticism and awareness have in turn had an impact on scientific discourse.
Students explore the ways that difference impacts everyone’s experiences of reading, writing, teaching and learning: “Difference” includes gender, race, class, religion, ability, sexuality, and national origin, among other factors.
This class introduces students to the theory, research and practices of writing tutoring: By engaging with scholarship in writing studies while providing practical experience by providing tutoring support in the Writing Center at The Center for Academic Success or in embedded placements in First Year Seminar or Writing Intensive classes across the curriculum.
In these polarized times, how can citizens learn to cooperate or communicate across political camps and parties?
This course explores the cultural, political and commercial functions of publishing.
This course provides an introduction to the theories, platforms, and tools of digital publishing.
The capstone course for the major focuses on post-graduate preparation and applying knowledge and skills to projects related to core subjects in the discipline: Reading, writing, critical thinking and producing and transmitting cultural knowledge.
Independent research and writing under the supervision of an appropriate member of the department.
Applied projects in language, literature or craft, including supervised work in literacy projects, in writing projects, at public and school libraries, in shelters and in public institutions.
Research, writing and editing for various public and private organizations, and various off- and on-campus publications.
In this course, students write stories, poems and creative non-fiction.

Internships and Experiential Learning: Bridging Theory and Practice

Many English programs, such as the one at Kutztown University, require internships for English majors. These internships provide valuable real-world experience and allow students to apply their knowledge and skills in professional settings. At Messiah University, a nationally recognized internship program places students in a variety of English internships. Messiah University also cultivates vocational discernment and career preparation through a required internship and a Vocational Seminar, a 1-credit course taken in the junior year to prepare students to move into a professional career or graduate school.

York College emphasizes experiential learning opportunities, including publishing experience, teaching and tutoring opportunities, and editing workshops. English and Writing majors often work as paid tutors in the Writing and Communication Studio, assisting writers at any level with their projects and complete at least one internship, and many do more than one.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Career Paths: A World of Possibilities

An English degree equips graduates with a versatile skillset applicable to a wide range of career paths. Messiah University notes that graduates of this program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with.

Some common career paths for English majors include:

Writing and Editing: Content writer, copywriter, editor, journalist, technical writer, blogger
Publishing: Editor, publisher, literary agent, marketing specialist
Education: Teacher (with additional certification), professor, tutor
Communication and Media: Public relations specialist, social media manager, marketing specialist, communication specialist
Business and Technology: Content strategist, technical communicator, user experience (UX) writer
Law: (with further education) Paralegal, legal researcher

Skills for Success: Cultivating Essential Competencies

The English major is designed to cultivate a range of skills that are highly valued in today's job market. These skills include:

Critical thinking and analytical skills: The ability to analyze complex texts, identify patterns, and form well-reasoned arguments.
Effective communication skills: The ability to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively in various formats.
Research skills: The ability to gather, evaluate, and synthesize information from diverse sources.
Creativity and imagination: The ability to generate original ideas and express them in creative ways.
Interpersonal skills: The ability to collaborate effectively with others and communicate with diverse audiences.

Financial Aid and Scholarships: Making Education Accessible

Financial aid and scholarship opportunities are available to help students finance their English major. York College is proud to offer affordable private education with access to robust financial aid and scholarship resources. Commonwealth University offers a variety of scholarships for English majors, including the Helen and Ervene Gulley Memorial Scholarship, Margaret Bittner Parke Scholarship, Catherine Oplinger and Clark R. Renninger Memorial Scholarship, Cecil Seronsy Scholarship, Louis F. Isabel Miller Award for Creative Writing, Dr. K. B. Rao Memorial Scholarship, Frank and Dorothy Vaughn English Scholarship, Clara M. Clendenen Scholarship, L. R. & M. E. Bruce Barton Memorial Scholarship, Fielding-Eliot Scholarship in English and World Languages, James York Glimm Memorial Scholarship, Kristin Sanner Memorial Scholarship, Perfect Song Scholarship, Bernie Koloski Book Award, Creative Cause Award, Friends of George Dolph Book Award, Henry Dyck Book Award, Judith Sornberger Poetry Award, and Larry K.

Minors and Related Programs: Expanding Your Horizons

Minors can complement a student’s major to increase their areas of knowledge and improve their competitiveness on the job market or for graduate study. Students may also major in one of the English department concentrations and pursue one of our other minors, such as majoring in creative writing and minoring in technical and professional writing. Typically, minors require 18 credit hours to be counted towards graduation. Other minors chosen by English majors in the past include foreign language, theater, business, communication studies, psychology, anthropology, philosophy, political science, and women, gender, and sexuality studies.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

The undergraduate English and Writing program aligns with the modern professional landscape, emphasizing a breadth of skills and interests. Add a minor in Creative Writing, Literary Studies, or Professional Writing to a different bachelor's program, or complement your B.A.

tags: #university #of #pennsylvania #english #major #requirements