Department of English
Bachelor of Arts
Claire Gleitman, Professor and Chair
The English curriculum provides a broad chronological study of Western literature from ancient to modern, as well as concentrated study in British and American literature. In cooperation with the College's Department of Education, it also provides a program through which prospective secondary school teachers can apply for New York State teaching certification after graduation.
English, B.A.
English, B.A. with Teaching Option
Minor in English
Minor in Comparative Literature
Since departmental requirements and course offerings often change between catalog printings, students should be aware that the most current information concerning the English major can be obtained from the student's adviser, from the chair of the department, or from the departmental administrative assistant. Each semester the department publishes detailed descriptions of literature courses planned for the following semester; these listings can be found in the Humanities and Sciences Supplement.
Requirements for Honors in English
Students with a sufficiently high grade point average in all their courses receive their degree with College honors. Students who fulfill the appropriate departmental requirements also graduate with honors in their major. To qualify to pursue honors in English, a student must have completed eight of the twelve English courses that the curriculum requires, and must receive a grade of A- or higher in four of these courses.
A student who pursues departmental honors will undertake an extensive research project beginning in the fall semester of the senior year. In the spring semester, the project will conclude with the presentation and defense of a lengthy thesis paper. This paper should offer an original analytical argument and should reflect a sustained engagement with contemporary critical discourse. Over the course of the academic year the student will work closely on his or her project with a faculty adviser, who will offer guidance in gathering primary and secondary literature for the project and provide feedback during the various stages of its development. When the thesis is complete and, in the judgment of the faculty adviser, ready to defend, the student will submit it to the thesis committee. The distinction of honors will be conferred by the committee following a successful oral defense of the thesis.
Detailed requirements for the honors project are available from the department administrative assistant. Students who wish to earn departmental honors are advised to inform the chair as early in their college careers as possible so that they can ascertain well in advance appropriate courses, readings, and faculty sponsors for the project.
Requirements for the Major in English -- B.A.
Introductory courses
|
ENGL 11300 |
Introduction to Poetry |
3 |
|
ENGL 20100 |
Approaches to Literary Study |
3 |
|
ENGL 21900 |
Shakespeare |
3 |
|
Total, introductory courses |
9 |
Periods of literature before 1900
Select three courses from the following:
| ENGL 23200 | Medieval Literature | |
| ENGL 27100 | Renaissance Literature or | |
| ENGL 37300 | Renaissance Drama | |
| ENGL 27200 | The Enlightenment (1660-1770) | |
| ENGL 28100 | Romantic-Victorian Literature or | |
| ENGL 37700 | The Nineteenth-Century British Novel | |
| ENGL 31900 | Great American Writers before 1900 | |
| Total, pre-1900 literature courses | 9 |
Literature of the 20th and 21st centuries
Select one course from the following:
| ENGL 21600 | Contemporary British Fiction | |
| ENGL 21800 | 20th-Century American Drama | |
| ENGL 31200 | Dramatic Literature II | |
| ENGL 32000 | Great American Writers after 1900 | |
| ENGL 35000 | Imagining Herself: Women's Autobiography | |
| ENGL 36300 | Irish Literature | |
| ENGL 37800 | The 20th-Century British Novel | |
| ENGL 38200 - ENGL 38300 | Studies in Modern Literature | |
| ENGL 38400 | Modern British | |
| Total, 20th- and 21st-century literature courses | 3 |
World and multicultural literature
Select one course from the following:
| ENGL 21100 | Jewish American Writers | |
| ENGL 22000 | Black Women Writers | |
| ENGL 22100 | Survey of African American Literature | |
| ENGL 23100 | Ancient Literature | |
| ENGL 36900 | Studies in Multicultural American Literature | |
| ENGL 37100 | Studies in African American Literature | |
| ENGL 38000 | Studies in World Literature | |
| ENGL 38600-ENGL 38603 | Studies in Indian Literature | |
| Total, world/multicultural literature courses | 3 |
English electives
| Any ENGL course | 3 |
| Any ENGL course numbered 30000-49900 | 6 |
| Any ENGL course numbered 40000-49900 | 3 |
| Total, English electives* | 12 |
*ENGL 49500 and ENGL 49900 may be taken only once for credit toward the English major; ENGL 49802 may not be counted toward the major.
Foreign-language proficiency requirement
| Foreign language through the intermediate level (or demonstrated equivalent proficiency) | 0-12 |
Summary
| Total, required English courses | 36 |
| Total, foreign language proficiency | 0-12 |
| Electives | 72-84 |
| Total, B.A. in English | 120 |
Requirements for English -- B.A. with Teaching Option
Introductory courses
|
ENGL 11300 |
Introduction to Poetry |
3 |
|
ENGL 20100 |
Approaches to Literary Study |
3 |
|
ENGL 21900 |
Shakespeare |
3 |
|
Total, introductory courses |
9 |
Periods of literature before 1900
Select three from the following
| ENGL 23200 | Medieval Literature | ||
| ENGL 27100 | Renaissance Literature or | ||
| ENGL 37300 | Renaissance Drama | ||
| ENGL 27200 |
|
||
| ENGL 28100 | Romantic-Victorian Literature or | ||
| ENGL 37700 | The 19th-Century British Novel | ||
| ENGL 31900 | Great American Writers before 1900 | ||
| Total, pre-1900 literature courses | 9 |
Literature of the 20th and 21st centuries
Select one course from the following:
| ENGL 21600 | Contemporary British Fiction | |
| ENGL 21800 | 20th-Century American Drama | |
| ENGL 31200 | Dramatic Literature II | |
| ENGL 32000 | Great American Writers after 1900 | |
| ENGL 35000 | Imagining Herself: Women's Autobiography | |
| ENGL 36300 | Irish Literature | |
| ENGL 37800 | The 20th-Century British Novel | |
| ENGL 38200 - ENGL 38300 | Studies in Modern Literature | |
| ENGL 38400 | Modern British Women Writers | |
| Total, 20th- and 21st-century literature courses | 3 |
World and multicultural literature
Select one course from the following:
| ENGL 22000 | Black Women Writers | |
| ENGL 22100 | Survey of African American Literature | |
| ENGL 36900 | Studies in Multicultural American Literature | |
| ENGL 37100 | Studies in African American Literature | |
| ENGL 38000 | Studies in World Literature | |
| ENGL 38600-ENGL 38603 | Studies in Indian Literature | |
| Total, world and multicultural literature courses | 3 |
English electives
| Any ENGL course | 3 |
| Any ENGL course numbered 30000-49900 | 9 |
| Total, English electives* | 12 |
*ENGL 49500 and ENGL 49900 may be taken only once for credit toward the English major; ENGL 49802 may not be counted toward the major.
Foreign-language proficiency requirement
| Foreign language through the intermediate level (or demonstrated equivalent proficiency |
0-12 |
Core education courses
| EDUC 22900 | Second-Language Acquisition: Its Nature and Meaning for Educators | 2 |
| EDUC 23900 | Educating Children with Special Needs | 2 |
| PSYC 21010 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDUC 10100 | Literacy Education for the Middle/Secondary School Teacher | 2 |
| EDUC 20100 | Technology for the Middle/Secondary School Teacher | 2 |
| EDUC 21910 | Early Field Experience: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EDUC 34000 | Social and Cultural Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDUC 40810 | Pedagogy and Practice across the Disciplines | 3 |
| EDUC 41110 | Pedagogy and Practice for the English Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC 41210 | Seminar in Reflective Practice | 3 |
| EDUC 49810 | Professional Semester in Education | 12 |
| EDUC 11000 | Child Abuse: Identification and Prevention | 0 |
| EDUC 11100 | Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Identification and Prevention | 0 |
| Total, education courses | 38 |
Additional requirements
- All teaching-option students must successfully complete a year of college-level study in a language other than English. All English majors are required to complete a foreign language through the intermediate level or demonstrate equivalent proficiency as part of their major requirements.
- All teaching-option students must successfully complete a writing course numbered WRTG 10600 or above.
- All teaching-option students must successfully complete the second-year review and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 in their subject. If a student receives an unsuccessful review or a review with stipulations, the student must participate in and successfully pass a second review the following year. Unsuccessful reviews and reviews with stipulations will be accompanied by a written statement outlining what must be done before the second review is completed.
- Students must earn a grade of B or better in EDUC 40810 and EDUC 41110 to qualify for student teaching. A grade of B- does not qualify.
- EDUC 49810 Professional Semester in Education and EDUC 41210 Seminar in Reflective Practice constitute a full course load during the student-teaching semester. No additional courses may be taken.
- All candidates for initial certification must successfully complete all three sections of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations: the liberal arts and sciences test, the assessment of teaching skills (written), and the content area exam.
- The student's department chair and the coordinator of teacher education must approve any exceptions to the above requirements.
Summary
| Total, English requirements | 36 |
| Total, foreign language proficiency | 0-12 |
| Total, education requirements | 38 |
|
Electives |
34-46 |
|
Total, B.A. in English with teaching option |
120 |
Requirements for the Minor in English
|
ENGL 11300 |
Introduction to Poetry |
3 |
|
ENGL 21900 |
Shakespeare |
3 |
|
Level-3 or level-4 courses |
9 |
|
|
Literature electives |
6 |
|
|
Total, minor in English |
21 |
Of the courses counted toward the 21 required credits, no more than 6 credits shall be in any one area. Students who wish to declare the English minor must do so, at the latest, in the semester before the semester in which they graduate.
Minor in Comparative Literature
There are 21 credits in the minor (of which 9 credits must be level 3 or 4).
General literature
Select two courses from the following (only one may be an "Introduction" course):
|
ENGL 10700 |
Introduction to Literature |
|
|
ENGL 11000 |
Introduction to Fiction |
|
|
ENGL 23100 |
Ancient Literature |
|
|
ENGL 23200 |
Medieval Literature |
|
|
ENGL 27100 |
Renaissance Literature |
|
|
ENGL 36500 |
Studies in the Novel |
|
|
ENGL 38200 |
Modern Literature I |
|
|
ENGL 38300 |
Modern Literature II |
|
|
ENGL 41000 |
Seminar in Medieval English Literature |
|
|
ENGL 43000 |
Seminar in the English Renaissance |
|
|
ENGL 48000 |
Studies in Literary Criticism |
|
| Total, general literature | 6 |
European literature
All of the following courses:
|
FREN 31200 |
French Literature in Translation |
|
|
GERM 15200 |
German Literature in Translation |
|
|
SPAN 26600 |
Spanish/Latin American Literature in Translation |
|
| Total, European literature | 9 |
Note: Students proficient in a foreign language may substitute 3 credits of literature in the foreign language.
British literature
Select one course from the following:
|
ENGL 21600 |
Contemporary British Fiction |
|
|
ENGL 21900 |
Shakespeare |
|
|
ENGL 27200 |
The Enlightenment (1660-1770) |
|
|
Any level-3 or level-4 course in British literature (see English department course listing for courses currently offered) |
||
|
Total, British literature |
3 |
American literature
Select one course from the following:
|
ENGL 10500 |
Introduction to American Literature |
|
|
ENGL 31900 |
Great American Writers before 1890 |
|
|
ENGL 32000 |
Great American Writers after 1890 |
|
|
ENGL 37000 |
American Poetry |
|
|
ENGL 37200 |
Studies in American Literature |
|
|
ENGL 47000 |
Seminar in American Literature |
|
|
Total, American literature |
3 |
Students with no prior college-level literature courses are advised to begin this minor with a level-1 introductory course. Courses taken for the comparative literature minor may not be counted toward the English major or minor, nor toward the major or minor in modern languages and literatures.
|
Total, minor in comparative literature |
21 |