English Writing Major Requirements
A minimum of 33 credits is required for the writing major: 21 must be in English writing (ENGWRT) courses and 12 in English literature (ENGLIT) courses chosen from the list in (4) below.
(1) First course: ENGWRT 0400, Introduction to Creative Writing. This course is optional for the major and may be taken by any undergraduate interested in experimenting with poetry and prose. ENGWRT 0400 may not be taken by students who have completed a writing course in the 0500s.
(2) Tracks: Writing majors must concentrate in at least one of the four tracks of the program: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and journalism. Prerequisites: although composition courses do not count toward the writing major, one composition course above the level of Basic Writing (or consent of the instructor) is required for enrollment in one of the English Writing 0500s. A grade of C or higher in each course is required before a student may advance to the next course in the track.
Each track consists of three levels of courses. The introductory level (courses numbered in the 0500s) offers a broad introduction to the skills required of writers in each of the four areas. The intermediate courses -- numbered in the 1000s for fiction, 1200s for poetry, 1300s for creative nonfiction and newspaper -- refine and develop those skills. The senior seminars, numbered in the 1700s, or internships, numbered in the 1900s, provide a test of the student's proficiency as a writer. Traditionally, students take one introductory course, two intermediate courses, and a seminar or internship in their area of concentration.
(a) Students concentrating in Fiction Writing take: ENGWRT 0520 Introduction to Fiction Writing; 1010 Intermediate Fiction (two sections required); 1094 Readings in Contemporary Fiction; 1710 Senior Seminar in Fiction Writing (one section required).
(b) Students concentrating in Poetry Writing take: ENGWRT 0530 Introduction to Poetry Writing; 1210 Poetry Workshop (two sections of 1210 are required; three sections may be taken); 1290 Readings in Contemporary Poetry, 1730 Senior Seminar in Poetry Writing.
(c) Students concentrating in Newspaper take: ENGWRT 0550 Introduction to Journalism; 1310 Newspaper 1; 1320 Newspaper 2; at least one topics course; 1760 Advanced Reporting; 1900 Internship: News.
(d) Students concentrating in Nonfiction take: ENGWRT 0550 Introduction to Journalism; 1330 Nonfiction 1; 1340 Nonfiction 2; 1390 Readings in Contemporary Nonfiction; at least one topics course; 1750 Senior Seminar in Nonfiction.
(3) Electives: In addition to these "normal sequence" course requirements, each student needs one or two elective courses to complete the 21 credits in writing required for the major. These electives may be taken in another track. For example, a fiction major may take an elective in journalism or poetry; or a journalism major may find his or her writing skills enhanced by an elective in fiction or poetry; or one may take additional topics courses or propose an independent study project; or elect to do an additional internship.
(4) Core literature requirements: All writing majors are required to take a minimum of 12 credits in literature. These 12 credits must be selected from the following groups of courses (additional courses may be added to these lists on a term by term basis):
(a) Courses in Literature prior to 1800: six credits required, to be chosen from: ENGLIT 0580 Introduction to Shakespeare; 0590 Formative Masterpieces; 0597 Bible as Literature; 1100 Medieval Imagination; 1103 Introduction to Old English; 1104 Old English Poetry; 1105 Middle English Literature; 1115 Chaucer, 1125 Renaissance in England; 1126 Advanced Shakespeare; 1132 Elizabethan and Jacobean Drama; 1150 Enlightenment to Revolution; 1551 Introduction to the English Language; 1552 History of the English Language; 1154 18th-Century Novel; 1570 Myth and Folktale.
(b) Courses in Literary Genres and Literary Periods after 1800: six credits required, to be chosen from: ENGLIT 0500 Introduction to Critical Reading; 0570 American Literary Traditions; 0573 Literature of the Americas; 1020 History of Literary Criticism; 1170 The Romantic Period; 1175 19th-Century British Literature; 1180 Victorian Literature; 1181 Victorian Novel; 1210 The American Renaissance; 1220 Emergence of Modern America (1860- 1914); 1245 Black Literature; 1250 20th-Century American Literature; 1272 Roaring 20s; 1280 Contemporary American Women Writers; 1300 Realist Tradition; 1310 The European Novel; 1325 The Modernist Tradition; 1342 Contemporary Literature in Context; 1370 Makers of Modern Drama; 1372 Contemporary Drama; 1380 World Literature in English; 1572 Fantasy and Romance; 1601 Comedy; 1602 Tragedy; 1603 Satire; 1611 Development of the Novel; 1701 Topics in Women's Studies.