Offered in: Chicago

Students who major in English will undertake a course of study designed to develop knowledge in literary trends, themes, and genres as well as skills in critical interpretation and written communication. In advanced courses, students will investigate the structure, style, intellectual content, historical significance, and cultural context of the literature produced in the United States and Great Britain, as well as Anglophone literature from around the world. This extensive textual study will foster appreciation of diverse cultural values and of the means by which culture is transmitted through language.

The English BA cultivates essential skills that employers want in their job candidates: the ability to conduct research, to synthesize and distill that information, and to effectively communicate it to disparate audiences. In courses attentive to Roosevelt’s social justice mission and to cultural trends and their historical contexts, students will become critical thinkers and thoughtful writers attuned to diverse aesthetics, viewpoints, and values. English majors will read a wide variety of texts, discuss and debate their meanings and merits, and develop evidence-based interpretations.

The English BA curriculum is designed to give students the flexibility to select a concentration, minor, or second major that will propel them into a rewarding career. Our alumni have gone on to graduate degrees in literature, library science, law, and writing; teaching English in secondary schools or in foreign countries; and to careers in professions such as advertising/marketing, law, publishing, and other fields in which cultural awareness and strong analytical, interpretive, research, and writing skills are desired.

Requirements

The major consists of 11 courses in English literature: five core courses and six electives. Of the core courses, the following have a prerequisite of ENG 101 COMPOSITION I: CRITICAL READING & WRITING and thus may be taken by second-semester freshmen:  ENG 210 BRITISH LITERATURE TO 1789, ENG 211 BRITISH LITERATURE 1789 TO PRESENT, ENG 212 AMERICAN LITERATURE TO 1865, ENG 213 AMERICAN LITERATURE 1865-PRESENT, ENG 215 INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC LITERATURES and ENG 207 INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE. The required course in analytical interpretation (ENG 220 INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY ANALYSIS ) has a prerequisite of ENG 102 COMPOSITION II: INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH. Of the electives, five must be at the 300 level, most of which have a prerequisite of ENG 220 INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY ANALYSIS. ENG 117 TOPICS: IDEAS THROUGH THE CENTURIES may be counted both as an English elective and as the Ideas requirement in the general education curriculum. Transfer students must complete at least five 300-level English courses at Roosevelt.

Electives should be chosen in close consultation with an advisor to devise a program that both satisfies the student's interests and involves sufficient breadth. Students may count ENG 222 WRITING TUTOR PRACTICUM, ENG 223 WRITING FOR NONPROFITS, ENG 384 INTERNSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY, ENG 385 INTERNSHIP IN TEACH LITERATURE, ENG 387 INTERNSHIP TEACH COMPOSITION, CRWR 303 CREATIVE WRITING CAPSTONE and other selected 300-level courses both as an English elective, and towards the Experiential Learning requirement in the general education curriculum.

Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA in the major, and must earn grades of C- or higher in all major coursework.

Concentration in Creative Writing

Students interested in this concentration follow a curriculum that complements the study of literature with four workshops that provide exposure to and further practice in a variety of genres in creative writing.

The creative writing workshops include a multi-genre introductory course, at least two of three genre courses, and the Creative Writing Capstone course, in which students assemble and revise a portfolio of their best work.

CORE Requirements (General Education)

¹

Higher level of Math may be required by major

²

Coursework must come from outside of students' major discipline

³

A maximum of 9 credits can be applied from a single discipline towards humanities and social science requirements

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

• Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
• Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
• Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
• Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
• Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
• Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.

¹

Or course towards an optional Minor

²

Any course at the 200 level within the discipline.

³

Any course at the 300 level within the discipline.

⁴

Experiential Learning class must be 200/300 level and satisfies CORE requirement. ENG course recommended.

⁵

One Natural Science course must have a lab.

⁶

ENG 117 recommended

⁷

100 level HIST course recommended.