Requirements
English Major
Total minimum number of credits required for a major in English leading to the B.A.
degree — 120.
Total minimum number of credits required for a minor in English — 18 (beyond ENG-101)
Wilkes University requires a minimum of 120 credit hours for a B.A. degree in English. These include completion of General Education Curriculum requirements and 39 credits in English, including ENG-101, which is a prerequisite for ENG-120.
The English major offers students an opportunity to develop skills in language, rhetoric, and writing; to practice critical and creative thinking; and to examine the diversity of human identity and experience through the study of literature. The skills, values, and habits of thought acquired through the study of language and literature prepare students for leadership positions and careers in teaching, graduate school, law, communications, journalism, publishing, business, government service, and other professional areas. The department strongly recommends that students who major in English take a foreign language.
A second major or a minor in English adds an attractive dimension to a student's major preparation in communications, business, theatre, pre-law, and other pre-professional and technical programs in which effective writing, liberal learning, and critical thinking are valued.
Students who major in English may concentrate in literature, writing, digital humanities, or may choose a program leading to certification in secondary teaching.
Non-majors may be admitted to courses numbered 300 and above with the permission of the instructor and department chair.
Literature Concentration in English
Students who concentrate their studies in literature are required to take ENG-101, ENG-120(Introduction to Literature and Culture), ENG-201 (Writing About Literature and Culture), and three of four survey courses: ENG-233 (Survey of English Literature I), ENG-234 (Survey of English Literature II), ENG-281 (Survey of American Literature I), and ENG-282 (Survey of American Literature II). The department strongly recommends that students concentrating in literature take all four survey courses. In addition, students must complete 19 credit hours in English courses numbered above 300, including one course in major author studies, one course in genre studies (fiction, drama, poetry), two courses in a period or movement, ENG-397 (English Seminar), and a Senior Capstone project.
Writing Concentration in English
Students who pursue a concentration in writing are required to take ENG-101, ENG-120, ENG-201 and an additional nine credit hours in other writing courses numbered above 200. Students must take three of four survey courses: ENG-233, ENG-234, ENG-281 and ENG-282. In addition, students must complete nine credit hours in advanced literature courses numbered above 300, including ENG-397 (English Seminar), and a Senior Capstone project.
Digital Humanities Concentration in English
Students who concentrate in Digital Humanities must take ENG-101, ENG-120, ENG-201 and three of the four survey courses: ENG-233, ENG-234, ENG-281, and ENG-282. In addition, students must complete nine credit hours in Digital Humanities-designated courses numbered 200 and above, including ENG-222 (Introduction to Digital Humanities), as well as nine credits in advanced English courses numbered 300 or above, including ENG-397. Students must also complete a Digital Humanities-designated senior capstone project.
Certifications in Secondary Education and Middle Level Education
Students interested in Secondary Education or Middle Level Education certification should make appointments as early as possible with the chairpersons of the English program and of the Education Department to plan their professional studies. Students seeking certification as secondary level or middle level education public school teachers should refer to the Education Department’s undergraduate section of the current Bulletin for a complete outline of Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and program requirements.
Students majoring in English with a minor in Secondary Education and seeking certification as secondary public school teachers of English (seventh through twelfth grade certification) must take ENG-101, ENG-120 (Introduction to Literature and Culture), ENG-201 (Writing About Literature and Culture), ENG-225 (Comparative Grammar), ENG-324 (History of the English Language), ENG-393 (The Teaching of English in Middle-Level and Secondary Schools), and three of four survey courses: ENG-233 (Survey of English Literature I), ENG-234 (Survey of English Literature II), ENG-281 (Survey of American Literature I), and ENG-282 (Survey of American Literature II). The department strongly recommends that students seeking certification take all four survey courses. In addition, students must complete twelve hours in English courses numbered above 300, including one course in major author studies, one course in genre studies (fiction, drama, poetry), one course in a period or movement, and ENG-397 (English Seminar).
Required Education courses are ED-180 (Educational Psychology), ED-190 (Effective Teaching with Field Experience), ED-191 (Integrating Technology into the Classroom), ED-220 (Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners), ED-390 (Student Teaching with Seminar), EDSP-210 (Teaching Students with Special Needs), EDSP-225 (Special Education Methodology I with Field Experience), and EDSP-388 (Inclusionary Practices).
Students interested in Secondary Education should make an appointment with the coordinator of the Secondary Education program as early as possible to design an effective and efficient course of study that incorporates all requirements of the major and minor degree programs. These students will declare a minor in Secondary Education. The requirements for the minor in Secondary Education and certification are contained in the Education section of the Bulletin. All Teacher Education students must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program in their sophomore or junior year. Candidates must maintain a 3.0 GPA and pass the appropriate PAPA and PRAXIS tests in order to be certified.
Students seeking certification as Middle Level public school teachers (fourth through eighth grade certification) in English/Language Arts/Reading should refer to the Education Department’s undergraduate section of this Bulletin for a complete outline of Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and program requirements. Students seeking certification as Middle Level public school teachers should also consult carefully with their Education program and English program advisors in planning their program.
Recommended Course Sequence
First Semester |
|
Distribution Requirements |
9 |
ENG 101 Composition |
4 |
FYF 101 First-Year Foundations |
3 |
Total Credits |
16 |
Second Semester |
|
Distribution Requirements |
9 |
ENG 120 Introduction to Literature and Culture |
3 |
Free Elective |
3 |
Total Credits |
15 |
Third Semester |
|
ENG 201 Writing about Literature and Culture |
4 |
English Survey (ENG 233,282) |
3 |
Free Electives |
9 |
Total Credits |
16 |
Fourth Semester |
|
English Survey (ENG 234,281) |
6 |
Free Electives |
9 |
Total Credits |
15 |
Fifth Semester |
|
Free Electives |
9 |
Major Electives* |
6 |
Total Credits |
15 |
Sixth Semester |
|
Free Electives |
6 |
Major Electives* |
9 |
Total Credits |
15 |
Seventh Semester |
|
ENG 397 Seminar |
3 |
Free Electives |
12 |
Total Credits |
15 |
Eighth Semester |
|
Free Electives |
12 |
Major Capstone |
1 |
Total Credits |
13 |
*Students select major electives to meet requirements in their area of concentration.
English
ENG-098. Academic Writing
ENG-101. Composition
Practice in writing for specific purposes and audiences to develop a coherent voice for engaging in academic and professional discourse; practice in writing with the support of digital technology; study of primary texts, models, and principles of expository and argumentative writing to develop critical reading, writing, and thinking skills; introductory bibliographic instruction and practice in writing that incorporates library research.
ENG-120. Introduction to Literature and Culture
An introduction to literature through critical reading, writing, and discussion of the major forms of literary and cultural expression. Students will explore works in various literary traditions and engage in a deep consideration of the diversity of human experience and identities. Major subtopic areas for the course will include: Reading Classical Traditions; Reading Great Works; Reading Cultural Crossroads; and Reading American Experience. Reading Classical Traditions: A study of major works from the ancient world to the Renaissance, emphasizing the impact these texts have had on our literary tradition and our culture. Reading Great Works: A study of major works since the Renaissance, emphasizing the principal modes of literary expression (poetry, drama, fiction and film). Reading Cultural Crossroads: A study of works emphasizing a variety of cultural values, intercultural relationships, global perspectives, and aesthetic experiences. Reading American Experience: A study of works from American literature, emphasizing the multicultural heritage and nature of American writers and cultures.
ENG-190. Projects in Writing and Editing
Independent projects in writing, editing, publication design and layout, and peer consulting connected to the English program newsletter (ENG 190 A – Inkwell Quarterly), the student literary magazine (ENG 190 B – Manuscript), the University Writing Center (ENG 190 C – Writing Methods), and our annual best essays publication (ENG 190 D - Kirby Canon).
ENG-201. Writing About Literature and Culture
An introduction to conventions, theoretical approaches, research methods, and practice of literary and cultural studies. Application of contemporary critical perspectives and research methodology in reading and writing about literary and cultural texts.
ENG-202. Technical and Professional Writing
Practice in "real world writing." Students write on subjects associated with their major or intended careers. Students learn to perform as self-aware writers who have something to say to someone, to adapt their roles and voices to various audiences, and to marshal and present persuasively data that is relevant to a particular purpose and context.
ENG-203. Introduction to Creative Writing
The analysis and practice of various forms of creative writing including the study of the writer’s tools and choices in creating poetry, short fiction, and dramatic scenes.
ENG-222. Introduction to Digital Humanities
An introduction to the field of Digital Humanities with an emphasis on how digital processes and products impact the development and study of literature, language, and the disciplines of the humanities.
ENG-225. Comparative Grammar
A comparative and critical study of prescriptive, descriptive and transformational-generative grammar.
ENG-228. Professional and Workplace Writing
The study and practice of effective writing techniques related to writing at work for the professional world that focuses on producing polished documents, enhancing research techniques, and fine-tuning oral communication skills.
ENG-233. Survey of English Literature I
A study of the major works and movements in English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period through the eighteenth century.
ENG-234. Survey of English Literature II
A study of the major works and movements in English literature from the Romantic movement to the present.
ENG-281. Survey of American Literature I
A study of writers, works, and movements in the Americas from the 1490s to the Civil War.
ENG-282. Survey of American Literature II
A study of major American writers, works, and movements from the Civil War to the present.
ENG-303. Advanced Workshop in Creative Writing
A seminar experience where students write and critique poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or scripts. Specific genre designated in each course.
ENG-308. Rhetorical Analysis and Nonfictional Prose Writing
The study and practice of strategies for producing responsibly written public information, including persuasive and argumentative propositions for particular audiences.
ENG-311. Technologies of the Book
ENG-324. History of the English Language
A chronological study of the origins of the English language and the systematic changes that have made it the language we speak and write today.
ENG-331. Studies in Medieval English Literature
A study of Medieval literature to 1485, exclusive of Chaucer.
ENG-333. Studies in Renaissance Literature
ENG-334. Studies in Eighteenth-Century Literature
ENG-335. Studies in Romantic Literature
A study of major writers, works, and topics of the British Romantic Period.
ENG-336. Studies in Victorian Literature
A study of major writers, works, and topics of the Victorian Age.
ENG-337. Studies in American Romantic Literature
A study of nineteenth-century American literature, including novels, essays, short fiction, and poetry.
ENG-340. Studies in Chaucer
A study of selected works by Chaucer.
ENG-342. Studies in Shakespeare
A study of selected plays and poems by Shakespeare.
ENG-350. Studies in the English Novel
ENG-351. Studies in Postmodernism
A study of postmodern writers from the 1960s to the present.
ENG-352. Studies in the American Novel
A study of the American novel from its eighteenth-century beginnings to the present.
ENG-353. Studies in Postcolonial Literature
A study of literature emerging from the British empire and its former colonies with an emphasis on major issues within postcolonial studies.
ENG-356. Studies in African American Literature
A study of African American literature from the Antebellum era to the present.
ENG-357. Studies in Gothic Literature
A study of major writers, works, and topics of gothic literature from about 1764 to the present.
ENG-358. Studies in Contemporary Fiction
A study of fiction, including the novel, short story, and novella, written since World War II. Works from English, American, and world literature may be included to reflect the diversity of contemporary literature and the emergence of post-modernist themes and forms.
ENG-361. Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Drama
A study of drama from the tenth century to 1642; reading of plays by medieval and early modern dramatists exclusive of Shakespeare.
ENG-365. Studies in Modern British Drama
A study of major playwrights, works, and topics of modern British drama.
ENG-366. Studies in American Drama
A study of major playwrights, works, and movements in American drama.
ENG-370. Studies in Modern British Poetry
A study of major British poetry of the twentieth century.
ENG-376. Studies in Modern American Poetry
A study of major movements and representative figures in American poetry from about 1900 to 1960.
ENG-391. (ENG-392 Spring) Senior Projects: Capstone
An independent project in the area of the student’s concentration culminating in a formal written and oral presentation. Advised by a member of the English department faculty, the project demonstrates the student’s learning in the major.
ENG-393. The Teaching of English in Middle-Level and Secondary Schools
A study of the theory and practice of teaching composition, literature, and English language studies in the middle and secondary school level (grades 7 through 12). Topics include planning, methodology, presentation, and assessment of lessons. The course includes 40 hours of field experience.
ENG-395. (ENG-396 Spring) Independent Research
Independent study and research for advanced students in the field of the major under the direction of a faculty member. A research paper at a level significantly beyond a term paper is required.
ENG-397. Seminar
Presentations and discussions of selected topics.
ENG-399. Cooperative Education
Professional cooperative education placement in a private or public organization related to the student’s academic objectives and career goals. In addition to their work experience, students are required to submit weekly reaction papers and an academic project to a Faculty Coordinator in the student’s discipline. (See the Cooperative Education section of this Bulletin for placement procedures.)