English

Portfolio Review for English Majors

If you began the English major in Fall 2005 or later, you must submit a portfolio in order to graduate. If you entered prior to 2005, you may opt to submit a portfolio rather than an overview.

You should take English 4600: Portfolio Review (0 credit hours) in your final semester of undergraduate study. You must pass English 4600: Portfolio Review in order to graduate. Please submit your portfolio to your faculty advisor by April 1 if you are graduating in May, by November 1 if graduating in December, and by July 15 if graduating in August.

ENGL 4600 is graded on a pass/fail basis. In order to pass, you must turn in all the required materials (listed below) on time. Putting together the portfolio will allow you the opportunity to reflect on what you have learned and how you have grown as an English major, and the department will use the information you provide as part of our annual assessment of the quality and success of our programs. Portfolios will be retained by the department.

The portfolio will include

1. Photocopies of three original, graded formal writing assignments from at least two different ENGL courses at the 2000 level or above. Each portfolio submission should be a copy of an original assignment bearing the professor’s comments and grade. If ungraded, the work must be initialed by the genre advisor. Material in the portfolio should reflect your highest achievements as an English major.

a. Emphasis in Creative Writing. Submit two samples of creative writing presented and discussed in a creative writing course and one analytic essay from a literature course.
b. Emphasis in Literature, Society, and Politics. Submit three analytic essays from literature courses, totaling 15 pages or more.
c. Emphasis in Drama. Submit EITHER three analytic essays from literature courses, totaling 15 pages or more, OR one sample of creative dramatic writing presented and discussed in a creative writing course and two analytic essays from literature courses.

2. A list of courses taken for the major.

3. A personal reading list from the college years. The list should include at least fifty titles, and may include class texts. Please organize the list in a thoughtful way, such as by genre or theme.

4. A reflective statement of approximately 500 words in which you evaluate your development during your years as an English major. You might answer the question, “How have my knowledge/understanding and writing abilities changed since I started the English major?” The statement might include discussion of one or more experiences involving reading, writing, or creativity that had a significant effect on your understanding of your purpose as an English major. It may be helpful to consult the department’s learning outcomes for English majors (see reverse) as you write your reflective statement. You may also wish to comment on the organization of your reading list or the reasons why you selected the books you did.

Updated August 2009