English Department

Majors and Degrees Offered

• English (BA) with an emphasis in Creative Writing
• English (BA) with an emphasis in Drama
• English (BA) with an emphasis in Literature, Society, and Politics

Minors Offered

• English
• Professional Writing
• Drama Studies

Certificate Offered

• Professional Writing

Course Listings

• English (ENGL)
• Writing (WRIT)

Special Study Opportunities

The curriculum of the English Department is designed to demonstrate the interaction of literature with every area of human values and human concern. The central works of English and American literature are emphasized, but they are joined by other great literatures studied in translation. In upper-division courses, instead of treating together works widely varied in style, content, and theme because they were written in the same century, the department has cut across historical lines to place side by side works dealing with the same subjects or themes or works that belong to the same genre.

The student with a major in English selects an emphasis in creative writing; drama; or literature, society, and politics. All courses listed in the catalog are offered on a regular basis, though some upper-division courses are taught only in two-year rotation.

The department also prepares teachers. A special program in the School of Education for seniors who plan to teach permits them to work as apprentices at local high schools, devoting their energy to teaching, with minimal demands made on them at the University.

English majors can perform writing internships with businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

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Admission

Applicants for a major in English are required to submit a photocopy of one graded essay, including the instructor’s comments, written for a previous English class. The paper should be an example of the student’s best work. Students applying for English with an emphasis in Creative Writing must also submit one short story, play (or portion thereof), nonfiction essay, or three poems.

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Learning Objectives and Intended Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students should:

• Read critically, think critically, and write critically.
• Have read widely while in the department. They will have a foundation in the canonical works of literature, as well as newer works that challenge or expand the canon. Students are expected to read widely both in and outside their areas of emphasis.
• Have an understanding of and appreciation for the various periods, genres, and styles of literature. They should be able to see and appreciate the thematic links and influences between works within and across genres. They are encouraged to attend live theatre performances and to review film critically.
• Have an appreciation for the role of literature and the arts in society and culture. They should appreciate the key role the written word plays in human expression and the search for meaning.
• Have developed an awareness of historical context and the particular perspective of the work as it speaks from inside or outside the mainstream culture.
• Have acquired the skills to perform close readings/explications of complex literary texts. They will learn the specific language, beyond jargon, to articulate clearly aesthetic concerns and insights and will pursue a facility and appreciation for the use of research to explore diverse critical responses to literature.
• Have become accomplished writers of analytical papers.   They will be able to provide evidence from the text to support arguments. They should have a strong competency in the use and conventions of the MLA (Modern Language Association) citation style.

Additional Objectives for Creative Writing Students

Upon completion of the program, students should:

• Be able to read as writers: opening up influences, gathering strategies, and widening the range of what is possible in a student's own writing.
• Appreciate the precarious balance between the solitary act of writing itself and the communal, public act of passing written work before the unblinking eye of the world.
• Have developed an appreciative comprehension of both the art and the craft of writing (and the significant abiding differences between the two).
• Have discovered and established a genuine self-discipline and a regular work regimen that is viable for the individual student.

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Special Requirements

1. No more than two courses, not to exceed a maximum of 6 credit hours, completed with a grade of D may count toward fulfilling the specific course requirements of the major.
2. Students must complete ENGL 2020 and ENGL 2030 Major British Writers I and II and ENGL 2050 and ENGL 2070 Major U.S. Writers I and II with grades of C- or better.
3. At least 21 credit hours within the major must be completed at Webster University.
4. Each student must complete at least 12 credit hours of courses for the major at the 3000 or 4000 level.

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Portfolio Review for English Majors

Students who begin the English major in Fall 2005 or later must submit a Portfolio as a requirement for the English major. Students will enroll in English 4600: Portfolio Review (0 credit hours) in their final semester of undergraduate study. Students must pass English 4600: Portfolio Review in order to graduate.

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Departmental Honors in English

With the English Department’s approval, an English major may earn recognition as an outstanding student in the department by completing the additional requirements below.

To earn departmental honors, an English major must:

1. Complete at least 45 credit hours in residence at Webster University.
2. Maintain a G.P.A. of 3.5 in English coursework completed at Webster University.
3. Complete at least 15 credit hours in English courses offered at the 3000 and 4000 levels.
4. Complete at least two semesters of a foreign language with a grade of B or higher in each semester, or test out of that requirement.
5. Further explore cultures other than British or U.S. in one of four ways: complete a third semester of foreign language; complete an approved course in literature in translation; complete an approved course in world literature; or participate in study abroad.
6. Through consultation with an English Department advisor, secure the approval of the department to proceed with the Honors Thesis.
7. Complete ENGL 4900 Senior Honors Thesis by writing a thesis that meets departmental standards for exceptional work.  Students who complete ENGL 4900 will earn 1 credit hour, for a total of 43 credit hours.
   • Creative writing emphasis: original creative work by the student.
   • Literature, society, and politics emphasis: an original scholarly essay.
   • Drama: an original scholarly essay on dramatic literature or an original play.

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