Requirements for English Majors

Undergraduate

Major | Second Major | Minor | Second Academic Concentration

Requirement for English Majors – NEW (Students on the ’23-’24 and after catalog year are on this plan)

A flexible program of study encompassing areas of literature, language, creative writing, and rhetoric.

Core Requirements

Take one course from each of the categories below (four total):

- Big Questions
  - ENG 270: Big Questions in the Humanities and Fine Arts
  - ENG 271: Big Questions in the Health and Wellness
  - ENG 272: Big Questions in the Diversity and Equity
  - ENG 273: Big Questions in the Global Engagement and Intercultural Learning
- Theories and Methods
  - ENG 301: Topics in Theory and Method
  - ENG 303: Literary Theory
  - ENG 304: History and Theory of Rhetoric
  - ENG 305: Contemporary Rhetoric
  - ENG 306: Digital Rhetoric
- Marginalized and Minoritized Writers

- - ENG 316: Studies in Human Rights and Literature
  - ENG 331: Women in Literature
  - ENG 332: English Women Writers before 1800
  - ENG 374: Early African American Writers
  - ENG 375: Topics in Native American and Indigenous Studies
  - ENG 376: African American Writers after the 1920s
  - ENG 379: American Women’s Writing
  - ENG 383: Topics in Queer and Trans Studies
  - ENG 431: Feminist Theory / Women Writers

- Historical Depth and Context

- - ENG 315: Postcolonial Literatures
  - ENG 335: Dante in English
  - ENG 336: Introduction to Chaucer
  - ENG 337: English Literature to 1500
  - ENG 339: Shakespeare: Early Plays and Sonnets
  - ENG 340: Shakespeare: Later Plays
  - ENG 342: The Seventeenth Century
  - ENG 343: Topics in Pre-1800 Literature
  - ENG 344: The Romantic Period
  - ENG 345: The Victorian Period
  - ENG 346: British Literature from Victorian to Modern
  - ENG 351: The American Novel through World War I
  - ENG 360: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century
  - ENG 371: Literary Study of the Bible
  - ENG 372: Early American Literature
  - ENG 373: American Romanticism
  - ENG 377: American Realism and Naturalism
  - ENG 381: English Drama to 1800

English Electives (seven elective courses)

Students can tailor a course of study unique to their interests and needs.

Requirements: Courses must be taken at the 200-level or above. 18 credits must be taken at the 300-level or above, excluding ENG 327.

*All classes must be taken at the 200-level or above. At least 6 of these classes must be taken at the 300-level or above.*

View additional course information in the Course Catalogue

Requirements for the Major, English (applies to students on ’22-’23 and before catalog year):

Core Requirements (21 semester hours)
- Historical Perspectives
  - Early Survey, one (1) course from the following: ENG 211, 213, 251
  - Later Survey, one (1) course from the following: ENG 212, 252
- Perspectives on Literature
  - Two (2) courses in literature before 1800 (only one of which may be Shakespeare) from ENG 332, 336, 337, 339 or 340 or 440, 342, 343, 360, 372, 381, 410, 437, 441, 461
  - One (1) course in literature after 1800 from ENG 315, 316, 331, 333, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 350, 351, 352, 353, 357, 358, 359, 373, 374, 375, 376, 378, 380, 445, 452, 458, 459, 463, 464, 465, 482
- Contemporary Theoretical Approaches: ENG 303
- Rhetoric, one (1) course from the following: ENG 304, 305, 306
- 3 additional ENG courses at the 200 level and 2 additional ENG courses at the 300 level are needed

Note: if your catalog year is 2016–17 or earlier, you must email the Director of Undergraduate Studies to receive credit for the rhetoric requirement if you take ENG 304 or ENG 306 instead of ENG 305.

English Electives (15 semester hours)
Five courses in English at or above the 200 level

** New major requirements effective Fall 2010 for all new freshmen, new transfer students, and students changing majors to English.

Continuing students who were English majors before Fall 2010 must meet the previous set of requirements.

If you are confused about this, contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Karen Weyler (kaweyler@uncg.edu).

English as a Second Major

Required: Students must complete the requirements described for the English major (36 s.h.).

The Department offers Three Minors:

You may minor in Creative Writing (18 s.h.) as an English major or with any other major.

For specific information about the Creative Writing Minor Plan click here.

You may minor in Public Writing and Advocacy (18 s.h.) as an English major or with any other major:

For specific information about the Rhetoric and Public Advocacy Plan click here.

You may minor in English (18 s.h.) if you are a not an English major:

A minimum of 18 hours in English.
Any two of the following courses: English 201, 202, 211, 212, 251, 252.
No more than 6 hours at the 100-level. Any 100-level English course will count except English 101, and 102.
At least 6 hours at the 300-level or above.

Students may declare a minor in the Office of Academic Advising, 159 Mossman. For further advice about the English minor, see Dr. Karen Weyler, Director of Undergraduate Studies in English.

English as a Second Academic Concentration For Education Majors (excepting Middle Grades Education) (18 hours)

The department also offers an 18-hour second academic concentration in English that meets requirements for Elementary Education (School of Education) and certain other University programs in education. Consult with your major advisor or with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in English. Education students who are required to complete another approved major or concentration in a basic academic discipline must fulfill the following requirements (18 semester hours) for a second academic concentration in English.

View additional course information in the Course Catalogue.

For Specific Information about the English Education Plan click here or contact Dr. Jeanie Reynolds.

If you are considering changing your catalogue year, please do a “What-If” Degree Analysis to make sure this change is in your best interest. If it is, please contact Dr. Karen Weyler, Director of Undergraduate Studies.