Advice for English Majors
Given the diversity of the course offerings in English, you might at times feel bewildered as to how to best pursue your own studies as an English Major. This page provides basic advice on planning your English major program. As you plan your major program, you may decide to focus on a particular area of study or you may broadly sample a variety of areas. However you choose to shape your program, we offer seven recommendations for a successful experience as an English major at BYU:
- In planning your program, be guided by your own interests. Ideally, you will enroll in courses with subjects that interest you deeply. At the same time, you should keep an open mind: a university education is designed to broaden your understanding and interests. As you take a variety of courses to fulfill requirements and electives, you will likely discover new passions, which may lead you to modify your original study plans.
- Visit your advisor in the English department early and often. Several professors in the English department are assigned as advisors (see the home page for a current list or ask the English Department receptionist in 4198 JFSB). Because department advisors understand English studies, they may offer tips that the humanities advisors cannot.
- Plan ahead. Take prerequisite classes early in your program: English 251 should be taken by the first semester of your sophomore year, followed shortly by English 291, 292, and 293. You should fill the advanced writing requirement by no later than the first semester of your junior year (filling it during your sophomore year is preferable). The English department offers a limited number and variety of classes each semester or term, so map out your schedule early-and include options in case you can't take the course you want during a given semester or term. Taking prerequisite and other core courses early in your program will allow you to adhere to a reasonable graduation timetable and will allow flexibility in scheduling elective courses or in changing your focus or emphasis later.
- Start early in fulfilling the foreign language requirement: you must successfully complete a 202-level class in the foreign language of your choice. All English majors at BYU must complete the GE foreign language option even if they have already completed the math option. Do not assume that this requirement will be met through missionary service: many missionaries are called to serve English-speaking missions. If you have had several years' experience studying a foreign language in high school, you may be able to enter classes in that language at the 102 or 201 level (rather than at the beginning 101 level) here at BYU. If you've served as a missionary in a foreign-language mission, remember that you will need to pass a test in that language to receive foreign-language credit at BYU (or you will need to enroll in and pass a 202-level course). Advisors in the Humanities Advisement Center (1175 JFSB) can tell you where to go for more information about challenge exams in a given language.
- Supplement required English courses with English 195. English 195 is a one-credit class providing an overview of the area studies comprising English, the extracurricular and academic opportunities available to English majors at BYU, and career or graduate study options available to students who receive a bachelor's degree in English.
- Fill the advanced writing requirement with a course tailored to your personal, professional, or career interests. The advanced writing course tailored specifically to English majors is English 314: Writing about Literature-and most majors enroll in this course. However, many English majors choose to take other advanced writing courses that may be more congruent with their academic and career objectives. For example, pre-law English majors often enroll in English 312: Persuasive Writing, while students with a broad interest in the humanities may take English 311: Writing about the Humanities. English majors planning to do graduate work in sociology, psychology, or family relations may sign up for English 315: Writing in the Social Sciences; pre-business English majors may take Management Communications 320: Written Business Communication; students interested in editing or professional writing may take English 316: Technical Writing.
