English Major Requirements

BA English (48–65 hours*)

Major Requirements

1. Students must complete the GE Foreign Language option even if the Advanced Mathematics option has already been completed.

2. At least 21 hours of English major course work must be completed in residence at BYU.

3. Engl 195 is recommended.

4. Because upper-division English courses require substantial writing, it is strongly recommended that students complete their Advanced Written and Oral Communications requirement as they begin their first upper-division courses, preferably in the second semester of their sophomore year.

5. No more than 3 hours of any one R course may apply toward the hours required for the major.

6. Complete the following core courses:
   1. Students are strongly encouraged to take a freshman college-level writing course, regardless of their AP test scores (Engl 150, Honrs 150, or Phil 150).

   2. Fundamentals of language and literature:
      Engl 251 or 252.

      Note: Students must complete Engl 251 or 252 before taking any 300-level courses.

   3. British and American literary history:

      Engl 291, 292, 293.

      Note: Students must complete the literary history course in a period before taking any 300-level courses in that period.

   4. Complete the following core course:
      Engl 295

      Note: Students must complete Engl 295 before taking most 300- and 400-level courses for majors.

7. Complete the following:
   Engl 381, 382, 383, and 384R.

8. Complete one course from two of the following three areas:
   1. Literature before 1800:
      Engl 360, 371, 372, 373, 385, 390R.

   2. Literature between 1800-1900:

      Engl 361, 362, 374, 375, 390R.

   3. Literature from 1900-present:
      Engl 363, 365, 376, 380, 390R.

9. Rhetoric and Theory: complete one course from the following:
   Engl 322, 323, 325, 326, 328R, 451, 452.

10. Diverse Traditions and Methods: complete one course from the following:
    ELang 468.
    Engl 337R, 345, 350, 355, 356, 358R, 364, 368, 391, 392, 396.

11. Complete the following:
    Engl 495.

    Note: Students should take this course their senior year, after taking Engl 295.

12. Complete 9 elective hours from any 300- or 400-level English courses, except:
    1. Any English course used to fulfill the GE Advanced Written and Oral Communications requirement.
    2. English education courses (Engl 329, 377, 378, 379, 423, and 479).

    The following may also be counted toward the elective hours:

    1. Three hours of Engl 218R.
    2. Three hours of Honrs 203R or 303R.
    3. One course from the following ELang courses:
       ELang 322, 324, 325, 350, 410R, 430R.

Note 1: Some English majors choose to minor in editing, which is offered by the Department of Linguistics and English Language.

Note 2: Some English majors choose to focus on special areas of concentration within the major itself, such as:

Creative Writing

Engl 218R, 317R, 318R, 319R, 320R, 419R, 518R.

 

Folklore, Ethnic, and Regional Literature

Engl 356, 358R, 364, 368, 391, 392, 393R.

Rhetoric and Academic Writing

Engl 323, 326, 328R.

Preparation for Graduate Studies in English

Engl 451 or 452.

*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.