BA in English (48–65 hours*)

Program Requirements    |    View MAP

1. Students must complete the GE Foreign Language option even if the Advanced Mathematics option has already been completed.
2. The English Department requires a minimum of 21 hours of English major course work to be taken in residency at BYU for this degree program. These hours may also go toward BYU's 30-hour residency requirement for graduation.
3. Engl 195 is recommended.
4. Because upper-division English courses require substantial writing, students should complete their Engl 295 before they begin their first upper-division courses, preferably in the second semester of their sophomore year.
5. No more than three hours of any one R course may apply toward the hours required for the major.
6. Complete the following core requirements:
   • Students are strongly encouraged to take a freshman college-level writing course, regardless of their AP test scores (Wrtg 150 or Phil 150).
   • Fundamentals of language and literature: complete the following:
     ENGL 251 : Fundamentals of Literary Interpretation and Criticism.

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

   • British and American literary history:
     Either
     ENGL 291 : British Literary History 1.
     ENGL 292 : British Literary History 2.
     ENGL 293 : American Literary History.
     Or
     ENGL 291 : British Literary History 1.
     ENGL 294 : Transatlantic Literary History.

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

   • Complete the following core course:
     ENGL 295 : Writing Literary Criticism.

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

7. Complete one major authors course from the following:
   ENGL 381 : Chaucer.
   ENGL 382 : Shakespeare.
   ENGL 383 : Milton.
   ENGL 384R : Major Authors.
8. Complete one course from each of the following three areas:
   • Literature before 1800:
     ENGL 360 : American Literature to 1800.
     ENGL 371 : British Literature to 1500: The Medieval Period.
     ENGL 372 : British Literature 1500 - 1603: The Early Renaissance.
     ENGL 373 : British Literature 1660 - 1789: The Enlightenment.
     ENGL 385 : British Literature 1603 - 1660: The Late Renaissance.
     ENGL 390R : Transnational/Transatlantic Literature.
     (with pre-1800 focus)
   • Literature from 1800-1900:
     ENGL 361 : American Literature 1800 - 1865.
     ENGL 362 : American Literature 1865 - 1914.
     ENGL 374 : British Literature 1789 - 1832: The Romantic Period.
     ENGL 375 : British Literature 1832-1900: The Victorian Period.
     ENGL 390R : Transnational/Transatlantic Literature.
     (with 1800-1900 focus)
   • Literature from 1900-present:
     ENGL 363 : American Literature 1914 - 1960.
     ENGL 365 : American Literature 1960 to Present.
     ENGL 376 : British Literature 1900 - 1950: The Modern Period.
     ENGL 380 : British Literature 1950 - Present: The Contemporary Period.
     ENGL 390R : Transnational/Transatlantic Literature.
     (with post-1900 focus)

9. Rhetoric and Theory: complete one course from the following:
   ENGL 322 : History and Criticism of Rhetoric.
   ENGL 324 : Writing with Style.
   ENGL 325 : Visual Rhetoric.
   ENGL 326 : Digital Culture.
   ENGL 327R : Studies in Rhetoric.
   ENGL 328R : Studies in Composing.
   ENGL 330 : Literary English: History and Style.
   ENGL 451 : Literary Theory and Criticism 1: The Critical Tradition.
   ENGL 452 : Literary Theory and Criticism 2: Contemporary Criticism.
10. Diverse Traditions and Methods: complete one course from the following:
    ELANG 468 : Varieties of English.
    ENGL 337R : Advanced Studies in Genre.
    ENGL 345 : Literature and Film.
    ENGL 350 : The Bible as Literature.
    ENGL 355 : (Engl-ClCv) Greek and Roman Classics and the English Tradition.
    ENGL 356 : Myth, Legend, and Folktales.
    ENGL 358R : Ethnic, Regional, and Other Literatures in English.
    ENGL 364 : Literature and Cultures of the American West.
    ENGL 368 : Literature of the Latter-day Saints.
    ENGL 391 : Introduction to Folklore.
    ENGL 392 : American Folklore.
    ENGL 396 : Studies in Women's Literature.

11. Complete the following:
    ENGL 495 : The Senior Course.

    Note: Students will take this course their senior year.

12. Complete 9 elective hours from any 300- or 400-level English courses, except:
    • English education courses (Engl 329, 377, 378, 379, 423, 479).
    • Engl 399R.

    The following may also be counted toward the elective hours:

    • The following course:
      ENGL 218R : Creative Writing.
    • Only one of the following English Advanced Written and Oral Communications courses can count as an English elective.
      ENGL 310 : Writing and Tutoring.
      ENGL 311 : Writing About the Arts and Humanities.
      ENGL 312 : Persuasive Writing.
      ENGL 313 : Expository Writing for Elementary Education Majors.
      ENGL 315 : Writing in the Social Sciences.
      ENGL 316 : Technical Communication.
    • Three hours from the following honors courses:
    HONRS 203R : Literature.
    HONRS 303R : Literature.
    • One of the following English language courses:
      ELANG 322 : Modern American Usage.
      ELANG 324 : History of the English Language.
      ELANG 325 : The Grammar of English.
      ELANG 350 : Basic Editing Skills.
      ELANG 410R : Genre and Substantive Editing.
      ELANG 430R : Editing for Publication.

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 322, 324, 325, 326, 327R, 328R, 330.

Preparation for Graduate Studies in English

Engl 451 or 452.

*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.

For more information, please visit http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/2013-2014ucat/departments/English/EnglishMajor.php