English (BA)

Major Requirements:

The major in English consists of 11 courses given by, or approved by, the department.

The following courses are required of all majors:

ENGL 199	Approaches to Literature	4
ENGL 200	Introduction to Theory	4

ENGL 199 is an introduction to the major and is open to all students thinking about majoring in English. All potential majors are urged to take it no later than the beginning of their sophomore year. While ENGL 199 and ENGL 200 constitute a sequence and must be taken in that order, this sequence is not necessarily consecutive. ENGL 199 is a class appropriate for incoming first-year students, while ENGL 200 is an advanced course in critical theory, open only to students with sophomore standing and above who have taken 199. Students will thus typically take 199 at the beginning of their first year, and they will take 200 no earlier than the beginning of their second year. ENGL 199 is the prerequisite for all 300-level literature classes offered by this department. Some 300-level classes may have additional prerequisites; see course descriptions below. Students may choose either the creative writing or the literature option for their English major. Described below are additional requirements for each option.

Requirements of the Major

Students who major in English cannot use AP test scores to replace core requirements of the major. A score of 5 or higher on the IB will count as non-specific academic credit.

The department will accept up to seven classes toward the major for seniors transferring to Simmons, up to five for juniors, and up to three for sophomores. We require grades of C or above in all classes transferred in toward the major. All transfer students must take the two 300-level seminars required of English majors at Simmons. (We will accept advanced classes toward the major if students have earned grades of C or above in these classes, but these classes will not satisfy the 300-level requirements.)

The Creative Writing Option

One course covering literature before 1610

ENGL 111	Greek Mythology and Religion	4
ENGL 112	Poetry and Passion in the Bible	4
ENGL 121	Love, Death, and Fantasy inýShakespeare's Plays	4
ENGL 321	Studies in Shakespeare	4
ENGL 326	Medieval and Renaissance Literature	4

One course covering literature from 1610–1800

ENGL 243	English Novel Through Austen	4
ENGL 307	Jane Austen and Her Contemporaries	4
ENGL 232	English Literature of the 17th Century	4
ENGL 342	18th Century Literature	4

ENGL 307: see note*

One course covering 19th-c. English literature

ENGL 211	From Alice to Eeyore	4
ENGL 254	The English Novel from Victorians to Moderns	4
ENGL 304	Problems in Romantic Literature: The Romantic Rebel	4
ENGL 306	Victorian Literature and Culture	4
ENGL 307	Jane Austen and Her Contemporaries	4
HON 304	Specimens and Collections: Science in Victorian Literature	4
HON 305	Specimens and Collections	4

ENGL 211, ENGL 254, ENGL 307: see note*

One course covering British or U.S. literature and/or media of the 20th and/or 21st c.

ENGL 138	American Poetry	4
ENGL 172	20th Century U.S. Fiction	4
ENGL 178	Intersectional Themes in Modern American Literature	4
ENGL 193	Gender and Power in Literature	4
ENGL 195	Art of Film	4
ENGL 211	From Alice to Eeyore	4
ENGL 214	The Invented Self in American Fiction	4
ENGL 221	The Critical Lens: Introduction to Film and Media Theory	4
ENGL 254	The English Novel from Victorians to Moderns	4
ENGL 275	American Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance	4
ENGL 317	Toni Morrison and American Literature	4
ENGL 327	Race and Gender Psychoanalytical Discourse	4
ENGL 354	Studies in Film Genre	4
ENGL 398	Feminist Media Studies	4

ENGL 178, ENGL 211, ENGL 239, ENGL 254, ENGL 275, ENGL 317: see note*

One course in American literature before 1900

ENGL 161	American Literature to the Civil War	4
ENGL 162	American Literature from 1865-1900	4
ENGL 235	Identity and Race in American Literature	4
ENGL 312	Classic American Writers	4
ENGL 320	American Women's Poetry	4

One course in multiethnic literature

ENGL 176	African American Fiction	4
ENGL 178	Intersectional Themes in Modern American Literature	4
ENGL 275	American Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance	4
ENGL 308	Global Novel	4
ENGL 316	Native American Literature	4
ENGL 317	Toni Morrison and American Literature	4
HON 205	Global Environmental History	4

ENGL 178, ENGL 239, ENGL 275, ENGL 317: see note *

Two creative writing courses

ENGL 105	Creative Writing: Non-Fiction	4
ENGL 107	Creative Writing: Fiction	4
ENGL 109	Creative Writing: Poetry	4
ENGL 207	Writing Fiction, Part 2	4
ENGL 310	Advanced Poetry Workshop	4
ENGL 350	Independent Study	4

One literature or creative writing elective

Notes: Two of these eleven courses must be 300-level literature seminars. 323, Special Topics, in its various versions may satisfy one of these requirements; check with the Chair.

*ENGL 211 and ENGL 254 may satisfy the 19th c. English literature requirement OR the 20th/21st c. requirement, not both. ENGL 178, ENGL 239, ENGL 275, and ENGL 317 may satisfy the multi-ethnic literature requirement OR the 20th/21st c. requirement, not both. ENGL 307 may satisfy the 1610-1800 literature requirement OR the 19th c. English literature requirement, not both.

The Literature Option

One course covering literature before 1610

ENGL 111	Greek Mythology and Religion	4
ENGL 112	Poetry and Passion in the Bible	4
ENGL 121	Love, Death, and Fantasy inýShakespeare's Plays	4
ENGL 321	Studies in Shakespeare	4
ENGL 326	Medieval and Renaissance Literature	4

One course covering literature from 1610–1800

ENGL 243	English Novel Through Austen	4
ENGL 307	Jane Austen and Her Contemporaries	4
ENGL 232	English Literature of the 17th Century	4
ENGL 342	18th Century Literature	4

ENGL 307: see note*

One course covering 19th-c. English literature

ENGL 211	From Alice to Eeyore	4
ENGL 254	The English Novel from Victorians to Moderns	4
ENGL 304	Problems in Romantic Literature: The Romantic Rebel	4
ENGL 306	Victorian Literature and Culture	4
ENGL 307	Jane Austen and Her Contemporaries	4
HON 304	Specimens and Collections: Science in Victorian Literature	4
HON 305	Specimens and Collections	4

ENGL 211, ENGL 254, ENGL 307: see note*

One course covering British or U.S. literature and/or media of the 20th and/or 21st c.

ENGL 138	American Poetry	4
ENGL 172	20th Century U.S. Fiction	4
ENGL 178	Intersectional Themes in Modern American Literature	4
ENGL 193	Gender and Power in Literature	4
ENGL 195	Art of Film	4
ENGL 211	From Alice to Eeyore	4
ENGL 214	The Invented Self in American Fiction	4
ENGL 221	The Critical Lens: Introduction to Film and Media Theory	4
ENGL 254	The English Novel from Victorians to Moderns	4
ENGL 275	American Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance	4
ENGL 317	Toni Morrison and American Literature	4
ENGL 327	Race and Gender Psychoanalytical Discourse	4
ENGL 354	Studies in Film Genre	4
ENGL 398	Feminist Media Studies	4

ENGL 178, ENGL 211, ENGL 239, ENGL 254, ENGL 275, ENGL 317: see note*

One course in American literature before 1900

ENGL 161	American Literature to the Civil War	4
ENGL 162	American Literature from 1865-1900	4
ENGL 235	Identity and Race in American Literature	4
ENGL 312	Classic American Writers	4
ENGL 320	American Women's Poetry	4

One course in multiethnic literature

ENGL 176	African American Fiction	4
ENGL 178	Intersectional Themes in Modern American Literature	4
ENGL 275	American Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance	4
ENGL 308	Global Novel	4
ENGL 316	Native American Literature	4
ENGL 317	Toni Morrison and American Literature	4
HON 205	Global Environmental History	4

ENGL 178, ENGL 239, ENGL 275, ENGL 317: see note *

Any three other English courses, one of which may be a creative writing course

Note: Two of these eleven courses must be 300-level literature seminars. 323, Special Topics, in its various versions may satisfy one of these requirements; check with the Chair.

Capstone Requirement

In the Department of English, the capstone requirement can be met in the following ways:

ENGL 350	Independent Study	4
ENGL 370	Internship	8
ENGL 380	Fieldwork	4
ENGL 390	Seminar in Literary Scholarship	4

Alternatively, English majors who have double majors may meet the capstone requirement by taking appropriate courses or completing projects in an area other than English. Internship and Field Work (ENGL 370 and ENGL 380) do not count toward the eleven courses required for the major.