Tracks and Requirements

Undergraduate majors in English are required to take 10 courses (for a total of 40 units) for a B.A. in English or for a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. The major requirements are flexible enough to allow an in-depth exploration in any field of literary or cultural study—such as American or British literature, Renaissance or African American literature—while providing historical breadth. The Creative Writing emphasis has several of the same requirements as the B.A. in English, in addition to which students will enroll in at least three, but no more than four, beginning, intermediate, or advanced workshops in both poetry and fiction.

All majors must take three introductory survey courses, including at least two among the survey sequence ENGL 261, ENGL 262, and ENGL 263. One of the courses may be a 100-300 level course that introduces students to a particular genre or to the study of literature generally. Students should take at least two introductory courses before enrolling in upper-division electives or creative writing workshops.

In addition to three introductory courses, seven upper-division courses are required. For the B.A. in English, those seven courses must include two courses in literature written before 1800, one course in 19th century literature, and one course in American literature. For the B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing, students must take at least three, but no more than four, creative writing workshops, with at least one in poetry and at least one in fiction. The remaining three or four upper-division courses must include at least one in literature written before 1900 and one in literature written after 1900.

EXTENDED VERSION

Undergraduate majors in English are required to take 10 courses (for a total of 40 units) for a B.A. All majors must take THREE introductory courses:

• At least two courses from ENGL 261, 262, 263;
• One course may be ENGL 290, 298, or 299.

Students should take at least two introductory courses before enrolling in upper-division courses or creative writing workshops. 

The ENGLISH LITERATURE track requires seven upper-divison courses:

• TWO courses in literature written before 1800, from ENGL 420, 421, 422, 423, 430, 461, 465, or 469;
• ONE course in 19th-century literature, from ENGL 424, 425, 440, 466, or 470;
• ONE course in American literature, from ENGL 350, 440, 441, 442, 445m, 446, 447m, 449m, or 451;
• THREE upper-division English electives.  This requirement may be satisfied by any English course numbered 300 to 499 that has not been used to satisfy another requirement for the major.  Only one elective may be a creative writing workshop.

The CREATIVE WRITING track requires seven upper-divison courses including creative writing workshops and literature courses:

• TWO introductory workshops, ENGL 303 (fiction) and 304 (poetry);
• ONE workshop, from ENGL 405, 406, 407, or 408.  An advanced workshop from ENGL 407 or 408 is strongly recommended, either in satisfaction of this requirement or as an elective;
• ONE course in literature written before 1900, from ENGL 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 430, 440, 461, 465, 466, or 469;
• ONE course in literature written after 1900, from ENGL 426, 441, 442, 445m, 446, 447m, 448m, 449m, 452, 455, 456, 462, 463, or 467;
• TWO upper-division English electives.  This requirement may be satisfied by any English course numbered 300 to 499 that has not been used to satisfy another requirement for the major.  Only one elective may be a creative writing workshop.