Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Major: English

Program Overview

Undergraduates who major in English develop the art of communication—including reading, writing, and media skills—through a rich variety of seminars and experiences. They have opportunities to study English and American literature, the craft of poetry, Shakespearean drama, science fiction, the analysis of film, the rhetoric of medicine, and the dynamics of novels, plays, short stories, and creative nonfiction. The flexibility of the undergraduate major allows students to pursue their passions—from classic literature to graphic novels, from poetry to journalism—while exploring genres and works they may not have previously encountered. In addition to being a stand-alone major, English complements many other disciplines and serves as excellent preparation for advanced study in law, management, and other fields.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to conduct research using primary and secondary sources.
• Students will be able to analyze and interpret literary texts, visuals, and other media to develop critical positions of one’s own.
• Students will be able to write in clear and effective prose to construct a focused, well-organized argument.
• Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the major texts and traditions of English studies in their social, cultural, and historical contexts.
• Students will be able to engage in respectful and tolerant debate about different values, ideas, and perspectives.

Teacher Licensure

Case Western Reserve University offers licensure programs in music education and art education as degree programs in each of those departments.  Additionally, CWRU’s Teacher Education Program offers a licensure track for students who wish to pursue a teaching career in their content area in grades 7-12 Adolescent to Young Adult.  Licensure areas are: English Language Arts (English major), Integrated Social Studies (history major), Integrated Mathematics (math major), Life Science (biology major), Physical Science (chemistry major), or Physical Science (physics major).  A Multi-Age license in grades PreK-12 is available in French, Spanish or Latin. Students must fulfill the degree requirements for their primary major and declare Teacher Education as a second major. The Teacher Education major consists of 36 hours in education, including a student teaching semester.  The program places students in mentored teaching situations at every stage of their training, capitalizing on the relationships the university has built with area schools.

For the subject area requirements for teacher licensure, please visit the program page for Teacher Education, BA.

Undergraduate Policies

For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Accelerated Master's Programs

Undergraduate students may participate in accelerated programs toward graduate or professional degrees. For more information and details of the policies and procedures related to accelerated studies, please visit the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Students seeking to complete this major and degree program must meet the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the Unified General Education Requirements. Students completing this program as a secondary major while completing another undergraduate degree program do not need to satisfy the school-specific requirements associated with this major.

The major in English includes two tracks. The primary track consists of at least 30 credit hours in English above the 100 level (including 15 credit hours at the 300 level or above).

a

At least three must be at the 300 level or above.

In addition, students submit an English major portfolio as described on our website.

Because of the flexibility of departmental requirements and the variety of career paths to which the major may lead, all students should confer frequently and closely with advisors. No courses outside the department are required for the major (although a language course or equivalent proficiency is necessary for the honors track–see below), but the department recommends courses in comparative literature, history, philosophy, history and criticism of the fine arts, theater, and literature in other languages. Students planning to go to graduate school are reminded of the importance of foreign language study.

Teacher Licensure in Integrated Language Arts

The subject area requirements for teacher licensure are as follows:

Departmental Honors

To qualify for honors, English majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.75 in English courses taken for honors and follow a track consisting of at least 33 credit hours above the 100-level, including the general requirements for the major; at least 18 credit hours of approved electives in literary and cultural studies; and a designated capstone course in English.^a

a

Capstones completed in Integrated Language Arts EDUC 390C will count as capstones in English.

Concentration Requirements

The film concentration requires that 9 credit hours of the 30 credit hours for the English major be approved film courses.

a

ENGL 368 may be repeated for credit and may count for up to 6 credit hours of the Film Concentration.

b

Courses that have counted as electives toward the film concentration include: Latin American Cinema, Black Religion & Film, The Hollywood Musical, Topics in German Cinema, Film Music, Jewish Image in Popular Culture, French Cinema, James Bond & Popular Culture, Classics in Film, Bollywood & Social Justice, Video Production, and Folklore & Myth in Japanese Film.