English, BA

Students who major in English will undertake a course of study designed to develop knowledge in literary trends, themes, and genres as well as skills in critical interpretation and written communication. In advanced courses, students will investigate the structure, style, intellectual content, historical significance, and cultural context of the literature produced in Great Britain and the United States as well as Anglophone literature from around the world. This extensive textual study will foster appreciation of diverse cultural values and of the means by which culture is transmitted through language.

The English faculty has designed the curriculum in the firm belief that acquiring this knowledge and these skills is not only rewarding in itself but also valuable to students with a variety of goals, such as pursuing graduate degrees in English literature and language; teaching English in secondary schools; entering professional schools in such areas as law, medicine, technology, or business; working in any field for which cultural awareness and strong analytical, interpretive, research, and writing skills are desired. Students majoring in other disciplines may choose to minor in English. Although not as extensive as the major curriculum, the minor will also develop cultural knowledge and critical communication skills that complement a student’s work in any of the other academic majors in the University.

During their course of study at Roosevelt University, our English majors:

• Read and interpret a wide range of literature in order to understand how those texts engage with social, political, historical, and aesthetic issues.
• Learn to understand the craft of writing through incorporating the techniques and practices of published writers.
• Develop skills in the processes of reading, research, composition, and editing.
• Acquire a foundation of content and skills that stimulates intellectual inquiry and the ability to think critically and imaginatively.
• Discover how language is a nuanced and powerful means of self-expression and social interaction.
• Appreciate how literary texts (including both print and new media) both reflect and participate in cultural conflict and change.
• Gain insight into the myriad ways that language and literature help us to understand and to work for social justice.
• Become thinkers and writers equipped to follow a diverse range of career paths, including (but not limited to) writing, editing, publishing, library science, law, education, marketing, and journalism.

Requirements

Major in English Literature leading to a BA degree

The major consists of thirteen courses in English literature: seven core courses and six electives. Five of the core courses, Eng 210, 211, 212, 213, and 215/207, have a prerequisite of ENG 101 and thus may be taken by second-semester freshmen. Students must maintain a 2.5 average in courses applied to the major, and must pass each major course with a grade no lower than C- (composition courses do not count in figuring the major GPA). Transfer students must complete at least 15 semester hours in 300-level English courses at Roosevelt.

Electives should be chosen in close consultation with an advisor. For students whose expository writing would profit from additional practice, an advisor may also strongly recommend or require English 222. Students planning a career in secondary education should seriously consider the internship courses in teaching composition or literature.

Concentration in Creative Writing (Chicago Campus only)

Students interested in this specialty complete 39 semester hours of coursework: 27 in literature and 12 in creative writing.

For their literature courses, students take two of the four survey courses (Eng 210, 211, 212, 213); ENG 207 or 215; ENG 220; ENG 221; and four 300-level literature electives. For their creative writing courses, students take ENG 153, two of three genre courses (ENG 250, 251, 252), and ENG 303.