2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog

Dec 04, 2024

2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

English, Literature Concentration, B.A.

Requirements For All English Majors

A minimum of 45 credits is required within the English major.
Completion of at least two college semesters of one foreign language is required, unless during high school the student has (a) completed three years of study of one foreign language, or (b) completed two years of study in each of two foreign languages. A student may also satisfy the foreign language requirement by passing a proficiency examination designed nationally and administered locally.
Students who transfer into the English major from other institutions must complete 21 credit hours in English at Westfield State University.

Students may satisfy three of the required six credits in the Literary and Philosophical analysis area of the core with any of the courses on the following list. English Education students may satisfy all 6 of the required Literary and Philosophical analysis credits with courses from this list.

ENGL 0112 - Introduction to Black American Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0115 - Introduction to Native American Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0117 - Introduction to Asian American Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0210 - British Literature to 1780 Credits: 3
ENGL 0212 - British Literature from 1780 to the Present Credits: 3
ENGL 0216 - American Literature to 1865 Credits: 3
ENGL 0217 - American Literature Since 1865 Credits: 3
ENGL 0218 - Postcolonial Literature and Theory Credits: 3

Requirements for the Literature Concentration - 45 Credits

Literature - 36 Credits

Students will take a total of twelve courses (36 credits) according to the following distribution:

A total of four courses (12 credits) from 100- and 200-level:

Genre, Period, and Diverse Literary Traditions - 24 Credits

A total of eight courses (24 credits) from 300-level, which are distributed across the three fields listed below. Students are required to take courses in at least two sub-fields in all three fields. No double-dipping is allowed for courses. ENGL 0397 may be used in any of the fields below with approval from the Chair.

Genre

Poetry

ENGL 0376 - Modern British and American Poetry Credits: 3
ENGL 0382 - Contemporary Poetry Credits: 3

Prose

ENGL 0300 - Development of the Novel Credits: 3
ENGL 0311 - The British Novel Credits: 3
ENGL 0323 - The American Novel Credits: 3

Drama

ENGL 0317 - Shakespeare: Tragedies and Histories Credits: 3
ENGL 0318 - Shakespeare: Comedies and Romances Credits: 3
ENGL 0364 - American Drama Credits: 3
ENGL 0365 - Dramatic Theory and Criticism Credits: 3
ENGL 0370 - Modern Drama Credits: 3

Period

Early Modern and/or Medieval

ENGL 0317 - Shakespeare: Tragedies and Histories Credits: 3
ENGL 0318 - Shakespeare: Comedies and Romances Credits: 3
ENGL 0348 - History of the English Language Credits: 3

Restoration, 18th century, Romanticism, Victorianism, and/or 19th century

ENGL 0311 - The British Novel Credits: 3
ENGL 0319 - Victorian Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0323 - The American Novel Credits: 3
ENGL 0332 - Romantic Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0339 - Literature of the Eighteenth Century Credits: 3

20th century/21st century

ENGL 0327 - Contemporary Cross-Cultural Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0330 - An Introduction to Modern Literary Criticism Credits: 3
ENGL 0367 - Film Theory and Criticism Credits: 3
ENGL 0370 - Modern Drama Credits: 3
ENGL 0376 - Modern British and American Poetry Credits: 3
ENGL 0382 - Contemporary Poetry Credits: 3
ENGL 0391 - Special Studies in Film Credits: 3
ENGL 0393 - History and Development of Motion Pictures Credits: 3

Diverse Literary Traditions

Gender and sexuality

ENGL 0312 - Queer Literatures and Theory Credits: 3
ENGL 0326 - Advanced Studies in Global Women’s Literature Credits: 3

Race and ethnicity

ENGL 0324 - Advanced Studies in Black American Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0325 - Advanced Studies in Native American Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 0333 - Advanced Studies in Asian American Literature Credits: 3

Postcolonial/the Global South

ENGL 0327 - Contemporary Cross-Cultural Literature Credits: 3

Special themes/methodologies

ENGL 0330 - An Introduction to Modern Literary Criticism Credits: 3
ENGL 0341 - Seminar in Major British and American Authors Credits: 3
ENGL 0365 - Dramatic Theory and Criticism Credits: 3
ENGL 0367 - Film Theory and Criticism Credits: 3
ENGL 0393 - History and Development of Motion Pictures Credits: 3

Note

* English Literature Concentration majors must take at least one pre-1800 course (at either the 200 or 300-level) from the following list: ENGL 0210, 0313, 0314, 0317, 0318, 0339, 0348 or 0397 (depending on topic and if approved by Chair).

Writing - 6 Credits

Student will take any two of the following writing courses:

ENGL 0246 - Creative Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0275 - Journalism I Credits: 3
ENGL 0276 - Writing About the Arts Credits: 3
ENGL 0285 - Basics of Film Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0303 - Persuasive Communication Credits: 3
ENGL 0305 - Grant Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0331 - Special Topics in Professional Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0334 - Special Topics in Rhetoric Credits: 3
ENGL 0335 - Special Topics in Creative Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0340 - Creative Non-Fiction Credits: 3
ENGL 0345 - Writing Fiction Credits: 3
ENGL 0346 - Writing Poetry Credits: 3
ENGL 0347 - Advanced Critical Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0361 - Advanced Poetry Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0371 - Playwriting Credits: 3
ENGL 0375 - Journalism II Credits: 3
ENGL 0377 - Feature Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0381 - Advanced Prose Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0384 - Special Topics in Journalism Credits: 3
ENGL 0385 - Screenwriting for Feature Film Credits: 3
ENGL 0388 - Special Topics in Writing Credits: 3
ENGL 0394 - News Editing Credits: 3
ENGL 0395 - Sports Writing Credits: 3

Capstone Experience - 3 Credits

Students will have one capstone experience in their senior year. This capstone experience might be an internship, independent study, or an additional upper-level literature or writing class linked to their plans after college. In all cases, students must submit a rationale to their advisor and to the department chair for their proposed capstone experience, explicitly linking their goals for the capstone experience to post-college plans, whether those plans include graduate studies or career.

Additional Graduation Requirements

All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements and complete a common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in the Common Core .