English (B.A.)
The English program motivates students to read and write thoughtfully and intelligently. Thoughtful reading is thorough reading, reading that attends to the purposes and techniques of the text being read in the context of other like and unlike texts. Thoughtful writing demonstrates a knowledge of the rhetorical demands of the text (unity, logical coherence, completeness, voice and audience), as well as a knowledge of other readers’ ideas. Intelligent reading is active reading that engages the text, interrogates its purposes and techniques, recognizes its historical and cultural contextual constraints, examines authoritative analyses, questions authority, entertains subjectivity (especially that of the reading subject). Intelligent writing reflects intelligent reading that is rooted in a critical awareness of authoritative commentary as well as the reader’s own creativity and originality.
In our student-focused, discussion-driven classes, students work alongside faculty to develop their own interests as they hone essential skills demanded by the job market: close reading and research, confident analysis and argument, both oral and written. Opportunities for learning outside the classroom are always on offer: internships, conference presentations, spoken word, live theater, and more.
Majors and Minors: the department offers four concentrations—English Literature, Comparative Literature (for those interested in interdisciplinary studies), Writing, and English Language Arts (for those interested in teacher licensure for secondary schools, middle grades, or both). We also offer four minors—Literature, Writing, Foreign Languages, and Spanish Bi-literacy. All of the department’s programs are designed to allow students maximum choice in fulfilling their requirements so that their interests drive their learning.
Doubles Majors: The Comparative Literature and Writing concentrations are especially designed to accommodate double majors because some requirements may count toward more than one program.
Study Abroad: the department encourages foreign study and will accommodate students who wish to study abroad to ensure that they do not fall behind in completing their major requirements.
Careers: graduates in English build careers in a wide range of fields, such as advertising, arts promotion, business, editing, education and education administration, grant writing, journalism, law, marketing, philanthropy, politics, public relations, publishing, social media management, professional and creative writing, among others. The department extends its service to students after graduation with continued guidance and any letters of recommendation as may be required for graduate study.
English Major (37-40 credit hours minimum)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Select one of the following general education courses that meets outcome in literary inquiry: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Literature (3) | ||
| Nature Writing (3) | ||
| Travel Writing (3) | ||
| Introduction to African American Literature (3) | ||
| Know Thyself (3) | ||
| Select one of the following Foreign Language requirement options: 1 | 3-6 | |
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1 year of foreign language study in high school and 1 foreign language class in college
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2 foreign language classes in college
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1 foreign language class during semester abroad where the language is spoken
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| Select one of the following Senior Capstone requirement options: | 1-3 | |
| Senior Thesis/Portfolio (1-3) | ||
| Literature Proseminar I (1) and Literature Proseminar II (1) (taken with a major requirement) |
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| Total Hours | 7-12 | |
1Note that modern and classical languages fulfill this requirement, as does American Sign Language. Students whose maternal language is not English and who are attending the university on an F-1 visa are exempt from foreign language requirements, but no credit is awarded.
Concentration in Comparative Literature (33 credit hours)
The Comparative Literature concentration is an interdisciplinary option for students of literature. Comparative literature, now often understood as international and interdisciplinary study rooted in literature, began as a disciplinary home for the comparison of literatures from different national traditions. It then evolved to encompass cultural studies, and eventually became fully interdisciplinary. At its heart is comparison, which involves pondering juxtapositions, asking questions, making connections, starting a conversation, and carrying it through to the end with an awareness of how it all came about. Because Comparative Literature offers great freedom and creativity, it demands in turn great discipline: one needs the appropriate expertise to make the comparison (linguistic or disciplinary), a sound basis for the comparison, an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings and implications of the comparison, and the ability to articulate them orally and in writing.
Aside from courses in the English Department, students of Comparative Literature must take two upper-division courses in secondary field (including, but not limited to art, criminal justice, foreign languages, history, philosophy, psychology, theology) that will be relevant to their capstone experience. All courses should be chosen in consultation with the major advisor so that it forms a coherent and individualized curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| ENGL 335 | Ancient Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 372 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL 400 | Critical Theory | 3 |
| ENGL 410 | Methods in Comparative Literature 1 | 3 |
| Two approved upper division courses in a secondary discipline | 6 | |
| Electives 2 | ||
| Select one of the following American Literature courses: | 3 | |
| Adolescent Literature (3) | ||
| American Literature to 1850 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1850-1914 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1914-1965 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1965-Present (3) | ||
| Select one of the following British Literature courses: | 3 | |
| British Literature to 1450 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1450-1660 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1660-1785 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1785-1890 (3) | ||
| Chaucer (3) | ||
| Select one of the following World Literature courses: | 3 | |
| British Anglophone Literature 1890-Present (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) | ||
| World Literature After 1900 (3) | ||
| Remaining electives | ||
| Select one course (3 credit hours) from Writing Electives below | 3 | |
| Select one course (3 credit hours) from either Writing or Literature Electives below 3 | 3 | |
| Writing Electives | ||
| Free Speech (3) | ||
| Writing Poetry (3) | ||
| Memoir & the Personal Essay (3) | ||
| Advanced Composition: Theory and Practice (3) | ||
| Technical Writing (3) | ||
| Writing in the Disciplines (3) | ||
| Teaching Composition (3) | ||
| Tutoring Composition (3) | ||
| American English: Dialects & Grammars (3) | ||
| Style (3) | ||
| Freelance Writing (3) | ||
| Writing Internship (1-6) | ||
| Translation (3) | ||
| Literature Electives | ||
| Adolescent Literature (3) | ||
| Ancient Literature (3) | ||
| American Literature to 1850 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1850-1914 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1914-1965 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1965-Present (3) | ||
| British Literature to 1450 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1450-1660 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1660-1785 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1785-1890 (3) | ||
| British Anglophone Literature 1890-Present (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) | ||
| World Literature After 1900 (3) | ||
| Chaucer (3) | ||
| Shakespeare (3) | ||
| Critical Theory (3) | ||
| Methods in Comparative Literature (3) | ||
| Vietnam Literature (3) | ||
| Genre (3) | ||
| Dialogic and the Novel (3) | ||
| Literary Non-Fiction (3) | ||
| Author Seminar (3) | ||
| Topic Seminar (1-6) | ||
| Directed Study (1-3) | ||
| Independent Study (1-3) | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
1Depending on course content, this course may also fulfill an area requirement.
2Students must meet area requirements in American, British, and world literatures. If ENGL 410 fulfills an area requirement, then the student should select an additional literature elective.
3Excluding any courses taken to fulfill other concentration requirements.
Concentration in English/Language Arts (33 credit hours)
The English major concentration in English/Language Arts is our teacher preparation program and is only open to students who are also pursuing Secondary Education with Professional Educator Licensure through the College of Education. The major is jointly administered by the English Department and the College of Education. Students must fulfill the requirements of both the English major (English/Language Arts concentration), and of Secondary Educator Licensure as listed in the Teacher Education (B.A.) section of this catalog. Students may also earn their Middle Grades Language Arts Endorsement as part of this program. This program is also available as a Combined 4+1 program. A Bachelor of Arts in English/Language Arts is earned along with a Master of Education degree after completing the required courses and program requirements.
Please refer to the entry in this catalog on Teacher Education (B.A.) in English/Language Arts for the requirements of Secondary Educator Licensure.
Concentration in English Literature (33 credit hours)
For 1,400 years, the English language has been a rich and supple medium for poets, novelists, essayists, playwrights, filmmakers, and translators, not only in English-speaking nations, but across the globe. To study this long tradition, we adopt a wide variety of lenses; rhetorical, political, and philosophical approaches complement the study of performance modes and material culture. English Literature students read a wonderful mix of old and new- everything from ancient epics, Renaissance dramas, and Victorian novels, to the latest memoirs, graphic novels, and spoken-word poetry. They also study writing with published writers in a variety of creative, professional, and digital modes. In our student-focused, discussion-driven classes, students work alongside faculty to develop their own interests as they hone essential skills demanded by the job market: close reading and research, confident analysis and argument, both oral and written. Opportunities for learning outside the classroom are always on offer: internships, conference presentation, spoken word, live theater, and more.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| ENGL 372 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL 400 | Critical Theory | 3 |
| Period electives | ||
| Period requirements: select at least three credit hours in each of the following four historical periods: | 12 | |
| Ancient | ||
| Ancient Literature (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) (depending on course content) | ||
| Medieval/Early Modern | ||
| British Literature to 1450 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1450-1660 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1660-1785 (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) (depending on course content) | ||
| Chaucer (3) | ||
| Enlightenment/Victorian | ||
| American Literature to 1850 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1850-1914 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1785-1890 (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) (depending on course content) | ||
| Modern/Contemporary | ||
| Adolescent Literature (3) | ||
| American Literature 1914-1965 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1965-Present (3) | ||
| British Anglophone Literature 1890-Present (3) | ||
| World Literature After 1900 (3) | ||
| Vietnam Literature (3) | ||
| Remaining electives | ||
| Select two courses (6 credit hours) from the Literature Electives below | 6 | |
| Select one course (3 credit hours) from the Writing Electives below | 3 | |
| Select two courses (6 credit hours) from either the Literature or Writing Electives below 1 | 6 | |
| Literature Electives | ||
| Adolescent Literature (3) | ||
| Ancient Literature (3) | ||
| American Literature to 1850 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1850-1914 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1914-1965 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1965-Present (3) | ||
| British Literature to 1450 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1450-1660 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1660-1785 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1785-1890 (3) | ||
| British Anglophone Literature 1890-Present (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) | ||
| World Literature After 1900 (3) | ||
| Chaucer (3) | ||
| Shakespeare (3) | ||
| Critical Theory (3) | ||
| Methods in Comparative Literature (3) | ||
| Vietnam Literature (3) | ||
| Genre (3) | ||
| Dialogic and the Novel (3) | ||
| Literary Non-Fiction (3) | ||
| Author Seminar (3) | ||
| Topic Seminar (1-6) | ||
| Directed Study (1-3) | ||
| Independent Study (1-3) | ||
| Writing Electives | ||
| Free Speech (3) | ||
| Writing Poetry (3) | ||
| Memoir & the Personal Essay (3) | ||
| Advanced Composition: Theory and Practice (3) | ||
| Technical Writing (3) | ||
| Writing in the Disciplines (3) | ||
| Teaching Composition (3) | ||
| Tutoring Composition (3) | ||
| American English: Dialects & Grammars (3) | ||
| Style (3) | ||
| Freelance Writing (3) | ||
| Writing Internship (1-6) | ||
| Translation (3) | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
1Excluding any courses taken to fulfill other concentration requirements.
Concentration in Writing (30 credit hours)
“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.” –John Milton, Areopagitica (1644)
More than a concentration, Writing at USF is a mission rooted in the universal human right of freedom of expression. Students in our multi-disciplinary writing program determine and hone their writing skills in three arenas: imaginative and creative expression, professional communication, advocacy writing. Within each one, they explore the relationship between conscience and expression, they learn that the right to speak the truth goes hand in hand with the duty to seek it, and they probe real-world tests to the limits that have grown up around the bold assertions of our First Amendment.
The premium granted to wit and invention in our society, and the authority that clear and concise writing commands means that our students begin working within professional norms immediately. Research, argument and logic drive them to design innovative communications in multiple media. Adept at code-switching, they distinguish between different rhetorical situations and audiences. They know that using commas is an art and that telling a good story is the secret weapon of advertising, advocacy, business, diplomacy, entertainment, journalism, law, medicine, philanthropy, politics, social-media, and teaching.
In the discussion-centered, collaborative classes and workshops of the USF Writing Program, learning is not about following rules, but about discovering the freedom of expression through them, challenging them, and writing new rules for professionalism in the twenty-first century.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| ENGL 123 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 300 | Free Speech | 3 |
| ENGL 315 | Advanced Composition: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| or ENGL 317 | Writing in the Disciplines | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 4 courses (12 credit hours) from Multidisciplinary Writing Electives below | 12 | |
| Select two courses (6 credit hours) from Literature Electives below | 6 | |
| Select one course (3 credit hours) from either Multidisciplinary Writing or Literature Electives below 1 | 3 | |
| Multidisciplinary Writing Electives 2 | ||
| Typography I (3) | ||
| Typography II (3) | ||
| Comics & Graphic Novels: A Seminar (3) | ||
| Writing/Reporting for Electronic Media (3) | ||
| Writing Across the Media (3) | ||
| Writing Across the Media II (3) | ||
| Applied Reporting (1-6) | ||
| Writing Across the Media III (3) | ||
| Editorial and Feature Writing (3) | ||
| Web Publishing and Platforms (3) | ||
| Writing for Advertising and Sales (3) | ||
| Writing Reviews and Criticisms (3) | ||
| Songwriting (3) | ||
| Storyboard and Script-Write for UGC (3) | ||
| Writing Poetry (3) | ||
| Memoir & the Personal Essay (3) | ||
| Advanced Composition: Theory and Practice (3) | ||
| Technical Writing (3) | ||
| Writing in the Disciplines (3) | ||
| Teaching Composition (3) | ||
| Tutoring Composition (3) | ||
| American English: Dialects & Grammars (3) | ||
| Style (3) | ||
| Freelance Writing (3) | ||
| Writing Internship (1-6) | ||
|
FREN/ITAL/SPAN/FORL up to 2 language classes numbered above 200
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| Translation (3) | ||
| History and Social Sciences Seminar (3) | ||
| Corporate Communications (3) | ||
| Literature Electives | ||
| Adolescent Literature (3) | ||
| Ancient Literature (3) | ||
| American Literature to 1850 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1850-1914 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1914-1965 (3) | ||
| American Literature 1965-Present (3) | ||
| British Literature to 1450 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1450-1660 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1660-1785 (3) | ||
| British Literature 1785-1890 (3) | ||
| British Anglophone Literature 1890-Present (3) | ||
| World Literature Before 1900 (3) | ||
| World Literature After 1900 (3) | ||
| Chaucer (3) | ||
| Shakespeare (3) | ||
| Critical Theory (3) | ||
| Methods in Comparative Literature (3) | ||
| Vietnam Literature (3) | ||
| Genre (3) | ||
| Dialogic and the Novel (3) | ||
| Literary Non-Fiction (3) | ||
| Author Seminar (3) | ||
| Topic Seminar (1-6) | ||
| Directed Study (1-3) | ||
| Independent Study (1-3) | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
1Excluding any courses taken to fulfill other concentration requirements.
2Please note that some of these courses have prerequisites.
Students work with their advisors in selecting additional elective credits to fulfill the 120 credit hours required for graduation.