BA in English

This program is designed to provide critical thinking, reading, writing, and research skills essential for careers in law, media, education, business, and medicine. You’ll gain the tools to analyze texts within their historical, cultural, and critical contexts, as well as to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences. You will develop the ability to write well, organize ideas, create strong arguments, develop research skills, and more.

The mission of the English Program is to give students an overview of the major
cultural trends in British, American, and World literature in order to prepare them for a
life of enlightened living and productive work; to help students develop sophisticated
reading, writing, critical thinking, and research skills in order to prepare them for a life of
enlightened living and productive work; and to prepare students to communicate
effectively in order to be successful in the community.
English majors will experience the following:
? Opportunities to work on the campus newspaper
? Learn the sophisticated reading and written communication skills increasingly sought
after by businesses, graduate schools, law schools, & medical schools.
? Read and interpret works of literature from America, the United Kingdom, and the
World.
? Present research at regional & national academic conferences.
? Program design facilitates double majors
? Earn prestigious internships writing & researching for media companies, not-for-profit
corporations, newspapers, libraries, and other organizations.
? Explore and become prepared for a variety of career interests, including government,
law, businesses, media, teaching, and graduate school.
From the Faculty
“The English major gives students an overview of the major cultural trends in British,
American, and World literature. Students develop sophisticated reading, writing, and
research skills, preparing them for graduate study in traditional academic programs as well
as professional programs like law and, when combined with the appropriate science
classes, medicine. Students acquire the intellectual tools to analyze texts within their
historical, cultural, and critical contexts, as well as to communicate effectively in writing
to a variety of audiences for various purposes.”
Admission Requirements
Students must gain general admission to the University of Charleston. A visit to the campus
to meet with Admissions personnel and program faculty is strongly encouraged.
Program Outcomes
The English major has four outcomes. Course requirements are organized under their
primary outcome, though many courses deliver more than one outcome. For example, the
Survey courses under the first outcome deliver information about texts, contexts and
criticism as their primary focus, but students will also perform the reading, interpretation,
analysis, and evaluation required by the second outcome.
Graduates with the English major will be able to:
? Identify a wide range of literary texts &periods, including historical and contemporary
works by British, American, and World authors, works by female authors, and works
by authors of color across several genres.
? Engage in meta-cognition & critical thinking as he or she reads, interprets, analyzes,
and evaluates individual works, taking into account the relationships among the text,
context, critical context, & sub-text.
? Conduct research (electronic and non-electronic) for the purpose of exploring,
documenting, evaluating, and publishing conclusions orally and in writing.
? Communicate effectively to a variety of audiences and in a variety of modes.
What You Will Study
The major in English consists of at least 120 credit hours, including a total of 39 hours
in English courses.
1. Identify a wide range of literary texts and periods including historical and
contemporary works by British, American, and World authors, works by female
authors, and works by authors of color across several genres.