Major in English with a Writing Emphasis

The major in English with a Writing Emphasis combines a foundation of literary study with a sequence of creative writing courses focused on poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction, or on a range of nonfiction prose forms, including analytical, persuasive, and academic writing. 

Download a Degree Planning Worksheet (2010-2012 catalog) 
Download a Degree Planning Worksheet (2012-2014 catalog)

Core Courses from 2012-2014 Undergraduate Catalog

Under this sequence, students enroll in two 4-credit courses:

First Course
ENGL 121 Critical Thinking: Literature and Writing (4 credits)

Second Course (choose one of the following courses)
ENGL 201 Texts in Conversation: Perspectives on Genre and Craft (4 credits)
ENGL 202 Texts in Conversation: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (4 credits)
ENGL 203 Texts in Conversation: Thematic and Intertextual Perspectives (4 credits)
ENGL 204 Texts in Conversation: Perspectives on Language, Culture, and Literacy (4 credits)

Students with qualifying ACT scores can complete the core requirement in literature and writing by taking the following sequence: 

One ENGL 201-204 Texts in Conversation course (4 credits) 
plus
One of the following 4-credit literature courses in English: ENGL 211, 212, 214, 215, 217, 218, 220, 221, 222, 297, 324, 325, 334, 337, 341, 361, 362, 364, 365, 366, 367, 370, 371, 372, 373, 390, and 395 or two 2-credit ENGL 295 courses during J-Term.

In addition to the above core curriculum courses, students must also select courses that fulfill the following course-level and area distribution requirements:

Course-Level Requirements

At least 12 credits numbered ENGL 211-299
At least 16 credits numbered ENGL 300-399
     Note: 4 of these credits must be from ENGL 380 Issues in English Studies
At least 4 credits numbered ENGL 400-499
Plus 4 additional credits numbered ENGL 211 or above

Distribution Requirements

Sixteen credits from the following writing courses:
     ENGL 251 Writing in the Academy (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 255 Introduction to Imaginative Writing: Writing Poetry, Fiction, & Creative Nonfiction
                         (4 credits, offered in both fall and spring)
     ENGL 300 Theory and Practice of Writing (4 credits, usually offered in both fall and spring)
     ENGL 321 Writing Poetry (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 322 Writing Fiction (4 credits, usually offered in fall)
     ENGL 323 Writing Creative Nonfiction (4 credits)
     ENGL 326 Topics in Creative Writing (4 credits)
     ENGL 403 Analytical and Persuasive Writing (4 credits)
     ENGL 405 Advanced Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Nonfiction Writing (4 credits)
     ENGL 421 Literary Magazine Practicum, Part I (2 credits, offered in fall)
     ENGL 422 Literary Magazine Practicum, Part II (2 credits, offered in spring)

Note: The creative writing sequence normally includes:

     first –  ENGL 255
     then – ENGL 321 and/or ENGL 322 and/or 323
     then – ENGL 405

Plus:
Twelve credits in literature to include:
   Four credits in Early Literature
     ENGL 211 British Authors I (4 credits, usually offered in fall)
     ENGL 214 American Authors I (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 220 The Classical Tradition (4 credits, usually offered in fall)
     ENGL 221 The Modern Tradition (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 325 Special Studies in Genre, Region, or Theme (4 credits) (section 11 only)
     ENGL 360 Chaucer and the Medieval Period (4 credits)
     ENGL 361 Shakespeare and the Early Modern Period (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 362 Milton and Seventeenth-Century British Literature (4 credits)
     ENGL 364 Eighteenth-Century British Literature: The Age of Satire and the Novel (4 credits)
     ENGL 370 Colonial and Early-American Literature (4 credits)
     ENGL 371 Nineteenth-Century American Literature (4 credits)
     ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures (4 credits) (section 11 only)
     ENGL 395 Issues in Literature and Culture (4 credits) (section 11 only)
 
   Four credits in Diversity Literature
     ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature (4 credits, usually offered in fall)
     ENGL 218 Literature by Women: Critical History (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 297 Topics (4 credits) (section 61 only)
     ENGL 325 Special Studies in Genre, Region, or Theme (4 credits) (section 61 only)
     ENGL 337 The Literature of Human Diversity (4 credits, usually offered in spring)
     ENGL 341 Literature by Women: Critical Questions (4 credits, usually offered in fall)
     ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures (4 credits) (section 61 only)
     ENGL 395 Issues in Literature and Culture (4 credits) (section 61 only)

   Four additional English credits in literature numbered ENGL 211 or above (includes ENGL 211, 212,
   214, 215, 217, 218, 220, 221, 222, 297, 324, 325, 337, 341, 360, 361, 362, 364, 365, 366, 367, 370, 371,
   372, 373, 390, and 395)

Four credits in Issues in English Studies
     ENGL 380 Issues in English Studies (4 credits, usually offered in both fall and spring)

Four credits in another English course numbered ENGL 211 or above

All English with Writing Emphasis majors should take 44 credits of English coursework and maintain a GPA of 2.0 in English. A minimum of 16 credits in English at or above ENGL 211 must be taken at St. Thomas.