Degree
Bachelor of Arts in EnglishContact
Michael J. Cripps
Director of Composition, English
mcripps@dos5.net
Learn More
Mission
Through interdisciplinary course offerings, innovative theoretical models, and accomplished instructors, the English major exposes students to a wide and diverse body of knowledge and provides them with the tools to think, analyze, and write with confidence.
Major Description
English programs offer a wide range of literature and writing courses that introduce students to significant global literary works and train them in the careful analysis of texts, ranging from traditional novels to emerging electronic communication. English faculty specialize in the study of animals in culture, law and humanities, digital humanities, and literature and health, among other areas. Working through a variety of theoretical approaches, students will learn how to analyze the heavily textualized world around them, communicate their ideas effectively, and prepare themselves for numerous professions.
Curricular Requirements
| CAS Core Requirements | Credits |
|---|---|
| Total | 42–46 |
| Required Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| Three (3) credits of U.S. Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Three (3) credits of British Literature elective courses | 3 |
| ENG 206 – Intro Lit Theory & Criticism | 3 |
| Six (6) credits of Diversity and Global Literature elective courses | 6 |
| LIL 420 – Arts & Humanities Capstone | 3 |
| Choose one (1) English Track | 21 |
| Total Program Required Credits | 39 |
| Open elective courses (needed to reach 120 credits) | Variable |
| Minimum Required Total Credits | 120 |
|---|
English Track Options
| Literature Track | Credits |
|---|---|
| Three (3) credits of U.S. Literature elective courses or British Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Eighteen (18) credits of elective courses with at least twelve (12) credits from List A and at least six (6) credits at 300/400 level | 18 |
| Writing Track | Credits |
|---|---|
| Three (3) credits of Creative Writing Foundation courses | 3 |
| Three (3) credits of Professional Writing Foundation courses | 3 |
| Fifteen (15) credits of elective courses with nine (9) credits from List C and six (6) credits from List C or List D | 15 |
| English Education Track | Credits |
|---|---|
| Three (3) credits of U.S. Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Three (3) credits of British Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Fifteen (15) credits of elective courses with at least nine (9) credits from List A and at least six (6) credits at 300/400 level | 15 |
Elective Course Options
| U.S. Literature Elective Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENG 200 – Writing, Revolution, & Resistance in U.S. Lit | 3 |
| ENG 201 – Who and What is an American? Reimagining US Lit | 3 |
| ENG 235 – Topics in U.S. Lit to 1865 | 3 |
| ENG 237 – Topics in U.S. Lit after 1865 | 3 |
| ENG 310 – Writing & Women’s Health | 3 |
| British Literature Elective Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENG 115 – Poets, Pilgrims & Other Yahoos | 3 |
| ENG 116 – Democratizing Literature | 3 |
| ENG 216 – Criminals, Idiots & Minors | 3 |
| ENG 229 – Topics in Brit Lit Before 1800 | 3 |
| ENG 234 – Topics in Brit Lit After 1800 | 3 |
| ENG 312 – Global Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 330 – Topics in British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 340 – The English Novel | 3 |
| ENG 409 – Storytelling, Literature, Law | 3 |
| ENG 420 – Victorian Monsters | 3 |
| Diversity and Global Literature Elective Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENG 135 – Dog Stories | 3 |
| ENG 140 – Indigenous Film and Literature | 3 |
| ENG 200 – Writing, Revolution, & Resistance in U.S. Lit | 3 |
| ENG 201 – Who and What is an American? Reimagining US Lit | 3 |
| ENG 202 – Lyrics | 3 |
| ENG 204 – Animals, Literature, & Culture | 3 |
| ENG 208 – Narrative Medicine & Writing | 3 |
| ENG 214 – Freedom & Authority | 3 |
| ENG 221 – Justice | 3 |
| ENG 235 – Topics in U.S. Lit to 1865 | 3 |
| ENG 237 – Topics in U.S. Lit after 1865 | 3 |
| ENG 255 – Literary Topics | 3 |
| ENG 276 – English Human Trad I | 3 |
| ENG 278 – English Human Trad II | 3 |
| ENG 301 – Nature Films | 3 |
| ENG 310 – Writing & Women’s Health | 3 |
| ENG 312 – Global Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 326 – Topics in Literature & Health | 3 |
| ENG 329 – Topics in World Literature | 3 |
| ENG 330 – Topics in British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 401 – Literatures of the Sea | 3 |
| ENG 405 – Topics in Postcolonial Lit | 3 |
| ENG 409 – Storytelling, Literature, Law | 3 |
| Creative Writing Foundation Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| WRT 111 – Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
| WRT 211 – Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
| WRT 212 – Creative Writing: Short Fiction | 3 |
| Professional Writing Foundation Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| CMM 110 – Intro to Communications | 3 |
| CMM 211 – Introduction to Journalism | 3 |
| WRT 233 – Professional & Tech. Commun. | 3 |
Lists A-D Elective Courses
| List A Elective Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENG 115 – Poets, Pilgrims & Other Yahoos | 3 |
| ENG 116 – Democratizing Literature | 3 |
| ENG 135 – Dog Stories | 3 |
| ENG 140 – Indigenous Film and Literature | 3 |
| ENG 200 – Writing, Revolution, & Resistance in U.S. Lit | 3 |
| ENG 201 – Who and What is an American? Reimagining US Lit | 3 |
| ENG 202 – Lyrics | 3 |
| ENG 204 – Animals, Literature, & Culture | 3 |
| ENG 208 – Narrative Medicine & Writing | 3 |
| ENG 214 – Freedom & Authority | 3 |
| ENG 216 – Criminals, Idiots & Minors | 3 |
| ENG 221 – Justice | 3 |
| ENG 229 – Topics in Brit Lit Before 1800 | 3 |
| ENG 234 – Topics in Brit Lit After 1800 | 3 |
| ENG 235 – Topics in U.S. Lit to 1865 | 3 |
| ENG 237 – Topics in U.S. Lit after 1865 | 3 |
| ENG 255 – Literary Topics | 3 |
| ENG 276 – English Human Trad I | 3 |
| ENG 278 – English Human Trad II | 3 |
| ENG 300 – Literary Topics | 3 |
| ENG 301 – Nature Films | 3 |
| ENG 310 – Writing & Women’s Health | 3 |
| ENG 312 – Global Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 326 – Topics in Literature & Health | 3 |
| ENG 329 – Topics in World Literature | 3 |
| ENG 330 – Topics in British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 340 – The English Novel | 3 |
| ENG 397 – Independent Study | 1–12 |
| ENG 399 – Independent Study | 3 |
| ENG 401 – Literatures of the Sea | 3 |
| ENG 402 – Directed Study in English | 1–12 |
| ENG 405 – Topics in Postcolonial Lit | 3 |
| ENG 412 – Humanities Seminar | 3 |
| ENG 420 – Victorian Monsters | 3 |
| ENG 491 – English Studies Internship I | 3–9 |
| ENG 492 – English Studies Internship II | 3–9 |
| EDU 498 – Secondary Internship & Seminar | 12 |
| List B Elective Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ARB 101 – Basic Arabic | 3 |
| ASL 101 – Intro to American Sign Lang | 3 |
| ART 124 – The Painted Book | 3 |
| CMM 122 – Oral Communication or SPC 100 – Effective Public Speaking | 3 |
| CMM 211 – Introduction to Journalism | 3 |
| CMM 290 – Intro to Broadcast Media Writ | 3 |
| CMM 410 – Writing for the Screen | 3 |
| EDU 436 – Teaching Secondary English | 3 |
| ENG 110 – English Composition | 4 |
| ENG 209 – Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| ENG 220 – History of the English Language | 3 |
| FRE 101 – Basic French | 3 |
| HIS 150 – Telling Tales of the Past | 3 |
| HIS 341 – Bestsellers & the Big Bad City | 3 |
| LIT 124 – Lit, Nature & the Environment | 3 |
| PHI 212 – Thinking Philosoph about Arts | 3 |
| SPA 101 – Basic Spanish | 3 |
| SPA 306 – Span. For Health Professions | 3 |
| WRT 111 – Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
| WRT 211 – Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
| WRT 212 – Creative Writing: Short Fiction | 3 |
| WRT 233 – Professional and Technical Communication | 3 |
| WRT 304 – Read & Write in Digital Env. | 3 |
| WRT 312 – Fiction Writing Workshop | 3 |
| WRT 317 – Proposal and Grant Writing | 3 |
| WRT 342 – Writing Fellows Practicum | 1 |
| List C Elective Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ART 124 – The Painted Book | 3 |
| CMM 211 – Introduction to Journalism | 3 |
| ENG 208 – Narrative Medicine & Writing | 3 |
| ENG 209 – Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| ENG 220 – History of the English Language | 3 |
| ENG 310 – Writing & Women’s Health | 3 |
| ENG 397 – Independent Study | 1–12 |
| ENG 399 – Independent Study | 3 |
| ENG 402 – Directed Study in English | 1–12 |
| ENG 491 – English Studies Internship I | 3–9 |
| ENG 492 – English Studies Internship II | 3–9 |
| LIL 120 – Intro Arts & Humanities Sem | 3 |
| WRT 111 – Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
| WRT 211 – Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
| WRT 212 – Creative Writing: Shrt Fiction | 3 |
| WRT 233 – Professional and Technical Communication | 3 |
| WRT 304 – Read & Write in Digital Env. | 3 |
| WRT 312 – Fiction Writing Workshop | 3 |
| WRT 317 – Proposal and Grant Writing | 3 |
| WRT 342 – Writing Fellows Practicum | 1 |
| List D Elective Courses* | Credits |
|---|---|
| ART 395 – Studio Concentration Seminar | 3 |
| BUMK 200 – Marketing | 3 |
| BUMK 310 – Advertising | 3 |
| CMM 110 – Intro to Communications | 3 |
| CMM 122 – Oral Communication or SPC 100 – Effective Public Speaking | 3 |
| CMM 240 – Social Media: Theory & Practic | 3 |
| CMM 410 – Writing for the Screen | 3 |
| ENG 110 – English Composition | 4 |
| ENG 334 – Methods of Literacy and Cultural Criticism | 3 |
| ENV 316/316L – Land Conserv Pract with Field Lab | 4 |
| ENV 321 – Env Comm: Expert Prac Eco | 3 |
| ENV 333/333L – Nature Writers with Field Lab | 4 |
| ENV 334 – Contemporary Nature Writing | 3 |
| HIS 150 – Telling Tales of the Past | 3 |
| MAF 400 – Marine Affairs Capstone | 3 |
| NEU 410 – Neurobiology of Mental Illness | 3 |
| NSG 332 – Evidence Based Pract (EBP) I | 2 |
| NSG 432 – Evidence Based Pract (EBP) II | 2 |
| NSG 445 – Leadership | 2 |
| PSY 425 – Adv Methods in Animal Behavior | 3 |
| PUB 310 – Social, Behavior & Environmental | 3 |
| PUB 400 – PH Planning & Evaluation | 3 |
| PUB 420 – Community Health Assessment | 3 |
*Some courses have pre-requisites that may prevent registration
English majors are required to maintain an ePortfolio that archives their course and other relevant writing which they will deliver in an oral presentation to the faculty during their senior year.
Students wishing to pursue teacher certification in English should complete a major in Secondary Education with a concentration in English. Students pursuing this path are strongly encouraged to complete the highly flexible double major with English and Secondary Education.
For more information, speak with the chair of English and see the Secondary Education catalog page.
Students majoring in English can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.
Learning Outcomes
As a result of completing the B.A. in English graduate will be able to
Read texts closely and think critically
- Comprehend a text’s literal/factual content
- Distinguish between a passage's literal/factual content and its figurative/symbolic/interpretive content
- Analyze a text closely and identify rhetorical strategies therein
- Connect a passage's formal structure and thematic content with the text as a whole
- Extrapolate the larger implications (social, philosophical, ethical, argumentative) of these patterns
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of literature in English
- Demonstrate familiarity with specified content areas in literature, literary history, theory, and criticism
- Understand literature as a culturally and historically embedded practice
- Relate literature to other fields of inquiry
Communicate effectively
- Approach writing as a recursive process
- Develop and support claims about literary texts
- Articulate claims in conceptually coherent essays
- Use conventions of standard written English
- Present research findings orally within the conventions of the discipline
Conduct research in literary and cultural studies
- Use bibliographic tools to find source material
- Employ appropriate critical approaches in their research
- Contribute to scholarly conversations about literary and cultural texts and phenomena
- Incorporate and document source material using MLA style
- Communicate in accordance with standards of academic integrity
HuMed
If you are an exceptional undergraduate student aspiring to a career in medicine, the University of New England HuMed program provides the opportunity that spans your junior and senior years as an undergraduate and your four years in UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. The program makes it possible for you to deepen your learning in English, History, or Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities through a humanities major while you prepare for a career as an osteopathic physician. Requirements for this early assurance program are described at the HuMed website.
During your years as an undergraduate in UNE’s College of Arts and Sciences, you complete the requisite coursework in the natural sciences to prepare for your graduate education, while earning a Bachelor of Arts in English, History, or Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities. As a HuMed student, you are not required to take the MCAT for admission to the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Instead, the College of Osteopathic Medicine requires that you take the University Clinical Aptitude test (UCAT). As a HuMed student, you have an assurance of acceptance contingent upon fulfilling the HuMed curricular requirements and passing the interview process.
Entering students interested in HuMed are encouraged to major in English (History, or Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities) and participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation track.
Minor
A student with a major in another program may minor in English with permission of the academic director. The minor requires eighteen (18) hours of approved coursework, as described below.
| Required Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| Three (3) credits of U.S. Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Three (3) credits of British Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Three (3) credits of Diversity and Global Literature elective courses | 3 |
| Nine (9) credits of English Minor Electives | 9 |
| Total | 18 |
| English Minor Electives | Credits |
|---|---|
| Any ENG course | 3–4 |
| ASL 101 – Intro to American Sign Lang | 3 |
| FRE 101 – Basic French | 3 |
| HIS 341 – Bestsellers & the Big Bad City | 3 |
| LIL 120 – Intro to Arts & Humanities Sem | 3 |
| LIL 420 – Arts & Humanities Capstone | 3 |
| LIT 124 – Lit, Nature, & the Environment | 3 |
| SPA 101 – Basic Spanish | 3 |
| SPA 211 – Intermediate Spanish | 3 |
| SPA 306 – Span. For Health Professions | 3 |
| CMM 122 – Oral Communication or SPC 100 – Effective Public Speaking | 3 |
Honors Program
We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their advisor.
Transfer Credit
Courses completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the required courses offered at UNE in order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they may transfer as general electives. All courses completed must be no older than five years.
Other restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Admissions
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Financial Information
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.
Notice and Responsibilities Regarding this Catalog
This Catalog documents the academic programs, policies, and activities of the University of New England for the 2023–2024 academic year. The information contained herein is accurate as of the date of publication April 28, 2023.
The University of New England reserves the right in its sole judgment to make changes of any nature in its programs, calendar, or academic schedule whenever it is deemed necessary or desirable, including changes in course content, the rescheduling of classes with or without extending the academic term, canceling of scheduled classes or other academic activities, in any such case giving such notice thereof as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances.
While each student may work closely with an academic advisor, he or she must retain individual responsibility for meeting requirements in this catalog and for being aware of any changes in provisions or requirements.