2025-2026 Academic Catalog 
    
    Aug 03, 2025  
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2025-2026 Academic Catalog

English, B.A.

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Degree Planning Sheet

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Degree Planning Sheet with Full-Time Sample Course Plan  

This sample plan represents a full-time pace. Part-time options are available; please connect with the recruitment team to learn more.

 

The English major is for students who enjoy reading, writing, and thinking about questions reflected on by writers through the ages and around the world. The English major develops competence in the analysis, discussion and criticism of literature.  In addition to the traditional writing and literature track, the major offers three optional tracks including Narrative Arts, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Video Literacy.

Students interested in teaching English/ Language Arts should see the Education, B.A. - Middle School English/Language Arts (Grades 5-9) and English Double Major  or Education, B.A. - Secondary/High School English (Grades 9-12) and English Double Major  pages. Professional certification is granted after completion of the programs.

In addition to preparing students for teaching, the English major has proven to be excellent preparation for law and for other careers that require critical thinking, analytical writing, and creativity.  The track in Narrative Arts includes specific preparation for writing for digital media.

English Majors also have the option of a dual major in Communication and English Dual Major, B.A.    The dual major in Communication and English is designed for students who are interested in developing the skills of a professional writer as well as the liberal arts foundation in literature, creative writing, and critical analysis that compliments career goals in public relations, advertising, marketing, or publishing. This dual major offers students a broad curriculum that builds skills in writing, research, and critical thinking.

Disclaimer: The program requirements outlined in this catalog are applicable only to students who enroll in this degree program at the university during the academic year specified in this catalog.  Please be aware that program requirements and offerings are subject to change in future academic years. Dual-enrolled students are not admitted to a degree program, but upon admission to a degree program, they will follow the degree requirements that align with their start term.

 

MCORE

(36 credits)

Social Discovery

Courses in this area will focus on the study of human behavior, its ethical and moral dimension, human societies, the requirements of civility, and social science theory and practice which undergirds such study.

(6 credits)

Civic Discovery

Courses in this area will focus on the study and purpose of human institutions and systems, the historical and contemporary forms of power, authority, governance and citizenship, and the distribution and use of resources.

(6 credits)

Cultural Discovery

Courses in this area will focus on significant systems of thought, contributions made by significant historical and cultural figures, philosophical and historical movements, and ideas which have shaped history, culture and human institutions.

(6 credits)

Creative Discovery

Courses in this area will focus on the nature of the creative imagination, the philosophical underpinnings of human creativity in music, the visual arts, the narrative arts, and philosophical invention, and innovation in a variety of human endeavors.

(9 credits)

Scientific Discovery

Courses in this area will focus on the nature of scientific reasoning, the history and variety of the scientific endeavor in culture, and the nature of scientific process and exploration.

(9 credits)

Requirements for the Major

(39 credits)

A minor is required for a B.A. in English.

A minimum of 39 credit hours, at least 27 of which must be from courses at the 300/400 level, including ENGL 316, ENGL 317, and ENGL 498.  An internship is required as part of the 39-credit hour major. (ENGL 101 and ENGL 104 may not be counted toward the major.)

Portfolio Review:

English majors must participate in the process of portfolio review in the final semester of their program. Throughout their program, English majors will collect their most significant work produced for a University class (either from Maryville or from another transferred institution) into a digital portfolio. Material that is produced outside of a class may be considered with guidance from their faculty advisor. This collected material (e.g. research papers, creative writing, non-fiction) must reflect the scholarly work that best represents their academic interests and development. In their last semester, English majors will present their portfolio to the Humanities faculty by enrolling in and submitting their materials through ENGL 490 – Portfolio Review. The purpose of this review is to allow students to receive feedback concerning their progress and body of creative work and to have a digital record of their best, most representative professional materials.

Required Coursework

(24 credits)

English Electives

(24 credits, 18 must be upper level)

Studies may range widely in the literatures of America, England, the Continent and non-Western cultures. These courses aim to enrich the student’s understanding of various literary, artistic, and historical traditions and their contemporary expressions. Because these courses include discussion and the writing of essays, English majors enhance their skills in communication, critical thinking, research, and analysis. The English faculty strongly recommend that the English major select at least one upper division writing course.

Optional Tracks

(requires at least 9 credits from the track)

English majors have the option of including 9 credits from one of the following interdisciplinary tracks for a secondary exploration in the English major.  For example, a student may graduate with a major in English and a Narrative Arts track.

Narrative Arts

Fantasy & Science Fiction

Video Literacy

Graduation Requirements - MCORE

  • 120 credit hours minimum
  • Last 30 hours of the degree taken in residency
  • A minimum of half the major credit hours in residency
  • A minimum of half the minor credit hours in residency
  • ​60 credit hours must be completed at a 4-year institution

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