English

Degree Options

Bachelor of Arts with a major and minor in English.

Description of Program

The program in English is committed to establishing a habit of lifelong learning that emphasizes the relationship of reading, writing and critical thinking. Undergraduate English majors will be able to:

• reflect critically on issues of textual representation in a diverse set of texts from literary classics to contemporary film, from the Anglo-Saxon canon to postcolonial and feminist expansions of that canon;
• reflect on habits of reading and writing and be able to identify their strengths and limitations in particular contexts;
• use a range of styles and approaches in their writing;
• understand the interrelated nature of writing, reading, thinking, and creating;
• read a text with close attention to its many facets;
• understand past, present and potential approaches to English studies and its relationship to other academic disciplines;
• be aware of a variety of aesthetic, political, material and social contexts for and approaches to English studies.

Our courses involve students in a range of activities, including discussions (in class and online), collaborative projects, conferences, presentations, independent study, internships, and service learning.

The English Department is committed to supporting interdisciplinary programs and encourages students to pursue interdisciplinary concentrations, second majors and/or minors. A number of the Department's courses are cross-listed with interdisciplinary programs, facilitating such study. In addition,  the English major permits students to include related courses taken outside the department for credit toward their program of study, subject to approval by the student’s English Department adviser.

Our graduates pursue professional careers in such fields as professional writing, editing, advertising, publishing, education, management, computers, public relations and public service, or pursue post-baccalaureate study in English studies, law school or medical school. Students contemplating graduate study should confer with their advisers about special preparation and should be aware that many graduate schools typically expect proof of competence in foreign languages. Students interested in pursuing careers in primary or secondary education can obtain certification by completing the appropriate professional courses in teacher education.

Requirements for English Major

The English major consists of 36 hours of coursework: a common core of 24 hours, plus 12 hours of electives. Students may take up to 6 hours of electives in relevant coursework outside of English, with adviser approval. At least 18 hours of the required 36 must be 100-level courses. Asterisked numbers indicate topic courses that can fulfill a requirement when the topic is appropriate to that requirement. An English course may be used only once to fulfill a particular major requirement. (ENG 54, for instance, may fulfill either Genres or Historicity, but not both.) Transfer students majoring in English must take at least 18 hours of English at Drake. Students with AP credits will be credited 3 hours of lower-level elective toward the major:

• Core Courses (6 hours)
  • ENG 60 Literary Study (Should be taken first or second year)
  • ENG 61 Writing Seminar (Should be taken first or second year)
• Genres of Representation (Choose 1)
  • ENG 30, 50*, 54, 70, 90, 91, 92, 93, 99*, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 120*, 122, 126, 128, 130, 133, 135, 156, 174*, 197*
• Historicity (Choose 2)
  • ENG 42, 44, 54, 56, 58, 99*, 124, 128*, 130*, 131*, 142, 143, 145, 147, 150, 152, 174*, 175*, 182*, 197*
• Culture and Identity (Choose 1)
  • ENG 20, 65, 66, 67, 68, 75, 77, 86, 88, 99*, 124*, 148, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 168, 174*, 178, 188, 195, 197*
• Critical Practice and Theory (Choose 1)
  • ENG 160, 171, 173 (Should be taken in the third year, before the Capstone)
• Capstone (Choose 1)
  • One English course numbered 175-197, excluding 196.
• Electives (4 courses)
  • Twelve hours of adviser-approved courses in a related area of interest. Students are encouraged to select courses from the curriculum that best suit their interests, concentrating their selections in specific areas. A total of 6 hours can be taken outside the department with adviser approval.

Requirements for English Minor

Minimum of 18 credit hours in English, including ENG 60 and ENG 61, and at least 6 credit hours in courses numbered above 100. An English faculty adviser is required.