English Major (B.A.)

Program Overview

The English Major at the University of New Hampshire provides a comprehensive foundation in English literature, language, and writing. Students can tailor their coursework to their interests through a wide range of elective courses in various areas, including linguistics, writing, genres, and race and gender studies. The program culminates in a capstone seminar, and graduates pursue diverse careers in teaching, writing, marketing, law, and business.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Overview: The English Major at the University of New Hampshire is a general English major with two main objectives: providing students with a common core of literary experience and expertise and offering them the opportunity to shape a course of study suited to their personal interests.
• Objectives:
• Provide students with a solid foundation in the study of English literature, language, and writing.
• Offer students the opportunity to pursue their individual interests in English through a variety of courses and programs.
• Program Description: The English Major is highly flexible, allowing students to tailor their coursework to their specific interests and career goals.
Students can choose from a wide range of courses in literature, writing, linguistics, and English teaching. They can also choose to focus on a particular period of literary history, genre, or theme.

Outline:

• Course Schedule: The English Major requires students to complete a minimum of 40 credits in English courses, including a core curriculum of required courses and a variety of elective courses.
• Required Courses:
• ENGL 419:
How to Read Anything
• ENGL 512:
British Literature I: Age of Heroes: Beowulf to Dr. Faustus
• ENGL 513:
British Literature II: Age of Revolutions: Shakespeare to Austen
• ENGL 515:
American Literature I: Conquest and Nation: First Contact to the Civil War
• ENGL 516:
American Literature II: Money, Migration, and Modernity: Huck Finn to Beloved
• Elective Courses: Students can choose from a wide range of elective courses in the following areas:
• A. Linguistics & Writing:
• ENGL 501: Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
• ENGL 502: Professional and Technical Writing
• ENGL 503: Persuasive Writing
• ENGL 526: Introduction to Fiction Writing
• ENGL 527: Introduction to Poetry Writing
• ENGL 534: 21st Century Journalism: How the News Works
• ENGL 623: Creative Nonfiction
• ENGL 625: Intermediate Fiction Writing Workshop
• ENGL 625A: Intermediate Fiction Writing Workshop: Screenwriting
• ENGL 627: Intermediate Poetry Writing Workshop
• ENGL 701: Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop
• ENGL 703: Travel Writing
• ENGL 729: Special Topics in Composition Studies
• ENGL 752: History of the English Language
• ENGL 791: English Grammar
• B.
Genres or Theory:
• ENGL 510: Introduction to the Digital Humanities
• ENGL 518: Bible as Literature
• ENGL 520: Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
• ENGL 521: Nature Writers
• ENGL 533: Introduction to Film Studies
• ENGL 555: Science Fiction
• ENGL 575: Sex and Sensibility: The Rise of Chick Lit
• ENGL 616A: Studies in Film/Genre
• ENGL 616B: Studies in Film/Authorship
• ENGL 616C: Studies in Film/Culture and Ideology
• ENGL 616D: Studies in Film/Narrative and Style
• ENGL 618: Film Theory
• ENGL 655: Reading in all Directions: Comics and Graphic Narrative
• ENGL 714: Critical Skills
• ENGL 736: Environmental Theory
• C. Race, Gender and Postcolonial Studies:
• ENGL 517: Black Creative Expression
• ENGL 549: In the Groove: African American Music as Literature
• ENGL 550: Introduction to the Literature and Culture of Race
• ENGL 560: Introduction to Latinx Literature and Culture
• ENGL 585: Introduction to Women in Literature
• ENGL 609: Ethnicity in America: The African American Experience in the 20th Century
• ENGL 681: Contemporary African Literature
• ENGL 690: African American Literature
• ENGL 738: Asian American Studies
• ENGL 739: American Indian Literature
• ENGL 774: Modern & Contemporary British Literature: New Departures
• ENGL 778: Race and Gender in Film and Popular Culture
• D. Literature before 1800:
• ENGL 650: I Hear America Singing: Studying American Literature and Culture
• ENGL 657: Shakespeare
• ENGL 751: Medieval Romance
• ENGL 753: Old English
• ENGL 758: Advanced Shakespeare
• ENGL 759: Milton
• ENGL 767: Literature of the Restoration and Early 18th Century
• ENGL 780: Drama of Shakespeare's Contemporaries: Will and Company
• ENGL 783: English Novel of the Eighteenth Century
• E. Literature after 1800:
• ENGL 636: Literature and the Environment
• ENGL 650: I Hear America Singing: Studying American Literature and Culture
• ENGL 693: Special Topics in Literature
• ENGL 742: American Literature, 1815-1865
• ENGL 743: American Literature, 1865-1915: The Birth of the American Empire
• ENGL 749: Major American Authors
• ENGL 773: Literary Modernisms: Return, Revolt, Recycle
• ENGL 774: Modern & Contemporary British Literature: New Departures
• ENGL 775: Modern Irish Literature: A Changing Landscape
• ENGL 777: The English Novel in the World
• ENGL 784: English Novel of the 19th Century
• Capstone: All English majors must complete a capstone seminar, ENGL 787: English Major Seminar.

Assessment:

Students in the English Major are assessed through a variety of methods, including:

• Essays: Students are required to write a number of essays throughout the program, including both analytical essays and research papers.
• Exams: Students are also required to take exams in their courses, including both midterm exams and final exams.
• Creative Work: Students in writing courses may be required to submit creative work, such as short stories, poems, or plays.
• Oral Presentations: Students may also be required to give oral presentations in their courses.

Teaching:

The English Major is taught by a team of experienced and dedicated faculty members. The faculty are committed to providing students with a rigorous and engaging learning experience. They use a variety of teaching methods to accommodate the different learning styles of their students.

Careers:

Graduates of the English Major go on to pursue a wide range of careers in a variety of fields. Some common career paths for English majors include:

• Teaching: English majors can teach English at the secondary or post-secondary level.
• Writing: English majors can work as writers, editors, and publishers.
• Marketing and Communications: English majors can work in marketing and communications roles, such as public relations, advertising, and social media marketing.
• Law: English majors can attend law school and become lawyers.
• Business: English majors can work in business roles, such as management, sales, and human resources.