English
Bachelor of
Arts in
English
English is one of our most popular majors at Georgian Court for good reason: students enhance their critical thinking, research, analytical, communication, and interpretation skills so they’re ready for a wide range of careers and/or to pursue graduate or professional studies.
English is the study of British, American, and world literature. It involves the analysis and interpretation of texts such as novels and poetry with a focus on their social, political, cultural, and historical contexts. It takes the literary past and makes sense of it in the present by celebrating the beauty of words and the drama of the human spirit. Students explore the power of the written word in their reading and in the development of their own writing in literature classes, and also have the opportunity to fulfill major requirements by taking creative and professional writing classes and pursuing internships.
An optional writing concentration in the English program offers students the opportunity to sharpen their writing skills in a variety of scholarly, creative, and professional genres. Students learn about the practical requirements of writing with different technologies and for different media, while exploring their creativity in collaboration with faculty and peers. This track prepares students for jobs in a variety of fields, including advertising, publishing, social media, editing, and marketing and offers a strong foundation for pursuing an M.F.A. in creative writing.
Students in other majors who wish to enjoy many of these benefits can also minor in English.
Why Study English at GCU?
- You’ll build a broad foundation of knowledge and then focus on a particular area of interest. You might choose classes that help you develop your writing skills, prepare you to be an effective teacher, or ready you for graduate school.
- You’ll have multiple opportunities for learning outside of the traditional classroom, including practicums, student–faculty research, and internship opportunities. Students can also contribute to student publications, including our literary magazine, The Fountain Spray, and GCU’s digital newspaper, The Lion’s Tale.
- You’ll benefit from an excellent student-to-faculty ratio as an English major and work with professors committed to mentoring you throughout your time at GCU.
- Join GCU’s Creative Writing Club and improve your storytelling, writing and reading skills, expand your vocabulary, and explore different genres like poetry, novel, and essay while giving and receiving feedback from other students.
- Consider applying for Sigma Tau Delta (Sigma Mu Chapter), an international English honor society that offers a lifetime membership and annual convention with opportunities to showcase your creative and critical writing and meet diverse students from all over the world.
What Students Might Be Interested in English?
If you love stories and poetic language and want to explore important questions about humanity and culture while developing skills in research, writing, communication, analysis, and critical reasoning, an English major could be a great fit for you. If you also have a love of history, you’ll enjoy the insight literature can give you into other times and places. You’ll have plenty of flexibility in selecting coursework, too! Notables include Shakespeare II: Deception & Betrayal, African Diaspora, and Creative Writing.
What Can I do with an English Degree?
A bachelor’s in English from GCU will prepare you for a variety of graduate or professional programs as well as careers where thinking analytically and creatively and exploring diverse perspectives is essential, such as law, business, teaching, and journalism. And you’ll acquire even more skills that today’s employers demand: analytical reading, verbal and written communication, organization, planning, researching, and more. Since an English degree is both time-tested and foundational, you’ll be prepared to succeed in jobs that don’t even exist yet!
Some career paths may require a double major or minor, advanced degree, or certifications and licensures (marked with asterisks). Salaries are dependent on experience. A sampling of careers and median annual salaries (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) are:
- Journalist - $48,370
- Social media manager* - $51,427
- Editor - $63,350
- High school English teacher* - $62,870
- Public relations manager* - $65,890
- Technical writer - $69,431
- Brand strategist* - $85,437
- Lawyer* - $127,990
- Advertising manager* - $133,380
B.A. in English Program Information
For the English major, you’ll need to successfully complete at least 120 credits, including General Education requirements and 33-36 semester hours of English. GCU’s writing concentration track requires 10 to 12 credits which substitute for electives in the major. The minor requires 18 credit hours, including three courses at the 300 level.
To earn this degree, students must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including General Education requirements and the major requirements below.
Major Sequence
Beyond basic degree requirements, 33-36 semester hours of English are required for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English. For students who complete the 175 hours of clinical practice requirement for NJ teacher certification, the major requirements are 33 semester hours of English. For students who do not complete the 175 hours of clinical practice required for NJ teacher certification, the major requirements are 33 semester hours of English, plus one of the following three options, which adds 0-3 credits to the major, bringing the total to 33-36 semester hours of English: 1) an internship, either credit-bearing or non-credit-bearing (0-3 credits); 2) a 1-credit practicum (EN299 Practicum); or 3) a 1-3-credit independent project (EN421 Independent Project). The internship option may be satisfied by EN405 Internship (3 credits), CAR465 NonCredit Internship (0 credits) or by an internship arranged through the Office of Career Services or completed for another major or program. The requirements for the major are as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| EN300 | Gateways to Literary Study | 3.0 |
| British Literature before the Nineteenth Century | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
EN301 | Shakespeare I: Of Kings & Lovers | |
EN302 | Shakespeare II: Deception & Betrayal | |
EN312 | Heroes, Myths, & Monsters | |
EN313 | Medieval Literature | |
EN314 | Chaucer: Bawds & Churls | |
EN315 | Shakespeare Theater Violence & Obsession | |
EN316 | Seventeenth Century Literature | |
EN317 | Eighteenth Century Literature | |
| British Literature from the Nineteenth Century to the Present | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
EN318 | Romantic Literature | |
EN319 | Victorian Literature | |
EN325 | Modern British Literature | |
EN326 | Contemporary British Literature | |
| American Literature | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
EN310 | American Drama | |
EN321 | American Renaissance | |
EN322 | American Realism | |
EN323 | Modern American Literature | |
EN324 | Contemporary American Literature | |
EN327 | Make It New: Modern American Poetry | |
| Multi-Ethnic Literature | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
EN370 | AsianAmericanLit | |
EN375 | USMultiEthnicLit | |
EN376 | NativeAmLit&Crit | |
EN380 | African Diaspora | |
| Senior Seminar | ||
| EN429 | Bookends: A Global Literature Seminar | 3.0 |
| EN430 | Senior Seminar II | 3.0 |
| English Electives | ||
| English elective courses 1,2 | 12.0-15.0 | |
| Total Credits | 33.0-36.0 | |
- 1
Electives may be chosen from any of the EN offerings numbered EN113 or higher. One gen ed English course other EN111/221 may be double counted for English major elective credit. Students may not take both EN114 and EN226 for credit.
- 2
Students who complete the 175 hours of clinical practice requirement for NJ teacher certification must take at least 12 English elective credits. Students who do not complete the 175 hours of clinical practice required for NJ teacher certification must take at least 12 English elective credits plus complete one of the following three options: 1) an internship, either credit-bearing or non-credit-bearing, in English or another discipline (0-3 credits; the three credit EN405 Internship course satisfies this requirement as does the zero credit CAR465 NonCredit Internship); 2) a 1-credit practicum (EN299 Practicum); or 3) a 1-3-credit independent project (EN421 Independent Project).
Majors are required to earn a final grade point average of at least 2.5 in the major in order to successfully graduate with an English major.
English majors seeking New Jersey teacher certification are encouraged to consider the following English electives for the major:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EN250 | The Power of Grammar | 3.0 |
| EN260 | Exploring Children’s Literature | 3.0 |
| EN264 | Journeys in Young Adult Literature | 3.0 |
| EN416 | HistoryStructureofEnglish (when offered) | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 12.0 | |
Writing Concentration
This concentration offers students the opportunity to sharpen their writing skills in a variety of scholarly, creative, and professional genres. Students learn about the practical requirements of writing with different technologies and for different media, while exploring their creativity in collaboration with faculty and peers. Since this track prepares students for jobs in a variety of fields (including advertising, publishing, editing, and marketing), a practicum, internship (noncredit or credit) or independent project is required. The concentration also offers a strong foundation for students planning to pursue an M.F.A. in creative writing. Students who minor in writing cannot choose the writing concentration.
English Major Course Requirements (21); see above
Additional requirements for the Writing Concentration (12–15 credits):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Internship or Practicum (note: students completing 175 hr for clinical practice requirement for teacher certification are not exempt from this requirement). Select one of the following: | 0.0-3.0 | |
CAR465 | NonCredit Internship | |
EN299 | Practicum | |
EN405 | Internship | |
EN421 | Independent Project | |
Internship completed for another major or program | ||
| Required Other Courses (substitute for English electives) | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
EN207 | News Writing & Reporting | |
EN208 | News Editing | |
EN210 | Writing for the Mass Media | |
EN215 | Creative Writing | |
EN221 | Honors Argument: Rhetoric & Research | |
EN225 | Topics in Writing | |
EN230 | Writing on the Web | |
EN245 | Writing About Television | |
EN250 | The Power of Grammar | |
EN309 | Public Relations Writing | |
EN416 | HistoryStructureofEnglish | |
| Additional English Elective | ||
| English elective course 1 | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 12.0-15.0 | |
- 1
Elective may be chosen from any of the EN offerings numbered EN113 or higher. One gen ed English course other EN111/221 may be double counted for English major elective credit. Students may not take both EN114 and EN226 for credit.
For more information on program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Catalog.
Anthony Brano, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English
Director of Writing Program and Writing Center
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Library (105)
abrano@georgian.edu
732-987-2338
Paul R. Cappucci, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Department of English
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Mercedes Hall
pcappucci@georgian.edu
732-987-2310
Mary C. Chinery, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Professor of English
Raymond Hall (105)
mchinery@georgian.edu
Jessica L. Hausmann, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Mercedes Hall
jhausmann@georgian.edu
732-987-2243
Susan L. O’Hara, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Jeffries Hall (222)
sohara@georgian.edu
732-987-2707
Pamela J. Rader, Ph.D.
Professor of English
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Mercedes Hall 204
prader@georgian.edu
Kristen Wedlock, M.F.A.
Assistant Professor of Writing
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Jeffries Hall (219)
kwedlock@georgian.edu
732-987-2127
If you’re interested in our English program, here are other programs at GCU you might be interested in exploring:
Manalapan High School
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