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English

Bachelor of
Arts in
English

Smiling young african woman writing in notebook
Man reaching for a book in a bookcase

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.

"GCU’s English major offers many paths. As a student, you will learn to read literature with empathy and understanding, write clearly and confidently in your own voice, and think critically about your world and culture. You can also choose your focus. We offer experiential learning through internships, practicums, study abroad, and more, and we support students interested in teaching. At GCU, you accomplish all this while being guided by faculty who know you and care about your goals, and you graduate with the flexibility to work in multiple fields."
Jessica Hausmann
Jessica Hausmann, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English

Why Study English at GCU?

Fountain spray art and literary cover

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.

Lovely day in the park with amazing literature

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:

Required Courses
EN300Gateways to Literary Study3.0
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
EN429Bookends: A Global Literature Seminar3.0
EN430Senior Seminar II3.0
English Electives
English elective courses 1,212.0-15.0
Total Credits33.0-36.0
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:

EN250The Power of Grammar3.0
EN260Exploring Children’s Literature3.0
EN264Journeys in Young Adult Literature3.0
EN416HistoryStructureofEnglish (when offered)3.0
Total Credits12.0

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):

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 13.0
Total Credits12.0-15.0
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.

If you’re interested in our English program, here are other programs at GCU you might be interested in exploring:

"GCU gave me an entirely new respect for research. The standards are incredibly high when you present your research at a showcase of student work. With such high standards, you always know that that paper will be one of the best you’ve ever written."
Lindsay Donohue
Lindsay Donohue ’16
English Teacher
Manalapan High School

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