BA in English
Degree Program Description
English majors are asked to think in terms of both the breadth and depth of their knowledge, studying a wide variety of topics, periods and methods; developing skills in reading, critical thinking, and writing; and delving deeply into a particular area of interest. Students study literature from around the world and from all historical periods, learn about the theory and practice of writing through the study of rhetoric and composition, and acquire skills as writers of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. The BA in English requires the following types of courses: period studies and surveys, author studies, genre/thematic studies, and theory/method studies. Students must also take several courses in an area of specialization such as Medieval Literature; Renaissance/Early Modern Literature; 18th and 19th Century Literature; 20th and 21st Century Literature; African Diaspora Studies; Postcolonial & Global Literatures; Literary, Critical or Rhetorical Theory; Creative Writing; Composition & Studies in Writing; English Language and Linguistics; Film and Digital Studies; or Gender and Sexuality Studies. A degree in English is intended to provide a broad, open-ended education that can lead to many different careers, especially those requiring excellent communication skills and analytical thinking. Recent graduates have gone on to careers in business, teaching, publishing, television, film, advertising, public relations, insurance, government, public service, management, and law.
Major Program Requirements
English majors must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in English. At least 24 credit hours in the major must be at the 3000-level or above. At least 9 credit hours must be at the 4000-level. A minor in a different discipline is recommended.
No more than 54 credit hours in English may be counted toward graduation. The required English composition credits are excluded from this maximum and are recommended to be taken before the student enrolls in any English courses numbered above 2009.
In addition, students must complete all College of Arts and Science and University graduation requirements, including University general education.
Honors: Students may take an additional 3 hours (33 total) to complete ENGLSH 4995 Senior Honors Thesis. Note that ENGLSH 4996 Honors Seminar in English, will count towards the 9-hour requirement for 4000-level classes, ENGLSH 4995 Senior Honors Thesis, will not.
Internships and Independent Research: Students making satisfactory progress towards completion of degree requirements are encouraged to explore possibilities for gaining professional experience through internal or external internships. They are also encouraged to follow up on opportunities to pursue independent research sponsored by the department, the College of Arts and Science, and other divisions of the University. Note that only 3 credit hours of internship or independent study (ENGLSH 4940, ENGLSH 4950, ENGLSH 4955, or ENGLSH 4960) will count towards the major's 4000-level requirement or towards the 24 hours at the 3000-level or above.
Major Core Requirements
Introduction
ENGLSH 2100 Writing About Literature
Body of Major
- At least 30 credit hours in English (including 3 hours of ENGLSH 2100) satisfying requirements listed below.
- Courses may count for 1, 2, or 3 of the three requirements for Breadth of Study, Historical Coverage and Depth of Study.
- At least one course must meet the Diversity Requirement.
- At least 24 hours must be at the 3000-level or above. At least 9 hours must be at the 4000-level.
Breadth of Study
Students take at least 1 course from each of the following areas (3000-level and above).
a. Period Studies and Surveys
Courses in this area examine texts in their historical context, and consider how historical events and developments shape culture and texts.
b. Author Studies
Courses in this area focus on an individual or several authors or artists.
c. Genre Studies; Thematic Studies
Genre Studies introduces students to a textual kind (e.g. the novel, poetry, drama, the essay, etc.), its conventions, and its history.
Thematic Studies explores a shared theme among works that may or may not belong to the same period.
d. Theory and Methods
Courses in this category give primary attention to the frame of inquiry and/or the method by which knowledge-making takes place.
Historical Coverage
Students take 3 courses that focus on literature written prior to 1890. One of these must focus on literature written prior to 1603.
Depth of Study
Students must take 3 courses in a single area of specialization listed below.
a. Medieval Literature
b. Renaissance/Early Modern Literature
c. 18th and 19th Century Literature
d. 20th and 21st Century Literature
e. African Diaspora Studies
f. Postcolonial & Global Literatures
g. Literary, Critical, or Rhetorical Theory
h. Creative Writing
i. Composition & Studies in Writing
j. English Language and Linguistics
k. Film & Digital Studies
l. Gender and Sexuality Studies
m. Other (subject to English Department Advisor approval)
Diversity Requirement
English majors must take one 3-hour course that focuses on issues such as race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. Each semester a list of approved courses will be made available to students.
Culmination
ENGLSH 4970 Capstone Experience (or ENGLSH 4996 Honors Seminar in English if choosing the honors sequence)
Accelerated BA to MA
The Accelerated program will proved strong English majors with the opportunity to acquire an MA in English by pursuing one extra year of study. Students in the accelerated program will take 108 undergraduate credits and 31 graduate credits, for a total of 139 credits, (12 of these credit hours are shared undergraduate and graduate credit hours, 7000-level courses.) Students will need to choose whether to pursue the Literature or Creative Writing track. Students who complete the accelerated program will have earned a BA in English with honors and an MA in English.
In the first year of the accelerated program, students will take 18 hours, (12 of which are at the graduate level), and will complete an honors thesis in English. Once a student receives their BA they will take an additional 19 graduate credit hours, 15 of which will be at the 8000-level. Three of the 19 hours will be the MA thesis hours. The honors thesis written in the first year can become the basis for the MA thesis.
| First Year (as Provisional Graduate Student) | ||
| ENGLSH 4996W | Honors Seminar in English - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| ENGLSH 4995 | Senior Honors Thesis | 3 |
| Any 7000-Level Course, at least one course must be a workshop if pursuing the creative writing concentration. | 12 | |
| Second Year (as Graduate Student) | ||
| ENGLSH 8005 | Introduction to Graduate Study * | 1 |
| ENGLSH 8050 | Contemporary Critical Approaches | 3 |
| or ENGLSH 8060 | Seminar in Criticism and Theory | |
| or ENGLSH 8070 | History of Criticism and Theory | |
| ENGLSH 8090 | Masters Thesis Research * | 3 |
| Any 8000-Level Literature Course | 6 | |
| 8000-Level Elective Course ** | 6 | |
- *
These hours do not count towards the 15 hours at the 8000-level.
- **
If pursuing the creative writing track, these courses must be a workshop. If pursuing the literature track, these courses must be a literature course.
Admissions
Students will apply for the accelerated program in the spring of their junior year and, if accepted, will being the fall of their senior year.
Semester Plan
Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGLSH 1000* | 3 | MATH 1100* | 3 |
| Second Language*1 | 5 | Second Language*1 | 5 |
| American History OR Government Course | 3 | Social Science Course* | 3 |
| Behavioral Science Course* | 3 | Humanities/Fine Arts Course* | 3 |
| IS_LT 2222 | 3 | Elective Course | 1 |
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGLSH 21001 | 3 | Biological/Physical/Mathematical Science Course w/lab* | 3 |
| Biological/Physical Science Course w/lab* | 4 | ENGLSH 3100 | 3 |
| Second Language*1 | 3 | Behavioral Science Course 2000+* | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts Course* | 3 | Social Science Course* | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1060 | 3 | Elective or Course for Minor | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Humanities Course 2000+*1 | 3 | ENGLSH 41661 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 32101 | 3 | ENGLSH 46001 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 43101 | 3 | Elective or Course for Minor | 3 |
| Biological/Physical/Mathematical Science Course* | 3 | Elective or Course for Minor 3000+ | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts Course | 3 | ENGLSH 4950 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGLSH 42401 | 3 | ENGLSH 49701 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 4610 | 3 | Elective or Course for Minor 3000+ | 3 |
| Elective or Course for minor 2000+ | 3 | Elective or Course for Minor | 3 |
| Second Depth Area Course 2000+*1 | 3 | ENGLSH 4100 | 3 |
| Humanities/Depth Area Course 2000+*1 | 3 | Second/Third Depth Areas Course 2000+ | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 123 | |||
- *
Course concurrently meets University General Education, Arts and Science Foundation and/or campus graduation requirements.
- 1
Course meets degree requirements or major requirements.
Depth Areas are courses that are 2000 level or above chosen from four areas: the sciences, social sciences, behavioral sciences, or humanities and fine arts. Arts and Science students are required to complete 9 hours in at least 2 of the four areas.
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.