Nov 24, 2024

Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2023-2024

Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] See drop-down menu above to access other catalogs.

English, Literature Concentration, BA

Department: English

The Literature concentration in English introduces students to the critical reading, writing and thinking tools central to the discipline of literary studies. This concentration exposes students to a rich variety of literatures in English from different historical periods, nations, genres and traditions, exploring how literature both influences and is influenced by the world around it. Students will have multiple opportunities to learn how to enter the scholarly conversations at the heart of literary studies and will be well prepared to bring a variety of skills to the workplace or to enter graduate programs in literature, law or public service.

Learning Outcomes

Grade Requirement

Majors must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in ENGL 101/101E - Writing Rhetorically and ENGL 102 - Writing Rhetorically with Sources . Credit earned for ENGL 101/101E and ENGL 102 may not be applied to the major.

The Department of English will permit a major to use only one passing grade below “C-” to satisfy requirements in the English major. An additional grade below “C-” will require the major to take another English course.

Course Requirements

Required courses (9 credits)

Writing foundations (3 credits)

Complete one course, selected from the following:

Area electives (12 credits)

Elective in pre-1800 British literature

Complete one course, selected from the following:

Elective in post-1800 British literature

Complete one course, selected from the following:

ENGL 312 - Modern British Fiction
ENGL 327 - Women Writers: The Female Tradition to 1900 (with post-1800 British literature focus)
ENGL 328 - Women Writers: The Female Tradition since 1900 (with post-1800 British literature focus)
ENGL 350 - Recent British Fiction
ENGL 354 - 20th-Century British Drama
ENGL 361 - The Victorian Novel
ENGL 365 - Victorian Prose and Poetry
ENGL 381 - Ireland’s Literary Past
ENGL 386 - English Romantic Poets
ENGL 393 - Modern British Poetry
ENGL 399 - Topics in Literature (with post-1800 British literature focus)
ENGL 403 - Research Methods in Post-1800 British Literature ♦
ENGL 490 - Literary Studies in Oxford (with post-1800 British literature focus)

Elective in American literature

Complete one course, selected from the following:

Elective in world literatures

Complete one course, selected from the following:

ENGL 211 - Literary Classics of Western Civilization to 1600
ENGL 214 - The Classical Tradition
ENGL 216 - Early Irish and Celtic Literature
ENGL 253 - Non-Western Literature
ENGL 255 - East Asian Literature in Translation
ENGL 277 - Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Literary Studies
ENGL 304 - Classical Mythology
ENGL 306 - Sagas of the Icelanders
ENGL 328 - Women Writers: The Female Tradition since 1900 (with world literatures focus)
ENGL 341 - Literature of the Continental Renaissance
ENGL 355 - International Study Tour (with permission of department chairperson)
ENGL 377 - Postcolonial Literature and Theory *
ENGL 378 - The Bible as Literature
ENGL 382 - Modern and Contemporary Irish Literature
ENGL 399 - Topics in Literature (with world literatures focus)
ENGL 405 - Research Methods in World Literatures ♦
*This course may count as an elective in post-1800 British literature instead of an elective in world literatures with permission of department chairperson.

♦ Research methods in literature

Complete one course, selected from the following:*

ENGL 402 - Research Methods in Pre-1800 British Literature
(also satisfies elective in pre-1800 British literature)
ENGL 403 - Research Methods in Post-1800 British Literature
(also satisfies elective in post-1800 British literature)
ENGL 404 - Research Methods in American Literature
(also satisfies elective in American literature)
ENGL 405 - Research Methods in World Literatures
(also satisfies elective in world literatures)
*Research methods courses meet area electives, as identified in the area electives section above. If not used to meet an area elective, a research methods course must be taken, bringing the total credits required for the major to 39.

Electives (9 credits)

Complete three additional English (ENGL) courses at the 200-level or above; at least two courses must be at the 300-level or above.

Senior seminar (3 credits)

Complete one course, selected from the following:

ENGL 494 - Seminar: Special Topics (with literature topic and permission of department chairperson)
ENGL 495 - Seminar: British Literature and Culture
ENGL 496 - Seminar: American Literature and Culture
ENGL 497 - Seminar: World Literatures and Cultures

Total minimum credits: 36-39

Core Curriculum Requirements

A minimum of 120 earned credit hours is required for graduation. These earned hours include the Core Curriculum Requirements as specified in the Core Curriculum section of this catalog and at the Core Curriculum website, www.bridgew.edu/corecurriculum. For additional graduation requirements, see the Undergraduate Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.