English, BA

Emphases within the English major

Elementary/Special Education
Literature
Professional/Technical Writing
Rhetoric and Writing
Secondary Education

General Requirements

For all emphases, students, including transfers, must complete at least 15 credit hours with the UCCS English department and at least 18 upper-division credit hours. English majors must achieve grades of C- or higher in all required English courses. All English majors are required to pass the portfolio assessment process as determined by emphasis prior to graduation.

Students Who Contemplate Teaching

Statements of curricular requirements for a Colorado teaching certificate in English may be obtained from the College of Education. Students planning to teach should also confer with a member of the College of Education faculty about the Teacher Education Program. Since requirements for Education and English make a very tight schedule, students should be fully informed as to both departmental and certification requirements by the beginning of the sophomore year.

Literature Breadth Courses

These categories will be referred to throughout the different emphases.

Early British Breadth Courses:

Late British Breadth Courses:

Early American Breadth Courses:

Late American Breadth Courses:

BA in English with Elementary/Special Education Pre-licensure Emphasis

Students wishing to major in English to prepare for careers in elementary/special education take a minimum of 39 hours of English, including the following specific requirements:

ENGL 1310 - Rhetoric and Writing I: Academic Reading and Analytical Writing
ENGL 1410 - Rhetoric and Writing II: Argument and Research
(These courses are not counted, however, toward the major requirement of 39 hours minimum of English courses.)
ENGL 2000 - Introduction to English Studies
ENGL 2010 - Introduction to Literary Studies (For English Majors Only)
ENGL 3000 - Literary Criticism in Theory and Practice
ENGL 3010 - Advanced Rhetoric and Writing
ENGL 3110 - Advanced Grammar
9 credit hours in literature breadth courses listed above before the different emphases, including at least one American and at least one British. Of these 9 hours, you must take one in either early American or early British and one in either late American or late British.
3 credit hours in one of the following seven gender and/or ethnicity courses:
ENGL 3200 - Women Writers and Women’s Experience
ENGL 3410 - Poetry for the People
ENGL 3550 - Native American Literature
ENGL 3600 - African American Literature
ENGL 3650 - Studies in Gender and Sexuality
ENGL 3900 - Topics in Literature
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing:
ENGL 4810 - Special Topics in the Teaching of Writing: OR
ENGL 4830 - Rhetoric and Writing: Survey in Contemporary Approaches to Teaching Writing
6 credit hours English electives (suggested across tracks)
3 credit hours 4000-level Literature seminar (must be taken in residence)
Complete senior Elementary/Special Ed portfolio assessment

BA in English with Literature Emphasis

Learning Outcomes

To be able to interpret a range of literary texts representing cultural diversity, various genres, and historical contexts
To be able to analyze literary texts through the skills of close reading, the context of literary histories, and the lenses of literary criticism and theory
To be able to write cogent, clear, thoughtful essays that demonstrate the student’s control over grammar and mechanics
To be able to use electronic and traditional methods of research effectively

Students wishing to major in English with an emphasis in Literature must take a minimum of 45 hours of English, including the following specific requirements:

ENGL 1310 - Rhetoric and Writing I: Academic Reading and Analytical Writing
ENGL 1410 - Rhetoric and Writing II: Argument and Research
(These courses are not counted, however, toward the major requirement of 45 hours minimum of English courses.)

Required (30 credits):

ENGL 2000 - Introduction to English Studies
ENGL 2010 - Introduction to Literary Studies (For English Majors Only)
ENGL 3000 - Literary Criticism in Theory and Practice
ENGL 3010 - Advanced Rhetoric and Writing
12 credit hours in literature breadth courses listed above before the different emphases (one in early British, one in late British, one in early American, one in late American)

3 credit hours in one of the following seven gender and/or ethnicity courses:
ENGL 3200 - Women Writers and Women’s Experience
ENGL 3410 - Poetry for the People
ENGL 3550 - Native American Literature
ENGL 3600 - African American Literature
ENGL 3650 - Studies in Gender and Sexuality
ENGL 3900 - Topics in Literature
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing:
3 credit hours of 4000-level Literature Seminar (must be taken in residence)
Complete senior Literature portfolio assessment

Electives (15 credits):

1 of the 5 courses from designated and non-designated electives must be pre-1800.

6 credit hours of Designated Electives (take 2 of 4)

Genre/Style/Literary movement
Theory
Major Author
Global/Comparative literature

9 credit hours of Non-Designated English Electives

BA in English with Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis

Learning Outcomes

Writing

Understand the basic nature of language, its structure, its uses, and its rhetorical power
Write competently and efficiently in a range of rhetorical genres to multiple audiences for various purposes
Communicate technical information effectively and purposefully, both in print and online documents
Implement effective documents design, both in print and online work
Organize documents coherently
Demonstrate knowledge of proper editing skills
Control the conventions of standard written english

Research

Command effective research skills, both in print and non-print sources
Understand and implement usability testing in documents
Demonstrate competency in interviewing subject matter experts

Oral Presentation

Demonstrate effective oral and presentation skill

Teamwork

Communicate and work effectively in a team

Technology Skills

Demonstrate use of computer technologies in written, oral, and visual communication
Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of technology in contemporary culture

Students wishing to major in English with an emphasis in Professional and Technical Writing must take a minimum of 48 hours in English, including the following specific requirements:

ENGL 1310 - Rhetoric and Writing I: Academic Reading and Analytical Writing
ENGL 1410 - Rhetoric and Writing II: Argument and Research
(These courses are not counted, however, toward the major requirement of 48 hours minimum of English courses.)
ENGL 2000 - Introduction to English Studies
ENGL 2010 - Introduction to Literary Studies (For English Majors Only)
ENGL 3000 - Literary Criticism in Theory and Practice
One British Literature Breadth course (early or late) listed above.
One American Literature Breadth course (early or late) listed above.
ENGL 3110 - Advanced Grammar
3 credit hours in one of the following gender and/or ethnicity courses:
ENGL 3200 - Women Writers and Women’s Experience
ENGL 3410 - Poetry for the People
ENGL 3550 - Native American Literature
ENGL 3600 - African American Literature
ENGL 3650 - Studies in Gender and Sexuality
ENGL 3900 - Topics in Literature
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing:
PTW Coursework:
ENGL 2080 - Business and Administrative Writing OR
ENGL 2090 - Technical Writing and Presentation
ENGL 3080 - Advanced Business and Technical Writing
9 credit hours of practice courses from the following:
ENGL 3120 - Technical Editing and Style
ENGL 3140 - Managing Writing Projects in Business and Industry
ENGL 3750 - Grant and Proposal Writing
6 credit hours of technological-literacy courses from the following:
ENGL 3130 - Web and Print Document Design
ENGL 3160 - Tools for Technical Writers
ENGL 3850 - Advanced Topics in Professional Writing
6 credit hours of advanced practice courses from the following:
ENGL 4080 - Special Topics in Professional and Technical Writing
ENGL 4800 - Peer Tutoring: Writing Across the Curriculum
ENGL 4810 - Special Topics in the Teaching of Writing:
ENGL 4820 - Classical Rhetoric
ENGL 4830 - Rhetoric and Writing: Survey in Contemporary Approaches to Teaching Writing
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing:
1-2 credit hours of internship (highly recommended):
ENGL 3150 - Professional Writing Internship

Senior PTW Portfolio Assessment

Complete the senior professional and technical writing portfolio assessment and enroll in ENGL 4090 - PTW Senior Portfolio Practicum . See PTW Director for details.

BA in English with Rhetoric and Writing Emphasis

Students wishing to major in English to prepare for careers in Rhetoric and Writing take a minimum of 48 hours of English, including the following specific requirements:

ENGL 1310 - Rhetoric and Writing I: Academic Reading and Analytical Writing
ENGL 1410 - Rhetoric and Writing II: Argument and Research
(These courses are not counted, however, toward the major requirement of 48 hours minimum of English courses.)
ENGL 2000 - Introduction to English Studies
ENGL 2010 - Introduction to Literary Studies (For English Majors Only)
ENGL 3010 - Advanced Rhetoric and Writing
ENGL 3110 - Advanced Grammar
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing: (Diversity topic)
One British Literature Breadth course (early or late) listed above.
One American Literature Breadth course (early or late) listed above.
6 credit hours of Literature electives, upper division (diversity recommended)
3 credit hours of 4000-level Literature Seminar (must be taken in residence, senior status only)

9 credit hours of Theory courses from the following:
ENGL 3000 - Literary Criticism in Theory and Practice
ENGL 4800 - Peer Tutoring: Writing Across the Curriculum
ENGL 4810 - Special Topics in the Teaching of Writing:
ENGL 4820 - Classical Rhetoric
ENGL 4830 - Rhetoric and Writing: Survey in Contemporary Approaches to Teaching Writing
9 credit hours of electives from the following:
ENGL 4840 - Practicum for Writing Instructors
ENGL 4850 - History of the English Language
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing

BA in English with Secondary School Emphasis

Students wishing to major in English to prepare for careers as secondary school teachers of English must take a minimum of 45 hours of English, including the following specific requirements:

ENGL 1310 - Rhetoric and Writing I: Academic Reading and Analytical Writing
ENGL 1410 - Rhetoric and Writing II: Argument and Research
(These courses are not counted, however, toward the major requirement of 39 hours minimum of English courses.)
ENGL 2000 - Introduction to English Studies
ENGL 2010 - Introduction to Literary Studies (For English Majors Only)
ENGL 3000 - Literary Criticism in Theory and Practice
ENGL 3010 - Advanced Rhetoric and Writing
ENGL 3110 - Advanced Grammar
ENGL 4800 - Peer Tutoring: Writing Across the Curriculum OR
ENGL 4810 - Special Topics in the Teaching of Writing:
ENGL 4820 - Classical Rhetoric
ENGL 4830 - Rhetoric and Writing: Survey in Contemporary Approaches to Teaching Writing
ENGL 4850 - History of the English Language
12 credit hours in literature breadth courses listed above before the different emphases (one in early British, one in late British, one in early American, one in late American)

3 credit hours in one of the following seven gender and /or ethnicity courses:
ENGL 3200 - Women Writers and Women’s Experience
ENGL 3410 - Poetry for the People
ENGL 3550 - Native American Literature
ENGL 3600 - African American Literature
ENGL 3650 - Studies in Gender and Sexuality
ENGL 3900 - Topics in Literature
ENGL 4860 - Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing:
3 credit hours 4000-level Literature seminar (must be taken in residence)
Complete senior Secondary Education portfolio assessment

Note:

Students who wish to apply a correspondence course towards their English major must secure written permission from the English department chair or designated advisor.