English, BA

Advanced Placement Opportunity:

The University accepts the American Council of Education’s recommended scores for CLEP tests. For the English Composition exam, students receive 3 credit hours for completing the exam (essay required) and can submit 3 writing samples to the Coordinator of Composition to receive an additional 3 hours (6 total). For more information about credit granted through CLEP, students should contact the Office of the Registrar.

Program Requirements for English Major:

1. Completion of the Bonaventure Program and requirements for undergraduate degrees.
2. English courses taken to fulfill Bonaventure Program requirements in writing and literature will not count toward the English major.
3. Courses below the 200 level do not count towards the major; at least 21 of the 33 semester hours must be at the 300 level or above.
4. 33 semester hours in 200-400 level English courses, including ENG 497  (Seminar in English) which is the comprehensive experience in the major.
5. 6 required credits at the 200-400 level must be in pre-1789 literature courses.
6. 200 level requirements: One American, British, or World literature course (3 credits); and One genre course (3 credits).
7. 300-400 level requirements: Two historical period courses (Romantic, Victorian, etc.) (6 credits); One major author course (Shakespeare, Frost, Yeats, Beckett, etc.) (3 credits); One school or genre course (Beats, Memoir, African American, etc.) (3 credits); One criticism course (3 credits); One upper-level writing course (3 credits); and Seminar in English (3 credits).
8. Successful completion of all assessment requirements required in ENG 497  during the senior year, to include: an oral report, a seminar paper, a panel presentation, and a writing portfolio.
9. Students need a Cumulative Major GPA of 2.0 and no more than 2 major courses below a C to receive a degree. Major courses are all courses listed in section G of the degree checklist.
10. Honor courses may count toward the major. The Dean of Humanities, in consultation with the English faculty, will determine which Honors courses may count toward the major.
11. Language Requirement: One year of college coursework in a single language with a grade of “C” or better or a demonstrated equivalent competency. Two years of a single language are highly recommended for graduate school preparation (sign language is acceptable for English Teacher Licensure majors).
12. Recommended Electives: 3 credits outside of major (philosophy, theology, psychology, economics, history, etc.).
13. 42 semester hours at the upper level (300-400) in the total degree program.
14. The technological literacy requirement will be fulfilled through the department’s requirement of word-processing and online research skills in all of the courses. This is shown by student writing and presentations, student use of course-management software content, and library work.

Honors:

To graduate with honors in English, students must have:

1. A grade point average of 3.5 in English courses.
2. Six hours of history beyond Bonaventure Program requirements (which may be satisfied by completing a semester of non-American History and a semester of American History).
3. Twelve (12) hours (two years) (or the equivalent) in a single foreign language at the college level.

Special Program:

Membership in the International English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta (Rho Rho Chapter), is available to students.