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Major Options and Requirements

Completion of the major requires a minimum of 31 credits in intermediate or advanced ENGLISH courses numbered 215 and above. Students must take ENGLISH 215, 216 and 217 and must complete one of these courses in the 4-credit format. The fourth credit is a writing-intensive workshop focusing on drafts and revisions of papers required by the course. All other major courses are taken for 3 credits.

All students are required to fulfill the L&S requirement of at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the major completed in residence. All ENGLISH intermediate or advanced level courses numbered 215 and above count toward this requirement.

There are three tracks within the English major.  Students must select and declare one emphasis.

Students meeting the qualifications may also consider adding Honors in the Major

General/Literature emphasis

A minimum of 31 credits at the intermediate or advanced level (ENGLISH 215 and above).

One English course taken in the 4-credit format (select from ENGLISH 215, 216, or 217).

The major consists of 10 courses.

  1. 1. ENGLISH 215 British Literature before 1750, 3-4 cr
  2. 2. ENGLISH 216 British and Anglophone Literature from 1750 to the Present, 3-4 cr
  3. 3. ENGLISH 217 American Literature, 3-4 cr
  4. 4. One course in Shakespeare (select from ENGLISH 219, 220, 226, 417, 418), 3 cr

5. One additional pre-1800 literature course (excluding Shakespeare) (select from ENGLISH 359-369, 400-416, 419-459, 605-608), 3 cr

6-10. Five additional ENGLISH elective courses at the intermediate or advanced level numbered 215 or higher, 15 cr

Creative Writing emphasis

L&S undergraduates with a particular interest in creative writing may combine a background in literature with a concentration of courses in fiction or poetry writing.

Creative Writing Program website

A minimum of 31 credits at the intermediate or advanced level (ENGLISH 215 and above).

One English course taken in the 4-credit format (select from ENGLISH 215, 216, or 217).

The major consists of 10 courses.

  1. 1. ENGLISH 215 British Literature before 1750, 3-4 cr
  2. 2. ENGLISH 216 British and Anglophone Literature from 1750 to the Present, 3-4 cr
  3. 3. ENGLISH 217 American Literature, 3-4 cr
  4. 4. One course in Shakespeare (select from ENGLISH 219, 220, 226, 417, 418), 3 cr

5. One course in Modern or Contemporary Literature, 1900-Present (select from ENGLISH 223, 477, 478, 500-519, 610-612, 630-672), 3 cr

6. An ENGLISH elective course at the intermediate or advanced level numbered 215 or higher, 3 cr

7-9. Three Creative Writing Workshops (select from ENGLISH 300-307), 9 cr

10. ENGLISH 695 Directed Creative Writing, 3 cr

Workshops numbered 301-307 may be repeated for credit. Students are allowed to take only one creative writing workshop a semester. All three required workshops must be completed prior to taking the Directed Creative Writing course (English 695).

Language and Linguistics emphasis

This emphasis may be of interest to the undergraduate who wishes to combine a background in literature with a concentration of courses in the history and structure of the English language.

English Language and Linguistics website

A minimum of 31 credits at the intermediate or advanced level (ENGLISH 215 and above).

One English course taken in the 4-credit format (select from ENGLISH 215, 216, or 217).

The major consists of 10 courses.

  1. 1. ENGLISH 215 British Literature before 1750, 3-4 cr
  2. 2. ENGLISH 216 British and Anglophone Literature from 1750 to the Present, 3-4 cr
  3. 3. ENGLISH 217 American Literature, 3-4 cr
  4. 4. One course in Shakespeare (select from ENGLISH 219, 220, 226, 417, 418), 3 cr

5. One additional pre-1800 literature course (excluding Shakespeare) (select from ENGLISH 359-369, 400-416, 419-459, 605-608), 3 cr

6. ENGLISH 324 Structure of English, 3 cr

7. ENGLISH 330 English Phonology, 3 cr

8. ENGLISH 325 or 329, 3 cr

9-10. Any two additional courses selected from ENGLISH 320, 321, 323, 325, 329, 331, 332, 333, 336, 338, or 341, 6 cr

Certificate Program for Teaching English as a Second Language

Department of English

7195 Helen C. White

600 N. Park St.

Madison, WI 53706

608-263-3761

800-123-4567

fax: 608-263-3709