Mar 28, 2024  
2010-2011 General Catalog 
    
2010-2011 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

English, BS


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Course Requirements


Core and Survey Requirements

Upon entering the major, all English majors must complete ENGL 1110  (English Orientation) as soon as possible. In addition, all English majors, except for students in the Professional and Technical Writing emphasis, are required to complete three of the 2000-level literature survey courses and ENGL 2600  (Literary Analysis) as soon as possible before enrolling in upper-division courses. Differing requirements for the Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis are shown below.

Literary Studies Emphasis


Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.75, major; 2.75, USU; 2.75, Career
Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75, major courses; 2.0, USU; 2.0, Career
Minimum Grade Accepted: C in major courses

This 43-credit emphasis is devoted to the study of literature. Its fundamental premise is that literature is a field of diverse representations that gives shape and meaning to human experience.

Students first complete three of the 2000-level survey courses, which provide a traditional overview of the major periods, authors, and genres of American and British literature. At the same time, students take an introductory course on literary analysis which introduces them to the methodologies of literary criticism.

At the 3000 and 4000 levels, students closely examine the conventions and principles forming the more traditional survey courses. Focusing on specific literary periods, authors, and genres, these courses invite students to think critically about how literature is constructed and organized as a field of knowledge.

At the 5000 level, students pursue the interdisciplinary study of literature in relation to many different fields of knowledge, from the arts to the sciences. Using advanced theories and methods, these courses explore and analyze the connections between literary texts and other forms of cultural representation.

C. American, British, and World Literature (6 credits)


Select two of the following three period courses:

E. Genre (6 credits)


Select two courses from the following:

G. Electives (6 credits)


Select two additional courses from categories C, D, E, or F. One linguistics course (ENGL 4200  or ENGL 4210 ) may also count as an elective.

Note:

The Period Studies; Authors; Genre; and Literature and Culture courses vary according to the specialty of the faculty member teaching the course.

Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis


Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.75, major; 2.75, USU; 2.75, Career
Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75, major courses; 2.0, USU; 2.0, Career
Minimum Grade Accepted: C in major courses; B- in ENGL 1120, 3400, and 3410

This 48-credit emphasis prepares students for career opportunities in various writing-related careers in professional organizations. The emphasis consists of: (1) a theoretical foundation in rhetoric and linguistics, enabling students to assess any writing situation and adapt their writing to the context as audience-aware writers; and (2) writing practice in a variety of contexts using the most up-to-date tools of technology, so that students know how to write and why they are writing, thus preparing them for the ever-changing job markets of the twenty-first century.

Students begin their studies by completing one literature survey course and two introductory professional writing courses introducing students to the profession of writing and the current technologies used in all levels of text production. ENGL 3400  (Professional Writing) and ENGL 3410  (Professional Writing Technology), which are prerequisites for applications courses, must be passed with a grade of B- or better, in order for the student to continue in the program. At the same time, students also take two courses addressing rhetorical issues and strategies in the perception, reading, and writing of texts, and two courses in linguistics acquainting students with the structure and diversity of the English language.

In addition, all Professional and Technical Writing students must pass ENGL 1120  (Elements of Grammar) with a grade of B- or better, or pass the challenge exam offered by the Writing Center.

Students then take courses in professional editing, document design and graphics, interactive media, and publication production and management. Along with these, students may also take courses in creative writing, as well as those with more specific forms of writing, such as proposals, newsletters, and computer documentation. Internships provide students with an opportunity to learn through hands-on experiences in a variety of organizations. Students complete the program by taking a capstone course, in which they prepare portfolios, explore professional opportunities, and prepare to begin their careers.

A. Core Requirement (3 credits)


C. Introductory Professional Writing Courses (6 credits)


H. Capstone Seminar (3 credits)


English Teaching Emphasis


Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.75, major; 2.75, USU; 2.75, Career
Additional Minimum GPA for Matriculation to STEP Program: 2.75, USU Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75, major courses; 2.0, USU; 2.75, Career (for certification)
Minimum Grade Accepted: C in major courses; C- in STEP courses

This 49-credit emphasis, leading to professional licensure in the teaching of secondary-level English, prepares prospective English teachers to participate actively in the many communities related to the profession. Students become well-versed in their academic subject matter (language, writing, literature, and multimedia); skilled in the methods of teaching the various components of the English curriculum and in classroom management techniques; and committed to the achievement of all students regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, or socioeconomic standing.

Students first complete 9 credits of literature survey courses and 3 credits of literary theory to acquire a broad understanding of the traditional literary canon and the current theoretical foundations of English Studies. They must also take ENGL 1120  (Elements of Grammar), or pass the challenge exam offered by the Writing Center. They then take 12 credits in upper-division literature and then courses which address the current understandings of the diversity of American language and culture as they impact the English classroom. Students take courses in young adult literature, Shakespeare, and 15 more credits of upper-division literature and writing courses to become familiar with the spectrum of theoretical, ideological, and scholarly issues at stake in English studies today. To become familiar with the art of teaching the many components of the English curriculum, students take two pedagogical courses, which approach reading and writing as interdependent aspects of communication. If students wish to obtain professional licensure at graduation, they must also fulfill the requirements of the 35-credit Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) prescribed by the Secondary Education Program of the School of Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL).

E. Upper-division Literature Courses (15 credits)


1. Required Course (3 credits)


2. Select one course from each of the following groups:


d. Group 4 (3 credits)

Grammar Competency Requirement:

In addition to fulfilling the above requirements, students in the English teaching emphasis must fulfill a grammar competency requirement. This may be accomplished either by enrolling in ENGL 1120  , Elements of Grammar (also offered through Independent Study or online), or by passing a challenge exam in the English Department Writing Center (Ray B. West 104) with a score of 80 percent or better. See the English undergraduate advisor for further information.

G. Teaching Minor

Students in the English Teaching emphasis are also required to complete a teaching minor selected from among the following: Chemistry, English as a Second Language, Geography, Health Education, History, Mathematics, Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish), Physical Education/Coaching, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, School Library Media, Sociology, Communication, and Theatre Arts.

H. Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) (35 credits)

To receive a license to teach in the public school system, students in the English Teaching emphasis must also complete the 35-credit STEP administered through the Secondary Education Program of the School of TEAL. The student enrolls in this three-semester sequence of courses after having completed nearly all teaching major and minor requirements and after having been granted full admission to the program, which entails meeting various admission criteria. See the Secondary Education Program of the School of TEAL  for further information regarding this program.

Creative Writing Emphasis


Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.75, major; 2.75, USU; 2.75, Career
Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75, major courses; 2.0, USU; 2.0, Career
Minimum Grade Accepted: C in major courses

This 46-credit emphasis is devoted to the art of literary writing: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama. Through practice in a chosen genre and a comprehensive study of literature, students learn the craft of literary writing as discovered and practiced over the last three thousand years of written human culture. The emphasis prepares undergraduates for graduate work in creative writing and develops critical, cognitive, and writing skills applicable in numerous professional fields.

Since creative writers must have a broad knowledge of literature, students first complete two of the 2000-level survey courses which provide an overview of major periods, authors, and genres in American and British literature. They also take an introductory course in literary theory which introduces methodologies of literary criticism.

At the 3000-level, students begin their work as creative writers, taking three introductory writing courses in three genres: fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. To continue their immersion in the study of literature, students take one course in Period Studies.

At the 4000-level, students concentrate their training as creative writers, taking three courses in advanced creative writing, most of which can be repeated. Also at the 4000-level, students take a course focused on the study of a single author and a course in the study of one’s chosen genre. Students also select three courses (for 9 credits) from courses outside their emphasis, ideally from outside the English Department, to further broaden their knowledge of human culture and the natural world.

C. Creative Writing Courses (18 credits)


Select all three of the following courses:

D. American, British, and World Literature (3 credits)


Select one of the following courses:

E. Authors (3 credits)


Select one of the following courses:

Note:

The Writers courses vary according to the specialty of the faculty member teaching the course.

Note:

The Genre courses vary according to the specialty of the faculty member teaching the course.

G. Electives (9 credits)


Students should select electives with the guidance and approval of the English undergraduate advisor.

Note:

The Period Studies, Authors, and Genre courses vary according to the specialty of the faculty member teaching the course.

Note:


1 ENGL 2600  should be taken before registering for 3000 or above literature courses.

2 These courses are repeatable for credit.

3 This capstone course should be completed during the senior year.

4 ENGL 1120  is waived if students pass the grammar challenge exam. For further information, contact the undergraduate advisor.

5 ENGL 5400  includes proposals, brochures, environmental impact statements, newsletters, computer documentation, etc. This course is repeatable for credit.

6 Prerequisite: Admittance to program and completion of ENGL 3400  and ENGL 3410  with grades of B- or better.

7 Prior to enrolling in ENGL 5490 , students must have completed both ENGL 3400  and ENGL 3410  with grades of B- or better.

8 ENGL 5410  includes multimedia, interactive and electronic texts, etc. This course is repeatable for credit.

9 ENGL 5410  /THEA 4250  requires a prerequisite of THEA 1713 

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