English Teaching Composite: Writing - BA, BS

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of English

About This Degree

With its small class sizes and nationally published faculty members, the English Department helps students develop skills in analysis, production, and understanding of texts in the English language. Students learn to write, think, and communicate effectively in a technologically and culturally complex world. Students develop skills in the areas most valued by employers, including critical thinking, teamwork, and oral and written communication, which will prepare them to enter into a wide range of career options.

Because the English Department is home to faculty that are heavily involved in research, students are provided with numerous opportunities to pursue undergraduate research projects and creative projects with individual attention from professors.

Students receive a BS by completing all required courses in the major. To receive a BA, students must also gain proficiency in one or more foreign languages.

English Teaching Composite: Students emphasizing in English teaching prepare to teach secondary level English in the public school system. Students take a wide range of literature, writing, and teaching courses that prepare them to teach language arts in secondary education classrooms.

Writing Emphasis: The creative writing program gives students exposure to poetry, nonfiction, and creative nonfiction writing and then allows them to specialize in their chosen area(s). Through literature and writing courses, students develop critical and cognitive writing skills applicable in numerous professional fields.

For more information about English Teaching Composite: Writing, see the Department of English website.
As an English major with an emphasis in English Teaching, you will receive your BA/BS through the Department of English in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Teacher licensure is earned through the College of Education and Human Services.
Admitted and current students must meet with an advisor.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is Quantitative Literacy (QL) of the student’s choice. STAT 1040 - Introduction to Statistics (QL) or STAT 1045 - Introduction to Statistics with Elements of Algebra (QL) or STAT 1080 - Foundations of Data Science (QL) is recommended.

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken through USU: 30
Total major required credits taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New freshmen must be admitted to USU in Good Standing.
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU: 2.5 GPA*
*Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.5 USU cumulative GPA (including courses taken for another USU major); 2.5 career total GPA (including transfer credits) for new transfer students; 2.5 GPA within all English courses (other than ENGL 1010 , ENGL 2010 , CLEP, AP, etc.).

Major Requirements

Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75 GPA within major courses; 2.0 USU cumulative GPA (3.0 USU cumulative required for admission to STEP); 2.75 career total GPA (for licensure)
Minimum Grade Accepted: C (no pass/fail) in major courses; C in STEP courses
Number of Required Credits: 62 credits
Credits in Residence: Students must complete 21 credits of major-applicable coursework at Utah State University.
Other Requirements: STEP (typically requires 3 semesters; see TEAL website and advisors for STEP advising) required for licensure, and ENGL 1410 .
To obtain professional licensure at graduation, students must fulfill the requirements of the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) prescribed by the School of Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL).

A. English Department Requirements

Students should take note of the superscripts to find emphasis-specific requirements.

English Major Core (9 credits)

ENGL 2600 is required. Students may fulfill the rest of the core credits from the following courses.

ENGL 2600 - Literary Analysis 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2050 - Literature by Women (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2060 - Reading Across Borders (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2070 - Introduction to Digital Humanities (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2140 - Introduction to LGBTQ+ Literature (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2150 - Introduction to Science Fiction 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2160 - AI and Writing: Cultural and Historical Perspectives 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2210 - Introduction to Folklore (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2220 - Introduction to Fiction (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2230 - Introduction to Film (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2240 - Introduction to Poetry (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2250 - Introduction to Creative Writing (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2300 - Introduction to Shakespeare (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2330 - Introduction to Children’s Literature (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2350 - Indigenous Voices (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2630 - Introduction to American Studies (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2640 - Race and Ethnicity in the United States (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2720 - Survey of American Folklore 3 credit(s)
TCR 2100 - Introduction to Technical Communication 3 credit(s)
TCR 2110 - Digital Writing Technologies 3 credit(s)

Emphasis Requirements (53 credits)

B. Literature Courses (12 credits)

Select four courses. One course must focus on American literature content and one must focus on world literature content.

CLAS 3210 - Classical Mythology 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3210 - Classical Mythology 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3305 - Medieval Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3315 - Early Modern British Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3325 - Eighteenth-Century British Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3335 - Nineteenth-Century British Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3345 - Literary History of the British Isles Since 1900 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3355 - Literary History of the Early Americas 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3365 - Nineteenth-Century American Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3375 - Literary History of the Americas Since 1900 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3385 - Postcolonial World Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3395 - World Literature in Translation 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3610 - Multicultural American Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3620 - Native American Studies 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3630 - The Farm in Literature and Culture (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4310 - American Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4320 - British Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4330 - World Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4340 - Studies in Fiction 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4345 - Studies in Nonfiction 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4350 - Studies in Poetry 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4360 - Studies in Drama 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4365 - Studies in Film 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4370 - Native American Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4375 - U.S. Latinx Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4380 - African American Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4610 - Western American Literature (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4630 - American Nature Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5300 - Special Topics in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5310 - Contemporary Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5320 - Gender and Sexuality in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5330 - Race and Ethnicity in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5340 - Multimedia Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)

C. Shakespeare Course (3 credits)

ENGL 4300 - Shakespeare 3 credit(s)

D. Linguistics Course (3 credits)

Select one of the following courses:

ENGL 4200 - Linguistic Structures 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4210 - History of English: Change and Diversity 3 credit(s)

E. Writing Courses (15 credits)

Select five of the following courses (selected courses may not also be used for the Writing Exploratory requirement). ENGL 4540: Teaching Creative Writing is recommended.

ENGL 3040 - Perspectives in Writing and Rhetoric (DHA) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3080 - Introduction to Technical Communication (CI) 3 credit(s)
TCR 2100 - Introduction to Technical Communication 3 credit(s)
TCR 2110 - Digital Writing Technologies 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3420 - Fiction Writing 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3430 - Poetry Writing 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3440 - Creative Nonfiction Writing 3 credit(s)
TCR 3220 - Technical Editing (CI) 3 credit(s)
TCR 4210 - Visual Communication Design 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4540 - Teaching Creative Writing 3 credit(s)
TCR 4250 - Careers in Professional Communication 3 credit(s)

F. English Education Courses (17 credits)

ENGL 3470 - Approaches to Research in English Studies (QI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3500 - Teaching English 2 credit(s) (Students must also register for SCED 3300 when taking ENGL 3500 .)
ENGL 3510 - Teaching Young Adult Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4500 - Teaching Writing (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4510 - Teaching Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4520 - Teaching Literacy in Diverse Classrooms 3 credit(s) (Students must also register for SCED 4300 when taking ENGL 4520 .)

G. Grammar Requirement (3 credits)

Students must complete ENGL 1410 .

ENGL 1410 - Elements of Grammar 3 credit(s)

H. Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP)

English Teaching students must complete the STEP program to be eligible for graduation and to receive a license to teach in the public school system. The STEP program is administered through the Secondary Education Program of the School of TEAL, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. Students must be admitted to STEP before taking many STEP courses. Among the requirements for admission is a Criminal Background Check. While completing student teaching, students must pass the required PPAT assessment. STEP requirements are subject to change based on changes in state licensure. Students should meet with an advisor in the School of TEAL for further information regarding this program.

STEP Requirements (29 credits)

These three courses may be taken prior to admission:
ITLS 5500 - Integration and Innovation of Technology in Education 3 credit(s)
SCED 3210 - Educational and Multicultural Foundations (CI/DSS) 3 credit(s)
SPED 4000 - Education of Students with Disabilities 3 credit(s)
SCED 3300 - Clinical Experience I 1 credit(s) (Students must also register for ENGL 3500 when taking SCED 3300 .)
SCED 4300 - Clinical Experience II 1 credit(s) (Students must also register for ENGL 4520 when taking SCED 4300 .)
SCED 5100 - Motivation and Classroom Management 3 credit(s)
SCED 5210 - Learning Theory, Curriculum, and Assessment 3 credit(s)
SCED 5500 - Student Teaching Seminar 2 credit(s)
SCED 5630 - Student Teaching in Secondary Schools 10 credit(s)

Licensure Notification

This program typically leads to licensure and was designed to meet licensing qualifications in the state of Utah. If students wish to work in another state within the United States, they should review the qualifications for that state and the Education Licensure Compliance Table provided by School of Teacher Education and Leadership.

For more information, please contact the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at https://cehs.usu.edu/teal/

Open Electives

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

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