English - Undergraduate Programs
Overview
By majoring in English, students are involved simultaneously with two activities that are essentially and uniquely human: language and art. The mission of the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts at UT Arlington is to educate students about the powers and pleasures of literary and other kinds of language.
The curriculum provides students with an understanding of theoretical and analytical processes that enable them to assimilate a variety of textual materials representing many cultures and historical periods. Students will learn to read closely, critically, and empathetically. In addition, students will learn to conduct scholarly research and to produce clear and cogent arguments in both written and oral form. These skills are widely applicable for English graduates who pursue careers in the arts, education, business, research and development, government, media, and publishing.
The Department of English offers two degree options: a BA in English and a BA in English with Teacher Certification (BATCH). The distribution requirements for both degree plans include courses in literature, rhetoric, theory, and writing. In addition to the majors, the Department of English offers minors in English, Creative Writing, Rhetoric and Writing Studies, Sound Studies, and Technical Writing and Professional Design, as well as a Certificate in Technical Writing and Professional Design for non-degree-seeking students. Furthermore, the Department of English frequently cross-lists courses with African American Studies; Disability Studies; Environmental and Sustainability Studies; Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies; and Mexican American Studies.
Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English
| Pre-Professional Courses | ||
| General Core Requirements | 42 | |
| ENGL 1200 (true first-year students) | 2 | |
| Modern and Classical Languages 1441 and 1442, or equivalent 1 | 8 | |
| Modern and Classical Languages 2313, Literature in Translation, or Study Abroad | 3 | |
| Electives sufficient to complete the 120 credit hours required for the degree 2 | 2-4 | |
| Professional Courses | ||
| Major. To count toward the major, all English courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. | ||
| ENGL 1301 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I (or waiver for advanced standing) 3 | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II (or waiver for advanced standing) 3 | 3 |
| ENGL 2300 | LITERATURE AND THE GOOD LIFE | 3 |
| Sophomore Literature 3 | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| TECHNICAL WRITING | ||
| ADVANCED EXPOSITION | ||
| CREATIVE WRITING | ||
| ENGL 3350 | ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 4 | 3 |
| Literature Surveys | 6 | |
| English Language (Structure or History) | 3 | |
| Rhetoric | 3 | |
| Theory | 3 | |
| Early British Literature | 3 | |
| Diverse Perspectives | 3 | |
| Experiential Learning/Professionalization | 3 | |
| 3000/4000-level Literature elective | 3 | |
| 3000/4000-level English electives | 6 | |
| ENGL 4399 | SENIOR SEMINAR (capstone course) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 111-113 | |
- 1
In line with the College of Liberal Art's foreign language requirement, students are required to take a minimum of 6 hours of foreign language courses, even if they transfer in with a completed Core Curriculum and a completed Field of Study in English Language and Literature (but without 6 hours of foreign language courses) and even if they will, as a result, need more than 120 hours to graduate.
- 2
Students who take ENGL 1200 will need 2 credit hours; students who do not will need 4 credit hours.
- 3
Please keep in mind that the credit hours for ENGL 1301, ENGL 1302, and our sophomore literature requirement (ENGL 2303, ENGL 2309, ENGL 2319, or ENGL 2329), are also counted under the "General Core Requirements" category, giving the misleading impression that our degree plan requires 129 hours (111 + 18 hours for a minor) when, in fact, it requires only 120 hours (102 + 18 hours for minor).
- 4
This course is a pre- or co-requisite for all upper-level English courses. English majors must pass this course with a grade of C or better in order to receive credit toward the major for any 3000/4000-level English courses.
Teacher Certification
Students wishing to take a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with Secondary Teacher Certification (BATCH) must complete the required core curriculum courses, ENGL 1200 (for true first-year students), eight hours of modern language courses, and the required elective hours necessary to complete the 120 credit hours required for the degree.
Beyond those pre-professional requirements, they must complete the required secondary certification courses, LIST 4343 CONTENT AREA READING AND WRITING, and 42 hours in English. To count toward the major, each English course must be completed with a grade of C or better. The required English courses are:
| ENGL 1301 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I (or waiver for advanced standing) | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II (or waiver for advanced standing) | 3 |
| ENGL 2300 | LITERATURE AND THE GOOD LIFE | 3 |
| Sophomore Literature | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| TECHNICAL WRITING | ||
| ADVANCED EXPOSITION | ||
| CREATIVE WRITING | ||
| ENGL 3350 | ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 1 | 3 |
| Literature Surveys | 6 | |
| English Language (Structure or History) | 3 | |
| ENGL 4326 | SHAKESPEARE | 3 |
| ENGL 4370 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS | 3 |
| Diverse Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3000/4000-level Literature elective | 3 | |
| 3000/4000-level English elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
- 1
BATCH majors must pass this course with a C or better in order to receive credit toward the major for any 3000/4000-level English courses.
Competence in Oral Presentations
Students obtaining a BA in English can demonstrate oral proficiency by:
1. passing ENGL 4399 SENIOR SEMINAR; or
2. passing COMS 1301 FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING, COMS 1302 VOICE AND DICTION, COMS 2305 BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, or COMS 3315 COMMUNICATION FOR EDUCATORS (or equivalent).
Competence in Computer Use
Students obtaining a BA in English can demonstrate computer proficiency by:
1. passing ENGL 3350 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION, ENGL 3372 COMPUTERS AND WRITING, or ENGL 3374 WRITING, RHETORIC, AND MULTIMODAL AUTHORING; or
2. passing ENGL 2350 INTRODUCTION TO ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION prior to Fall 2020; or
3. passing CSE 1301 COMPUTER LITERACY (or equivalent); or
4. passing the University computer literacy examination.
Minors and Certificate Program
The Department of English currently offers minors in English, Creative Writing, Rhetoric and Writing Studies, Sound Studies, and Technical Writing and Professional Design. We also offer a Certificate in Technical Writing and Professional Design.
Minor in English
The minor in English may be achieved by completing 18 hours in English with a grade of C or better. At least six of the hours must be at the 3000- or 4000-level.
Minor in Creative Writing
The minor in Creative Writing is offered for students who wish to pursue advanced work in creative writing as a part of their undergraduate curriculum. Students selecting the Creative Writing minor should consult first with the undergraduate advisor in their department or program for approval of the minor and then with the undergraduate advisor in the Department of English. Working with advisors, students will select a sequence of advanced courses to fulfill their minor requirements. To count toward the minor, all English courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. This minor requires 18 hours.
| Required Courses | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING | ||
| ENGL 3375 | CREATIVE WRITING | 3 |
| Choose four of the following; two must be major genres (fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction): | 12 | |
| ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING: FICTION | ||
| ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING: POETRY | ||
| ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING: CREATIVE NON-FICTION | ||
| THE BUSINESS OF WRITING | ||
| ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING: SCREENWRITING | ||
| ENGL 4353 | STRUCTURING YOUR NOVEL | 3 |
| TOPICS IN CREATIVE WRITING | ||
| Total Hours | 21 | |
MINOR IN RHETORIC AND WRITING STUDIES
The minor in Rhetoric and Writing Studies (RWS) focuses on the history, theory, and practice of rhetoric in order to hone students' ability to craft persuasive and analytical prose and deepen their understanding of composition and the writing process. The minor is designed to meet the diverse needs of both English majors and students from other disciplines. Students selecting the RWS minor should consult first with the undergraduate advisor in their department or program for approval of the minor and then with an undergraduate advisor in the Department of English. Working with advisors, students will select a sequence of courses to fulfill the requirements of the minor. To count toward the minor, all courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. This minor requires 18 hours.
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 1301 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II | 3 |
| Choose four of the following: | 12 | |
| ADVANCED EXPOSITION | ||
| WRITING, RHETORIC, AND MULTIMODAL AUTHORING | ||
| RHETORIC AND WRITING WITH SOUND | ||
| RHETORICAL MAKING | ||
| TOPICS IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION | ||
| WRITING ABOUT MUSIC | ||
| TUTORING WRITING | ||
| RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION: HISTORY, THEORY, AND PRACTICE I | ||
| RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION: HISTORY, THEORY AND PRACTICE II | ||
| RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS | ||
| ADVANCED ARGUMENTATION | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Minor in Sound Studies
The minor in Sound Studies is offered for students who wish to focus on sound and culture as a part of their undergraduate curriculum. To count toward the minor, all courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. This minor requires 18 hours, at least six of which must be from the Department of English.
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 3380 | RHETORIC AND WRITING WITH SOUND | 3 |
| ENGL 3382 | LISTENING TO LITERATURE | 3 |
| Choose four of the following: | 12 | |
| RADIO PRODUCTION I | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (when offered as PODCASTING) | ||
| VOICE AND DICTION | ||
| WRITING ABOUT MUSIC | ||
| HISTORY OF HIP HOP | ||
| FROM PHONOGRAPHS TO K-POP: A SONIC HISTORY OF EAST ASIA | ||
| PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY | ||
| PHONOLOGICAL THEORY I | ||
| ELEMENTS OF MUSIC | ||
| EXPLORATIONS IN MUSIC THEORY | ||
| SOUND DESIGN | ||
| LIGHTING AND SOUND TECHNOLOGY | ||
| UNIVERSAL DESIGN & ACCESSIBILITY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Minor in Technical Writing and Professional Design
The minor in Technical Writing and Professional Design (TWPD) provides students with training in technical and professional writing, document design, visual communication, editing, and usability, and it helps students become more effective communicators in both traditional and new media environments. Students selecting the TWPD minor should consult first with the undergraduate advisor in their department or program for approval of the minor and then with an undergraduate advisor in the Department of English. Working with advisors, students will select a sequence of courses to fulfill the requirements of the minor. To count toward the minor, all courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. This minor requires 18 hours.
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 1301 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II | 3 |
| ENGL 2338 | TECHNICAL WRITING | 3 |
| Choose three of the following: | 9 | |
| TOPICS IN TECHNICAL WRITING AND PROFESSIONAL DESIGN | ||
| TECHNICAL WRITING AND PROFESSIONAL DESIGN | ||
| BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING | ||
| TECHNICAL EDITING | ||
| TECHNICAL PROCEDURES AND MANUALS | ||
| GRANT AND PROPOSAL WRITING | ||
| INFORMATION DESIGN | ||
| THE EARLY HISTORY OF TECHNICAL WRITING | ||
| PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| DESIGNING TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN ENGLISH | ||
Certificate in Technical Writing and Professional Design
The Certificate in Technical Writing and Professional Design (TWPD) is designed to provide working professionals and other non-degree-seeking students with the same benefits as the minor in TWPD. To receive the certificate, all courses must be completed at UT Arlington with a grade of C or higher. The certificate requires 12 hours.
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 2338 | TECHNICAL WRITING | 3 |
| Choose three of the following: | 9 | |
| TOPICS IN TECHNICAL WRITING AND PROFESSIONAL DESIGN | ||
| TECHNICAL WRITING AND PROFESSIONAL DESIGN (ENGL 3369 TOPICS IN TECHNICAL WRITING AND PROFESSIONAL DESIGN) | ||
| BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING | ||
| TECHNICAL EDITING | ||
| TECHNICAL PROCEDURES AND MANUALS | ||
| GRANT AND PROPOSAL WRITING | ||
| INFORMATION DESIGN | ||
| PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| DESIGNING TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN ENGLISH | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |