Academic Catalog

English (B.A.)

Building upon the cultural diversity and urban experience that distinguishes Wayne State University, the English Department's mission is to provide its students with the intellectual knowledge and practical tools to thrive in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, by teaching them to understand the power and influence of literature and other forms of textual and media production, circulation, and interpretation; and by imparting skill and fluency in close reading, critical thinking, rhetorical analysis, and writing in multiple genres. The English major curriculum is designed to introduce students to these skills and to provide a challenging and flexible liberal arts education as well as a pre-professional program for students interested in careers in education, law, business, and other professions.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for this program are satisfied by the general requirements for undergraduate admission to the University.

Program Requirements

Candidates must complete 120 credits in course work including satisfaction of the University General Education Requirements and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Group Requirements, as well as the departmental major requirements cited below. All coursework must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the University and the College governing undergraduate scholarship and degrees.

Major Requirements

Students may satisfy the major in either of two ways: with a traditional concentration or with a concentration in editing, publishing, and writing.

In both concentrations, students must complete twelve English courses beyond the University General Education Competency Requirement and Liberal Arts and Sciences Group Requirements. Ten of these courses must be beyond the 2000-level.

Traditional Concentration

Foundations Courses
Select two courses from the following list:6
Shakespeare: Writing about Texts
British Literature: Writing about Texts
American Literature: Writing about Texts
Introduction to African-American Literature: Writing about Texts
Stories of Detroit: Writing about Texts
Geopolitics and Literature: Writing about Texts
Environmental Writing: Writing about Texts
Rhetoric and Social Change: Writing about Texts
Digital Literacies: Writing about Texts
Introduction to Visual Culture: Writing about Texts
Comics and Graphic Novels: Writing about Texts
Television Culture: Writing about Texts
Literature and Religion: Writing about Texts
Popular Culture: Writing about Texts
Queer Literatures: Writing about Texts
Global Literatures: Writing about Texts
Children’s and Young Adults' Literature: Writing about Texts
Women Writers: Writing about Texts
Methodologies and Skills
Select two courses from the following list:6
Introduction to Rhetorical Theory
Introduction to Cultural Studies
Introduction to Race and Ethnic Studies
Introduction to Literary Studies
Introduction to Film and Media Theory
Grant Writing
Public Humanities
Professional Editing
Living Writers
Research Colloquium
ENG 4850Research Methods Colloquium3
Senior Seminar
ENG 5992Senior Seminar3
Additional Requirements
Select six additional courses in English. 118
Total Credits36
1

Three of these courses must be at the 4000 or 5000 level. No English course below the 2000-level may count toward the English B.A. program. 

Editing, Publishing, and Writing Concentration

Foundations Courses
Select two of the following courses:6
Shakespeare: Writing about Texts
British Literature: Writing about Texts
American Literature: Writing about Texts
Introduction to African-American Literature: Writing about Texts
Stories of Detroit: Writing about Texts
Geopolitics and Literature: Writing about Texts
Environmental Writing: Writing about Texts
Rhetoric and Social Change: Writing about Texts
Digital Literacies: Writing about Texts
Introduction to Visual Culture: Writing about Texts
Comics and Graphic Novels: Writing about Texts
Television Culture: Writing about Texts
Literature and Religion: Writing about Texts
Popular Culture: Writing about Texts
Queer Literatures: Writing about Texts
Global Literatures: Writing about Texts
Children’s and Young Adults' Literature: Writing about Texts
Women Writers: Writing about Texts
Professional Editing
ENG 3250Professional Editing3
Publishing Practicum
ENG 5695Publishing Practicum3
Internship Practicum
ENG 5820Internship Practicum3
Course in Writing
Select one of the following courses:3
Grant Writing
Living Writers
Digital Storytelling
Grant, Proposal, and Public Writing
Writing in the Workplace
Topics in Professional Writing
Topics in Environmental, Nature, and Science Writing
Elective in Editing, Publishing, and Writing
Select one of the following:3
Introduction to Typography: Skills and Concepts
Introduction to Graphic Design: Skills and Concepts
Journalistic Grammar and Style
Media Writing and Storytelling
Introduction to Web Design
Grant Writing
Living Writers
Digital Storytelling
Topics in Editing
Topics in Book History
Grant, Proposal, and Public Writing
Writing in the Workplace
Topics in Professional Writing
Poetry Writing Workshop
Fiction Writing Workshop
Topics in Creative Non-Fiction Writing
Topics in Environmental, Nature, and Science Writing
Research Colloquium
ENG 4850Research Methods Colloquium3
Senior Seminar
ENG 5992Senior Seminar3
Additional Requirements
Select three additional courses in English.9
Total Credits36
1

Students must take at least two courses at the 3000 level and at least three courses at the 5000 level in addition to the Senior Seminar. No English course below the 2000-level may count toward the English B.A. program. 

Combined Curriculum for Secondary Teaching

An English major who wishes to prepare for a career in secondary school teaching can earn a bachelor's degree in English with a secondary teaching certificate. In close consultation with Department of English and College of Education advisors, the student will develop a plan of work that satisfies the requirements of the English B.A. program and includes the subject area and professional courses required for teacher certification. 

Note: Students seeking Elementary Education Certification with a Language Arts Group Major should consult with an advisor in the School of Education.

English Honors (B.A. Program)

To graduate with honors in English an undergraduate student must have a minimum 3.5 g.p.a. in English courses and a minimum cumulative g.p.a of 3.3. Students must complete the English major with a minimum of thirty-six credits in English courses beyond the Liberal Arts and Sciences Group requirements and General Education requirements, three courses of which must be in Honors: ENG 4991, ENG 4992, and one 5000-level English course taken as an Honors-option course. Students must also complete at least one 4200-level interdepartmental Honors Seminar,HON 4200-HON 4280, to total four courses in Honors.

Required English Courses

Students may fulfill their required English courses for the English Honors B.A. through one of two concentrations in the major: the traditional concentration or the concentration in editing, publishing, and writing.

In both concentrations, students must complete twelve English courses beyond the University General Education Competency Requirement and Liberal Arts and Sciences Group Requirements. Ten of these courses must be beyond the 2000 level.

Traditional Concentration

Foundations Courses
Select two courses from the following list:6
Shakespeare: Writing about Texts
British Literature: Writing about Texts
American Literature: Writing about Texts
Introduction to African-American Literature: Writing about Texts
Stories of Detroit: Writing about Texts
Geopolitics and Literature: Writing about Texts
Environmental Writing: Writing about Texts
Rhetoric and Social Change: Writing about Texts
Digital Literacies: Writing about Texts
Introduction to Visual Culture: Writing about Texts
Comics and Graphic Novels: Writing about Texts
Television Culture: Writing about Texts
Literature and Religion: Writing about Texts
Popular Culture: Writing about Texts
Queer Literatures: Writing about Texts
Global Literatures: Writing about Texts
Children’s and Young Adults' Literature: Writing about Texts
Women Writers: Writing about Texts
Methodologies and Skills
Select two courses from the following list:6
Introduction to Rhetorical Theory
Introduction to Cultural Studies
Introduction to Literary Studies
Introduction to Film and Media Theory
Grant Writing
Public Humanities
Professional Editing
Living Writers
Research Colloquium
ENG 4850Research Methods Colloquium3
Honors Seminar
ENG 4991Honors Seminar (Max. 6)3
Honors Project
ENG 4992Honors Project 13
Other Requirements
Select at least five additional courses in English 215
Total Credits36
1

The Honors Project should be twenty to thirty pages long. Students pursuing both Department and University Honors may use the Departmental project (ENG 4992) to fulfill the University Honors thesis requirement.

2

Three of these courses must be at the 4000 or 5000 level. At least one of these courses must be taken as an Honors-option course. Candidates for Honors in English will arrange for an Honors-option by contracting with any professor teaching a 5000-level course to do honors-level work in that course, beyond the standard requirements set forth in the syllabus.  Supplementary work required for the Honors-option might consist of an extra paper, a significantly longer term paper, evidence of additional readings (for example, through journal entries), an oral or written report, or a special examination. No English course below the 2000 level may count toward the English B.A. program.

Editing, Publishing, and Writing Concentration

Foundations Courses
Select two courses from the following list:6
Shakespeare: Writing about Texts
British Literature: Writing about Texts
American Literature: Writing about Texts
Introduction to African-American Literature: Writing about Texts
Stories of Detroit: Writing about Texts
Geopolitics and Literature: Writing about Texts
Environmental Writing: Writing about Texts
Rhetoric and Social Change: Writing about Texts
Digital Literacies: Writing about Texts
Introduction to Visual Culture: Writing about Texts
Comics and Graphic Novels: Writing about Texts
Television Culture: Writing about Texts
Literature and Religion: Writing about Texts
Popular Culture: Writing about Texts
Queer Literatures: Writing about Texts
Global Literatures: Writing about Texts
Children’s and Young Adults' Literature: Writing about Texts
Women Writers: Writing about Texts
Professional Editing
ENG 3250Professional Editing3
Publishing Practicum
ENG 5695Publishing Practicum (Internship Practicum)3
Internship Practicum
ENG 5820Internship Practicum3
Course in Writing
Select one course from the following list:3
Grant Writing
Living Writers
Digital Storytelling
Grant, Proposal, and Public Writing
Writing in the Workplace
Topics in Professional Writing
Topics in Environmental, Nature, and Science Writing
Elective in Editing, Publishing, and Writing
Select one from the following list:3
Introduction to Typography: Skills and Concepts
Introduction to Graphic Design: Skills and Concepts
Journalistic Grammar and Style
Media Writing and Storytelling
Introduction to Web Design
Grant Writing
Living Writers
Digital Storytelling
Topics in Editing
Topics in Book History
Grant, Proposal, and Public Writing
Writing in the Workplace
Topics in Professional Writing
Poetry Writing Workshop
Fiction Writing Workshop
Topics in Creative Non-Fiction Writing
Topics in Environmental, Nature, and Science Writing
Research Colloquium
ENG 4850Research Methods Colloquium3
Honors Seminar
ENG 4991Honors Seminar3
Honors Project
ENG 4992Honors Project 13
Other Requirements
Select at least two additional courses in English 26
Total Credits36
1

The Honors Project should be twenty to thirty pages long. Students pursuing both Department and University Honors may use the Departmental project (ENG 4992) to fulfill the University Honors thesis requirement.

2

Inclusive of the requirements for the "Course in Writing," "Elective in Editing, Publish, and Writing," and "Other Requirements," students must take at least two courses at the 3000 level and at least one course at the 4000 or 5000 level in addition to the Honors Seminar and Honors project. At least one of the 5000-level courses must be taken as an Honors-option course. Candidates for Honors in English will arrange for an Honors-option by contracting with any professor teaching a 5000-level course to do honors-level work in that course, beyond the standard requirements set forth in the syllabus.  Supplementary work required for the Honors-option might consist of an extra paper, a significantly longer term paper, evidence of additional readings (for example, through journal entries), an oral or written report, or a special examination. No English course below the 2000 level may count toward the English B.A. program.

Students who wish to become candidates for degrees with honors in English are encouraged to consult early with the Undergraduate Advisor for the Department of English.

‘AGRADE’ Program (Accelerated Graduate Enrollment)

The English Department invites academically superior majors to apply for admission to the 'AGRADE' Program, which allows qualified seniors to enroll simultaneously in the undergraduate and graduate programs of the Department. Applications will be accepted no earlier than the semester in which ninety credits are completed. Applicants must have an overall grade point average of 3.5 and not less than a 3.6 g.p.a in the major courses already completed. A Plan of Work is required, and credit restrictions apply. Please see the departmental Undergraduate Advisor for more detail.

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