The English literature major requires 42 semester hours. This curriculum sheet includes general education requirements and the minor. You'll take electives to complete the minimum 120 sh for graduation.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS SEMINAR | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Any Gen Ed Math | 3-4 | |
| Arts and Humanities (6 s.h.) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) (6-7 s.h.) | 6-7 | |
| Social Science (6 s.h.) | 6 | |
| Gen Ed Electives (9 s.h.) | 9 | |
| Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| Multicultural Studies | ||
| Choose one course from the list below | 3 | |
| Women in Literature | ||
| American Literature and Diversity | ||
| African Literature | ||
| Images of Women | ||
| Selected Topics in Multicultural Studies | ||
| Sociolinguistics | ||
| The Black Experience in American Literature | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| ENGL 3700 | Literary Study | 3 |
| ENGL 3706 | Introduction to Literary Theory | 3 |
| ENGL 3710 | British Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 3711 | British Literature 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 3712 | American Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 3713 | American Literature 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 4890 | Senior Seminar (Capstone) | 3 |
| Language Studies | ||
| ENGL 3755 | Principles of Linguistic Study | 3 |
| or ENGL 3757 | Development of the English Language | |
| British Literature Studies | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Major Figures in British Literature | ||
or ENGL 4831 | British Genres, Circles, and Movements | |
or ENGL 4860 | The Medieval World | |
or ENGL 4881 | Shakespeare and His World | |
or ENGL 4882 | The English Renaissance | |
or ENGL 4886 | Restoration and Eighteenth Century British Literature | |
or ENGL 4887 | The Romantic Period | |
or ENGL 4892 | Nineteenth Century British Literature Studies | |
or ENGL 4895 | Early Twentieth Century British Studies | |
or ENGL 4896 | British Literature from World War II to the Present | |
| American Literature Studies | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| American Literature in Historical Perspective | ||
or ENGL 3780 | American Genres | |
or ENGL 4862 | Themes in American Literature | |
or ENGL 4864 | American Literary Conversations | |
or ENGL 4871 | The Black Experience in American Literature | |
| Select one additional British or American Literatures Studies Course from the above list (The course must cover a period before 1900.) | 3 | |
| Advanced Writing | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Feature Writing | ||
or JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing | |
or JOUR 3721L | News Content Creation 1 | |
or ENGL 3740 | Nonfiction Narrative Writing | |
or ENGL 3741 | Advanced Writing for Teachers | |
or ENGL 3743 | Introduction to Public, Professional and Technical Writing | |
or ENGL 3744 | Writing with Data | |
or ENGL 3746 | Fiction Writing Workshop | |
or ENGL 3747 | Poetry Writing Workshop | |
or ENGL 3748 | Screenwriting | |
| Popular Culture Studies | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | ||
or ENGL 3765 | Film Genres | |
or ENGL 3737 | Popular Culture Studies | |
or ENGL 4865 | Selected Topics in Film | |
| Minor | 18 | |
| Electives to meet 120 hours | 17 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-124 | |
This plan is a road-map to graduation, but you have many options in how you manage your schedule. Speak to a department advisor for help creating a plan that will help you to achieve your professional goals (call 330-941-3414 or email the literature coordinator listed on the department website).
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| FNLG 1550 | Elementary Foreign Language | 4 |
| NS Gen Ed | 3 | |
| AH Gen Ed | 3 | |
| Any Gen Ed MATH | 3-4 | |
| Semester Hours | 17-20 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| SS Gen Ed | 3 | |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3700 | Literary Study | 3 |
| ENGL 3755 or ENGL 3757 | Principles of Linguistic Study or Development of the English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 26XX, 37XX, or 48XX: Multicultural Studies 5 | 3 | |
| Minor XXXX | 3 | |
| NS/Lab | 3-4 | |
| Semester Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 3710 | British Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 3712 | American Literature 1 | 3 |
| Minor course | 3 | |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| SS XXXX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3711 | British Literature 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 3713 | American Literature 2 | 3 |
| Minor course: Upper-division | 3 | |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 48XX: British Literature 1 | 3 | |
| ENGL 37XX or 48XX American Literature 2 | 3 | |
| ENGL or JOUR 37XX Advanced Writing 3 | 3 | |
| ENGL 37XX or 48XX Popular Culture Studies 4 | 3 | |
| MINOR: Upper-division | 3 | |
| ELECT | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 18 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 36XX or 48XX Upper-Div Amer or Brit Lit 1 OR 2 | 3 | |
| Minor: Upper-division | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4890 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Minor: Upper-division | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 12 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-124 | |
- 1
For the upper-division British Literature requirement, pick one from this list: 4830 (Major Figures in British Literature), 4831 (British Genres, Circles, and Movements), 4860 (The Medieval World), Shakespeare and His World), 4882 (The English Renaissance), 4886 (Restoration and Eighteenth Century British Literature), 4887 (The Romantic Period), 4892 (Nineteenth Century British Literature Studies), 4895 (Early 20th Century British Studies), or 4896 (British Literature--WW II to the Present).
- 2
For the upper-division American Literature requirement, pick one from the following list: 3770 (American Literature in Historical Perspective), 3780 (American Genres), 4862 (Themes in American Literature), 4864 (American Literary Conversations), 4871 (The Black Experience in American Literature).
- 3
For the Advanced Writing requirement, pick one of the following courses (all of these require completion of Comp 2 as a prerequisite, and some have additional prerequisites--check the course descriptions): JOUR 3716 (Intro to Magazine Journalism), 3717 (Editorial and Opinion Writing), JOUR 3721L (Journalism Workshop); ENGL 3740 (Advanced Writing), 3741 (Advanced Writing for Teachers), 3743 (Prof and Tech Communication), 3744 (Proposal and Report Writing), 3746 (Fiction Writing Workshop), 3747 (Poetry Writing Workshop), 3748 (Screewriting), 3849 (Writing the Youth Novel)
- 4
For the Popular Culture Studies requirement, take one of the following: 3750 (Language and Culture), 3765 (Film Genres), 3737 (Popular Culture Studies), 4865 (Selected Topics in Film).
Learning Outcomes
The Department of English and World Languages has established the following learning outcomes for students completing the English major:
- English majors will demonstrate an attentiveness to the specific features of selected (and/or assigned) texts.
- English majors will be able to explain the relationship between texts and their broader literary, historical, and cultural contexts.
- English majors will be able to analyze ways in which forms, culture, and identity influence both the production of texts and the critical reception of those texts.
- English majors will be able to establish an argumentative thesis; find and use appropriate sources to develop the student’s own argument; and use clear, organized language.