Bachelor of Arts in English

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 1500Success Seminar1-2
or SS 1500 Strong Start Success Seminar
or HONR 1500 Intro to Honors
General Education Requirements
ENGL 1550Writing 13-4
or ENGL 1549 Writing 1 with Support
ENGL 1551Writing 23
CMST 1545Communication Foundations3
Any Gen Ed Math3-4
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
Social and Personal Awareness (6 s.h.)6
Foreign Language Requirement
FNLG 1550Elementary Foreign Language (or FNLG 1505)4
FNLG 2600Intermediate Foreign Language (or FNLG 1506)4
Multicultural Studies3
Choose one: ENGL 2617 (Women in Literature), 2618 (American Literature and Diversity), 2620 (African Literature), 3732 (Images of Women), 3790 (Sel. Topics in Multicultural Studies), 4850 (Sociolinguistics), or 4871 (Black Experience in American Literature)
Major Requirements
ENGL 3700Literary Study3
ENGL 3706Introduction to Literary Theory3
ENGL 3710British Literature 13
ENGL 3711British Literature 23
ENGL 3712American Literature 13
ENGL 3713American Literature 23
ENGL 4890Senior Seminar (Capstone)3
Language Studies
ENGL 3755Principles of Linguistic Study3
or ENGL 3757 Development of the English Language
British Literature Studies
Select one of the following:3
Major Figures in British Literature
British Genres, Circles, and Movements
The Medieval World
Shakespeare and His World
The English Renaissance
Restoration and Eighteenth Century British Literature
The Romantic Period
Nineteenth Century British Literature Studies
Early Twentieth Century British Studies
British Literature from World War II to the Present
American Literature Studies
Select one of the following:3
American Literature in Historical Perspective
American Genres
Themes in American Literature
American Literary Conversations
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
Magazine Publishing
Editorial and Opinion Writing
News Content Creation 1
Nonfiction Narrative Writing
Advanced Writing for Teachers
Introduction to Public, Professional and Technical Writing
Writing with Data
Fiction Writing Workshop
Poetry Writing Workshop
Screenwriting
Popular Culture Studies
Select one of the following:3
Language and Culture
Film Genres
Popular Culture Studies
Selected Topics in Film
Minor18
Electives -to meet 120 hours15
Total Semester Hours120-124

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). 

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallS.H.
YSU 1500 Success Seminar 1
NS XXXX 3
AH XXXX 3
ENGL 1550
Writing 1
or Writing 1 with Support
3-4
MATH 2623 Quantitative Reasoning 3
FNLG 1550 Elementary Foreign Language 4
 Semester Hours17-18
Spring
SS XXXX 3
SPA XXXX 3
ENGL 1551 Writing 2 3
CMST 1545 Communication Foundations 3
FNLG 2600 Intermediate Foreign Language 4
 Semester Hours16
Year 2
Fall
ENGL 3700 Literary Study 3
ENGL 3755
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 4
 Semester Hours16
Spring
ENGL 3710 British Literature 1 3
ENGL 3712 American Literature 1 3
Minor course 3
SS 3
SPA 3
 Semester Hours15
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 Hours15
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 Hours18
Year 4
Fall
ENGL 36XX or 48XX Upper-Div Amer or Brit Lit 1 OR 2 3
Minor: Upper-division 3
Elective 3
Elective 2
 Semester Hours11
Spring
ENGL 4890 Senior Seminar 3
Minor: Upper-division 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Semester Hours12
 Total Semester Hours120-121
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.