The undergraduate English Major (consisting of five Options: Literature; Creative Writing; Subject Matter; FYI and JYI; and Honors) is designed for students who desire to concentrate in one of the different fields subsumed under the broader category of “English.” Students are required to choose one of these Options at the time they declare their English major. For further information concerning the choice of Options or related career opportunities for those with a B.A. in English, see the Associate Chair of the Department.

Honors Option: Enables students, by working independently and in seminars, to develop a strong academic background in preparation for postgraduate study in English or for entry into a variety of postgraduate professional schools. For admission to the Honors Program, see the Honors Option Advisor.

Requirements for admission to the Honors Option: The Program leading to the B.A. degree with Honors in English offers students the opportunity to engage in various approaches to English Studies through courses, seminars and independent reading, writing and research. Admission into the program—to begin normally in the first semester of the junior year—is by approval of the Honors Option Advisor. To be graduated from the Honors Program, a student needs a GPA of 3.5 or better in his or her Upper Division English courses.

1. Lower Division Required Courses (9 units)

ENGL 258 Major English Writers I (3)
ENGL 259 Major English Writers II (3)
ENGL 275 Major American Writers (3)

2. Upper Division Required Courses (27 units)

a. Literary Theory (3 units)

ENGL 436 Major Critical Theories (3)

b. Literatures of Cultural Diversity (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

AIS 314 North American Indian Literature (3)
ENGL 311 History of African-American Writing (3)
ENGL 314 North American Indian Literature (3)
ENGL 368 Gay Male Writers (3)
ENGL 369 Lesbian Writers (3)
ENGL 371 Issues in Jewish-American Writing (3)
ENGL 431 Images of Women in Literature (3)
ENGL 433 Women Authors (3)
ENGL 434 19th Century Women Novelists (3)
ENGL 487 Latina/o Literatures of the Americas (3)

Consult an advisor for current courses in other areas, such as Asian American literature, Central American literature, Chicana and Chicano literature, and Pan African or African American literature, which also may satisfy this requirement. For the English major, you may not double-count these courses for Upper Division or Subject Exploration requirements in General Education.

c. British and American Literature (6 units)

British Literature (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

ENGL 419 English Drama 1660-1880 (3)
ENGL 443 English Literature of the Middle Ages (3)
ENGL 449 The English Renaissance (3)
ENGL 452 The Early 17th Century (3)
ENGL 456 The Age of Enlightenment (3)
ENGL 458 The Romantic Age (3)
ENGL 460 The Victorian Age (3)
ENGL 461 Modern British Literature (3)
ENGL 462 Contemporary British Literature (3)
ENGL 466 Major British Novelists I: 1700- 1815 (3)
ENGL 467 Major British Novelists II: 1815-1900 (3)
ENGL 468 Major British Novelists III: 1900 to the Present (3)

American Literature (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

ENGL 473 American Literature: 1607-1860 (3)
ENGL 474 American Literature: 1860-1912 (3)
ENGL 475 American Literature: 1912-1945 (3)
ENGL 476 Contemporary American Literature (3)
ENGL 477 Major American Novelists I: the 19th Century (3)
ENGL 478 Major American Novelists II: the 20th Century (3)

d. Junior Honors Seminars (6 units)

ENGL 392 Junior Honors Seminar I (3)
ENGL 393 Junior Honors Seminar II (3)
Note: ENGL 392 and 393 may be taken in any sequence.

e. Senior Honors Seminars (6 units)

ENGL 492 Senior Honors Seminar I (3)
ENGL 493 Senior Honors Seminar II (3)
Note: ENGL 492 and 493 may be taken in any sequence.

f. Honors Revision Seminar (3 units)

ENGL 497 Honors Revision Seminar (3)
Note: ENGL 497 may not be offered every term.

3. Upper Division Electives (9 units)

Select any Upper Division English courses except ENGL 300, 305, 316 or364.
General Education: The standard General Education requirement is 48 units; however, English majors are permitted to double-count 3 units from the Lower Division major requirements (ENGL 208, 258, 259 or 275) for both GE Subject Explorations Arts and Humanities and for the major. Students majoring in English are encouraged to take a foreign language as part of their college program.

Total Units in Option VI: 45

General Education Units: 45

Additional Units: 30

Total Units Required for the B.A. Degree: 120