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.

English Subject Matter Program for the Single Subject Credential Option: prepares students for a career in teaching English at the middle school and/or high school level. This option meets the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing subject matter requirements for the English Single Subject Credential. For details on the Single Subject Credential Program, see the Credential and Department of Secondary Education sections in this Catalog.

The English Subject Matter Option is designed for prospective secondary school English teachers and is a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing approved subject matter program. Students receive a B.A. in English and a lifelong single-subject competency verification by completing the approved coursework with no grade below a “C,” maintaining a GPA of 2.99 or better and completing an online grammar diagnostic. In compliance with state requirements, students also must complete the Subject Matter Exit Interview, the English department’s exit evaluation of single-subject competence and 20 hours of daytime Early Field Experience in schools.

To be eligible for the credential program in the College of Education, students also must pass the CBEST and complete 45 hours of classroom observation at a school site. The 20 hours of Early Field Experience required for subject matter competency double counts for this credential program requirement. Upon completion of coursework adhering to the above requirements and successful completion of the English Subject Matter Exit Interview, students are eligible to enter a traditional credential program in the College of Education. For further information about the single-subject credential in English, consult the Credential Office.

The English Subject Matter Option combines a 36-unit core with a specified emphasis of 12 units in one of seven Extended Study areas. Students should consult with the Subject Matter advisor before they achieve their junior standing to review their coursework and to choose an emphasis. Transfer students also should see the Subject Matter advisor as soon as possible for academic advising. Transfer students should review the lower division GE courses required for this option.

A. Required Lower and Upper Division GE Courses (9 units)

1. Title 5

6-unit Requirement in American History and Government must include one of the following:

AAS 347 Asian American Politics and the Law (3)
AFRS 161 American Political Institutions: A Black Perspective (3)
CHS 260 Constitutional Issues and the Chicana/o (3)
POLS 155 American Political Institutions (3)
POLS 355 American National, State and Local Governments (3)
POLS 403 State and Local Government (3)

2. Upper Division GE

Must include:

COMS 309 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
TH 473/L Dramatic Performance in the Secondary Language Arts Curriculum and Lab (2/1)

B. Core Program (36 units)

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. Take all five of the following:

ENGL 355 Writing About Literature (3)
ENGL 406 Advanced Expository Writing for Teachers (3)
ENGL 429 Literature for Adolescents (3)
ENGL 436 Major Critical Theories (3)
ENGL 495ESM Senior Seminar in English: Multigenre Literacy in a Global Context (3)

b. Shakespeare (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

ENGL 416 Shakespeare: Selected Plays (3)
ENGL 417 Shakespeare: A Survey (3)

c. Literatures of Cultural Diversity (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

AAS 321 Asian American Fiction (3)
AFRS 344 Literature of the Caribbean and African Experience (3)
AFRS 346 Contemporary Black Female Writers (3)
AIS 314 North American Indian Literature (3)
CHS 380 Chicana/o Literature (3)
CHS 381 Contemporary Chicana 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)

d. Linguistics and Language Study (6 units)

Take the following:

ENGL 301 Language and Linguistics (3)

Select one course from the following:

ENGL 302 Introduction to Modern Grammar (3)
ENGL 400 History of the English Language (3)
ENGL 405 Language Differences and Language Change (3)

Note: If a student’s Extended Study emphasis is Linguistics and Diversity, he or she must choose either ENGL 302 or 405 for this category; ENGL 400 may not be double-counted here and in the Extended Study emphasis.

Verification of Early Field Experience:
Students must supply verification of completed Early Field Experience.

Verification of Successful Basic Syntax, Grammar and Written Usage Diagnostic:
Students must successfully complete exercises assessing their mechanics and written usage skills.

C. Extended Study (12 units)

Students must choose one of the following Extended Study emphases for broad perspective and specific focus:

1. Literature Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

Select 3 units from a British Age course and 3 units from an American Age course. Choose 6 units from the remaining three categories: Major Authors, Genre courses and Elective courses. Students must choose to concentrate in a particular area or blend areas.

• Choose 3 units from British Age Courses: ENGL 443, 449, 452, 456, 458, 460, 461, 462, 466, 467 or 468
• Choose 3 units from American Age Courses: ENGL 473, 474, 475, 476, 477 or 478
• Choose 6 units from:
  • Major Author Courses: ENGL 414, 420 or 470A-Z (as appropriate); or
  • Genre Courses: ENGL 418, 419, 423, 424, 426, 427, 428, 430, 463A or 463B; or
  • Electives: ENGL 311*, 312, 313, 314*, 360, 363, 368*, 369*, 370, 371*, 372, 396A-Z, 431*, 433*, 434*, 480, 483, 485, 486, 487*, 488, 489, 495A-Z (excluding 495ESM), 496A-Z or 499

*Because a Literatures of Cultural Diversity course is part of the core requirements, students cannot double-count that class. Students must take courses not included as part of the core requirement.

2. Creative Writing Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

• All students must take: ENGL 208 (3 units)
• Select 3 units from the following courses: ENGL 308, 309, 310
• Select 3 units from the following courses: ENGL 408, 409, 410, 457
• Select 3 units from: ENGL 464 or 465

3. Linguistics and Diversity Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

All students selecting the Linguistics and Diversity Extended Study will take:

LING 417 Language Development and Acquisition (3)

Students will then select one course from each of the following three categories:

Category I (3 units)

ENGL 400 History of the English Language (3)*
LING 427 Languages in Contact (3)
LING 441 Sociolinguistics (3)
LING 447 Bilingualism in the U.S. (3)

* If not selected for the Linguistics and Language Study topic in the Core Program.

Category II (3 units)

AFRS 395 Bilingualism in the African-American Community (3)
CHS 482 Language of the Barrio (3)
ENGL 405 Language Differences and Language Change (3)*
LING 250 Language(s) in California (3)

* If not selected for the Linguistics and Language Study topic in the Core Program.

Category III (3 units)

COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
LING 200 (How) Language Matters (3)
LING 310 Language and the Law (3)
LING 325 Language, Gender, and Identity (3)

4. Literatures of Diversity Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

• Students may either focus their 12 units by choosing from one of the subject categories listed below or combine courses adding up to 12 units from any of the subject categories listed below.

*Because a Literature of Cultural Diversity course is part of the core requirements, students cannot double-count that class. Students must take courses not included as part of the core requirement.

Students may choose no more than one lower division course from those listed:

Asian American Literature

AAS 220 Survey of Asian American Literature (3)
AAS 321 Asian American Fiction (3)
AAS 325A Asian American Creative Studies Workshop: Literary Arts (3)
AAS 420 Asian American Literary Self-Representations (3)

Pan African Studies

AFRS 344 Literature of the Caribbean and African Experience (3)
AFRS 345 African-American Autobiography (3)
AFRS 346 Contemporary Black Female Writers (3)
AFRS 447 African-American Theater (3)
ENGL 311 History of African-American Writing (3)

Chicana/o Studies

CHS 132 Chicana/o Poetry (3)
CHS 201 Survey of Mexican Literature in Translation (3)
CHS 380 Chicana/o Literature (3)
CHS 381 Contemporary Chicana Literature (3)
CHS 480 Children’s Literature of Latin America in Translation (3)
ENGL 487 Latina/o Literatures of the Americas (3)

Armenian Literature

ARMN 315 Masterpieces of Armenian Literature (3)

Jewish-American Literature

ENGL 371 Issues in Jewish-American Writing (3)

Gay/Lesbian Literature

ENGL 368 Gay Male Writers (3)
ENGL 369 Lesbian Writers (3)

Women’s Literature

ENGL 431 Images of Women in Literature (3)
ENGL 433 Women Authors (3)
ENGL 434 19th Century Women Novelists (3)

American Indian Literature

ENGL 314 North American Indian Literature (3)

5. Communication Studies Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

Students should seek advisement from the Communication Studies advisor before choosing their coursework.

Select 12 units from the following courses:

COMS 104 Literature in Performance (3)
COMS 225/L Argumentation and Lab (2/1)
COMS 301 Performance, Language and Cultural Studies (3)
COMS 303 Narrative in Performance (3)
COMS 304 Poetry in Performance (3)
COMS 320 Communicative Functions of Language (3)
COMS 323 Group Communication (3)
COMS 325 Legal Argumentation (3)
COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
COMS 360 Communication and the Sexes (3)
COMS 400C Directing Oral Performance (Debate) (3)
COMS 425 Theories of Argumentation and Deliberation (3)
COMS 437 Communication for Youth Institute (3) (work with middle school students on public speaking skills)

6. Theatre Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

Please see the Subject Matter advisor in Theatre for specific information concerning course sequencing and requirements for Production Participation, Independent Study and Internship in the Arts:

TH 111 Actors and Acting (3)
TH 315 World Drama (3)
TH 371/L Creative Drama and Lab (2/1)
TH 490A Production Participation (1)
TH 599A Independent Study (1)

7. Rhetoric and Composition Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

Students may choose four classes from the following list of courses. Please see the Subject Matter advisor for specific information concerning course sequencing.

ENGL 306 Report Writing (3)
ENGL 407 Composition and the Professions (3)
ENGL 455 Literacy, Rhetoric and Culture (3)
ENGL 459A-Z Selected Topics in Writing and Rhetoric (3)
ENGL 494/IP English Intern Program (1/2)

D. General Education (48 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog.
To meet the 48-unit GE requirement, students may double-count 3 units from the lower division major requirements (ENGL 258, ENGL 259 or ENGL 275), and students may double-count COMS 309 and TH 473/L for both GE Humanities and for the major. The 6 units taken to meet Title 5 requirements in American History and Government must include one of the following: AAS 347, AFRS 161, CHS 260, POLS 155, POLS 355, POLS 403. Students majoring in English are encouraged to take a foreign language as part of their college program.

Total Units in the Major/Option: 54

General Education Units: 39

Additional Units: 27

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