English

Shown in catalog

Students must fulfill the Oakland University General Education Requirements, the General College of Arts and Sciences Requirements, the College of Arts & Sciences Exploratory Requirement, and the Major Requirements. Additionally, students must complete a sufficient number of free elective courses to meet the overall credit requirement for their degree. A minimum of 120 credits is required, although some degree programs may require a higher total credit count.

General Education Requirements

In order to graduate on-schedule without taking additional courses, it is highly recommended that students meet with an Undergraduate Academic Adviser concerning the selection of all of their General Education courses.

Each candidate for an Oakland University baccalaureate will need to satisfactorily complete approved courses in each of the following areas: Foundations, Explorations, and Integration. For details, refer to the General Education Requirements section of the catalog.

Requirements for the liberal arts major in English, B.A. program

The liberal arts major in English requires 40 credits including:

1. Introductory Course

• course Introduction to Literary Studies (4)

2. 1 Course in Global and Ethnic Literatures selected from

• course Selected Ethnic Literature (4)

• course African American Literature (4)

• course Indigenous Literature of North America (4)

• course Postcolonial Literature (4)

3. 2 courses in Literary History

1 course in Earlier Literary History and one course in Later Literary History; 1 course must be in British Literary History and 1 course must be in American Literary History.

• Earlier Literary History

• course British Medieval Literature (4)

• course British Literature of the Renaissance (4)

• course British Literature of the Restoration and 18th Century (4)

• course Early American Literature (4)

• course American Literature 1820-1865 (4)

• Later Literary History

• course  British Literature of the Romantic Period (4)

• course British Literature from the Victorian Period and Early 20th Century (4)

• course British and Commonwealth Literature since 1900 (4)

• course American Literature 1865-1920 (4)

• course American Literature 1920-1950 (4)

• course American Literature 1950 to the Present (4)

• Note: course Chaucer, course Shakespeare, course Milton, and course The English Novel may be used to satisfy the British Literature requirement but not the Earlier or Later Literary History requirement.

4. 1 Course in Critical and Cultural Approaches to Literature selected from

• course Literary Theory (4)   

• course Literature and the Environment  (4)

• course Gender, Sexuality, and Literature  (4)

• course Disability Studies and Literature  (4)

5. 1 Capstone Seminar selected from

• course Capstone Seminar: Topics in Literature and Language (4)

• course Capstone Seminar: Literary Kinds (4)

• course Capstone Seminar: Trans-Atlantic Traditions  (4)

• course Capstone Seminar: Major Authors  (4)

• course Capstone Seminar: Shakespeare  (4)

6. At least 24 credits must be taken at the 3000 level or above

7. At least 20 credits in English Courses must be taken at Oakland University.

8. An introductory two-semester sequence in a foreign language or American Sign Language, or one semester of a foreign language at the 1150 level or higher or American Sign Language at the 1501 level or higher.

Additional information

• Courses on the 1000 level are directed to students seeking non-technical, liberally oriented courses to fulfill General Education Requirements or to use in minors and particular concentrations. Courses on the 2000 level offer broad introductions to literary materials and approaches basic to the study of English. Courses on the 3000 level offer more intensive investigations into particular areas of English studies. These courses, the core of the program for English majors, are open to advanced students according to their special needs and their preparation in related disciplines. Courses on the 4000 level apply theory and methods of literary history, criticism, and research to writers and to problems presented by specific topics. They are designed for senior majors. Graduate courses on the 5000 level are open to senior majors by permission of the instructor and the department chairperson. 

• Except where noted, 1000 and 2000 level courses have no prerequisites. Advanced courses (numbered 3000 to 4999) have a general prerequisite of writing proficiency (course or equivalent), plus any special requirements listed with the course descriptions.

• A maximum of 12 credits of Creative Writing (CW) courses will be accepted for credit toward the major.

• Only 1course at the 1000 level will be accepted for credit toward the major.

• course is a prerequisite for the required Literary History courses, the required courses in Critical and Cultural Approaches to Literature, and the Capstone Seminar.

• No more than 8 credits of course will be accepted for credit toward the major.

• English majors are encouraged to take advantage of Study-Abroad and Study-Away programs offered through Oakland University. Department Advisers will work with students whenever possible to identify equivalent courses in Study-Abroad and Study-Away programs that will fulfill requirements for the major.

• Only courses in which the student has earned a grade of C may be counted toward the English major, including the modern foreign language requirement.

• Students majoring in English may not use the CW subject to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences Exploratory requirement.

Note

Students using this catalog to meet English major requirements may also use any course subsequently approved as satisfying requirements in any of the Literature categories and published in a later catalog.

Applicable Minors

All Minors are applicable to this major with the exception of the following Minor(s): Child Welfare, English, International Orientation for EGR/CS, and Sustainability Engineering.