The English program prepares undergraduate majors for careers in teaching, law, business, editing, government, project management, and other fields that require critical reading, writing, and communication skills. The program offers a Bachelor of Arts in English, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English Education. The program also offers two optional concentrations: creative writing and professional writing.
The English major is designed to cultivate both historical understanding and critical skills. In addition to the basic set of breadth requirements, English majors can choose from a varied selection of electives and specialized options. For English majors, as well as minors and non-majors, our program provides opportunities to explore the worlds of literature and culture. By design, the BA in English provides students with a comprehensive array of courses rooted in the conviction that the study of literature cultivates reading, writing, and thinking skills—all of which are necessary beyond disciplinary study and are requirements sought by employers in all professions.
The English major curriculum provides students with the necessary tools to develop their critical engagement with texts and to explore the dynamic field of English studies, covering a wide gamut of historical periods, geographical zones, and critical approaches. To this end, the course of study follows a coherent, yet flexible, sequence that begins with a survey of the critical approaches and questions germane to the study of literature in English. From there, the major requires students to take four courses that fulfill historical breadth requirements (Medieval and Early Modern Literature; Mid-Modern Literature; Modern Literature; and Contemporary and Emergent Literatures and Theory), which provide a broad but comprehensive outline of major works, authors, and literary movements that constitute Anglophone literary history. These courses also introduce students to both the traditional and newer canons of the discipline. In addition, students are required to take a course that exposes them to works by writers from historically underrepresented and understudied backgrounds, thereby fully engaging their appreciation and understanding of the variety of voices and concerns found in Anglophone literary production. The core requirements of the English BA culminate with a Capstone course in which students complete advanced research on rotating topics.
Beyond the required sequence of courses, English majors explore the discipline and its array of sub-fields based on period, region, genre, and method through advanced elective coursework within the major. Students may pursue a defined concentration in creative or professional writing, craft self-defined tracks that can be configured narrowly toward a specialization, or explore the discipline comprehensively toward a generalist orientation. The curriculum is designed to fully engage students in their exploration of English as a discipline, while continually reinforcing the discipline’s core values of critical thinking and effective communication skills.
English BA Degree Requirements (124 hours)
English BA Semester Guide
Availability: Hattiesburg Campus and Gulf Park Campus
Admission Requirements: See University Admission Policies
Program Academic Policies and Requirements:
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