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Undergraduate English Major Program

English majors have a choice of three concentrations: Literature, Creative Writing, or Writing & Rhetoric. Each concentration has slightly different requirements--see below. It is also possible to minor in English (no matter what your major is). The English Departments provides its majors with comprehensive registration advisement and academic mentoring from they day they declare the major until graduation.

For more information, contact the English Department's Undergraduate Registration Advisor, Wayne Berninger.

If you decide to major (or minor) in English, Mr. Bernigner will become your advisor. He will evaluate any transfer credits you may have, set up your Advisement Sheet, and assign your English Department Faculty Mentor.

Why Major in English? Why Minor in English?
General Requirements -- Literature Concentration Advisement & Mentoring
General Requirements -- Creative Writing Concentration

English Major Advisement Sheets

General Requirements -- Writing & Rhetoric Concentration

Transfer Credits

General Course Descriptions (from the Undergrad Bulletin) Non-Matriculating Students
Specific Course Descriptions (by Semester) Model Four-Year Course of Study

Requirements for English Major with Concentration in Literature

The following is a general outline of the requirements for a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Literature.

[Note: The requirements posted here are for English majors whose first semester was Fall 2003 or later. For a more detailed list of these requirements, or for the requirements if your first semester was prior to Fall 2003, see the appropriate English Major Course Checklist.]

General Proficiency Courses and Core Curriculum (number of credits will vary depending on student's performance on the Math Placement Exam and on the English Placement Exam)

All new students must take math and English placement examinations. All English majors must take at least English 16 in the Writing Program, Core Seminar (COS 50), then two courses from English 61-64 before they may begin taking upper-division courses in English (courses above 100).

Upper-Division Courses in English (30 credits)

Required Upper-Division Courses in English

English 101--Introduction to English Studies
English 128--Early British Literatures
English 129--Later British Literatures
English 158--Early Literatures of the United States 
English 159--Literatures of the United States since 1865
English 169--Non-Western or Post-Colonial Literature
English 190--Senior Seminar in Literature

Upper-division Electives in English

Nine additional credits in Upper-division English (i.e., three courses numbered 100 or above)

[Note: English majors who plan to become public school teachers must double major in Education and should consult with the Department of Teaching and Learning for those requirements. Prospective high school teachers are strongly encouraged to take English 137 (Shakespeare) as an Upper-Division Elective in English. Click here for information about how to become a middle school or high school English teacher.)

Distribution Requirement

Six credits (numbered 100 or above) in one discipline from either Division I or Division III of the  College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

This requirement may also be satisfied by completing a minor in any subject.

Electives (credits will vary)

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Requirements for English Major with Concentration in Creative Writing

The following is a general outline of the requirements for a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, which first became an option in Fall 2004.

[Note: For a more detailed list of these requirements, see the appropriate English Major Course Checklist.]

General Proficiency Courses and Core Curriculum (number of credits will vary depending on student's performance on the Math Placement Exam and on the English Placement Exam)

All new students must take math and English placement examinations. All English majors must take at least English 16 in the Writing Program, Core Seminar (COS 50), then two courses from English 61-64 before they may begin taking upper-division courses in English (courses above 100).

Upper-Division Courses in English (30 credits)

Required Upper-Division Courses in English

English 101--Introduction to English Studies
English 164--Explorations in Creative Writing (was ENG 104 until Fall 2009)
English 191--Senior Seminar in Creative Writing

[Note: Beginning in Fall 2009, English 164 replaced English 104 as the second requirement in this section. English 164 may be taken twice by ENG majors concentrating in Creative Writing--but the second time it will count as a general elective.]

Upper-Division Creative Writing Courses

Students concentrating on poetry, fiction, or playwriting will take nine credits (three courses) chosen from the following:

English 165--Poetry Workshop [Prerequisite: English 104]
English 166--Fiction Workshop [
Prerequisite: English 104]
English 167--Playwriting Workshop [
Prerequisite: English 104]
English 168--Creative Non-Fiction Workshop [Prerequisite: English 103]

[Note: Each of these classes may be taken twice by ENG majors concentrating in Creative Writing; English 168 may also be taken twice by ENG majors concentrating in Writing & Rhetoric.]

Students concentrating on the essay (as opposed to poetry, fiction, or playwriting) will take English 103 (Workshop in the Essay) and six credits from 165, 166, 167, or 168.

Upper-Division Literature Courses

Twelve credits (four courses) in Literature, with the following stipulations:

Six must be chosen from English 128, 129, 158, 159, or 169.
Three must be in either English 129 or 159.

[Note: English majors who plan to become public school teachers must double major in Education and should consult with the Department of Teaching and Learning for those requirements. Prospective high school teachers are strongly encouraged to take English 137 (Shakespeare) as one of their Upper-Division Literature courses. Click here for information about how to become a middle school or high school English teacher.]

Distribution Requirement

Six credits (numbered 100 or above) in one discipline from either Division I or Division III of the  College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

This requirement may also be satisfied by completing a minor in any subject.

Electives (credits will vary)

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Requirements for English Major with Concentration in Writing & Rhetoric

The following is a general outline of the requirements for a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Writing & Rhetoric, which first became an option in Fall 2005.

[Note: For a more detailed list of these requirements, see the appropriate English Major Course Checklist.]

General Proficiency Courses and Core Curriculum (number of credits will vary depending on student's performance on the Math Placement Exam and on the English Placement Exam)

All new students must take math and English placement examinations. All English majors must take at least English 16 in the Writing Program, Core Seminar (COS 50), then two courses from English 61-64 before they may begin taking upper-division courses in English (courses above 100).

Upper-Division Courses in English (30 credits)

Required Upper-Division Courses in Writing & Rhetoric

English 101 Introduction to English Studies
English 171 Classical Rhetoric
English 172 Contemporary Rhetorical Theory

English 192 Senior Seminar in Writing & Rhetoric

Additional Upper-Division Courses in Writing & Rhetoric

Students will take nine credits (three courses) chosen from the following:

English 103 Workshop in the Essay
English 126 News Writing (same as JOU 119)
English 163 Explorations in Non-Fiction Writing (same as JOU 150; ENG 163 is a new option beginning Fall 2009)
English 168 Creative Non-Fiction Workshop
English 173 Writing in the Community
English 174 Teaching Writing
English 175 Writing for the Professions

[Note: English 163, English 173, English 174, and English 175 may be taken twice by ENG majors concentrating in Writing & Rhetoric. English 168 may be taken twice by ENG majors concentrating in Writing & Rhetoric or Creative Writing.]

[Note: English majors who plan to become public school teachers must double major in Education and should consult with the Department of Teaching and Learning for those requirements. Prospective high school teachers are strongly encouraged to take English 174 (Teaching Writing) as one of their Additional Upper-Division Courses in Writing & Rhetoric.]

Upper-Division Courses in Literature

Nine credits (three courses) in Literature, with the following stipulation:

Six must be chosen from English 128, 129, 158, 159, or 169.

[Note: English majors who plan to become public school teachers must double major in Education and should consult with the Department of Teaching and Learning for those requirements. Prospective high school teachers are strongly encouraged to take English 137 (Shakespeare) as one of their Upper-Division Courses in Literature. Click here for information about how to become a middle school or high school English teacher.]

Distribution Requirement

Six credits (numbered 100 or above) in one discipline from either Division I or Division III of the  College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

This requirement may also be satisfied by completing a minor in any subject.

Electives (credits will vary)

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MODEL FOUR-YEAR COURSE OF STUDY

The following is a model of what a four-year program of study might look like. A student's program may be lengthened if the student is placed in proficiency mathematics and/or basic writing courses.


First Year, First Semester

number of credits

cumulative
English 16 3  
Philosophy 61 3  
Foreign Language 3  
History 1 3  
Speech 3 3  
Orientation Seminar 1 1  
  semester total 16 16
     
First Year, Second Semester

credits

 
Core Seminar 3  
Philosophy 62 3  
Foreign Language 3  
History 2 3  
Mathematics 16 3  
  semester total 15 31
     
Second Year, First Semester

credits

 
English 61-64 3  
Social Science 3  
Physics 20 4  
Art, Dance, or Music 61

3

 
Elective 3  
  semester total 16 47
 
 
Second Year, Second Semester

credits

 
English 61-64 3  
Social Science 3  
Chemistry 21 3  
Electives 6  
  semester total 15 62
     
Third Year, First Semester

credits

 
English 9  
Distribution 3  
Biology 22 3  
  semester total 15 77
     
Third Year, Second Semester

credits

 
English 9  
Distribution 3  
Elective 6  
  semester total 18 95
     
Fourth Year, First Semester

credits

 
English 6  
Electives 10  
  semester total 16 111
     
Fourth Year, Second Semester

credits

 
English 6  
Electives 11  
  semester total 17 128 (minimum required for graduation)

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Long Island University

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English Department