Program: English, B.A.: British and American Literature Concentration - CSU East Bay

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English, B.A. Program (120 units)

Program Description

The university offers the B.A. degree in English with three distinct concentrations: literature, creative writing, and English language and literacies. The student seeking a degree must observe the general university requirements stated elsewhere in this catalog as well as the specific departmental requirements stated here.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. in English from Cal State East Bay will be able to:

analyze and interpret literary genres represented by a range of texts;
write in clear and cogent prose;
demonstrate knowledge of key English language texts, including multicultural works;
use critical theory to examine literary texts;
conduct research relevant to the discipline of English studies and analyze connections among literary works and social issues.

Career Opportunities

Advertising Copy Writer • Author/Critic • Bookstore Manager • Continuity Writer • Corporate Communications Director • Foreign Service Office • Freelance Journalist/Writer • Greeting Card Editor/Writer • Lawyer • Librarian • Media Specialist • Newspaper Reporter • Public Information Officer • Publication Editor • Publicity Director • Publishing Agent • Radio/TV Agent • Script Writer • Teacher/Professor • Writer

Degree Requirements

The B.A. degree requires a total of 120 units.
- The major consists of 52 units (students must complete with a grade point average of 3.0 or better);
- General Education (GE) & Graduation Requirements (GR) consists of 57 units;
- Free electives may consist of 11 units (actual number of free elective units may depend on GE/GR units).

Note: It may be possible to double count units within the graduation requirement. It may also be possible that a course satisfies both a graduation requirement and a major requirement. Students should contact their program and AACE advisors for information.

English Major Requirements (52 units)

Note: All courses must be completed with grade C- or better to be counted toward the major.

Lower Division Core

The following 12 units are required:

ENGL 204 - Writing About Literature Units: 4 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
Take one (1) additional lower- or upper-division English major elective course for 4 units.
Choose one (1) course in creative writing for 4 units:
ENGL 205 - Beginning Workshop in Fiction Units: 4 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1
ENGL 206 - Beginning Workshop in Poetry Units: 4 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1

Upper-Division Core

The following 12 units are required:

Choose one (1) course in writing or theory for 4 units:
ENGL 303 - Advanced Expository Writing Units: 4
ENGL 304 - Introduction to Technical and Professional Writing Units: 4
ENGL 307 - Intermediate Workshop in Creative Nonfiction Units: 4
ENGL 340 - Critical Theory of Literature Units: 4
Choose one (1) course in linguistics for 4 units:
ENGL 350 - Study of Language Units: 4
ENGL 351 - Modern English Grammar Units: 4
Choose one (1) course in Shakespeare for 4 units:
ENGL 411 - Shakespeare I Units: 4 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
ENGL 412 - Shakespeare II Units: 4 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4

Concentrations

The Department of English offers three concentrations for degree candidates. Students must choose one (1) of the following concentrations for 24 units as a major requirement:

Senior Capstone Requirement

The following senior capstone for 4 units is required to complete the major:

ENGL 499 - Senior Seminar Units: 4

British and American Literature Concentration

English majors with a concentration in British and American literature must complete six (6) additional courses for 24 units as described below:

ENGL 340 - Critical Theory of Literature Units: 4
One course in American literature before 1900 (4 units)
One course in British literature before 1900 (4 units)
One course in British or American literature after 1900 (4 units)
One course in ethnic or global literature (4 units)
One upper-division elective in English (4 units)

Other Undergraduate Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate requirements for graduation, which are described in the Requirements, Exams & Testing chapter of this catalog.