The English Major with Literature Concentration (40 hours) enables students to build on the common core of foundational courses (ENGL 155: Reading Writers / ENGL 156 Reading Writers: Shakespeare and ENGL 215, Classical and Early British Literature). Students will take 4 hours in Pre-1800 British Lit (ENGL 331, 336, 337, or 338), 4 hours in Post-1800 British Lit (ENGL 355, 361, 364, or 365). Students will also take 6 hours in American Lit (the 6 hours must include two different time periods and at least one period course from the American Lit offerings: ENGL 341, 342, 343, 381, 382, 383, 391, 392, 393). Students will take one British or World figure course (ENGL 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 485, 486). Beyond that students are invited to explore various interests from among a wide range of elective offerings in world literature, theory, genre, figure courses, writing, and special topics from a list of courses numbered 200 or above (available in the English Department). Students may choose up to 6 hours in writing courses (213, 214, or sections of 444) as electives toward the Literature Concentration. Note: ENGL 326 and 328 do not count toward the major. Students complete their study with an integrative senior seminar, ENGL 494.
The English Major with a Literature Concentration requires a minimum of 40 hours, but students, may count up to 52 hours in English toward graduation. Additional hours are encouraged for students planning graduate work.
Requirements
Note: These are new requirements that will apply to incoming new majors effective Fall 2020. Please contact us at english@wheaton.edu if you have questions.
Foundational Courses - 8 hours
| ENGL 155 | Reading Writers: Introduction to Literary Studies (4) |
| OR ENGL 156 | Reading Writers: Introduction to Literary Studies (Shakspeare) (4) Required for Teaching Concentration Students. Open to other major concentrations as space allows. |
| ENGL 215 | Classic and Early British Literature (4) |
Historical Framework - 16 Hours
| 4 hours in Pre-1800 British literature (330-340 range) | |
|---|---|
| ENGL 331 | Medieval (4) |
| ENGL 336 | Renaissance (4) |
| ENGL 337 | Seventeenth Century (4) |
| ENGL 338 | Eighteenth Century (4) |
| 4 hours in Post-1800 British Literature or World Literature (350-370 range) | |
| ENGL 355 | Romantic (4) |
| ENGL 361 | Victorian (4) |
| ENGL 364 | British Modernism: 1900 to 1939 (4) |
| ENGL 365 | British Literature after 1939 (4) |
| 2-4 hours in a Figure Course - British or World | |
| ENGL 384 | Shakespeare (4) |
| ENGL 385 | Selected Authors (2) |
| ENGL 386 | Selected Authors (4) |
| ENGL 387 | C.S. Lewis (4) |
| ENGL 388 | Jane Austen (LE) |
| ENGL 485 | Wade Center Special Collection (2) |
| ENGL 486 | Wade Center Special Collection (4) |
| 6 Hours in American Literature | |
| (The six hours must include two (2) different periods and at least one (1) period course) | |
| Period Courses | |
| ENGL 341 | American Literature: Beginnings to Romanticism (4) |
| ENGL 342 | American Literature: Realism to Modernism (4) |
| ENGL 343 | American Literature: after 1945 |
| Author Courses | |
| ENGL 381 | American Authors: Beginnings to Romanticism (2) |
| ENGL 382 | American Authors: Realism to Modernism (2) |
| ENGL 383 | American Authors after 1945 (2) |
| ENGL 391 | American Authors: Beginnings to Romanticism (4) |
| ENGL 392 | American Authors: Realism to Modernism (4) |
| ENGL 393 | American Authors after 1945 (4) |
Literature Concentration - 16 Hours
| 12 hrs. Major Electives from among the following categories: | |
|---|---|
| Additional period courses | |
| ENGL 331 through ENGL 353 ENGL 355 through ENGL 365 ENGL 341 through ENGL 343 |
|
| Additional figure courses | |
| ENGL 381 through ENGL 386 ENGL 391 through ENGL 393 ENGL 485 through ENGL 486 |
|
| Anglophone and Literature in Translation | |
| ENGL 202 | Topics in Literary Explorations and Global Perspectives (LE) |
| ENGL 285 | Topics in Global Literature (2) |
| ENGL 371 | Modern European (4) |
| Genre Courses | |
| ENGL 378 | Genre (Lyric, Novel, Essay, Epic, etc.) (4) |
| Language, Criticism, and Theory | |
| ENGL 434 | Modern Literary Theory (4) |
| ENGL 435 | History of Literary Criticism (4) |
| ENGL 271 | History of the English Language (2) |
| Special Topics | |
| ENGL 431 | Christianity and Fantasy (4) |
| ENGL 375 | Women Writers (2) |
| ENGL 379 | African American Literature (4) |
| ENGL 373 | Literature of the Bible (4) |
| ENGL 433 | Varied Literary Topics (2-4) |
| Writing Courses (6 hours maximum toward Literature concentration) | |
| ENGW 213 | Creative Writing (4) |
| ENGW 214 | Rhetorical Writing (2) |
| ENGW 444 | Special Topics in Writing sections (2) |
| Internships | |
| ENGL 496 | Literature Internship (Requires Department approval (1-4) |
| 4 Hours Senior Seminar | |
| ENGL 494 | Senior Seminar (4) |