English majors learn close reading, critical, professional, and creative writing, analytical thinking, and an understanding of literary and cultural history. They study the technical and cultural functions of language.
The English major consists of four areas of concentration:
- Literary Studies Concentration
- Professional Writing Concentration
- Creative Writing Concentration
- Linguistics/TESOL Concentration
The English major consists of four areas of concentration. Majors take 4 courses common to all concentrations then meet requirements for one area of concentration.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS SEMINAR | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Any Gen Ed Math | 3-4 | |
| HIST 2650 | CL History of American Democracy | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities (3 s.h.) | 3 | |
| Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) (6-7 s.h.) | 7 | |
| Social Science (6 s.h.) | 6 | |
| Gen Ed Electives (9 s.h.) | 9 | |
| Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| Major Requirements (for all concentrations) | ||
| ENGL 2650 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 3700 | Literary Study | 3 |
| ENGL 3751 | Rhetoric and Argument | 3 |
| ENGL 3755 | Principles of Linguistic Study | 3 |
| Elective: Required course in concentration other than your chosen focus | 3 | |
| Elective: Required course in concentration other than your chosen focus | 3 | |
| Capstone | ||
| ENGL 4890 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| or ENGL 4899 | Professional Writing Senior Project | |
| Area of Concentration | 21 | |
| Minor | 18 | |
| Electives to meet 120 hours | 16 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-123 | |
Literary Studies Concentration
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| Literary Studies Concentration | ||
| ENGL 3706 | Introduction to Literary Theory | 3 |
| ENGL 3710 | British Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 3711 | British Literature 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 3712 | American Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 3713 | American Literature 2 | 3 |
| British Lit Elective (Select 1 upper division course in British Lit) | 3 | |
| British Literature in Historical Perspective | ||
| Major Figures in British Literature | ||
| British Genres, Circles, and Movements | ||
| Themes in British Literature | ||
| Shakespeare and His World | ||
| American Lit Elective (Select 1 upper division course in American Lit) | 3 | |
| American Literature in Historical Perspective | ||
| American Genres | ||
| Themes in American Literature | ||
| American Literary Conversations | ||
| The Black Experience in American Literature | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 21 | |
Professional Writing Concentration
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Writing Concentration | ||
| ENGL 3743 | Introduction to Professional Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 3744 | Writing with Data | 3 |
| ENGL 3745 | Writing for Online Media | 3 |
| ENGL 3752 | Ethnographic Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 4845 | Grant Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 4846 | Visual Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENGL 4849 | Copyediting | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 21 | |
Creative Writing Concentration
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing Concentration | ||
| ENGL 3715 | Graphic Novels | 3 |
| ENGL 3740 | Nonfiction Narrative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 3746 | Fiction Writing Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 3747 | Poetry Writing Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 3748 | Screenwriting | 3 |
| ENGL 3749 | Writing the Youth Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 4820 | Literary Publishing | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 21 | |
Linguistics/TESOL Concentration
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistics/TESOL Concentration | ||
| ENGL 3750 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 4850 | Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| ENGL 4851 | Language Acquisition | 3 |
| ENGL 4854 | Language Assessment | 3 |
| ENGL 4856 | TESOL Methods | 3 |
| ENGL 4858 | English Grammar | 3 |
| Elective (Select 1. Substitutions may be made with the approval from a departmental advisor): | 3 | |
| Development of the English Language | ||
| Linguistics and Literacy | ||
| Advanced Linguistics | ||
| TESOL Practicum | ||
| Selected Topics in Discourse | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 21 | |
This plan is a road-map to graduation, but you have many options in how you manage your schedule. Speak to a department advisor for help creating a plan that will help you to achieve your professional goals.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| NS Gen Ed | 3 | |
| Any Gen Ed MATH | 3-4 | |
| Semester Hours | 13-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 (AH Gen Ed) | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| SS Gen Ed | 3 | |
| AH Gen Ed | 3 | |
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| SS Gen Ed | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Minor course | 3 | |
| AH Gen Ed | 3 | |
| NS Gen Ed + Lab | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Gen Ed ELECT | 3 | |
| Gen Ed ELECT | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Major ELECT | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Gen Ed ELECT | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Course in Major | 3 | |
| Major ELECT | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CAPSTONE | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-123 | |
Learning Outcomes
The Department of English and World Languages has established the following learning outcomes for students completing the English major:
- English majors will demonstrate an attentiveness to the specific features of selected (and/or assigned) texts.
- English majors will be able to explain the relationship between texts and their broader literary, historical, and cultural contexts.
- English majors will be able to analyze ways in which forms, culture, and identity influence both the production of texts and the critical reception of those texts.
- English majors will be able to establish an argumentative thesis; find and use appropriate sources to develop the student’s own argument; and use clear, organized language.