Nov 21, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

English, B.A.

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Dr. Dabney A. Bankert, Department Head
Phone: (540) 568-6170
Email: bankerda@jmu.edu
Location: Keezell Hall, Room 215
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/english

Professors
D. Bankert, M. Favila, A. Federico, J. Gabbin, B. Johnson, L. Kutchins, R. Majors, D. Mookerjea-Leonard, A. Morey, M. Parker, M. Rebhorn

Associate Professors
P. Bogard, K. Castellano, E. Cavanagh, S. Cote, A. Fagan,  R. Gaughran, D. Goode, B. Hefner, L. Henigman, M. Rankin, M. Thompson, S. White

Assistant Professors
D. Babcock, M. Godfrey, D. Lo, S. Samatar, G. Wrenn

Mission

The Department of English offers to all students, wherever their professional and vocational interests lie, skills in critical thinking, analysis and writing along with an appreciation of the great literary heritage of Western civilization, with particular emphasis upon British and American literature. The program also promotes global awareness and the appreciation of cultural diversity through numerous opportunities for world or multicultural studies.

Our goal is that, through the humanistic study of a variety of literature, students will obtain a better understanding of themselves, their culture and other cultures with which they must invariably come into contact.

A senior requirement ensures that each major will have a final capstone experience through courses designed to integrate earlier training and focus it toward postgraduate needs and opportunities.

Goals

To build upon the skills introduced in the General Education program, the Department of English strives to:

  • Provide students advanced instruction in writing styles ranging from expository and creative writing to literary criticism.
  • Help students master advanced skills in analytical and critical thinking.
  • Develop skills in research and information access.

Career Opportunities

Careers that involve critical thinking, document analysis or oral and written communication such as:

  • Career counseling
  • Corporate recruiting
  • Consulting
  • Editing
  • Educational administration
  • Film and food critic
  • Graduate school in English, creative writing, law and library science
  • Human resources
  • Insurance underwriting
  • Intelligence analyst
  • Law school
  • Library science (librarian, archivist, preservationist)
  • Literary agent
  • Literacy instructor
  • Lobbyist
  • Magazine writing and editing (print and online)
  • Marketing
  • Newspaper reporting/foreign correspondent
  • Non-profit advocacy and administration
  • Public relations and public affairs officer
  • Publishing
  • Research
  • Speech writer
  • Stockbroker
  • Teaching

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

  • Sigma Tau Delta (the National English Honor Society)
  • gardy loo! (a literary magazine)
  • Sister Speak (JMU’s feminist journal)
  • MacGuffin Film Journal
  • Cinemuse Film Club
  • Hopscotch (children’s literature magazine)

Degree and Major Requirements 

Students majoring in English earn the B.A. degree unless they are completing an English major with an cross disciplinary focus or an additional major in a degree program other than the B.A. The minimum requirement for a major in English is 36 credit hours of course work in the major. The department recommends that students choose a variety of courses covering contemporary and early literature, as well as period, genre and linguistics courses. In addition to core courses, English majors must take nine credit hours of English electives on or above the 300 level. Courses taken to fulfill General Education Cluster Two requirements may also fulfill requirements in the English major. Students may complete credit requirements by taking additional electives. The minimum requirement for a major in English with a cross disciplinary focus is 36 credit hours of course work; 24 of these hours must be in English courses, with 15 hours at the 300 level or above. Twelve hours from another discipline or disciplines must be chosen in conference with the student’s adviser and approved by the department head. For more information about the cross disciplinary focus, contact a departmental adviser.

 

 

Degree and Major Requirements

Students majoring in English earn the B.A. degree unless they are completing an English major with an cross disciplinary focus or an additional major in a degree program other than the B.A. The minimum requirement for a major in English is 36 credit hours of course work in the major.

The department recommends that students choose a variety of courses covering contemporary and early literature, as well as period, genre and linguistics courses. In addition to core courses, English majors must take nine credit hours of English electives on or above the 300 level. Courses taken to fulfill General Education Cluster Two  requirements may also fulfill requirements in the English major. Students may complete credit requirements by taking additional electives.

The minimum requirement for a major in English with a cross disciplinary focus is 36 credit hours of course work; 24 of these hours must be in English courses, with 15 hours at the 300 level or above. Twelve hours from another discipline or disciplines must be chosen in conference with the student’s adviser and approved by the department head. For more information about the cross disciplinary focus, contact a departmental adviser.

Degree Requirements

Required Courses

  • General Education  41 Credit Hours 1
  • Foreign language classes (intermediate level required) 0-14 Credit Hours 2
  • Philosophy course (in addition to General Education  courses) 3 Credit Hours
  • University electives 26-40 Credit Hours
  • Major requirements (listed below) 36 Credit Hours
Total: 120 Credit Hours
Footnotes

1 The General Education  program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student’s chosen language (typically 232) or by placing out of that language through the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures’ placement exam.

Major Requirements

All students must include in their program the following core courses:

Core Courses

  • 3.00 1
  • Choose one course at the 200 or 300 level 3 Credit Hours
  • Choose five courses from the 300 level 15 Credit Hours
  • Choose two approved 400-level  courses from the Advanced Studies list 6 Credit Hours
Footnote

1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters  writing-intensive requirement for the major.

Choose one from the following: 3 Credit Hours
Choose one from the following: 3 Credit Hours
Choose one from the following: 3 Credit Hours
Total: 36 Credit Hours
The courses selected must include the following:
One course at the 300 or 400 level, pre-1700:
One course at the 300 or 400 level, pre-1900:
One course from the Identity, Diversity and Power selections:
Two courses at the 400 level:

Additional Information

Other courses may be applied to these requirements via course directive. Students should consult advisers and the departmental semesterly list about other options.

Recommended Schedule for Majors

First Year

  • Foreign language courses 6-8 Credit Hours
  • General Education  courses 23 Credit Hours

Total: 29-31 Credit Hours

Second Year

Total: 30 Credit Hours

Third Year

  • Remaining requirement from General Education  3 Credit Hours
  • English 300-level courses 12-15 Credit Hours
  • Other electives 15 Credit Hours

Total: 30 Credit Hours

Fourth Year

  • English 300-400 level courses 12-15 Credit Hours
  • Other electives 15-18 Credit Hours

Total: 30 Credit Hours

Concentrations

Majors may use their electives to concentrate in British, American, or world literature or creative writing.

British or American Literatures

In consultation with their advisers, students may choose nine credit hours of courses beyond the core offerings that lead to a coherent view of the scope and development of British or American literature.

World Literature

In consultation with their advisers, students may choose nine credit hours of courses beyond the core offerings that acquaint them with the scope of world literature.

Courses

Choose three of the following:

Total: 9 Credit Hours

Creative Writing

Students with a strong interest in developing various writing skills should include in their program nine credit hours of electives from the following courses.

Courses

Choose three of the following:

Total: 9 Credit Hours

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