Department of English

Courses and Curriculum

The English Major

The curriculum in English offers excellent preparation for students who seek careers in business, government, and non-profit organizations, who are preparing for graduate or professional schools, who plan to teach, and who are seeking careers that involve writing.

The major in English is composed of an in-major core of 16 hours and a number of upper-division options ranging from 30 to 37 hours (including 12 hours of English electives). Required one-hour corequisite courses at the sophomore and senior levels introduce students to the the major, assist them with post-graduation transitions, and help them begin, organize, and revise a required ePortfolio demonstrating their achievement of program goals.

The In-Major Core

All English majors must take 16 hours distributed as follows.

  1. 3 hours: Introduction to Critical Reading (2604). This is the gateway course to the major. You should take it as soon as you satisfy the first-year writing requirement.
  2. 1 hour : Introduction to English Studies (2614). This course is a corequisite to English 2604 and should be taken the same semester.
  3. 6 hours: Survey of British Literature (2515, 2516).
  4. 3 hours: Survey of American Literature (2525 or 2526).
  5. 3 hours: Shakespeare (4165 or 4166).

The Upper-Division Options

After completion of the in-major core, the English major offers three options for specialization:

  • Literature, Language, and Culture
  • Professional Writing
  • Creative Writing

Students who choose the Literature, Language, and Culture option select one of the following tracks: Literature, Cultural Studies, Pre-Education, or Pre-Law.

In order to enroll in an upper-division option, a student must:

  1. Pass 2604 with a minimum grade of C.
  2. Complete 12 of the 15 hours in the in-major core with a GPA of 2.0 or better.

People to Know

Nancy Metz, Chair of the Undergraduate Committee
308, Shanks Hall
(540) 231 8467
nancy.metz@vt.edu

Dee Hezel, Undergraduate Support Staff
329, Shanks Hall
(540) 231 6515
dhezel@vt.edu

Steve Kark, Coordinator of the Internship Program
329B, Shanks Hall
(540) 231 6983
skark@vt.edu

Cathy Skinner, Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising
329A, Shanks Hall
(540) 231 6212
lskinner@vt.edu