English

Program Requirements

Margaret Perrow, Program Chair

Central 247

541-552-6632

Professor	Emeritus Faculty
Alma Rosa Alvarez	Peggy Cheng
Edwin L. Battistella	Terry L. DeHay
Diana Maltz	Bill Gholson
Margaret Perrow	Charlotte Hadella
	Sandra J. Holstein
Assistant Professor	Tom Nash
Merrilyne Lundahl

English faculty are dedicated to providing a well-rounded undergraduate education. The professors believe students should receive a strong foundation in literature, language, and writing. Class sizes are small, allowing faculty to work closely with students. The major concludes with a senior capstone project requiring independent study guided by a faculty mentor.

The English major offers a wide range of courses in literature, English education, linguistics, rhetoric, and writing. All of our courses focus on the delights and difficulties of reading, writing, and interpreting texts of various types. Among our courses, students will find the English program’s commitment to diversity. The English major is flexible to match student needs. Professors in the program partner with you to create a plan that will best meet your goals whether you intend to teach, attend graduate school, edit or write for nonprofits, or pursue a career in any field that requires strong critical thinking and communication skills.

The English Major

Students interested in pursuing a major in English should meet with the Student Success Coordinator for the Division of Humanities & Culture (Edward Derr derre@sou.edu) to be assigned a major advisor.

To take 300-level courses in the major, students must complete program prerequisites (as described below), have sophomore standing or above, and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in English coursework. To take 400-level literature courses in the major, students must pass ENG 301 with a C- or better.

The English Minor

Students interested in pursuing a minor in English should meet with the Student Success Coordinator for the Division of Humanities & Culture (Edward Derr derre@sou.edu) to be assigned a minor advisor. Students must meet all applicable requirements listed in the Minors section of this catalog. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA in minor coursework, and earn a grade of C- or better in ENG 301.

Combining Majors, Minors, and Certificates

English majors are eligible for any majors, minors and certificates offered by any other program on campus without restriction. When considering adding a minor or a certificate to your academic plan, you may have opportunities to meet a requirement in the English major and the minor/certificate with a single course. Examples include:

The TESOL certificate
The minor in Rhetoric and Reason
The minor in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
The minor or certificate in Native American Studies
The minor in Creative Writing

Talk to your English major advisor when planning to add a minor or certificate to your academic plan, to determine which courses may meet the requirements of more than one program.

Teacher Licensing

Students who would like to teach English at the middle school or high school level in Oregon public schools must complete a bachelor’s degree in English before applying for admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at SOU. Interested students should consult the program chair for an appropriate advisor and the School of Education regarding admission requirements for the MAT program.

Students must prepare in advance to increase their chances of acceptance into this competitive program. Practica, internships, and volunteer experiences working with children in the public schools prior to application to the MAT program are required.

Program Requirements

Programs

Major

English, BA

Minor

English Minor

Courses

English

Upper Division Courses

Before enrolling in 300-level English courses, English majors must complete two lower division ENG courses and USEM 103 (or equivalent) as described in Program Requirements. ENG 301 is a prerequisite for 400-level literature courses. Exceptions require instructor permission.

A combined maximum of 8 credit hours of ENG 405, 407 and 409 may be applied to the major. Graduate students registering for 500-level courses require the stated prerequisites, their equivalents, or instructor permission.