Bachelor of Arts in English Studies

About

In the English Studies Program, you will cultivate an awareness of words and expressions that help you effectively communicate with eloquence. You will develop an analytical and interdisciplinary consciousness, motivating you to expand your understanding of writers, literary periods, cultural beliefs and historical events. These skills will prepare you for a modern, competitive, global and literate marketplace.

Curriculum Map

Mission Statement
The English Literature Program develops students’ abilities in analytical reading, writing, and thinking through study of significant literary texts in British, American, and world literature.

Why Study English at Eastern?

We are committed to student accomplishment and success


Variety of Writing Courses

Various writing course levels designed to fit students' individual needs, interests, and starting points

Writing or Literature

Options to focus on advanced writing skills or in-depth literature studies

Multimodal Composing & Reading

Courses focused on critically engaging with texts in an increasingly digital world

Student Focused

Trained professionals dedicated to assisting students' future professional and academic goals

Dedicated Faculty

Faculty who are invested and committed to student interests, learning styles, and individuality

Careers in English Studies

Earning a degree or minor in English Studies from Eastern Washington University leads to many career opportunities:


Editing and Content Management

Content Writing

Business Marketing

Social Media Management

Human Resources

Publishing

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

English Studies Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

English Studies prepares students for the analytical work necessary in the 21st century economy. Grounded in critical reading and writing, the English Studies curriculum offers students the opportunity to study language, diverse literature, theories, genres, and writing practices. Further, the curriculum provides students with opportunities to gain experience developing projects to help solve problems in the community. In addition to these areas of studies, students have the option to focus their 400–level courses on one of the following tracks: professional and public writing or literature and humanities.

A degree in English Studies prepares students for numerous careers and post-baccalaureate work. Some of these careers include work in publishing, editing, content writing, and business. Students are also prepared for graduate level work in Library Science, Law, Education, English (all sub disciplines), Communication, and many others.

Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Note: ENGL 250 and ENGL 271 require a minimum grade ≥B- in each course and a ≥B average for the two courses together.

Pre-Major Requirements–see admission requirements for remaining requirements for the common departmental pre-major
ENGL 250INTRODUCTION TO GENRE5
ENGL 271INTRODUCTION TO POETRY5
Department Core
ENGL 200INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH STUDIES1
ENGL 273INTRODUCTION TO THEORY5
ENGL 401ADVANCED COMPOSITION5
Required Electives
Cultural Competency–choose one5
ENGLISH: HISTORIES AND VARIETIES
A GLOBAL VIEW THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
WORLD LITERATURES
SURVEY OF NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
WOMEN, LITERATURE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
Multiliteracies–choose one5
TOPICS IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE
SHAKESPEARE
STUDIES IN EPIC FANTASY
PRINT LAYOUT AND CONTENT DESIGN
Professional Writing–choose one5
WRITING FOR THE PROFESSIONS
PUBLIC RHETORICS AND WRITING ECOLOGIES
WRITING WEB CONTENT
Literary Histories–choose one5
SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE I
SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE II
BRITISH LITERATURE I: BEGINNINGS THROUGH 18TH CENTURY
BRITISH LITERATURE II: ROMANTICISM TO THE PRESENT
Humanities–choose one5
FOLKLORE
MYTHOLOGY
WORLD MYTHOLOGIES
LITERATURE OF THE BIBLE
Theory and Methods–choose one 5
DIGITAL HUMANITIES AND LITERARY STUDIES
POST COLONIAL THEORY
WRITING AND RHETORICAL THEORY
Required Concentration–choose two courses10
Literature and Humanities Concentration
SEMINAR IN LITERATURE I: MAJOR AUTHORS
SEMINAR IN LITERATURE II: STUDIES IN GENRE
SEMINAR IN LITERATURE III: LITERARY ERAS
SEMINAR IN LITERATURE IV: SPECIAL TOPICS
LITERATURE OF THE PNW
LGBTQ+ WRITERS AND THEIR WORKS
Public and Professional Writing and Rhetoric Concentration
WRITING ABOUT ART
PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING
PROPOSAL WRITING
Senior Capstone
ENGL 490SENIOR CAPSTONE5
Total Credits66

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015ENGL 2715
ENGL 2505Social Science BACR 215MATH 1075
Social Science BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 215
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 2001ENGL 2735ENGL 322, 323, 347, 380, 381, or 389 (Cultural Competency)5
ENGL 300, 301, or 302 (Professional Writing)5ENGL 384, 385, 386, or 387 (Humanities)5ENGL 343, 344, 345, or 346 (Literary Histories)5
Natural Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 215Diversity - graduation requirement15
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4  
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 315, 350, 382, TCOM 305, or JRNM 305 (Multiliteracies)5ENGL 391, 392, or 393 (Theory and Methods)5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Global Studies - graduation requirement15Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
English Studies Elective25English Studies Elective25ENGL 4015
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5ENGL 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Required Concentration–choose two courses in either the Literature and Humanities concentration or the Public and Professional Writing and Rhetoric concentration.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in English Studies at EWU should be able to:

  • analyze texts by considering diverse purposes, contexts, and genres;
  • design a project that is appropriate for the rhetorical situation;
  • produce texts for specific purposes using appropriate genre and mode;
  • use theoretical frameworks to address social or communication problems.

Sample Courses

ENGL 389. WOMEN, LITERATURE AND SOCIAL CHANGE. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 389.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
Examines fictional images of women as these images reflect the changing roles and status of women from Greece to the present, focusing on the 19th and 20th centuries.

Catalog Listing

ENGL 382. STUDIES IN EPIC FANTASY. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Selected works by Tolkien, Lewis, Eddison, Carter, Cabell, and others, with emphasis on the function of fantasy and its statements about contemporary society and the human imagination. Texts selected vary according to student interest.

Catalog Listing

ENGL 384. FOLKLORE. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Surveys the nature of folklore in its theories and practices, with special attention to the function of the folk imagination. Topics include the oral tradition possessed by every group, widespread folk practices and beliefs, and the methods of their collection and study.

Catalog Listing

ENGL 489. LGBTQ+ WRITERS AND THEIR WORKS. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 489.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 270, HUMN 101, or GWSS 101.
This course examines the lives and works of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) writers and the historical/social contexts of their writing. Genres may include LGBT fiction, nonfiction, auto-ethnography, letters, diaries, film, critical accounts of authors’ work, social networks and other artifacts. The readings focus on the lived experiences of the writers and their characters.

Catalog Listing

Contact Us:

For general questions, please contact:

Terrance MacMullan, PhD

Chair
Department of English and Philosophy
Photo of Terrance MacMullan, PhD

Pronouns: Se Habla Español

Patterson 203P