English, Bachelor of Arts

The English degrees at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which include the BA in English, MA in English, MA in English as a Second Language, and MA in Interdisciplinary Studies, cultivate in students scholarly and creative achievement through graduate and undergraduate courses in literature, language, rhetoric and composition, creative writing, and secondary English language arts. We promote student literacy – specifically the abilities to read, write, and think critically – as well as an appreciation for the English language. We encourage faculty to pursue excellence in teaching, foster collegiality, contribute scholarly research, and engage in service to the university and Rio Grande Valley community. The English degrees, as a collaboration among the Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies, the Department of Writing and Language Studies, and the Creative Writing Program in the College of Fine Arts, support culturally responsive pedagogy and community engagement. A student with an English major possesses skills in critical thinking, writing, and reading. English majors can enter professions such as teaching, writing, editing, media production, the law, public service, and advocacy, and they are prepared for continued graduate or professional study.

Note: For a PDF version of the degree requirements for this program go to the Undergraduate Programs page on the UTRGV website. 

 

Core Curriculum Requirements – 42 Hours

Students must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements. The courses listed below satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements.

Recommended

Language, Philosophy, and Culture – 3 hours

ENGL 23XX

ENGL 23XX from the core curriculum taken to fulfill this requirement will not count as English electives in the degree plan. 

Major Requirements – 48 Hours

English Core - 27 hours (27 advanced)

English Foundation - 6 hours (6 advanced)

ENGL 3300	Introduction to English Studies	3
ENGL 4390	Senior English Capstone	3

Literature - 9 hours (9 advanced)

Survey - 3 hours (3 advanced)

Choose from: 

ENGL 3301	Survey of British Literature I	3
ENGL 3302	Survey of British Literature II	3
ENGL 3303	Survey of American Literature I	3
ENGL 3304	Survey of American Literature II	3
ENGL 3305	Survey of World Literature	3

Genre Theme - 3 hours 3 (advanced)

Choose from:

ENGL 3307	Introduction to Film Studies	3
ENGL 3308	Literature and Film Adaptation	3
ENGL 3309	Introduction to Cultural Studies	3
ENGL 3315	The English Novel to 1850	3
ENGL 3316	The English Novel from 1850 to Present	3
ENGL 3320	Development of the American Novel	3
ENGL 3323	Contemporary American Fiction	3
ENGL 3324	Poetry	3
ENGL 3327	Contemporary Drama	3
ENGL 3328	The Short Story and the Novella	3
ENGL 3329	Science Fiction	3
ENGL 3330	Dystopian Literature	3
ENGL 3335	Women?s Literature	3
ENGL 4300	Advanced Topics in Literature and Cultural Studies	3
ENGL 4301	Topics in Literary Theory	3
ENGL 4308	Topics in International Film	3
ENGL 4309	Special Topics in Film	3
ENGL 4314	Advanced Topics in Contemporary Poetry	3
ENGL 4315	Advanced Topics in World Literature	3
ENGL 4316	Beat Generation	3
ENGL 4318	South Texas Literature	3
ENGL 4319	American Literature of the South	3
ENGL 4320	Literature and Psychoanalysis	3

Period Single Author - 3 hours (3 advanced)

Choose from: 

ENGL 3310	Medieval Literature	3
ENGL 3311	English Renaissance Literature	3
ENGL 3312	The Eighteenth Century	3
ENGL 3313	The Romantic Period	3
ENGL 3314	The Victorian Period	3
ENGL 3321	19th-Century American Literature	3
ENGL 3322	Hemingway	3
ENGL 3326	Modern Poetry	3
ENGL 4310	Chaucer	3
ENGL 4311	Shakespeare	3
ENGL 4312	Milton	3
ENGL 4313	Topics in Single Author	3

Linguistics - 6 hours (6 advanced)

Linguistics - 3 hours (3 advanced)

Choose from: 

ENGL 3360	Introduction to Language Studies	3
ENGL 3361	Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics	3
ENGL 3370	Language and Culture	3
ENGL 4365	History of the English Language	3

English Grammar - 3 hours (3 advanced)

ENGL 3362

English Grammar

3

Rhetorical Writing - 3 hours (3 advanced)

Choose from: 

ENGL 3340	Survey Rhetorical Theory	3
ENGL 3344	Advanced Composition	3
ENGL 3347	Women?s Rhetoric and Language	3
ENGL 4343	Composition Theory and Pedagogy	3

Creative Writing - 3 hours (3 advanced)

ENGL 3351

Creative Writing I

3

Concentrations – 21 hours (15 advanced minimum)

Choose one concentration from the following:

Literature

Linguistics

Creative Writing

Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy

English Language Arts

Literature Concentration – 21 hours (18 advanced)

Required Literary Theory course

ENGL 3306

Survey of Literary Theory

3

Choose 3 hours of Survey courses from:

ENGL 3301	Survey of British Literature I	3
ENGL 3302	Survey of British Literature II	3
ENGL 3303	Survey of American Literature I	3
ENGL 3304	Survey of American Literature II	3
ENGL 3305	Survey of World Literature	3

Choose 3 hours of British before 1800 Period/Genre/Single Author/Theme courses from:

ENGL 3310	Medieval Literature	3
ENGL 3311	English Renaissance Literature	3
ENGL 3312	The Eighteenth Century	3
ENGL 3313	The Romantic Period	3
ENGL 4310	Chaucer	3
ENGL 4311	Shakespeare	3
ENGL 4312	Milton	3

Choose 3 hours of American in Period/Genre/Single Author/Theme courses from:

ENGL 3320	Development of the American Novel	3
ENGL 3321	19th-Century American Literature	3
ENGL 3322	Hemingway	3
ENGL 3323	Contemporary American Fiction	3
ENGL 3324	Poetry	3
ENGL 4313	Topics in Single Author	3
ENGL 4316	Beat Generation	3
ENGL 4318	South Texas Literature	3
ENGL 4319	American Literature of the South	3

Choose 3 hours of World/Multicultural courses from:

ENGL 3325	Literature of the Americas	3
ENGL 3332	World Drama	3
ENGL 3333	Multi-Cultural Autobiography	3
ENGL 3334	Ethnic Women Writers	3
ENGL 3336	Latin American Women Writers	3
ENGL 4302	Postcolonial Literature and Theory	3
ENGL 4317	Mexican American Literature	3

Choose 3 hours of Advanced Thematic or Topical Focus courses from:

ENGL 4300	Advanced Topics in Literature and Cultural Studies	3
ENGL 4301	Topics in Literary Theory	3
ENGL 4307	Topics in Film Theory	3
ENGL 4308	Topics in International Film	3
ENGL 4309	Special Topics in Film	3
ENGL 4314	Advanced Topics in Contemporary Poetry	3
ENGL 4315	Advanced Topics in World Literature	3
ENGL 4316	Beat Generation	3
ENGL 4318	South Texas Literature	3
ENGL 4319	American Literature of the South	3
ENGL 4320	Literature and Psychoanalysis	3

Choose 3 hours of English Electives

 

Linguistics Concentration – 21 hours (15 advanced)

Required Linguistics Core course

ENGL 3361

Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics

3

Choose 12 hours of Restricted Electives courses from:

ENGL 3347	Women?s Rhetoric and Language	3
ENGL 3370	Language and Culture	3
ENGL 3375	Introduction to English as a Second Language	3
ENGL 4317	Mexican American Literature	3
ENGL 4361	Modern English Syntax	3
ENGL 4362	Contrastive Grammar	3
ENGL 4365	History of the English Language	3
ENGL 4370	Introduction to Border Language	3
ENGL 4375	Language Acquisition	3

The following courses are only allowable when topic is linguistic or language:

ENGL 4385	Topics in Border Studies	3
ENGL 4395	Advanced Topics in English	3

Choose 6 hours of English Electives courses

 

Creative Writing Concentration – 21 hours (15 advanced)

Choose 3 hours of Creative Writing Theory Core courses from:

ENGL 4353	Forms and Techniques in Creative Writing	3
ENGL 4356	Advanced Creative Writing: Children's Literature	3

Choose 12 hours of Advanced Creative Writing Electives courses from

ENGL 3350	Gallery	3
ENGL 3352	Creative Non-Fiction	3
ENGL 4350	Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry	3
ENGL 4351	Advanced Creative Writing: Workshop in Playwriting	3
ENGL 4352	Advanced Creative Writing: Workshop in Fiction	3
ENGL 4354	Advanced Creative Writing: Graphic Literature	3
ENGL 4355	Advanced Creative Writing: Screenwriting	3
ENGL 4357	Advanced Creative Writing: Creative Writing and Social Action	3
ENGL 4358	Advanced Creative Writing: Writing for Performance	3
ENGL 4359	Special Topics in Creative Writing	3

Choose 6 hours of English Electives courses

 

Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy Concentration – 21 hours (15 advanced)

Choose 15 hours of Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy Core courses from:

ENGL 3340	Survey Rhetorical Theory	3
ENGL 3344	Advanced Composition	3
ENGL 3345	Studies in Literacy	3
ENGL 3346	Writing and Culture	3
ENGL 4343	Composition Theory and Pedagogy	3

Choose 6 hours of English Electives courses

 

English Language Arts Concentration – 21 hours (15 advanced)

Required English Language Arts Core courses

ENGL 3337	Children's and Adolescent Literature	3
ENGL 4338	Teaching Secondary School Literature	3

Choose 3 hours of Language Elective courses from:

ENGL 3370	Language and Culture	3
ENGL 3375	Introduction to English as a Second Language	3
ENGL 4360	Fundamentals of Language Development	3
ENGL 4362	Contrastive Grammar	3
ENGL 4370	Introduction to Border Language	3
ENGL 4375	Language Acquisition	3

Choose 3 hours of Writing courses from:

ENGL 3345	Studies in Literacy	3
ENGL 4342	Assessing and Responding to Writing	3

Choose 3 hours of Literature Survey courses from:

ENGL 3301	Survey of British Literature I	3
ENGL 3302	Survey of British Literature II	3
ENGL 3303	Survey of American Literature I	3
ENGL 3304	Survey of American Literature II	3
ENGL 3305	Survey of World Literature	3

Choose 6 hours of English or Education Electives courses

Courses must be ENGL, READ, or EDUC.

Minor or Restricted Electives – 18 Hours (6 advanced)

Students may choose between the completion of a minor or additional English coursework.

Free Electives – 12 Hours

Complete 12 hours of free electives.

Total Credit Hours: 60

Total Credit Hours: 120