Program Overview

English, BA Program Description

The undergraduate English Program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi invites students to engage with texts and employ language-related skills to connect with others both locally and globally. The program encourages students to explore and integrate three disciplines of English Studies in their work, through the study of literature, applied linguistics, and writing. Students are challenged to analyze, think critically about, and compose texts across genres, language varieties, and traditions for communities across cultural and geographic boundaries.

Program Overview

The English program offers a major in English, curricula for secondary English certification, minors in Literary Studies and Creative Writing, and certificates in Writing for Non-Profits and TESOL. Upper-level courses in writing studies, linguistics, and literature may satisfy requirements for other disciplines and serve as electives for non-majors who wish to improve their analytic, writing, and technical skills and to broaden their experiences in the liberal arts.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students earning the BA in English learn:

• Literacies: Apply discipline-specific concepts to explore and generate texts.
• Critical Thinking: Analyze and evaluate ideas to create new information for specific audiences and purposes.
• Research: Discover and synthesize information and knowledge to address problems using disciplinary conventions.
• Social and Cultural Competencies: Demonstrate knowledge of civic responsibilities and the ability to engage ethically with various communities.
• Professional Development: Create career-oriented materials that articulate skills and abilities developed in the course of study.

General Requirements

• Core Curriculum Program: 42 hours
• University Seminar (when applicable): 0-2 hours
• English Major Requirements: 39 hours
• Electives: 33 hours
• Foreign Language Requirements: 6 hours
• Total Credit Hours: 120-122 hours

Program Requirements

Students must select one emphasis from the following:

• Literary Studies Emphasis
• Writing Studies Emphasis

Literary Studies Emphasis

• Core Courses:
  • ENGL 2370: Introduction to Literary Studies
  • ENGL 4361: Race and Ethnicity in Literature
  • ENGL 4355: Senior Capstone
  • ENGL 4380: Critical Approaches to Literature and Culture
• Literary History: Select 3 hours from the following:
  • ENGL 3335: World Literatures
  • ENGL 3345: British Literatures
  • ENGL 3355: American Literatures
  • ENGL 4390: Topics in Literary Studies
• 2000 Level Course: Select 3 hours from the following:
  • ENGL 2310: Black Writers
  • ENGL 2315: Women Writers
  • ENGL 2360: Language and Gender
• 3000 Level Courses: Select 6 hours from the following:
  • ENGL 3321: Film and Literature
  • ENGL 3323: Young Adult Fiction
  • ENGL 3325: Literary Connections
  • ENGL 3335: World Literatures
  • ENGL 3345: British Literatures
  • ENGL 3348: Literary Genres
  • ENGL 3355: American Literatures
• Additional 3000 or 4000 Level Course: Select 3 hours from the following or an additional 3000 Level Literary Studies Course:
  • ENGL 4300: Technologies and Cultures of the Book
  • ENGL 4305: Major Authors
  • ENGL 4390: Topics in Literary Studies
• Linguistics: Select one of the following:
  • ENGL 3339: Introduction to Linguistics
  • ENGL 3340: Grammar
  • ENGL 3365: Second Language Acquisition
  • ENGL 3366: Language in Society
  • ENGL 3369: Topics in Linguistics
• Writing Studies: Select 6 hours of any 3000- and 4000-level Writing Studies courses except capstone

Writing Studies Emphasis

• Core Courses:
  • ENGL 2303: Introduction to Writing Studies
  • ENGL 3301: Technical and Professional Writing
  • ENGL 3302: Techniques of Creative Writing
  • ENGL 3363: Foundations of Rhetoric
  • ENGL 4355: Senior Capstone
• Select 12 hours of the following (only 3 hours may be at the 2000 level):
  • ENGL 2371: Exploring Social Media
  • ENGL 2372: Personal Writing
  • ENGL 3360: Teaching Writing
  • ENGL 3361: Advanced Writing
  • ENGL 3362: Creative Writing Workshop: Survey and Practice of Genres
  • ENGL 3364: Writing Creative Nonfiction
  • ENGL 3378: Document Design and Publishing
  • ENGL 3379: Writing for the Web
  • ENGL 3380: Visual Rhetoric
  • ENGL 4320: Professional Writing Workshop
  • ENGL 4321: Grants and Proposals
  • ENGL 4322: Writing in the Nonprofit Agencies
  • ENGL 4324: Editing & Style
  • ENGL 4325: Writing Popular Genres
  • ENGL 4335: Creative Writing Studio: Development of Craft
  • ENGL 4350: Writing Poetry
  • ENGL 4385: Literary Publication
  • ENGL 4391: Topics in Writing Studies
  • ENGL 4398: Applied Experience
• Linguistics: Select one of the following:
  • ENGL 3339: Introduction to Linguistics
  • ENGL 3340: Grammar
  • ENGL 3365: Second Language Acquisition
  • ENGL 3366: Language in Society
  • ENGL 3369: Topics in Linguistics
• Literary Studies: Select 6 hours of any 3000- and 4000-level Literary Studies courses

Course Sequencing

The program provides a suggested course sequencing plan for both the Literary Studies and Writing Studies emphases. The plans outline the recommended courses for each semester to ensure students complete the program requirements in a timely manner.

Literary Studies Emphasis Plan of Study Grid

• First Year Fall: USSE 1201, ENGL 1301, ENGL 2316, University Core Curriculum, University Core Curriculum, Foreign Language Requirements
• First Year Spring: ENGL 1302, MATH 1332 or PHIL 2303, University Core Curriculum, University Core Curriculum, Foreign Language Requirements
• Second Year Fall: University Core Curriculum, University Core Curriculum, University Core Curriculum, University Core Curriculum, 2000-level Literary Studies or ENGL 3335, 3345, or 3355
• Second Year Spring: ENGL 2370, University Core Curriculum, University Core Curriculum, Elective, 2000-level Literary Studies or ENGL 3335, 3345, or 3355
• Third Year Fall: ENGL 3339, Writing Studies Elective, 3000 Level course or Literary History Course, Elective, Elective
• Third Year Spring: ENGL 3340, ENGL 3361, Writing Studies Elective, Elective, 3000 level course or Literary History Course
• Fourth Year Fall: ENGL 4380, 3000 or 4000 level Literary Studies, 3000 or 4000 level Literary Studies, Elective, Elective
• Fourth Year Spring: ENGL 4355, ENGL 4361, Elective, Elective, Elective

Writing Studies Emphasis Plan of Study Grid

• First Year Fall: USSE 1201, ENGL 1301, SPAN 1311, MATH 1332 or PHIL 2303, BIOL 1308, ENGL 2316
• First Year Spring: ENGL 1302, SPAN 1312, HIST 1302, SOCI 1301, Life and Physical Sciences Core Requirement
• Second Year Fall: ENGL 2303, ENGL 3301, HIST 1301, POLS 2305, COMM 1311
• Second Year Spring: ENGL 3363, POLS 2306, COMM 1315, Writing Studies Elective, Creative Arts Core Requirement
• Third Year Fall: ENGL 3302, ENGL 3339, University Elective, University Elective, University Elective
• Third Year Spring: Writing Studies Elective, 3000 or 4000-level Literary Studies Elective, University Elective, University Elective, University Elective
• Fourth Year Fall: Writing Studies Elective, University Elective, University Elective, University Elective or ENGL 3365 or ENGL 3369, 3000 or 4000-level Literary Studies Elective
• Fourth Year Spring: ENGL 4355, University Elective or ENGL 3366 or ENGL 3340, Writing Studies Elective, University Elective, University Elective

Courses

The English program offers a wide range of courses, including:

• ENGL 0099: Integrated Reading and Writing
• ENGL 0399: Integrated Reading and Writing
• ENGL 1301: Writing and Rhetoric I
• ENGL 1302: Writing and Rhetoric II
• ENGL 2303: Introduction to Writing Studies
• ENGL 2316: Literature and Culture
• ENGL 2332: Literature of the Western World: From the Classics to the Renaissance
• ENGL 2333: Literature of the Western World: From the Enlightenment to the Present
• ENGL 2370: Introduction to Literary Studies
• ENGL 2371: Exploring Social Media
• ENGL 3301: Technical and Professional Writing
• ENGL 3302: Techniques of Creative Writing
• ENGL 3310: Technical and Professional Writing for Computer Science
• ENGL 3321: Film and Literature
• ENGL 3323: Young Adult Fiction
• ENGL 3325: Literary Connections
• ENGL 3335: World Literatures
• ENGL 3339: Introduction to Linguistics
• ENGL 3340: Grammar
• ENGL 3345: British Literatures
• ENGL 3348: Literary Genres
• ENGL 3355: American Literatures
• ENGL 3360: Teaching Writing
• ENGL 3361: Advanced Writing
• ENGL 3362: Creative Writing Workshop: Survey and Practice of Genres
• ENGL 3363: Foundations of Rhetoric
• ENGL 3364: Writing Creative Nonfiction
• ENGL 3365: Second Language Acquisition
• ENGL 3366: Language in Society
• ENGL 3367: TESOL Seminar
• ENGL 3369: Topics in Linguistics
• ENGL 3378: Document Design and Publishing
• ENGL 3379: Writing for the Web
• ENGL 3380: Visual Rhetoric
• ENGL 4300: Technologies and Cultures of the Book
• ENGL 4305: Major Authors
• ENGL 4320: Professional Writing Workshop
• ENGL 4321: Grants and Proposals
• ENGL 4322: Writing in the Nonprofit Agencies
• ENGL 4324: Editing & Style
• ENGL 4325: Writing Popular Genres
• ENGL 4335: Creative Writing Studio: Development of Craft
• ENGL 4350: Writing Poetry
• ENGL 4351: Senior Capstone: Literature and Writing
• ENGL 4352: Capstone in Writing Studies
• ENGL 4360: Gender, Sexuality and Literature
• ENGL 4361: Race and Ethnicity in Literature
• ENGL 4380: Critical Approaches to Literature and Culture
• ENGL 4385: Literary Publication
• ENGL 4390: Topics in Literary Studies
• ENGL 4391: Topics in Writing Studies
• ENGL 4396: Directed Individual Study
• ENGL 4398: Applied Experience
• ENGL 4399: TESOL Practicum