Program Overview

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Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in English

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in English is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of literary and cultural analysis, as well as disciplinary-specific methodological, critical, and theoretical training.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the BA degree with a major in English, students will be able to demonstrate:

• Competence in literary and cultural analysis.
• Understanding of literature and culture in relation to its historical and socio-cultural contexts.
• Disciplinary-specific methodological, critical, and theoretical training.
• Critical writing skills in papers of varying length.
• Disciplinary-specific research knowledge.

Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in English

For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in English must complete:

• A minimum of 11 courses (33-36 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy major requirements.
• A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
• A minimum of 7 courses (21 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
• A maximum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit.
• The requirements for one area of specialization (see below for areas of specialization).

Areas of Specialization

Students must complete the requirements as listed for one of the following areas of specialization:

• Culture and Social Change
• Literature and Literary History
• Science, Medicine, and the Environment
• Visual Culture and Comparative Media

Course Requirements

The following courses are required for the major:

• ENGL 200: GATEWAYS TO LITERARY STUDY (3 credit hours)
• ENGL 300: PRACTICES OF LITERARY STUDY: READING METHODS (3 credit hours)
• Pre-1800 and Pre-1900 (Historical Foundations): Select 3 courses from the approved list (9 credit hours)
• Critical Race, Postcolonial, and Gender Studies (Diverse Traditions): Select 1 course from the approved list (3 credit hours)
• Area of Specialization: Select 3 courses from the chosen area of specialization (9-12 credit hours)
• Senior Seminar and Research Workshop: ENGL 410 (3 credit hours) and ENGL 411 (3 credit hours)

Areas of Specialization

Culture and Social Change

To fulfill the remaining English major requirements, students pursuing the Culture and Social Change area of specialization must complete:

• A minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) from the Culture and Social Change area of specialization

Literature and Literary History

To fulfill the remaining English major requirements, students pursuing the Literature and Literary History area of specialization must complete:

• A minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) from the Literature and Literary History area of specialization

Science, Medicine, and the Environment

To fulfill the remaining English major requirements, students pursuing the Science, Medicine, and the Environment area of specialization must complete:

• A minimum of 3 courses (9-10 credit hours, depending on course selection) from the Science, Medicine, and the Environment area of specialization

Visual Culture and Comparative Media

To fulfill the remaining English major requirements, students pursuing the Visual Culture and Comparative Media area of specialization must complete:

• A minimum of 3 courses (9-12 credit hours, depending on course selection) from the Visual Culture and Comparative Media area of specialization

Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in English

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

• Students may not major and minor in the same subject.
• Students pursuing the major in English may also declare the minor in Creative Writing, provided that the student is pursuing the major concentration in Creative Writing and there is no course overlap between the respective major in English and minor in Creative Writing.

Transfer Credit

• For Rice University's policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit.
• Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit.
• Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course.

Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines

• No more than 4 courses (12 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the major.
• The English and Creative Writing department does not award Rice equivalent transfer credit for composition courses or coursework taken at "for-profit" universities.

Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in English

Academic Honors

• The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate's academic history at Rice.
• For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work.

Study Abroad Program for English Majors at the University of Exeter

• English majors may opt to spend the spring semester of their junior year at the University of Exeter in the U.K.
• Students planning to do so should complete ENGL 200 and ENGL 300 by the fall semester of their junior year.
• At Exeter, students will take 2 courses or modules (each worth 30 Exeter credits) from Rice's approved list of Exeter Courses.