
A Letter from the English Department Chair
I am delighted you are exploring the English major.
But I bet that, although you really like literature and writing, you are wondering if you should actually major in English because you have heard you can’t get a job with an English degree unless you teach English. Wrong. Mount English-major graduates have distinguished themselves in business, public service, law, administration, social work, journalism, and other fields.
How can an English major help you get a job?
When you work through the fascinating courses required to complete your major, you will
- Develop critical thinking skills through challenging reading and discussion
- Sharpen your ability to communicate both orally and in writing
- Learn to appreciate the complicated psychological make-up of human beings as you examine character through prose fiction and poetry
- Become conscious of the magical role of language to create, transform, and intensify meaning
With those qualities, you are a very desirable employee and colleague.
What would you study as a Mount English major?
You will get a panoramic picture of some of the world’s greatest literature and the forms in which it came to life. After completing the preparation of two semesters of First-year English, you would take these courses, the core of the English major:
- American Literature
- British Literature before 1700
- British Literature after 1700
- Advanced Writing—From a variety of creative and nonfiction choices
- A genre course—In either the novel or poetry or drama
- Shakespeare—How could anyone be an English major without studying the greatest poet of our language?
- Theory and Criticism. The heart of how to analyze and examine literature
- Two English electives—your choice
- Senior Seminar—The capstone of your study of literature, taught like a course in graduate school; so if you go on for an advanced degree, you already know how grad study works.
What else?
Creative Writing Emphasis
If you elect to be an English Major, you may opt for a B. A. in English, Creative Writing Emphasis. If you select this emphasis, you will take the required courses for the regular literature-based English Major but with the following change:
- You will take 12 units in Creative Writing: an Introductory Creative Writing Course (Eng 106) and three of four Creative Writing Workshops (Fiction, Poetry, Non-Fiction Prose, Drama: Eng 150, 151, 152, 153).
The Creative Writing Emphasis will allow you to explore your own voice through literature. Can you imagine anything more exciting than that? This thrilling emphasis will sharpen your sensitivity to the elements of fiction such as plot, character and symbol and it will prepare you for a Master’s in Fine Arts in Creative Writing (at MSMU or elsewhere) after you complete your BA in English.
In addition to the regular English minor, we also offer a Creative Writing minor (an exhilarating combination of literature and creative writing courses).
More
- Enjoy small classes and the easy and friendly interaction with the English faculty.
- Pursue a double major (or add a minor) by combining our literature-intensive English major with another discipline like Psychology, Sociology, Religious Studies, Political Science or one of the hard sciences to make you even more employable because you see the world from a broad perspective.
- Help edit and write for the English Department’s literary magazine Audemus or work with Journalism and the New Media majors on the on-line university newspaper, The Athenian Print.
- Practice your English skills in the workplace with an internship. Past English majors have profited from internships at KCET, the Food Network, magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, and TV production companies.
- Study abroad for a semester and take literature courses in England, the very birthplace of our literary heritage.

Dr. Matthew Brosamer, Chair
mbrosamer@msmu.edu
Degree Requirements
-
Courses Required for a BA Degree in English+-
-
Preparation:
General Studies Preparation for English Major:
ENG 1AB/C First Year English (3,3)
or
ENG 5H First Year Honors English (3)
AND
HIS 1AB Western Civilization (3,3)
Total GS Prep : 9-12 units
English Major Requirements:
42 units in English, at least 36 of which are upper division, including:
One course in Advanced Writing (ENG 105, ENG 106, 107, 109, 192) (3)
Two sequential upper-division courses in American Literature (ENG 145, 146) (3, 3)
Two courses in English literature before 1700 (ENG 143 or ENG 172 AND ENG 144) ( 3,3)
One Shakespeare course (ENG 73 or 173) (3)
Two courses in English literature after 1700 (ENG 147 AND ENG 148 or ENG 156H) (3,3)
One genre course (ENG 161, 162, 163) (3)
One course in World Literature (ENG 18/118, ENG 28/128, ENG 131) (3)
Theory and Criticism (ENG 181) (3)
English Seminar (ENG 195) (3)
Two electives chosen from English offerings (3,3)
Strongly Recommended but not Required:
ENG 70/170 Western Literary Heritage (3)
Total units in English: 42
Any English course completed with a grade of “D” or below is not acceptable toward a major in English. Plus general studies requirements and electives totaling 124 semester units, including foreign language requirement. At least 15 upper division units must be completed in the MSMU English Program.
-
Courses Required for a B.A Degree in English, Creative Writing Emphasis+-
-
If the following courses are taken during the course of the regular B.A. in English, the student may graduate with a B. A. in English, Creative Writing Emphasis (12 units total).
REQUIREMENTS:
Preparation
Eng 106 Introduction to Creative Writing (3)
THREE of the following four Creative Writing Workshops (9):
Eng 150 Fiction Workshop (3)
Eng 151 Poetry Workshop (3)
Eng 152 Creative Non-Fiction Workshop (3)
Eng 153 Writing for Stage and Screen (3)
A maximum of three of the courses above (9 units) may be double counted with the regular English Major requirements: the two English Elective Requirements (6 units) and the Advanced Writing Requirement (3 units).
One period course may be omitted from the regular English Major Requirements: Eng 143, 144, 145, 146, 147 OR 148 (3 units).
Total units for the English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis [including the double counted units (9) and the one omitted course (3)]: 42
9 of the 12 units for the B.A. in English, Creative Writing Emphasis must be upper division.
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Courses Required for a BA Degree in English and Business Administration+-
-
English Preparation:
ENG 1A |
First Year English |
3
|
|
and |
|
ENG 1B |
First Year English |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 5H |
First Year Honors English |
3
|
HIS 1A |
Western Civilization |
3
|
HIS 1B |
Western Civilization |
3
|
SPR 18 |
Career Planning Seminar |
1
|
English Requirements:
30 additional units in English, at least 24 of which are upper division, including:
ENG 181 |
Theory and Criticism |
3
|
ENG 195 |
English Seminar |
3
|
ENG 73 |
Shakespeare |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 173 |
Shakespeare |
3
|
|
|
|
ENG 105 |
Advanced Composition |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 107 |
Professional Writing |
3
|
|
|
|
ENG 143 |
English Literature: Beowulf to 1500 |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 144 |
English Literature: 1500 to 1700 |
3
|
|
|
|
ENG 145 |
American Literature: Beginnings to 1914 |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 146 |
American Literature: 1914 to Present |
3
|
|
|
|
ENG 147 |
English Literature: 1700 to 1900 |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 148 |
Twentieth Century English and European Literature |
3
|
|
|
|
ENG 161 |
Study of the Novel |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 162 |
Study of Poetry |
3
|
|
or |
|
ENG 163 |
Study of Drama |
3
|
|
|
|
|
In addition 6 units of English Electives |
6
|
Business Administration
Lower Division Core Requirements:
BUS 4 |
Business Foundations and Analysis |
3
|
BUS 5 |
Business Law I |
3
|
BUS 15A |
Accounting Principles I |
3
|
BUS 15B |
Accounting Principles II |
3
|
BUS 21 |
The Essentials of Business Writing and Presentation |
3
|
ECO 1 |
Microeconomics |
3
|
ECO 2 |
Macroeconomics |
3
|
MTH 28 |
Mathematical Analysis for Business |
3
|
MTH 38 |
Elements of Probability and Statistics |
3
|
SPE 10 |
Introduction to Communication |
2
|
PHI 92 |
Introduction to Business Ethics |
3
|
|
or |
|
PHI 192 |
Business Ethics |
3
|
Courses Strongly Recommended:
PSY 1 |
Introduction to Psychology |
3
|
SOC 1 |
Introduction to Sociology |
3
|
PHI 5 |
Introduction to Logic |
3
|
Upper Division Core Requirements:
BUS 122 |
Management Communications |
3
|
|
or |
|
BUS 183 |
Management Seminar |
3
|
|
or |
|
BUS 106 |
Business Law II |
3
|
|
|
|
BUS 130 |
Principles of Finance |
3
|
BUS 160 |
Principles of Marketing |
3
|
BUS 177 |
Management Information Systems |
3
|
BUS 185 |
Principles of Management |
3
|
BUS 190 |
Business Administration Internship |
3.0-6.0
|
BUS 192 |
Business Policy and Strategy |
3
|
|
Total Credit Hours: |
86 |
Plus General Studies requirements and electives totaling 124 semester units, including Modern Language requirement.
At least 12 upper division units must be completed in the MSMU English Program.
-
Courses Required for a minor in English+-
-
Requirements:
Satisfactory completion of Eng 1AB or equivalent. Twelve additional required units and six additional elective units in English, totaling eighteen units (twelve of the eighteen must be upper division).
Required courses for the English Minor (12 units), one from each of the following four groups:
(1) Eng 145 American Literature: Beginnings to 1914
OR
Eng 146 American Literature: 1914 to Present
(2) Eng 144 English Literature: 1500-1700
OR
Eng 73/173 Shakespeare
(3) Eng 147 English Literature 1700-1900
OR
Eng 148 Twentieth-Century English and European Literature
(4) Eng 105 Advanced Composition
OR
Eng 107 Professional Writing
Elective courses for the English Minor (6 units): any two courses from current English offerings, lower OR upper division.
Any English course completed with a D or below is not acceptable toward a minor in English.
Prerequisites for Literature Courses:
Lower-division literature courses: Eng 1A or 6AB or permission of instructor.
Upper-division literature courses: Eng 1AB or permission of instructor.
-
Courses Required for a Creative Writing Minor+-
-
The following 18 units of Creative Writing and Literature courses constitute a Creative Writing minor.
REQUIRED:
Preparation
Eng 106 Introduction to Creative Writing (3)
Three of the following Writing Workshops (9 units):
Eng 150 Fiction Workshop (3)
Eng 151 Poetry Workshop (3)
Eng 152 Creative Non-Fiction Workshop (3)
Eng 153 Writing for Stage and Screen (3)
Two of the following Literature Courses (6 units):
Eng 73/173 Shakespeare (3)
Eng 161 Study of Novel (3)
Eng 162 Study of Poetry (3)
Eng 163 Study of Drama (3)
Total: 18 units
15 of the 18 units for the Creative Writing Minor must be upper division.