Program Review 2008 (Appendix C)

Bachelor of Arts Degree

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in English select one of three program options.  The General option is intended for those pursuing a liberal arts education with special emphasis on literature and composition; the creative writing option is intended for those students who wish to integrate the study of English language and literature with instruction in the art of writing in various styles and forms; and the Single Subject Teaching option is designed for students interested in a career in education.

Students majoring in English must obtain advisement prior to or during their initial quarter of major coursework. Those majoring in English are urged to acquire command of at least on foreign language as part of their program.

The total number of units required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in English is 180 units, of which 80-88 units are in the major depending on the option selected.  Consult with an advisor for the specific number of units required in all areas of the degree including GE and free electives.

Requirements for the Major  (80 or 88 units)

The General and Creative Writing options require a total of 80 units. The Single Subject Teaching option requires a total of 88 units.

Common Core  (24 units)

Lower Division Required Courses  (12 units)

Upper Division Required Courses  (12 units)

General Option (80 units)

In addition to the 24 units in the common core, students must complete the following 56 units: 

I. Upper-Division Required Courses (44 units)

British Literature: (16 units)

Select four 400-level courses in British Literature from the following, with at least two in pre-1800 literature:

Pre-1800:

Post-1800:

American Literature (12 units)

World Literature (8 units)

Select two 400-level courses in World Literature from the following:

Linguistics (4 units)

Select one upper division course in linguistics from the following:

II. Electives (12 units)

Electives  (12 units)

Select three 300- or 400-level ENGL courses excluding GE theme courses.  With adviser approval, one 200-level course may be included.

Creative Writing Option (80 units)

In addition to the 24 units in the common core, students must complete the following 56 units:

I. Lower-division required course: (4 units)

II. Upper-division required course: (52 units)

British Literature: (12 units)

Select three 400-level courses in British literature from the following, with at least two in pre-1800 literature:

Pre-1800:

Post-1800:

American Literature (12 units)

World Literature (4 units)

Select one 400-level course in World Literature from the following:

Linguistics (4 units)

Select one upper division course in linguistics from the following:

Creative Writing (16 units)

Select 16 units in writing from the following:

Four units of ENGL 499 independent study may be included with advisor approval.

*General Education course

Single Subject Teaching Option  (88 units)

Refer to the Charter College of Education section in the Academic Programs: College-based and University-wide chapter of this catalog for regulations governing all teaching credential programs.

In addition to the 24 units in the common core, students must complete the following: (64 units).

I. Lower-division required course (4 units):

II. Upper-division required courses (40 units):

British literature (4 units)

Select one upper division course in British literature from the following:

American Literature (12 units)

Select two upper-division courses in American literature from the following:

World Literature (4 units)

Select one upper-division course in world literature from the following:

Linguistics (8 units)

Select one upper-division course in Linguistics from:

III. Extended Studies (20 units)

Select one of the following six areas for extended study. Any classes used to meet the Single Subject Teaching option requirements listed above may not be double counted in the extended study areas.

1. Literature and Textual Analysis (20 units)

Select one or two upper- division courses from each of the following three categories (20 units):

Category A

Category B

Category C

2. The Literature of Diversity (20 units)

Select five courses from at least three of the following categories (20 units):

Category A

Category B

Category C

Category D

Category E

Category F

3. Expository writing and language (20 units)

Select two from the following (8 units):

Select two from the following (8 units):

4. Creative Writing (20 units)

Select four from the following (16 units):

Four units of ENGL 499 independent study may be included with advisor approval.

5. Communication (20 units)

6. Theatre and Drama (20 units)

With advisor approval, select two from the following (8 units):

*General Education course

Minor in Creative Writing

The minor in Creative Writing is designed for students majoring in other fields who are interested in the writing of imaginative literature, which may include such forms as poetry, fiction, and drama.  A total of 24 units is required, of which 8–12 units must be in lower division and 12–16 units in 400-level courses.

Requirements for the Minor  (24 units)

Lower Division Required Courses  (8 or 12 units)

Select one or two from the following  (4 or 8 units):

ENGL 200ABC, 225

(Prerequisite to ENGL 207 for students in the creative writing minor is at least 4 units from the lower division requirement listed above.)

Required course (4 units)

ENGL 207 Beginning Creative Writing  (4)

Electives  (select 12–16 units with adviser approval)

ENGL 406 Writing Nonfiction  (4)
*ENGL 407 Writing Fiction  (4)
*ENGL 408 Writing Poetry  (4)
TA 476 Play Writing  (4)
TVF 465 Seminar: Advanced Scriptwriting (4-8)

*May be repeated once for credit in the minor.

Minor in English

The minor in English provides a varied and flexible literary program, individually planned, for majors in other fields.  Students who plan to write or edit or who are interested in business, the professions, or government service may find this minor significant in their career development.  The minor is also useful to students who wish to add a supplementary authorization to their Single Subject credential.  A total of 28 units is required.

Requirements for the Minor  (28 units)

Lower Division Required Courses  (8–12 units)

Select at least two from the following:  ENGL 200ABC, 250, 258

Upper Division Required Courses  (16–20)

Select  from  the following:

Composition: ENGL 308, 340, 406, 410
Language:  ENGL 401, 402, 405
Literature:  ENGL 416-447, 460-492

The Credential Program

Students who complete the Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Single Subject Teaching option, with a minimum 2.83 grade point average for course work in the option, will receive certification of subject area competency in English for the Single Subject credential.  Students should consult advisers in the department and in the Charter College of Education.

English as a Second Language Programs

Students in need of a course in English as a second language may wish to consult the Office of Extended Education or the American Culture and Language Program.

Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Programs

Master of Arts Degree

Admission to the Program      

Applicants who have a degree in English must have at least a 3.2 grade point average in their undergraduate major.

In addition to applying to the University, prospective students must submit a separate graduate program application to the Department of English. This includes a departmental application form, transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, and a writing sample. Applicants to the graduate program are admitted based on a comprehensive review of their application materials by the Department of English. For more information on the departmental application for admission, contact the Department of English.

Students whose major was not English should consult the principal graduate adviser about prerequisites or their equivalents.  They must complete a 36-unit program of upper division prerequisites  (which may include courses previously taken) prior to beginning their graduate work.

Requirements for the Degree  (45 units)

A minimum of 45 units is required, with at least 23 in 500-level courses. Students must have completed advanced course work in several major periods of British and American literature. Consult the Department of English for specific requirements and period descriptions.

Applicants for the Creative Writing option must submit a portfolio of writing for review by a creative writing adviser.

Students preparing for the M.A. degree in English must complete ENGL 501 or 502 prior to enrolling in ENGL 530, 541, 560, 570, 580, 590, and 598. ENGL 510 may be taken concurrently with ENGL 501 or 502. Both 501 and 502 must be completed in the first 16 units of the program.

Required Core  (16 units)

Option in Composition, Rhetoric, and Language  (29 units)

Required Composition-Rhetoric Core (12 units)

Electives (12-17 units)

Select 400- or 500-level courses with advisor approval. Students are to select 4 units in literature and the remaining electives from courses in composition-rhetoric, linguistics, creative writing, or literature with particular relevance to their professional goals and interests. A maximum of 5 units of ENGL 598 may also be included.

Comprehensive Examination or Thesis (0,5 units)

Students must successfully complete either the comprehensive examination or a master's degree thesis as the culmination of their program.

Comprehensive Examination (0 units)

One section of the comprehensive examination will focus on key texts in the field of Composition, Rhetoric, and Language, and the other portion of the examination will assess the student's general critical skills and ability to elucidate and interpret a designated text.

The comprehensive examination (ENGL 596) may be taken no earlier than the quarter in which all course work for the degree is completed.  Students must notify the department one quarter before they intend to take the examination.

Advancement to candidacy and approval of the department's graduate studies committee are required prior to taking the examination.

Thesis (5 units)

The thesis entails writing a master’s degree essay about a subject in the field of language, composition and rhetoric.  Theses may be of two kinds, a critical essay or an empirical study.  A critical essay might, for example, critique or reanalyze a particular body of research or the work of a single researcher, or present a rhetorical analysis of text.  A theory-based empirical approach might test new hypotheses or replicate earlier studies with a different population.

Students writing a thesis are subject to the following requirements: advancement to candidacy, formal approval of the thesis proposal by a thesis director and two thesis committee members, enrollment in 5 units of ENGL 599, and an oral defense of the thesis. (One unit of ENGL 599 is to be devoted to preparation of the thesis proposal. A student may not enroll in the remaining 4 units of ENGL 599 until the proposal has been approved.)

Option in Creative Writing (29 units)

Required Creative Writing Core (12 units)

With adviser approval, select 12 additional units from creative writing courses, including at least 4 units of ENGL 507 or 508.  The remaining 8 units may derive from some combination of the following courses:  ENGL 406, 407, 408, 507, 508.  ENGL 507 or 508 may be taken concurrently with ENGL 500.

Electives (12 units)

Select 400- or 500-level courses with adviser approval.  Students are to select courses in literature with particular relevance to the focus of their creative work.  A maximum of 4 units of ENGL 598 may also be included.

Thesis (5 units)

Students selecting the Creative Writing Option must write a creative thesis typically consisting of three or more short stories of 3,000-5,000 words or a novella or a substantial portion of a novel, or two one-act plays, or a full-length play, or between 12 and 20 short poems.  The thesis is to include a brief preface, stating the literary, ethical, or social concerns that have informed the student’s work.

To begin work on the thesis the student must have been advanced to candidacy and must have formal approval of the thesis proposal by a thesis director and two additional thesis committee members.  A student must complete 5 units of ENGL 599.  (One unit of ENGL 599 is to be devoted to preparation of the thesis proposal.  A student may not enroll in the remaining 4 units of ENGL 599 until the proposal has been approved.)  The student will be required to defend the thesis before a committee of three, one member being the student’s thesis director and one member being a member of the faculty from outside the creative writing area.  The third member may be either from the creative writing area or from a different area.

Option in Literature (29 units)

Required Core (12 units)

With adviser approval, students select from:

Electives  (12–17 units)

Select from 400- or 500-level ENGL courses with adviser approval;  8 units may be in a related field.  A maximum of 5 units in ENGL 598 is applicable toward the degree.

Comprehensive Examination or Thesis  (0, 5 units) 

ENGL 596 Comprehensive Examination  (0) or

ENGL 599 Thesis  (5)

Students must successfully complete either the comprehensive examination or a master’s degree thesis as the culmination of their program. Students are expected to have selected an area of specialization as reflected in course work in preparation for either the examination or the thesis.

Comprehensive Examination (0 units)

One section of the comprehensive examination will focus specifically on the student’s chosen area of specialization and the other portion of the examination will assess the student’s general critical skills and ability to elucidate and interpret a designated text. 

The comprehensive examination  (ENGL 596) may be taken no earlier than the quarter in which all course work for the degree is completed.  Students must notify the department one quarter before they intend to take the examination. 

Advancement to candidacy and approval of the department’s Graduate Studies committee are required prior to taking the examination. 

Thesis (5 units)

The thesis option entails writing a master’s degree essay about a subject in the student’s area of specialization.  Students who choose to do a thesis are subject to the following requirements:  advancement to candidacy, formal approval of the thesis proposal by a thesis director and two additional thesis committee members, enrollment in 5 units of ENGL 599, and an oral defense of the thesis.  (One unit of ENGL 599 is to be devoted to preparation of the thesis proposal.  A student may not enroll in the remaining 4 units of ENGL 599 until the proposal has been approved.)

Certificate Program in Teaching Writing

The Certificate in Teaching Writing provides advanced study in composition and rhetoric for current teachers at secondary, and post-secondary levels of education. The program of study provides in-depth study to supplement the more limited coursework in the teaching of writing that students have had in undergraduate and credential programs. In keeping with the State's emphasis on literacy across the curriculum in schooling at all levels, the certificate addresses writing instruction across the curriculum as well as in traditional English/Language Arts. It enables teachers who are required to teach writing in all disciplinary areas but who often have had little or no training in writing instruction to incorporate writing instruction in their classes.

To enter the program, students must possess an undergraduate degree in any field and meet the admission requirements of the University for postbaccalaureate study.  The certificate consists of six required courses (24 units): Two 400-level courses which provide a foundation in language and composition, and four 500-level courses which provide advanced, in-depth, and specialized study.

Students must achieve a 3.0 GPA in the certificate program. Students may apply 12 units of the certificate program (not including ENGL 401) towards the MA in the Composition, Rhetoric, and Language option. Students must satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) within the first two quarters.

Requirements for the Certificate (24 units)

Required Courses