Department of English Degree & Major

DEPARTMENTAL MAJORS

At the undergraduate level, the Department of English and Language Arts offers the Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, Journalism, and Scriptwriting and Animation; the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Scriptwriting and Animation, and the Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism. For the degree in English, students may follow tracks in Creative Writing, Language Arts, and Literature and Language. For the degree in Journalism, they may concentrate in Broadcast Journalism, Print Journalism and Converging Media. For the degree in Screenwriting and Animation, they may concentrate in Computer Animation, Screenwriting and Animation, and Film and Television Writing.

FRESHMAN ENGLISH-HUMANITIES-WRITING PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION CLUSTER
(click requirements links below for detailed descriptions)

The Department of English and Language Arts offers a five-part cluster of courses and experiences required of all Morgan students either as General Education Requirements or as prerequisites for graduation. The cluster aims at developing the student's command of language through a variety of grammar, composition and research experiences in world art, literature, music, philosophy and religion. The cluster consists of: ENGL 101-102 or 111-112, HUMA 201-202 or 211-212, and the Junior Writing Proficiency Examination. All Morgan students, unless expressly exempted from one or more of the parts, must pursue these experiences in the sequence outlined above. That is, no student is to proceed to any stage in the sequence without having completed ALL of the preceding stages. Students are expected to have completed both ENGL 101-102 or 111-112 and HUMA 201-202 or 211-212 before taking the Junior Writing Proficiency Examination.

Freshman English Requirement
Humanities Requirement
Junior Writing Proficiency Requirement

The chief goals of the English major are:

(1) to provide training and experience in the effective use of English prose, including a knowledge of and practice in the techniques and devices by which oral and written expression can be improved;

(2) to assist students in gaining an understanding of the nature of language and a balanced knowledge of the historical development and present-day descriptions of the English language;

(3) to develop in students an understanding and appreciation of literature and to acquaint them with the rich literary heritage of the past and variety of the present;

(4) to assist students in developing critical standards for evaluating literature based on understanding of such concepts as genres, prosody, styles, and levels of meaning, and the most significant theories and practices of representative critics, past and present;

(5) to offer instruction and guidance designed to develop the student's potentialities for creating, thinking and writing;

(6) to help students to develop an appreciation of and a growing interest in literary scholarship by providing instruction and practice in the writing of scholarly papers, critical and historical; and

(7) to acquaint students in all concentrations with technological tools to enhance their preparation for leadership roles in the twenty-first century. The English major is recommended for students interested in a variety of professions that require a knowledge of language, writing, literature and human values. The program for the English major encourages the student to focus on the area best suited for his or her chosen profession: publishing, diplomacy, journalism, law, teaching, creative writing, and advanced professional writing such as film and television writing and technical writing.

Teacher Certification Requirement in English: To qualify for teaching certification, a student majoring in English should contact the School of Education and Urban Studies.

College-wide Requirements: In addition to meeting the requirements in General Education and in the major, students must also complete six (6) credits in the Liberal Arts Core required of all majors in the College of Liberal Arts. Options for satisfying this requirement are outlined under the section on the College of Liberal Arts. Also, in order to qualify for graduation, students must pass the Senior Departmental Comprehensive Examination with a score of 70 or higher; must have taken all of their junior- and senior-level requirements in the major at Morgan (unless granted prior written permission by the Dean to take courses elsewhere); and must have earned a cumulative average of 2.0 or better and a major average of 2.0 or better, with no outstanding grades below "C" in the major (which includes all courses required for the major and required supporting courses).