Undergraduate Major in English
The Department revises its major requirements periodically. The information on this page is for the major which inaugurated in Fall 2011.
Please check the university's policy on catalog rights to ensure that you are eligible to graduate under this version of the major.
For information on previous majors, click the following links:
2004-2011
1996-2004
For course details and descriptions, please refer to the appropriate university catalog and/or English department course description booklet.
Current Major (from Fall 2011)
Units required for Major: 45, 27-30 of which must be upper division
Minimum total units required for the BA: 120
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.
A. Required Lower Division Courses (9 units)
(9) Select three of the following:
ENGL 40A Introduction to British Literature I
ENGL 40B Introduction to British Literature II
ENGL 50A Introduction to American Literature I
ENGL 50B Introduction to American Literature II
ENGL 65 Introduction to World Literatures in English
Note: Students must take at least one British Literature survey (ENGL 40A, ENGL 40B), and at least one American Literature survey (ENGL 50A, ENGL 50B). We recommend that lower division requirements be completed no later than the first semester in which the student begins taking required upper division courses.
B. Required Upper Division Courses (6 units)
ENGL 120A Advanced Composition (GWAR Certification before Fall 09, or WPJ score of 70+, or at least a C- in ENGL 109M/W)
ENGL 198T*Senior Seminar in English (ENGL 120A and a minimum of 90 units)
*Students are required to complete a course in their senior year, selecting from courses specially designated as Senior Seminars. The seminar has a reduced class size and requires a term paper, student presentations and submission of the student's work.
C. Additional Requirements
Historical Breadth requirement
Students must take one of the following classes to satisfy this requirement (unless they have already taken ENGL 40A or ENGL 50A as one of the required Lower Division courses):
ENGL 40A, ENGL 50A, ENGL 110B, ENGL 140B, ENGL 140C, ENGL 140E, ENGL 140F, ENGL 140G, ENGL 140R, ENGL 141A, ENGL 141B, ENGL 145A, ENGL 145B, ENGL 145C, ENGL 145I, ENGL 150A
D. Electives (27-30 units)
A minimum of 27 additional units must be taken, of which at least 18 units must be upper division.
Students who have satisfied the historical breadth requirement by taking ENGL 40A or ENGL 50A as one of their three required lower division courses will take 30 units of electives, of which at least 21 must be upper division.
Notes:
- Students must complete 18 units of English, of which at least 15 must be in upper division (100-level) courses, in residence at California State University, Sacramento.
- The following courses may not be included toward the major: ENGL 1, ENGL 1A, ENGL 1C, ENGL 1X, ENGL 2, ENGL 2X, ENGL 10, ENGL 10M, ENGL 11, ENGL 11M, ENGL 20, ENGL 20M, ENGL 21, ENGL 60, ENGL 60M, ENGL 86, ENGL 87, ENGL 109M, ENGL 109W, ENGL 109X.
- Up to 6 units of an ENGL 195 or ENGL 199 may be included in the 27 upper division units. Three units in an upper division literature class from another major may also be included.
- English majors must achieve a grade of "C-" or better in all courses included in the major, unless otherwise specified.
- With the noted exception of ENGL 1A, English courses may NOT be challenged.
- English majors must fulfill the GE Writing Intensive "supervenient requirement" with courses in the major, only.
