Course Requirements Worksheets

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Undergraduate Programs

The English department offers a variety of degree and non-degree programs for undergraduate students at Sac State. Details about these program options are available below.

English Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Declaring an English Major

If you didn't declare English as your intended major on your Sac State application, it's not too late to change.

To declare an English major, you will need to fill out a Declaration/Change of Major form, get it signed by an English department faculty advisor, then bring your form to the department office in CLV 103. Department staff will help you get the department chair's signature and give you final instructions for submitting your form.

You can use the same form if you're changing your major (e.g. from Biology to English).

This undergraduate degree program includes the study of the literature of the English language and of literature in translation as it bears upon British or American literature. It also embraces the study of literary theory, genres (e.g. fiction, poetry, drama, film) and modes (e.g. comedy, tragedy, satire, romance), English and American language and linguistics, expository and creative writing, and critical and analytical reading.

The English BA degree program is highly dynamic. Out of the 45 units required for the major, 27-30 are designated as elective units. This gives English majors the freedom to customize their learning experience--either focusing on one area of interest (e.g. creative writing, literature, rhetoric) or taking a more diverse selection of classes.

A major in English equips the student with a wide variety of intellectual skills and correlated career opportunities.

Please review the English Major Requirements Worksheet for course requirements and more details. If you have further questions, please contact the department office or an English department faculty advisor.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate content knowledge appropriate to one or more of our various disciplines.
  2. Students will demonstrate an ability to apply critical reading strategies to a variety of texts, which may include written, oral, or visual works, and to analyze language and texts using appropriate critical, theoretical, rhetorical, and disciplinary methodologies.
  3. In a process that includes revision based on feedback from peers and instructors, students will produce a variety of written texts that demonstrate an ability to analyze language, ideas, and forms and creatively engage with the writing traditions of our various disciplines.
  4. Students will demonstrate an ability to perform scholarly research that incorporates analysis of primary and secondary sources using appropriate disciplinary methodologies.

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English Bachelor of Arts (BA) with Pre-Credential Preparation

A much more structured version of the English Bachelor of Arts program, this undergraduate degree program is designed for students planning to pursue a teaching credential to teach English at the secondary school level.

Students who complete this program will be exempted from taking the CSET test before beginning their credential programs.

Please review the English Major (Pre-Credential Preparation) Requirements Worksheet for course requirements and more details. If you have further questions, please contact the department office or the English department Pre-Credential Advisor.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate content knowledge appropriate to one or more of our various disciplines.
  2. Students will demonstrate an ability to apply critical reading strategies to a variety of texts, which may include written, oral, or visual works, and to analyze language and texts using appropriate critical, theoretical, rhetorical, and disciplinary methodologies.
  3. In a process that includes revision based on feedback from peers and instructors, students will produce a variety of written texts that demonstrate an ability to analyze language, ideas, and forms and creatively engage with the writing traditions of our various disciplines.
  4. Students will demonstrate an ability to perform scholarly research that incorporates analysis of primary and secondary sources using appropriate disciplinary methodologies.

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Declaring an English Minor

If you didn't declare English as your intended minor on your Sac State application, it's not too late to change.

To declare an English minor, you will need to fill out a Declaration/Change of Minor form, get it signed by an English department faculty advisor, then bring your form to the department office in CLV 103. Department staff will help you get the department chair's signature and give you final instructions for submitting your form.

English Minor

A 21-unit minor program of study which provides many of the benefits of the English major to students majoring in other programs.

Like the English major, the English minor is quite flexible; 12 of the 21 required units are designated as electives. This offers English minors the opportunity to customize their studies however they wish.

Please review the English Minor Requirements Worksheet for course requirements and more details. If you have further questions, please contact the department office or an English department faculty advisor.

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Creative Writing Minor

An 18-unit version of the English minor that focuses exclusively on creative writing. With 12 elective units built into the program, students may choose to specialize in one specific type of creative writing (e.g. fiction, non-fiction, poetry) or sample from a variety of options.

Due to the extensive overlap of required courses, students pursuing an English major or English major with pre-credential preparation may not also declare a creative writing minor.

Please review the Creative Writing Minor Requirements Worksheet for course requirements and more details. If you have further questions, please contact the department office or the English department Creative Writing Coordinator.

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TESOL Minor

A highly-structured, 18-unit minor program of study, the TESOL minor provides undergraduate students with an introduction to the theory and practice of teaching English to speakers of other languages.

One of the most common opportunities to live and work overseas is to teach English. A TESOL minor can make you more competitive for jobs in language schools as well as for other types of teaching opportunities (e.g. Japan Exchange & Teaching or Fullbright teaching assistantships).

Due to the extensive overlap of required courses, students pursuing an English major orEnglish major with pre-credential preparation may not also declare a TESOL minor.

Please review the TESOL Minor Information Flyer for course requirements and more details. If you have further questions, please contact the English department TESOL Coordinator (tesol@csus.edu).

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TESOL Certificate A

This 15-unit, supplemental program of study provides advanced training in language teaching. Certificate A prepares undergraduate students and others who want to teach English abroad to speakers of other languages.

The TESOL Certificate A is not a degree or teaching credential. However, it is recognized abroad as evidence of advanced training in language teaching. In conjunction with a bachelor's or master's degree or a state teaching credential, it may also be helpful in obtaining employment as an ESL teacher in the United States.

Unlike the TESOL minor, students pursuing an English major or English major with pre-credential preparation are also allowed to pursue TESOL Certificates.

Please review the TESOL Certificate Option A Information Flyer for course requirements and more details. If you have further questions, please contact the English department TESOL Coordinator (tesol@csus.edu).

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