Bachelor of English at East Carolina University

English majors hone the writing, reading, speaking, and critical thinking skills that are essential for life beyond the university. Graduates with English degrees have the flexibility to compete in a rapidly changing economy and to adapt to working with emerging technologies and new media.

In fact, employers frequently cite good communication, writing, and research skills as top criteria when looking to hire new employees.For example, a recent MetLife survey tell us that over 300 Fortune 1000 Executives rated skills such as critical thinking and the ability to write clearly and persuasively above higher-level knowledge in science and math!

As an English major, you'll read some of the best works of literature ever written and explore both the classics and the cutting-edge. You'll receive one-on-one advising from a faculty member who knows you and your interests. You'll have the flexibility to choose courses from the range of fields that make up English Studies of the 21st century: from literatures and creative writing to business and technical communication, linguistics & teaching of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and film studies. In these courses, you'll become a strong writer and critical thinker with the skills to succeed in many different career fields.

Take a closer look:

Do you have a hard time putting a book down? Are you fascinated by the diversity of today's interconnected world? In the words of a celebrated writer, "The purpose of creative literature is to elevate the human experience to a higher plane of regard." Regard means both seeing something clearly and valuing it properly; in this quotation, that 'something' is our lives. The best literature gives the best insights, presenting representative human experiences in ways that access their meaning and their mystery. Come regard the wide range of literature offerings in our department–as wide as the world of human experience–and, through the teacher-guided readings these courses provide, sharpen your regard for your own and other lives.

Are you interested in editing, project management, technical writing, grant writing, web design, user experience design, etc.? You will gain these and other practical and marketable skills by taking classes in Business and Technical Communication (BTC), which are also part of our professional certificate in BTC.

Or do you want to explore the know-how of poets, novelists, and screenwriters? Would you like to take part in writing new chapters in the cultural story of North Carolina and beyond? The Creative Writing faculty will teach you how to write well and with style (which, by the way, is important in any career path you take!). You will learn how to move readers to action and how to write in a way that is both informational and engaging.

Are you fascinated with language and would like to know where it comes from, how it works, and how it lives and dies? How manmade languages like Klingon are created? Linguistics is the scientific study of human languages. You can study how children create a grammar, how writing and speaking intersect, how languages vary from place to place, where languages come fromand if you want to travel after graduation, add learning how to teach English to native speakers of another language and earn a professional certificate in TESOL while doing it.

Did you know that most college students spend nearly half of their day--a whopping 11 hours--consuming visual media like TV, films, streaming content, video games, banner ads, advertising, and more? The Film Studies classes will equip you with the tools needed to navigate the increasingly complex and blurred divisions between media content and real life. Most people understand the media around them at face value and consume the images they are fed without understanding what they really mean,but the Film Studies minor offers you a glimpse at the proverbial man–or woman–behind the curtain.

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Program Coordinator: Donna Kain (2202 Bate Building; 252-328-6041; [email protected])

The English, BA prepares students for skilled jobs in the 21st century. Employers are looking for people who can communicate through writing and speaking in different situations and with people from all walks of life, using a variety of media and technology. English majors create their own paths through the major, selecting courses in literature, creative writing, multicultural and transnational literature, business and technical communication, linguistics, rhetoric and composition, folklore, and film studies. Students develop problem-solving abilities valuable in the workplace, in volunteer organizations, and in civic and family life. Above all, English majors are skilled analysts and effective writers. Sensitive to the nuances of language, they have learned from influential authors, past and present, how to engage, persuade, inform, and explain. English majors excel at recognizing connections among ideas and information in texts, talk, and visual media. They know to approach problems from a broad perspective informed by social and cultural differences in their historical context. Research shows that reading fiction increases empathy: English majors are skilled at reading people as well as books. English graduates have pursued careers in education, government, publishing, business, law, healthcare, journalism, script and songwriting, library science, social work, industry, and the public sector. They have obtained graduate degrees in literature, linguistics, teaching English to speakers of other languages, writing, rhetoric, communication, law, engineering, business administration, and other fields. Strong writers, readers, and critical thinkers, English majors are prepared to enter many career fields in today's information-based economy that requires creativity, flexibility, effective communication, and life-long learning.

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

(For information about the foreign language requirement view Special Requirements for the BA Degree in the Academic Advisement, Progression and Support Services section and Placement Testing, Foreign Language in the Admission and Readmission section.)

a. Author studies (3 s.h.)

Choose one course from the following: 

• ENGL 3070 - Shakespeare: The Histories
• ENGL 3080 - Shakespeare: The Comedies
• ENGL 3090 - Shakespeare: The Tragedies
• ENGL 3200 - Author Studies
b. Diverse voices (3 s.h.)

Choose one course from the following: 

• ENGL 2260 - Topics in Contemporary African American Cultural Texts
• ENGL 2400 - World Literature in English
• ENGL 3260 - History of African American Literature
• ENGL 3280 - African Literature
• ENGL 3290 - Asian American Literature
• ENGL 3300 - Women and Literature
• LING 2050 - English for Global Communication
• LING 2740 - Language in the USA
• LING 3720 - Writing Systems of the World
c. Historical surveys (6 s.h.)
Historical period I

Choose one course from the following: 

• ENGL 3000 - History of British Literature to 1700
• ENGL 3600 - Classics from Homer to Dante
Historical period II

Choose one course from the following: 

• ENGL 3010 - History of British Literature, 1700-1900
• ENGL 3020 - History of American Literature to 1900
• ENGL 3260 - History of African American Literature
• FILM 3900 - American and International Film History, Part I
• FILM 3901 - American and International Film History Part II
d. Language (3 s.h.)

Choose one course from the following: 

• LING 2050 - English for Global Communication
• LING 2700 - Introduction to Language Studies
• LING 2710 - English Grammar
• LING 2740 - Language in the USA
• LING 3700 - History of the English Language
• LING 3720 - Writing Systems of the World
• LING 3730 - The Structure of English: Phonology and Morphology
• LING 3740 - The Structure of English: Syntax and Semantics
• LING 3750 - Introductory Linguistics
e. Writing (3 s.h.)

Choose one course from the following: 

• ENGL 2815 - Introduction to Creative Writing
• ENGL 2830 - Writing and Style
• ENGL 2885 - Writing and Document Design
• ENGL 3030 - Introduction to Rhetorical Studies
• ENGL 3040 - Introduction to Professional Writing
• ENGL 3810 - Advanced Composition
• ENGL 3820 - Scientific Writing
• ENGL 3830 - Introduction to Play Writing
• ENGL 3835 - Persuasive Writing
• ENGL 3840 - Introduction to Poetry Writing
• ENGL 3850 - Introduction to Fiction Writing
• ENGL 3860 - Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing
• ENGL 3875 - Introduction to Writing Studies
• ENGL 3880 - Writing for Business and Industry
• ENGL 3895 - Topics in Technical and Professional Writing
• LING 2710 - English Grammar

Note: Qualified undergraduates may take 5000-level ENGL courses as electives.

• Choose ENGL, FILM, or LING electives (exclusive of writing foundations courses [GE:EN]).
• Choose at least 9 s.h. of ENGL, FILM, or LING electives 4000 or above; excluding ENGL 4510, ENGL 4520, ENGL 4550, and ENGL 4555. Up to 3 s.h. may be satisfied with a professional internship (ENGL 4890 or ENGL 4891; or, for ENED majors only, ENED 4324 or ENED 4325). 

For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.