The undergraduate major in English is built around an 18-hour core that includes one course from each of the following six categories: American Literature, British Literature, World Literature, Film, Linguistics, and Rhetoric. In addition to the 18-hour core, students take 21 hours of course work in their concentration.
The concentration in Rhetoric and Professional Writing (LWR) emphasizes the study of written English in its theoretical, cultural, and practical applications. The 21-hour concentration includes one course in effective communication, one course in digital technology, three Rhetoric and Professional Writing electives, and two English electives. This curriculum can lead to a broad range of professions, with a special focus on careers that involve creating, designing, and producing documents: the news media, business and technical communication, the writing and publishing professions. Students may also focus their studies upon rhetoric, composition, and linguistics and prepare for graduate study in these areas or for law school, teaching, and other professions.