Undergraduate Programs

All undergraduate English majors must choose a concentration when they declare a major.  As of Spring, 2021, the concentrations are (1) Literatures and Criticism, (2) Creative Writing, (3) English: Foundations for Adolescent Education, (4) English Language Arts (ELA), and (5) Linguistics and Rhetoric.

While these concentrations share many features and require completing some of the same classes, each of these concentrations has a different emphasis:

Literature and Criticism is focused on engaging extensively with literary texts, literary history, scholarship and criticism;

Creative Writing is intended for those students who wish to work on their writerly craft in fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction;

English: Foundations for Adolescent Education is intended primarily for students who wish to develop skills to teach secondary school;

English Language Arts is intended primarily for students who wish to develop skills to teach primary school or who wish to pursue a liberal studies approach to English;

Linguistics and Rhetoric gives students a solid foundation in understanding language, semantics, persuasion, and socio-linguistics.

Each of the concentrations has a different course of study.  Below are links to checklists for courses required in each current concentration. (For students who declared the major after 2/19/21)

• LITERATURES AND CRITICISM
• CREATIVE WRITING
• ENGLISH: FOUNDATIONS FOR ADOLESCENT EDUCATION
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
• LINGUISTICS AND RHETORIC

Each concentration requires that students complete 42 credits, including English 220 (a course which must be taken by a large majority of Hunter’s students to graduate and is a prerequisite to all upper division English classes). In some concentrations, one class from another department can apply to the major. Please consult the checklists for specifics.

From Fall, 2013 until February 19th, 2021, the five (39 credit) concentrations had different names, slightly different emphases, and different requirements. Students who declared during this period should consult the following checklists for required courses:

• LITERATURES, LANGUAGE & CRITICISM 
• CREATIVE WRITING
  
• ENGLISH: PREPARATION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHING
  
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
  
• LINGUISTICS AND RHETORIC

Click this link for a list of Approved Courses for Outside the English Department Electives

English Departmental Honors:

Departmental Honors are awarded to students who take ENGL 494, Honors Seminar. For more information, see the link (above) under Student Opportunities. 

English Minor (12 Credits)

Non-majors are encouraged to pursue a minor in English.

Courses

For a list of undergraduate courses see here.

Undergraduate Program Learning Outcomes