English

English

Learning Format

On-Campus

Types

Bachelor's, Minor
English

Come find your voice as an English major!

A degree in English allows you to pursue your passion while gaining the career-readiness competencies employers value the most: expert communication skills paired with creative and innovative thinking! As an English major, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the world through the study of literature, language, and writing in its many forms. 

We have the most diverse course selection of any comparably sized college in New England. Our department boasts a wide array of courses in British, American, European, and nonwestern literature, as well as an exciting range of specialized writing courses. You can take a course in Postcolonial, Contemporary LatinX, or African American Literature; as well as courses in Young Adult Literature, Modern British and American Poetry, Victorian Hauntings, Shakespeare’s World, Global Film, Grant Writing, Writing for Online and Social Media, Writing Fiction and so much more!

We offer an impressive range of concentrations and minors focused on job-preparation and areas of specialized study. You can choose between: Journalism, Professional Writing, Creative Writing, Teacher-Licensure Program, Film Studies, African American Literature and Film, Children’s and Young Adult Literature, and the new field of Digital Humanities. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn both a B.A. and an M.A. in five short years through our 4 +1 Program.

Classes are small and discussion-based, allowing you to build close, individualized relationships with English faculty and fellow students. You’ll experience annual special events, the pride of being part of student publications, including our award-winning student newspaper, memorable field trips to Concord, Boston and New York City, and faculty-led study abroad programs to India and beyond. Join us!

Get Involved! English Clubs, Author Events and More!

It’s illegal to bored if you’re an English major! In a typical year, you’ll meet inspiring published authors, share your voice at open mics, and attend our film series, poetry festival, and awards ceremony, dubbed “The English Oscars.” You’ll publish your work in FSU’s student literary magazine, The Onyx, and you’ll have the opportunity to join FSU’s award-winning student newspaper, The Gatepost, which for 15 years running has won dozens of Mark of Excellence Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Internships for English Majors

Our partnership with the Mancuso Humanities Workforce Preparation Center offers stipends for course-credit internships and helps identify off-campus internships in Boston and in the MetroWest region. On- campus internship opportunities include working with Campus Publications, Career Services, the Library Archives, the Sports Information Office, our Center for Digital Humanities, and even our English Department social media sites!

Careers in English

The strong reading, critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills you develop as an English major will prepare you for any career you wish to pursue after college. Many English majors go on to graduate school as well as rewarding careers in law, publishing, editing, teaching, technical writing, journalism, sports media, public relations, non-profit proposal and grant writing, higher education, marketing, social media, and library science. Many students go on to earn advanced degrees in these diverse fields. 

Melina Bourdeau

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate an aesthetic understanding of language and literature   

  • Understand the reciprocal relationships among literary texts and specific aspects of their historical times, places, and cultures. 

  • Demonstrate advanced skills for reading different kinds of discourse 

  • Understand scholarly approaches to literature, including a variety of critical theories and methodologies 

  • Demonstrate advanced communication skills, including the ability to write lucid prose for specific rhetorical situations 

  • Demonstrate advanced ability to conduct academic research, from locating and evaluating print and electronic sources to integrating research materials into substantial critical essays   

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

All students must satisfy a general education requirement consisting of ten (10) courses outside of the major department. The General Education Domain I-B (Humanities) is satisfied through the completion of the English major.

Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or appropriate placement test scores. Students should refer to course descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.

Each incoming student must take placement examinations in writing, which are administered prior to orientation for new students. Information regarding Placement Testing dates and times may be found at http://a1d.zb-fc.com/studentaffairs/placement.htm. Contact the Office of First Year Programs located in the Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA) for reservations.

 

Writing Code Interpretation:

Code                  Explanation

0.0 - 2.1           Student must enroll in and successfully complete ENWR 100 Composition I with Writing Studio before being eligible to enroll in ENWR 110 Composition II. Prior to the start of the semester, a writing                              placement test may be available.
2.3                   Student must enroll in and successfully complete ENWR 105 Composition I before being eligible to enroll in ENWR 110 Composition II.
3.0                   Student is eligible to enroll in ENWR 110 Composition II.
4.0                   Student is eligible to enroll in ENWR 110 Composition II. Student has successfully completed non-credit preparatory coursework at another institution.
5.0                   Student is eligible to enroll in ENWR 110 Composition II. Student has been awarded transfer credit equivalent to ENWR 105 Composition I.
9.0                   Equivalent of ENWR 110 Composition II has been accepted in transfer.

Major Core (9 courses):

(Students permitted by the Department Chair to waive this requirement must take ENGL 333 Critical Writing.)

Literature Group A (Early British): One (1) course from the following:

Literature Group B (Modern British): One (1) course from the following:

Literature Group C (American): Two (2) courses in American literature:

Literature Group D: One (1) course from Classical and European:

Literature Group E: One (1) course from Contemporary Global and Postcolonial Literature:

Literature Group F: One (1) course focused on literature or film from an historically underrepresented group*:

*Note: Students with a Concentration in Teaching and Minor in Secondary Education may fulfill this requirement and one of their Group C requirements with one course.  However, they still must take 12 courses to complete the English major.  

 Capstone course:

Minimum of elementary knowledge of one world language required (0-2 courses). The Elementary Level may be met in one of several ways:

  1. Completion of a college-level Elementary II or above language course;
  2. Emersion Language Placement test score of 3 or higher;
  3. Waiver from the Chair of the World Languages Department if high school academic language is other than English (usually applies to international students).

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Concentration core course:

Choose three (3) from the following courses:

Required Writing or Journalism Elective (1):

Choose one (1) of the following writing or journalism courses:

 Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Choose four (4) from the following courses:

Required Writing or Journalism Elective (1):

Choose one (1) of the following writing or journalism courses:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Choose One (1) from the following:

Choose Two (2) from the following:

Choose One (1) of the following:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Choose four (4) from the following courses:

Required Writing or Journalism Elective:

Choose one (1) of the following writing or journalism courses:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

DOMAIN I-A:

DOMAIN III-A (Choose one (1)):

DOMAIN III-B:

DOMAIN III-C:

Specified Major Core courses (9 courses):

Concentration core courses (5 courses):

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

 Required course for Secondary Education Licensure:

 Note: These courses may be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

Completion of second semester intermediate foreign language or equivalent

Secondary Education Minor Requirements for Teacher of English 5-12:

See Education Department section on the catalog for further information on teacher education.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Concentration core courses:

Choose two (2) additional professional writing courses from the following, at least one (1) of which must be at the 300-level:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Note: Students should plan to work with the English Internship Coordinator to identify an appropriate internship during the semester before taking ENGL 495 Internship in English.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Concentration core courses:

Choose one (1) course from the following:

Capstone (not taken above):

 

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

English Minor Requirements (6 courses):

EFFECTIVE AS OF THE 2023-2024 UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG

Career Opportunities

English majors will be prepared to pursue career opportunities across a wide range of exciting fields, including:

Two FSU students reading a newspaper

Publishing

Prepares and manages the distribution of books, newspapers, periodicals, or websites. 

Teaching

Sharing knowledge, providing educational guidance, and ensuring students understand topics. 

Technical Writing

Prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, and journal articles to communicate complex information. 

Journalism

Research and write news articles and stories about real events using a fair and unbiased perspective

Marketing

Plan, execute, and monitor a successful marketing campaign.  

Library Science

Custodians of printed materials, records, photographs, and audiovisual materials. 

Lisa Eck

Lisa Eck, Ph.D.

Professor and Department Chair (On Sabbatical), English Department
(508) 626-4848
leck@zb-fc.com
May Hall
Photo of Dr. Alexander Hartwiger

Alexander (Sandy) Hartwiger, PhD

Associate Professor, English Department
508-626-4806
ahartwiger@zb-fc.com
May Hall
Photo of Bartholomew Brinkman

Bartholomew Brinkman, Ph.D.

Professor, English Department and Director, Center for Digital Humanities
508-626-4812
bbrinkman@zb-fc.com
May Hall
Photo of Dr. Carolyn Maibor

Carolyn Maibor, Ph.D.

Professor, English Department
(508) 626-4808
cmaibor@zb-fc.com
May Hall
See All
Austin Riffelmacher

Austin Riffelmacher, English major

"Their [English Department faculty] fostering of my abilities contributed to my success and was a big reason why I was able to get into this program at Yale.”

McKenzie Ward, English and History double major

FSU is more than just where I go to school, it is where I know I can accomplish anything and feels like my second home.

McKenzie Ward
Sophia Harris

Sophia Harris, English, Editor-in-Chief, Gatepost

Being a journalist on The Gatepost has taught me skills I will use for the rest of my life. 

Learn More

If the English major sounds like a good fit but you would like to learn more, contact Admissions at admissions [at] zb-fc.com (admissions[at]framingham[dot]edu) or 508-626-4500. 

 Apply 

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