English Teaching

Welcome to the English Teaching Major. A degree focusing on English Teaching is for students who wish for specific training in the teaching of language and literature at the secondary level. This major is coordinated with the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Courses

Note: No more than 9 credits may be from lower-division courses.

UCORE Humanities Requirement [HUM] (1 course, 3 credit hours):

  • One of the following: Hum 101, 103, 302, 303, 304, 335, 350, 410, or 450 (the last two are Tier III [T] classes recommended for English majors).

Core (5 courses, 15 credit hours):

  • Writing, Research, and Rhetoric (one of the following):
    • Engl 301: Writing and Rhetorical Conventions
    • Engl 302: Introduction to English Studies
  • American Literature (one of the following):
    • Engl 368: The American Novel
    • Engl 371: 17th and 18th Century Transnational Literature in English
    • Engl 372: 19th Century Literature of the British Empire and the America
    • Engl 470: Literature and Culture of the American West
    • Engl 480: American Literature: Beginnings to 1865
    • Engl 481: American Literature: 1865-1940
    • Engl 482: American Literature: 1940-Present
  • Mutlinational or National Literature other than U.S. (one of the following):
    • Engl 370: The Making of “English”: Literature, Language and Culture Before 1600
    • Engl 373: 20th and 21st Century Global Literatures in English.
    • Engl 366: The British Novel to 1900
    • Engl 419: The Twentieth Century Novel
    • Engl 483: Chaucer and Medieval Literature
    • Engl 484: English Literature of the 16th Century
    • Engl 485: Milton and English Literature of the 17th Century
    • Engl 486: English Literature of the Restoration and 18th Century
    • Engl 487: British Romantic Literature
    • Engl 488: Victorian Literature
    • Engl 489: 20th/21st Century British and Postcolonial Literatures
    • Hum 302: Humanities in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
    • Hum 303: Reason, Romanticism, and Revolution
    • Hum 304: Humanities in the Modern World
    • Hum 335: The Bible as Literature
    • Hum 338: Topics in Humanities
    • Hum 350: Sacred Texts and Cultures of World Religions
    • Hum 410: Love in the Arts
    • Hum 450: Representations of the Holocaust
  • Marginalized Writers (one of the following):
    • Engl 311:  Asian Pacific American Literature
    • Engl 314:  Topics in Asian Pacific American Literature
    • Engl 315:  Asian Pacific American Autobiography
    • Engl 317:  Gay and Lesbian Literature
    • Engl 321:  African American Literature
    • Engl 322:  Topics in African American Literature
    • Engl 341:  Native American Literature
    • Engl 345:  Contemporary Latina/o Literatures
  • Shakespeare (one of the following):
    • Engl 305: Shakespeare [to 1600]
    • Engl 306: Shakespeare [after 1600]

Teaching Concentration (4 courses, 12 credit hours):

  • Engl 326: Applied Grammar for Teachers
  • Engl 325: Young Adult Literature
  • Engl 324: Rhetoric and Composition for Teaching
  • Engl 323: Approaches to the Teaching of English

English or Humanities Electives (2 courses, 6 credit hours):

  • Students may take for their electives any combination of literature classes from either the English or Humanities courses, with advisor approval. At least one of these courses must be a writers-of-color class so designated by the Undergraduate Studies Committee.
  • For secondary credential, grades of C or better are required in all courses in the major, as well as 2.5 g.p.a. overall. See College of Education for additional credential requirements.

Note:

No more than 3 credit hours may be lower division courses unless approved by advisor. Majors in all options must have two [M] (writing intensive) courses in English. Of the 120 total credit hours required for the bachelor’s degree at WSU, forty credit hours must be in upper-division courses. For course descriptions and suggested four-year degree sequences, see the current WSU catalog.

Exit Questionnaire
In all options, students are required to complete an exit questionnaire before graduation.

Seeking Dual Endorsement:
The departments of English and history offer an option to prepare students who plan to seek endorsements for teaching in both areas. The advisor in the student’s primary department can assist students in fulfilling the 51 required credit hours for this option.

Potential Careers

  • English teacher
  • College professor
  • Historian
  • Language Instructor
  • Librarian
  • Translator
  • Writer