undergraduate requirements
The English major
(For a downloadable checklist of requirements, especially useful when meeting with your advisor, go to English Major Requirements.)
The major in English requires 30 semester hours in ENGL courses above the 100 level, including 18 hours at the 300 level or above, completion of the major assessment portfolio. and fulfillment of the following distribution requirements:
- ENGL 300 (British literature to 1800)
- Either ENGL 302 (British literature since 1800) or ENGL 308 (American literature)
- One other pre-1800 literature or cultural studies course [ENGL 310, 312, 320, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329]
- ENGL 380 (Departmental seminar)
- ENGL 395 (Senior capstone)*
Major assessment portfolio: As part of the university's federally mandated program for assessing student progress, every English major must assemble a portfolio of written work. The portfolio is meant to help the department understand how well it is doing in helping to educate you and how it might do better; it is NOT an assessment of your abilities and achievements.
The portfolio consists of four items:
1. one graded paper from ENGL 300 (files of such papers are kept in the department office)
2. one graded paper from ENGL 380
3. an essay of 3-5 pages reflecting on one's experience in the major
4. the graded capstone project/paper from ENGL 395
The four required papers listed above should be emailed to Susan Grimm in the English department office (sxd290@case.edu). She will create the actual portfolio (a Blackboard function closed to students) from the listed materials.
*Capstone opportunities and obligations
English majors normally fulfill the SAGES capstone requirement by taking ENGL 395. This capstone is also open to non-majors who have taken the prerequisites ENGL 300 (English Literature to 1800) and ENGL 380 (the English departmental seminar).
English majors who wish to fulfill the capstone requirement in another department (and hence not to take ENGL 395) should petition the department chair and as part of the petition assemble the major assessment portfolio, including the reflective essay.
The capstone minor allows non-majors to take the English capstone. It consists of 15 hours at the 200 level or above, including ENGL 300 and 380 and culminating in ENGL 395.
Honors Track for English Majors
To qualify for the B.A. with honors in English, students must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5 in courses taken for the honors track. Students wishing to follow the honors track should speak to their advisors as early in the major as possible. The honors program requires foreign-language competence at the 4th-semester level and 36 semester hours of coursework in English classes above the 100 level, including the following: (See checklist.)
- All normal requirements for the major
- ENGL 387 (Critical Theory) or approved substitute in theory
- FRCH 202, GREK 202, GRMN 202, JAPN 202, LATN 202, SPAN 202 or equivalent in a language for which 300-level literature courses are available at CWRU.
- At least 15 hours of elective courses in literary and cultural studies (A maximum of 6 hours in foreign-language literature courses at the 300-level or above or in creative writing courses may be substituted)
The minor in English
The minor in English requires at least 15 semester hours in ENGL courses at the 200 level or above. Students are strongly encouraged to begin their study with ENGL 300 (English Literature to 1800). Students who wish to minor in English should arrange their sequence of courses in consultation with the department's minor advisor. They also should keep in mind that the flexibility of the department's requirements often makes it possible to take English as a second major.
The minor in Film
The minor in Film requires at least 15 semester hours. For more detailed information on this minor, check out Film Studies at CWRU, particularly the Minor in Film page.
Sequences in English for Case School of Engineering students
Sequences in English provide students with an examination of major literary texts, close study of a cultural period or genre (including film), increased facility in writing, and a better understanding of the nature and functioning of language. Any sequence of three courses above the 100 level (9 hours) that meets at least two of these goals normally will be accepted. Students should consult the department's sequence advisor in planning their programs. ENGL 398 and 398N cannot be counted toward a sequence or a minor.
Secondary Teacher Certification in English
The English Department offers a special option for undergraduate students who wish to pursue an English major and a career in teaching. The Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) Teacher Education Program in Integrated Language Arts prepares CWRU students to receive an Ohio Teaching License for grades 7-12. Students declare a second major in Education – which involves 34 hours in Education and practicum requirements – and complete a planned sequence of English content coursework within the context of an English major. The program is designed to offer several unique features not found in other programs and to place students in mentored teaching situations throughout their teacher preparation career. This small, rigorous program is designed to capitalize on the strengths of CWRU’s English Department, its Teacher Education Program, and the relationships the University has built with area schools. Students interested in this program should contact Denise K. Davis (denise.k.davis@case.edu) early in their undergraduate careers.