Department of English

English Major Options

• General English Literature Major - core curriculum covering major periods, figures and genres in English and American literature
• General English Literature Major with Honors - core curriculum covering major periods, figures and genres in English and American literature but with a minimum of 31 credits; 2 honors seminars and a 2 semester senior honors thesis required
• English Major with an Emphasis in Creative Writing - core curriculum augmented by creative writing workshops and a directed creative writing thesis. Go to the Creative Writing website.
• English Major with Honors in Creative Writing - core curriculum augmented by creative writing workshops, a directed creative writing thesis and 2 honors seminars
• English Major with an Emphasis in Language and Linguistics - core curriculum plus courses in Old English, Middle English and linguistics. Go the ELL website.
• Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language - academic and pedagogical preparation for prospective English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers

General English Literature Major

The general literature major in English requires the completion of selected core courses in English with a curriculum planned to be representative of the major periods, figures, and genres in English and American literature.

Completion of this major requires a minimum of 28 credits earned in at least 9 intermediate or advanced courses. All students must take English 215. Students must also take one course in the four credit format selected from either 215, 216 or 217. The fourth credit is a writing-intensive workshop focusing on drafts and revisions of papers required by the course. All other core courses are taken for 3 credits. Click on the outline of course requirements to see which courses fulfill each of the requirements in the major. The requirements and courses are distributed as follows:

1. 28 credits intermediate or advanced level courses (English 215 and above)
2. An English course taken in the 4-credit format (chosen from English 215, 216, or 217)
3. English 215 English Literature before 1800
4. English 216 English Literature since 1800 and an elective in American literature (courses numbered 605-672)
   OR
   English 217 American Literature 1620-present and an elective in post-1800 British literature (460-479, 500-504, 507)
5. A course in Shakespeare (219, 220, 226, 417, 418)
6. An additional course in English literature before 1800 excluding Shakespeare (224, 230,235, 322, 360-380, 383-416, 419-459)
7. A nonperiod course (criticism, genre, gender or multicultural literature) chosen from the English 550-599 series or 248, 249, 250, 270, 275, 481, 662, 672
8. Any three additional intermediate or advanced courses numbered 215 and above.

General English Literature Major with Honors

Students wishing to earn honors in the major should consult the adviser regarding the application procedure. To earn honors in the major a minimum of 31 credits in the curriculum is required. In general, honors students are encouraged to enroll in courses offered for honors credit whenever possible, but at least one nonhonors course in the curriculum must be taken for honors credit. Click on the outline of course requirements to see which courses fulfil each of the requirements in the major. The following courses are required:

1. 31 credits (intermediate or advanced level courses)
2. An English course taken in the 4-credit format (chosen from English 215, 216, or 217)
3. English 215 English Literature before 1800
4. English 216 English Literature since 1800 and an elective in American literature (courses numbered 605-672)
   OR
   English 217 American Literature 1620-present and an elective in post-1800 British literature (460-479, 500-504, 507)
5. A course in Shakespeare (219, 220, 226, 417, 418)
6. An additional course in English literature pre-1800 excluding Shakespeare (224, 230, 235, 322, 360-380, 383-416, 419-459)
7. An additional intermediate or advanced course
8. 381 Sophomore Honors: Research Methods in English
9. 481 Junior Honors Seminar: Introduction to Theory
10. 681 and 682: Senior Thesis

English Major with an Emphasis in Creative Writing

Students with a particular interest in creative writing (see also the Creative Writing section on this website) can choose to earn an English major with an emphasis on creative writing. These students combine a background in literature with a concentration of courses in writing fiction or poetry.

Requirements of the English Major with an Emphasis on Creative Writing are a minimum of 28 credits earned in at least 9 intermediate or advanced courses. All students must take English 215 and also one course in the four credit format selected from 215, 216 or 217. The fourth credit is a writing-intensive workshop focusing on drafts and revisions of papers required by the course. Click on the outline of course requirements to see which courses fulfil each of the requirements in the major. The requirements and courses are distributed as follows:

1. 28 credits (intermediate or advanced level courses)
2. An English course taken in the 4-credit format (chosen from English 215, 216, or 217)
3. English 215 English Literature before 1800
4. English 216 English Literature since 1800 and an elective in American literature (courses numbered 605-672)
   OR
   English 217 American Literature 1620-present and an elective in post-1800 British literature (460-479, 500-504, 507)
5. A course in Shakespeare (219, 220, 226, 417, 418)
6. Three Creative Writing Workshops (English 300-307)
7. English 695: A Directed Creative Writing Course (Offered primarily in the Spring semester)

The prerequisites for English 300-307 vary. Please consult the Timetable. Students who have taken no prior creative writing workshops, or find the courses to be closed, should apply for admission by submitting a writing sample (5-10 pp. of prose, 3-5 pp. of poetry) to the Program Coordinator on the last Monday of classes in the semester prior to that in which the student wishes to be enrolled.

Upon completion of three 300-level workshops, an English Major may register for English 695 (Directed Thesis) and graduation with a Creative Writing Emphasis in the major.

English Major with Honors in Creative Writing

Students who wish to earn honors in the major with an emphasis in Creative Writing should consult the adviser regarding the application procedure. Click on the outline of course requirements to see which courses fulfil each of the requirements in the major. To earn honors in the creative writing major the following courses are required:

1. At least 1 nonhonors course taken for honors credit
2. An English course taken in the 4-credit format (chosen from English 215, 216, or 217)
3. English 215 English Literature before 1800
4. English 216 English Literature since 1800 and an elective in American literature (courses numbered 605-672)
   OR
   English 217 American Literature 1620-present and an elective in post-1800 British literature (460-479, 500-504, 507)
5. A course in Shakespeare (219, 220, 226, 417, 418)
6. An additional course in English literature pre-1800 excluding Shakespeare (224, 230, 235, 322, 360-380, 383-416, 419-459)
7. English 381 Sophomore Honors: Research Methods in English
8. English 481 Junior Honors: Seminar in the Major
9. Three Creative Writing Workshops (English 300-307)
10. English 695: A Directed Creative Writing Course (Offered primarily in the Spring semester)

English Major with an Emphasis in Language and Linguistics

A major emphasis on language and linguistics is available to students who wish to combine a background in literature with a concentration of courses in the history and structure of the English language. In this option students who seek to emphasize language and linguistics in their major curriculum take the core English major curriculum and then select additional courses from the language and linguistics offerings, including Old English, Middle English.

Completion of this major requires a minimum of 28 credits earned in at least 9 intermediate or advanced courses. All students must take English 215 and must also take one course in the four credit format selected from either 215, 216 or 217. The fourth credit is a writing-intensive workshop focusing on drafts and revisions of papers required by the course. All other core courses are taken for 3 credits. Click on the outline of course requirements to see which courses fulfil each of the requirements in the major. The requirements and courses are distributed as follows:

1. 28 credits (intermediate or advanced level courses)
2. An English course taken in the 4-credit format (chosen from English 215, 216, or 217)
3. English 215 English Literature before 1800
4. English 216 English Literature since 1800 and an elective in American literature (courses numbered 605-672)
   OR
   English 217 American Literature 1620-present and an elective in post-1800 British literature (460-479, 500-504, 507)
5. A course in Shakespeare (219, 220, 226, 417, 418)
6. An additional course in English literature pre-1800 excluding Shakespeare (224, 230, 235, 322, 360-380, 383-416, 419-459)
7. English 324: Structure of English
8. English 323: History of the English Language
9. English 320: Old English
10. A course selected from:
    321 Middle English
    325 English in Use
    329 Introduction to the Syntax of English
    330 English Phonology
    331 English Dialects
    332 Global Spread of English
    336 English in Society
    338 Topics (proposed)
    341 Gender and Language (proposed)

Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language

A Certificate in TESOL is offered to undergraduate, graduate or Special students (who have completed an undergraduate degree) who wish to teach English as a foreign or second language, normally in positions abroad. The student must: complete a 21-credit program of prescribed upper-division courses, including a practicum, with a minimum GPA of 3.25; have satisfactorily completed at least four college-level terms (or the equivalent) of a modern foreign language, including its spoken form (if a native speaker of English); and demonstrate the ability to speak and write English at a level commensurate with the role of language model.

This certificate records a course of study at UW-Madison; it is not necessarily equivalent to professional certification by other bodies, such as the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

1. Foundational Courses
   324 Structure of English
   330 English Phonology
   334 Introduction to TESOL Methods
2. Courses on Second Language Acquisition and Teaching
   333 Second Language Acquisition
   335 Techniques and Materials for TESOL
   337 TESOL Workshops (3 one-credit modules)
3. Courses on Social Perspectives on English
   A course selected from:
   331 English Language Variation in the U.S.
   332 Global Spread of English
   336 English in Society

(rev. 8/2005)