Navigating the English Major at Boston University: A Comprehensive Guide

The English Department at Boston University (BU) offers a comprehensive and adaptable program designed to cultivate critical thinking, analytical prowess, and effective communication skills. This guide provides a detailed overview of the English major requirements, opportunities, and resources available to students.

The Mission of BU's English Department

The central mission of BU’s English department revolves around the study of literature in its broadest sense. This includes everything from the classic works of the past, examined for their stylistic and social nuances, to the latest cultural, media, graphic, and digital forms emerging in the 21st century. Students explore a diverse range of materials, including medieval romances, Shakespearean tragedies, social satires, lyrics, realist novels, avant-garde writing, Hollywood movies, graphic novels, slave narratives, and performance art.

Core Skills and Learning Environment

BU's English courses, typically seminar-sized with fewer than 20 students, offer personalized attention and promote vibrant discussions among peers. The curriculum emphasizes close reading, rigorous analysis, original thinking, effective writing, and thorough research.

The skills acquired by English students-careful interpretive reading, clear persuasive writing, confident discussion participation, and innovative thinking-prepare them for various professional paths, including law, education, journalism, medicine, business, and entertainment. These skills also help students grapple with fundamental personal and social questions, guiding them in defining their values and aspirations.

Degree Requirements and Structure

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English

The English major at BU requires the completion of 10 English courses, thoughtfully structured to ensure exposure to a variety of texts, traditions, and theories. The major is designed to be both rigorous and flexible, providing foundational skills and knowledge while allowing students to pursue individual interests.

Course Requirements: Students must take at least eight additional courses beyond CAS EN 101 and CAS EN 220. One course numbered CAS EN 121-201, 203-215, or 221 may count toward the eight additional courses. At least six of these courses must be numbered 300 or higher. Students may not satisfy the requirement for multiple groups with a single, overlapping course.
Advising: English majors should consult the Undergraduate Coordinator in English to determine which faculty member will serve as their advisor. With the aid of their advisors, students should design a coherent major of at least eight courses beyond CAS EN 101 and CAS EN 220.

BU Hub Integration

All BU undergraduate students, including English majors, participate in the BU Hub, the university’s general education program integrated into the undergraduate experience. The BU Hub requirements can be met through coursework within and beyond the major, as well as through co-curricular activities.

English majors typically satisfy many BU Hub requirements through their coursework, including:

Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings
Aesthetic Exploration
Historical Consciousness
Individual in Community
Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Ethical Reasoning
Oral and/or Signed Communication
Digital/Multimedia Expression
Critical Thinking
Writing-Intensive Course
Research & Information Literacy

Honors Program

The Independent Work for Departmental Honors (IWDH) program offers English majors the chance to conduct in-depth research in an area of interest during their senior year. To graduate with departmental honors, students must take two additional courses and complete a thesis, presented to a committee of English department faculty at the end of the academic year.

BA/MA Program

The English Department offers a combined Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (BA/MA) program. One 500- or 600-level class may count toward both the BA and MA, reducing the number of additional MA classes to seven. A grade point average of at least 3.0 must be maintained for all classes that apply to the MA. Courses at the 500/600 level taken prior to admission into the BA/MA program may be used to fulfill MA requirements but are limited to two total. Students must also demonstrate graduate-level reading proficiency in one classical or modern foreign language prior to completion of the degree, and complete at least one course that focuses primarily on critical theory, critical method, or the history of criticism.

Metropolitan College (MET) Bachelor's Degree in English & American Literature

Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) offers a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) in English & American Literature designed for domestic transfer students with at least six completed courses at a regionally accredited college or university. This program focuses on English and American literary culture and its traditions across genres and time periods.

The program is offered in a part-time evening format, ideal for working professionals.
Students complete their degree at an affordable tuition rate, enrolling in two to three courses (8-12 units) each semester.
Electives are chosen with the advice of an academic counselor.

Course List and Requirements at Northeastern University

Northeastern University also offers an English Major. The course list includes:

Foundation Courses

ENGL 1000 English at Northeastern
ENGL 1160 Introduction to Rhetoric or ENGL 1410 Introduction to Research on Writing
ENGL 1400 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 1700 Global Literatures 1 or ENGL 1701 Global Literatures 2

Literary Periods Pre-1850

Complete two of the following:

ENGL 1502 American Literature to 1865
ENGL 1600 Introduction to Shakespeare
ENGL 2296 Early African-American Literature or AFCS 2296 Early African-American Literature
ENGL 2330 The American Renaissance
ENGL 3101 Early Literatures
ENGL 3120 17th- and 18th-Century Literatures
ENGL 3160 Topics in 17th- and 18th-Century British Literatures
ENGL 3619 Emerson and Thoreau
ENGL 3678 Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity or JWSS 3678 Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity
ENGL 4010 Topics in Shakespeare

Post-1850

Complete one of the following:

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

ENGL 2301 The Graphic Novel
ENGL 2420 Contemporary Poetry
ENGL 2430 Contemporary Fiction
ENGL 2450 Postcolonial Literature
ENGL 2451 Postcolonial Women Writers
ENGL 2455 American Women Writers
ENGL 2470 Asian-American Literature
ENGL 2600 Irish Literary Culture (Abroad)
ENGL 3161 20th- and 21st-Century Literatures

Theories and Methods

Complete one of the following:

ENGL 1140 Grammar: The Architecture of English
ENGL 1160 Introduction to Rhetoric
ENGL 1410 Introduction to Research on Writing
ENGL 1450 Reading and Writing in the Digital Age
ENGL 2520 Science Fiction
ENGL 2620 What Is Nature?
ENGL 2470 Asian-American Literature
ENGL 2760 Writing in Global Contexts
ENGL 3404 African American Rhetorical Traditions or AFCS 3404 African American Rhetorical Traditions
ENGL 3678 Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity or JWSS 3678 Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity or WMNS 3678 Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity
ENGL 3900 Gender and Black World Literatures or AFCS 3900 Gender and Black World Literatures or WMNS 3900 Gender and Black World Literatures

Electives

Complete any two ENGL courses, except for First-Year Writing and Advanced Writing in the Disciplines, that have not already been used to fulfill another requirement. The following may also be used as electives:

LING 1150 Introduction to Linguistics
LING 2350 Linguistic Analysis
LING 3450 Syntax
LING 3452 Semantics
LING 3454 History of English
LING 3456 Language and Gender

Experiential Learning Requirement

Complete one course in experiential learning from the list below or any Dialogues of Civilization experience. (Other study-abroad programs may not be used.) This course can also count toward another requirement in the major.

Experiential Learning Coursework

AFCS 2690 Boston in Literature
ENGL 3340 Technologies of Text
ENGL 3375 Writing Boston
ENGL 3381 The Practice and Theory of Teaching Writing
ENGL 3400 Opening the Archive

Dialogues of Civilization

Complete one Dialogues of Civilization experience including, but not limited to, those offered by the department (other study-abroad programs may not be used):

ENGL 2600 Irish Literary Culture (Abroad)
ENGL 2620 What Is Nature?
ENGL 3487 Film and Text (Abroad)

Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

Internships and Study Abroad

Many English majors pursue internships or study abroad opportunities in locations such as London, Sydney, and Dublin, enhancing their academic experience with practical skills and global perspectives.

Creative Writing and Playwriting Programs

Students can also take courses in the department’s Creative Writing Program and Playwriting Program.

Interdisciplinary Affiliations

Numerous English faculty members are affiliated with other programs, such as the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program; the Core Curriculum; the African Studies Center; African American Studies; Cinema & Media Studies; American & New England Studies; Medieval Studies; the College of Fine Arts; and Boston Playwrights’ Theatre.

Boston College English Major Requirements

The English Department at Boston College requires students to take 30 credits (ten 3-credit courses) in addition to two 3-credit Core courses. These must include ENGL2131 Studies in Poetry (3 credits) and ENGL2133 Studies in Narrative (3 credits), usually taken in sequence in the sophomore year. Students are also required to take a course in Race, Blackness, and Language. Students complete the English major by taking 15 credits in elective courses of their choice. All majors will be required to take one seminar prior to graduation.

English Minor at Boston College

The English minor is comprised of six courses (18 credits) beyond the Core requirements in English.

Creative Writing Concentration at Boston College

The creative writing concentrator undertakes a 36-credit English major instead of the usual 30 credits. English majors may declare the Creative Writing Concentration up through first semester of junior year, after receiving a grade of A- or better in one of the Department's creative writing workshops. The period for declaring the Concentration runs through the end of add/drop week of each semester.

Study Abroad at Boston College

English majors should complete (at minimum) the required Studies in Poetry and Studies in Narrative prior to study abroad, while minors should complete at least one of those requirements. Majors will need to have their preliminary application for study abroad approved by the department. Majors may count up to six credits per semester abroad for the major (12 credits maximum); minors may count six credits total. All courses taken abroad must be approved by the department in order to be counted toward the major or minor. A course syllabus is required for major/minor approval.

Honors Program at Boston College

The English Department offers an Honors program for English majors. Students admitted to the program will write an Honors thesis senior year, either a critical study or a creative project, for 6 credits total toward the major. Students contemplating an Honors thesis are encouraged to take a seminar during their junior year.

B.A./M.A. Program at Boston College

The English Department at Boston College offers a B.A./M.A. Program that allows selected students to earn both a B.A. and an M.A. in English in five years. Enrolled students will start earning graduate credit as a senior, then complete the M.A. in a fifth year of full-time study. Students in the B.A./M.A. program must meet all the specific course requirements for the undergraduate major as well as the formal requirements for the M.A., including the completion of Introduction to Advanced Research or its equivalent, demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language, a theory course, and a comprehensive exam. This requires overloading courses in the senior year, when BA/MA students take four courses that count towards the MA, at least two of which must be designated as graduate, or hybrid graduate/undergraduate, courses. Students interested in the program should consult the MA Director, to discuss whether this version of the M.A. is right for their individual goals. Admission to the program requires a GPA of 3.3 overall and a 3.6 in the English major. Students in the program will not be eligible for TF/TA positions or graduate financial aid. Applications are due by March 31 of the junior year. The required application materials are a personal statement, a writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and an official transcript.

Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Programs at Boston College

The BA-to-MA program in English is highly selective and allows exceptional students to complete some coursework toward the MA in English while enrolled as undergraduates. Students in this bachelor’s-to-master’s program must complete all bachelor’s degree requirements before enrolling as master’s students, although they may take graduate courses while enrolled as undergraduates. Students must register for and earn a minimum of 24 units while enrolled as master’s students. Students may apply up to 8 units (500 level or above) from the undergraduate degree to the master’s degree. Applications for the BA-to-MA program must be received by March 1 of the sophomore or junior year. Applicants must have completed AT LEAST six English courses, including AT LEAST three courses at the 300 level or above, by the time of application. They must have received a GPA of 3.7 or above in these courses. Applicants must also have an overall GPA of 3.0 to be considered for the program.

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