Exploring English Courses: A Guide to the JMU Undergraduate Catalog

The James Madison University (JMU) undergraduate catalog provides a comprehensive overview of the courses available to students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English. This article aims to explore the English courses listed in the JMU undergraduate catalog, offering insights into the major requirements, concentrations, and recommended schedules for English majors.

Degree and Major Requirements

Students majoring in English earn the B.A. degree unless they are completing an additional major in a degree program other than the B.A. The minimum requirement for a major in English is 36 credit hours of course work in the major. The department recommends that students choose a variety of courses from among different periods and topics. Students progress through the major by taking ENG 299 and three 200-level surveys, and then moving on to 300-level courses and at least two 400-level Advanced Studies courses. They also fulfill three distributional overlay requirements. Courses taken to fulfill General Education Cluster Two requirements may also fulfill requirements in the English major. Students may complete credit requirements by taking additional electives.

All students must include in their program the following: Choose three ENG courses at the 200 level, according to groupings listed below Credits: 9.00ENG 299. Choose two approved 400-level courses from the “Advanced Studies in…” courses Credits: 6.00Footnote1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

The courses selected to fulfill the 300- and 400-level requirements must include the following: One course at the 300 or 400 level, pre-1700 and one course at the 300 or 400 level, pre-1900. One course from the Identity, Diversity and Power selections and two courses at the 400 level. Electives: 9 Credit Hours Electives may be fulfilled by courses within a concentration. Electives may also meet the 300- or 400-level course requirements. Major Requirements Total: 36 Credit Hours

200-Level Courses

Students are required to choose three ENG courses at the 200 level, according to groupings listed below. These courses provide a foundation for further study in English literature and related fields.

ENG 221. Literature/Culture/Ideas [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 222. Genre(s) [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 235. Survey of English Literature: From Beowulf to the Eighteenth Century [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 236. Survey of English Literature: Eighteenth Century to Modern [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 239. Studies in World Literature [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 247. Survey of American Literature: From the Beginning to the Civil War [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 248. Survey of American Literature: From the Civil War to the Modern Period [C2L] Credits: 3.00
ENG 260. Survey of African American Literature [C2L] Credits: 3.00

Students must also take ENG 299.

Pre-1700 Courses

One course at the 300 or 400 level must be pre-1700:

ENG 301. Old English Language and Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 306. The Bible as Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 311. Medieval Literature and Culture Credits: 3.00
ENG 313. Studies in Early Modern Literature and Culture Credits: 3.00
ENG 316. Early Modern Drama Credits: 3.00
ENG 317. Studies in Shakespeare Credits: 3.00
ENG 319. Teaching Shakespeare Credits: 3.00
ENG 320L. Shakespeare on the Page and Stage in London Credits: 3.00
ENG 401. Advanced Studies in Medieval Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 402. Advanced Studies in British Literature Before 1700 Credits: 3.00

Pre-1900 Courses

One course at the 300 or 400 level must be pre-1900:

ENG 301. Old English Language and Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 306. The Bible as Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 311. Medieval Literature and Culture Credits: 3.00
ENG 313. Studies in Early Modern Literature and Culture Credits: 3.00
ENG 316. Early Modern Drama Credits: 3.00
ENG 317. Studies in Shakespeare Credits: 3.00
ENG 319. Teaching Shakespeare Credits: 3.00
ENG 320L. Shakespeare on the Page and Stage in London Credits: 3.00
ENG 321. Restoration and Eighteenth Century British Prose and Poetry Credits: 3.00
ENG 322. Restoration and Eighteenth Century British Drama Credits: 3.00
ENG 325. Romantic Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 327. Gothic Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 329. Victorian Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 330. Nineteenth Century British Novel Credits: 3.00
ENG 342. Early American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 343. Antebellum American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 344. Late Nineteenth Century American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 352. The American Novel to 1914 Credits: 3.00
ENG 363. Native American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 401. Advanced Studies in Medieval Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 402. Advanced Studies in British Literature Before 1700 Credits: 3.00

Identity, Diversity and Power Courses

One course must be selected from the Identity, Diversity, and Power selections:

ENG 358. Oral Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 359. Studies in African American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 360. Introduction to Ethnic American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 361. African American Fiction Credits: 3.00
ENG 362. African American Poetry Credits: 3.00
ENG 363. Native American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 364. Introduction to Asian American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 367. Latinx Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 368. Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 369. Feminist Literary Theory Credits: 3.00
ENG 370. Queer Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 374. Contemporary Global Anglophone Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 377. Introduction to African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 378. Studies in South Asian Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 379. Literature and Empire Credits: 3.00
ENG 408. Advanced Studies in African American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 423. Advanced Studies in Gender and Sexuality in Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 432. Advanced Studies in African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 434. Advanced Studies in Latin American Literature in Translation Credits: 3.00
SPAN 434. Advanced Studies in Latin American Literature in Translation Credits: 3.00
ENG 466. Advanced Studies in Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00

400-Level Courses

Two courses at the 400 level must be chosen:

Read also: Mastering the UNLV Catalog

ENG 401. Advanced Studies in Medieval Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 402. Advanced Studies in British Literature Before 1700 Credits: 3.00
ENG 403. Advanced Studies in British Literature After 1700 Credits: 3.00
ENG 405. Advanced Studies in Anglophone Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 407. Advanced Studies in American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 408. Advanced Studies in African American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 410. Advanced Studies in Author Credits: 3.00
ENG 413. Advanced Studies in Literature and Ideas Credits: 3.00
ENG 414. Advanced Studies in Genre Credits: 3.00
ENG 415. Advanced Studies in Textuality and the History of the Book Credits: 3.00
ENG 417. Advanced Studies in Linguistics and the English Language Credits: 3.00
ENG 420. Advanced Studies in Theory and Cultural Studies Credits: 3.00
ENG 423. Advanced Studies in Gender and Sexuality in Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 430. Advanced Studies in Comparative Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 432. Advanced Studies in African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 433. Advanced Studies in Arabic Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 434. Advanced Studies in Latin American Literature in Translation Credits: 3.00
ENG 439. Advanced Studies in Major Authors of Literature in Spanish in Translation Credits: 3.00
ENG 466. Advanced Studies in Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00

Electives

Electives: 9 Credit Hours Electives may be fulfilled by courses within a concentration. Electives may also meet the 300- or 400-level course requirements.

Concentrations

In consultation with their advisers, students may choose nine credit hours of courses at the 300- or 400-level that acquaint them with the scope of one of the fields below. Students may consult with their advisers and individual professors about additional courses that may, because of content covered in a particular semester, be eligible for a concentration by special permission.

British Literature

Select appropriate courses in consultation with adviser.

American Literature

Select appropriate courses in consultation with adviser.

World Literature

ENG 305. Mythology Credits: 3.00
ENG 306. The Bible as Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 358. Oral Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 360. Introduction to Ethnic American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 361. African American Fiction Credits: 3.00
ENG 362. African American Poetry Credits: 3.00
ENG 363. Native American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 364. Introduction to Asian American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 368. Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 377. Introduction to African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 378. Studies in South Asian Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 379. Literature and Empire Credits: 3.00
ENG 405. Advanced Studies in Anglophone Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 408. Advanced Studies in African American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 423. Advanced Studies in Gender and Sexuality in Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 430. Advanced Studies in Comparative Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 432. Advanced Studies in African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 433. Advanced Studies in Arabic Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 434. Advanced Studies in Latin American Literature in Translation Credits: 3.00
SPAN 434. Advanced Studies in Latin American Literature in Translation Credits: 3.00
ENG 436. Studies in German Literature Credits: 3.00
GER 436. Studies in German Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 437. Studies in Italian Literature Credits: 3.00
ITAL 437. Studies in Italian Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 438. Studies in Russian Literature Credits: 3.00
RUS 438. Studies in Russian Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 439. Advanced Studies in Major Authors of Literature in Spanish in Translation Credits: 3.00
SPAN 439. Major Authors of Literature in Spanish in Translation Credits: 3.00
ENG 466. Advanced Studies in Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00

Environmental Literature and Writing

ENG 363. Native American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 371. Literature and the Environment Credits: 3.00
ENG 390. The Environmental Imagination Credits: 3.00

Language and Theory

ENG 301. Old English Language and Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 303. History of the English Language Credits: 3.00
ENG 308. Introduction to Linguistics Credits: 3.00
ENG 309. Traditional English Grammar Credits: 3.00
ENG 310. Modern English Grammar Credits: 3.00
ENG 348. Studies in Linguistics and the English Language Credits: 3.00
ENG 358. Oral Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 366. Contemporary Critical Theory Credits: 3.00
ENG 369. Feminist Literary Theory Credits: 3.00
ENG 417. Advanced Studies in Linguistics and the English Language Credits: 3.00
ENG 420. Advanced Studies in Theory and Cultural Studies Credits: 3.00

Print Culture

ENG 313. Studies in Early Modern Literature and Culture Credits: 3.00
ENG 358. Oral Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 415. Advanced Studies in Textuality and the History of the Book Credits: 3.00

Gender and Sexuality Studies

ENG 327. Gothic Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 368. Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 369. Feminist Literary Theory Credits: 3.00
ENG 370. Queer Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 423. Advanced Studies in Gender and Sexuality in Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 466. Advanced Studies in Women’s Literature Credits: 3.00

Race and Ethnicity Studies

ENG 358. Oral Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 360. Introduction to Ethnic American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 361. African American Fiction Credits: 3.00
ENG 362. African American Poetry Credits: 3.00
ENG 363. Native American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 364. Introduction to Asian American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 377. Introduction to African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 378. Studies in South Asian Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 379. Literature and Empire Credits: 3.00
ENG 408. Advanced Studies in African American Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 432. Advanced Studies in African Literature Credits: 3.00
ENG 433. Advanced Studies in Arabic Literature Credits: 3.00

Creative Writing

Students with a strong interest in writing should include in their program nine credit hours of electives from the following courses. Choose three of the following:

Read also: Comprehensive Course Overview

ENG 347. Playwriting Credits: 3.00
THEA 347. Playwriting Credits: 3.00
ENG 390. The Environmental Imagination Credits: 3.00
ENG 391. Introduction to Creative Writing - Nonfiction Credits: 3.00
ENG 392. Introduction to Creative Writing - Poetry Credits: 3.00
ENG 393. Introduction to Creative Writing - Fiction Credits: 3.00
ENG 483. Narrative Form Credits: 3.00
ENG 484. Poetic Craft and Creativity Credits: 3.00
ENG 493. Advanced Creative Nonfiction Credits: 3.00
ENG 494. Advanced Poetry Writing Credits: 3.00
ENG 495. Advanced Fiction Writing Credits: 3.00
ENG 496. Advanced Topics in Creative Writing Credits: 3.00

Additional Information for English Teaching Licensure

For students interested in pursuing English teacher licensure, refer to the English Teaching Licensure program for specific requirements. Other courses may be applied to these requirements via course directive. Students should consult advisers and the departmental semester list about other options.

Recommended Schedule for Majors

First Year

Foreign language courses Credits: 6.00 - 8.00
General Education courses Credits: 23.00
First Year Total: 29-31 Credit Hours

Second Year

Two of three required courses from among ENG 221-ENG 260 Credits: 6.00
ENG 299.

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