Pathways

English majors have the chance to build on ENGL201 and Core Requirements via a pathway in Literature or Creative Writing. Each pathway offers rigorous modes of literary study and writing that are both different from and complementary to one another.

 The Literature Pathway

The Literature Pathway is offered in the spirit of an open curriculum inviting critical exploration and discovery. In addition to fulfilling ENGL201 and the core requirements, students must take additional English electives to total 10 English credits. One of these may be an English or English co-sponsored FYS, and another may be a non-English “related course” approved by the major advisor (see “Major Requirements” for more information). The rest must be English courses numbered above 201, with at least one 300-level course. Electives may be critical or creative and can vary across time, place, and subject matter. The Literature Pathway encourages students to follow and cultivate their interests while also challenging them to investigate unfamiliar texts, contexts, and questions.

 The Creative Writing Pathway

The Creative Writing Pathway is a competitive program within the English major that is geared toward students who wish to pursue an intensive specialization in creative writing in the context of advanced literary study. The Creative Writing Pathway supports a rigorous study of contemporary writing practices and their roots, influences, and precursors. Students learn that writing is a practice that involves an ongoing negotiation of the tensions between creativity and discipline, experimentation and structure, critical analysis and textual production. In addition to taking ENGL201 and meeting the core requirements for the English major, students must complete creative writing courses that fulfill the following requirements:

1.) One Creative Writing course at any level. (Completion of the Creative Writing core requirement noted above fulfills this requirement.)
2.) Two 300-level Creative Writing courses (Workshops and Special Topics) with minimum grade of B+.
3.) One Upper-Level Creative Writing Workshop with minimum grade of B+.