The English Major with Writing Concentration (40 hours) includes a strong literature component along with a focus on writing. Writing Concentration majors acquire a knowledge of different writing genres, study both the craft and theory of writing, and explore and practice selected modes in greater depth. In addition to critiquing and critically reading poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, students will learn skills to edit various genres; advanced courses include training and guidance on the publishing process. As part of the program, writing majors are expected to complete a professional portfolio of their writing. The Writing Concentration also challenges students to explore how their faith informs their writing and to be aware of professional issues in writing as they relate to their own aesthetic and moral development as Christians.
The English Major with a Writing Concentration requires a minimum of 40 hours, but students may count up to 52 hours in English toward graduation. Additional hours are encouraged for students planning graduate work.
Requirements
Note: These are new requirements that will apply to incoming new majors effective Fall 2022. Please contact us at english@wheaton.edu if you have questions.
Foundational Courses (12 hours): |
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| ENGL 155: | Reading Writers: Introduction to Literary Studies |
| or ENGL 156: | Reading Writers: Introduction to Literary Studies (Shakespeare) |
| or: | any 100-level ENGL course with an LE tag |
| ENGL 215: | Literary Traditions through Time: Classical and Early British |
| ENGL 221: | Contemporary Literary Conversations |
Historical Context and Deeper Focus Courses (12 hours): |
|
| Select courses from 3 different categories (4 credits in each category chosen) | |
|---|---|
| Pre-18th Century | |
| ENGL 329: | Old English Language and Literature |
| ENGL 331: | Medieval Literature |
| ENGL 336: | Renaissance |
| ENGL 337: | Seventeenth-Century Literature |
| 18th and 19th centuries | |
| ENGL 338: | Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature |
| ENGL 341: | Early American Literature |
| ENGL 352: | British Modernism: 1900 to 1939 (4) |
| ENGL 355: | British Literature after 1939 (4) |
| ENGL 361: | The Victorian Literature |
| 20th and 21st centuries | |
| ENGL 342: | American Modernism/Global Modernism |
| ENGL 343: | American Literature after 1945 |
| ENGL 344: | Diverse Traditions in 20th-Century American Literature |
| ENGL 364: | British Modernism: 1900-1939 |
| ENGL 365: | British Literature after 1939 |
| ENGL 366: | British Black and Asian Literature |
| ENGL 367: | Postcolonial Literature |
| ENGL 371: | Modern European Literature |
| Genre | |
| ENGL 421: | Studies in Literary Genre |
| ENGL 422: | Romance |
| ENGL 423: | World Drama |
| ENGL 424: | Science Fiction (2 credits) |
| ENGL 425: | Fairy Tales (2 credits) |
| ENGL 426: | Children's Literature |
| ENGL 427: | Young Adult Literature |
| ENGL 428: | Magical Realist Literature and Film |
| ENGL 431: | Christianity and Fantasy |
| Exploration | |
| ENGL 415: | The Archeology of Texts: Bibliographical Investigation |
| ENGL 433: | Varied Literary Topics (2 or 4 Credits) |
| ENGL 434: | Modern Literacy Theory |
| ENGL 435: | History of Literary Criticism |
| ENGL 442: | History of the English Language |
| ENGL 443: | Literature of the Bible |
| ENGL 444: | Christianity and Crime |
| ENGL 445: | Literature and Place |
| ENGL 446: | Advanced Research and Writing |
| ENGW 471: | Teaching Writing |
| Author | |
| ENGL 388: | Jane Austen in Her Time and Ours |
| ENGL 461: | Selected Authors (2 credits) |
| ENGL 462: | Selected Authors (4 credits) |
| ENGL 463: | Shakespeare |
| ENGL 469: | C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien |
| ENGL 471: | Emily Dickinson |
| ENGL 472: | Herman Melville |
| ENGL 472: | Louisa May Alcott |
| ENGL 474: | T.S. Eliot |
| ENGL 475: | William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens |
| ENGL 476: | Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes |
| ENGL 477: | Flannery O'Connor |
| ENGL 478: | James Baldwin |
| ENGL 481: | Cormac McCarthy |
| ENGL 482: | David Foster Wallace |
| ENGL 483: | Achebe and Adichie |
| ENGL 485: | Studies in Wade Center/Special Collections Authors (2 credits) |
| ENGL 486: | Studies in Wade Center/Special Collections Authors (4 credits) |
Writing Concentration (16 Hours): |
|
| Foundational Courses (2-6 hours) | |
| ENGW 213: | Creative Writing (Prerequisite: ENGW 103)) |
| ENGW 214: | Rhetorical Writing (2 credits) (Prerequisite: ENGW 103) |
| Upper-Level Writing Courses (4-8 hours) | |
| ENGW 332: | Creative Non-Fiction (Pre-requisite: ENGW 213 or ENGW 214) |
| ENGW 333: | Writing for Social Change (Prerequisite: ENGW 213 or ENGW 214) |
| ENGW 335: | Poetry Writing (Prerequisite: ENGW 213) |
| ENGW 336: | Fiction Writing (Prerequisite: ENGW 213) |
| ENGW 471: | Teaching Writing (Prerequisite: Completion of ENGL 103 or equivalent; must have junior status) |
| Special Topics (ENGW 444) and/or Writing Projects (ENGW 495) (2-4 hours) | |
|
Open to Writing Concentration students or with permission of the instructor. Prerequisite: completion of at least one 200 level writing course, unless specified by the instructor. |
|
| Integrative Senior Seminar (4 hours): | |
| ENGW 494: | Senior Seminar in Writing |
| Optional Elective: Internship (ENGW 496) | |
Total Credits: 40