English BA
Major: English
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 180.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 23.0101
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-1123
Literary Studies Concentration
English majors who select the concentration in Literary Studies benefit from the full range of courses and opportunities that we offer. These include core courses taken by all our majors, offering a strong foundation in textual and rhetorical analysis along with writing skills.
The concentration offers additional in-depth study of British, American and World literatures. We develop skills in literary and cultural analysis and in related research. We take full advantage of our location to tap into the rich opportunities in literary and dramatic arts in Philadelphia.
For more information about this program, please visit the Department of English & Philosophy web page.
Degree Requirements
| University Requirements | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development * | 1.0 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| UNIV H101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| UNIV H201 | Looking Forward: Academics and Careers | 1.0 |
| College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum ** | ||
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning ** | 6.0-8.0 | |
Two courses in MATH based on placement exams OR | ||
| Symbolic Logic I | ||
or PHIL 121 | Symbolic Logic II | |
| Engaging the Natural World ** | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Analyzing Cultures & Histories ** | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Understanding Society & Human Behavior ** | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Cultivating Global Competence ** | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Perspectives in Diversity ** | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Language Requirement | 8.0 | |
| Select two consecutive courses in a foreign language, reaching at least 103 *** | ||
| ENGLISH MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
| English Core Courses | ||
| Seminars | ||
| ENGL 195 | English Freshman Seminar | 3.0 |
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium (1-credit course, take three times for 3 credits total) | 3.0 |
| ENGL 490 | Seminar in English and American Literature | 3.0 |
| ENGL 492 | Seminar in World Literature | 3.0 |
| Language at Work (choose 1) | 3.0 | |
| Intro to Rhetorical Theory | ||
or ENGL 250 | Intro to Digital Humanities | |
| Writing | ||
| WRIT 195 | Threshold Concepts in Writing Studies | 3.0 |
| WRIT 200 | Language Puzzles and Word Games: Issues in Modern Grammar | 3.0 |
| WRIT 225 | Creative Writing | 3.0 |
| Literature | ||
| ENGL 207 | African American Literature | 3.0 |
| ENGL 315 | Shakespeare | 3.0 |
| ENGL 325 | Topics in World Literature | 3.0 |
| ENGL 355 | Women and Literature | 3.0 |
| Senior Project | ||
| ENGL 495 | Senior Project in Literature | 3.0 |
| Literature Studies Concentration | ||
| Surveys (choose 3) | 9.0 | |
| Classical to Medieval Literature | ||
| Renaissance to the Enlightenment | ||
| Romanticism to Modernism | ||
| Survey of World Literature | ||
| Post-Colonial Literature | ||
| American Literature I | ||
| American Literature II | ||
| British Literature I | ||
| British Literature II | ||
| Authors and Periods (choose 1) | 3.0 | |
| Period Studies | ||
| Major Authors | ||
| Literary Impacts (choose 1) | 3.0 | |
| Literature & Science | ||
| Literature and Other Arts | ||
| Literature and Society | ||
| Literary Traditions (choose 1) | 3.0 | |
| The Bible as Literature | ||
| Mythology | ||
| Theory | ||
| ENGL 380 | Literary Theory | 3.0 |
| Electives in ENGL or WRIT | 6.0 | |
| Choose any additional two courses (300+) in WRIT or ENGL for a minimum of 6.0 credits | ||
| Free Electives | 60.0 | |
| Choose 60.0 credits from any discipline. Consider a second major or minor, or education certification. | ||
| Total Credits | 180.0-191.0 | |
- *
Students not participating in co-op will take one additional credit of free elective instead of COOP 101.
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
- **
See Core Curriculum List for complete list of course options.
- ***
Select two consecutive courses at the 102-499 level within the same subject code: ARBC, CHIN, FREN, GER, JAPN, KOR, SPAN.
Language courses may count toward the College Core Curriculum requirements, in which case students may take a corresponding number of free electives.
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plan of Study
4 year, 1 co-op
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENGL 101 or ENGL 111 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research or English Composition I | 3.0 |
| ENGL 195 | English Freshman Seminar | 3.0 |
| UNIV H101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Foreign Language Course | 4.0 | |
| Understanding Society and Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 17-19 | |
| Winter | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| ENGL 102 or ENGL 112 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing or English Composition II | 3.0 |
| WRIT 200 | Language Puzzles and Word Games: Issues in Modern Grammar | 3.0 |
| Cultivating Global Competence | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Foreign Language Course | 4.0 | |
| Credits | 17-19 | |
| Spring | ||
| COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development * | 1.0 |
| ENGL 103 or ENGL 113 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres or English Composition III | 3.0 |
| ENGL 207 | African American Literature | 3.0 |
| WRIT 195 | Threshold Concepts in Writing Studies | 3.0 |
| Analyzing Culture and Histories | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 16-18 | |
| Summer | ||
| VACATION | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium | 1.0 |
| WRIT 225 | Creative Writing | 3.0 |
| Cultivating Global Competence | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Literature Survey | 3.0 | |
| Understanding Society and Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 16-19 | |
| Winter | ||
| Analyzing Culture and Histories | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Authors & Periods | 3.0 | |
| Free Elective | 3.0 | |
| Literature Survey | 3.0 | |
| Perspectives in Diversity | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 15-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium ((2nd of 3)) | 1.0 |
| ENGL 315 | Shakespeare | 3.0 |
| WRIT 212 or ENGL 250 | Intro to Rhetorical Theory or Intro to Digital Humanities | 3.0 |
| Free Electives | 9.0 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENGL 325 | Topics in World Literature | 3.0 |
| Free Electives | 6.0 | |
| Literary Impacts | 3.0 | |
| Literature Survey | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Winter | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium | 1.0 |
| ENGL 380 | Literary Theory | 3.0 |
| Free Electives | 9.0 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| Free Electives | 15.0 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 490 | Seminar in English and American Literature | 3.0 |
| UNIV H201 | Looking Forward: Academics and Careers | 1.0 |
| English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | |
| Free Electives | 6.0 | |
| Literary Traditions | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| ENGL 355 | Women and Literature | 3.0 |
| ENGL 492 | Seminar in World Literature | 3.0 |
| English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | |
| Free Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 495 | Senior Project in Literature | 3.0 |
| Free Electives | 9.0 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 180-191 | |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
5 year, 3 co-op
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENGL 101 or ENGL 111 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research or English Composition I | 3.0 |
| ENGL 195 | English Freshman Seminar | 3.0 |
| UNIV H101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Foreign Language Course | 4.0 | |
| Understanding Society and Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 17-19 | |
| Winter | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| ENGL 102 or ENGL 112 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing or English Composition II | 3.0 |
| WRIT 200 | Language Puzzles and Word Games: Issues in Modern Grammar | 3.0 |
| Cultivating Global Competence | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Foreign Language Course | 4.0 | |
| Credits | 17-19 | |
| Spring | ||
| COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development * | 1.0 |
| ENGL 103 or ENGL 113 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres or English Composition III | 3.0 |
| ENGL 207 | African American Literature | 3.0 |
| WRIT 195 | Threshold Concepts in Writing Studies | 3.0 |
| Analyzing Culture and Histories | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 16-18 | |
| Summer | ||
| VACATION | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Winter | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium | 1.0 |
| WRIT 225 | Creative Writing | 3.0 |
| Cultivating Global Competence | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Literature Survey | 3.0 | |
| Understanding Society and Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 16-19 | |
| Summer | ||
| Analyzing Culture and Histories | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Free Electives | 6.0 | |
| Literature Survey | 3.0 | |
| Perspectives in Diversity | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 15-17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Winter | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium | 1.0 |
| ENGL 315 | Shakespeare | 3.0 |
| WRIT 212 or ENGL 250 | Intro to Rhetorical Theory or Intro to Digital Humanities | 3.0 |
| Authors and Periods | 3.0 | |
| Free Electives | 6.0 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENGL 325 | Topics in World Literature | 3.0 |
| Free Electives | 9.0 | |
| Literature Survey | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Winter | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium | 1.0 |
| ENGL 355 | Women and Literature | 3.0 |
| Free Elective | 3.0 | |
| Literary Impacts | 3.0 | |
| Literary Traditions | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| Free Electives | 15.0 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 380 | Literary Theory | 3.0 |
| ENGL 490 | Seminar in English and American Literature | 3.0 |
| UNIV H201 | Looking Forward: Academics and Careers | 1.0 |
| English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | |
| Free Electives | 6.0 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| ENGL 492 | Seminar in World Literature | 3.0 |
| English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | |
| Free Electives | 6.0 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 495 | Senior Project in Literature | 3.0 |
| Free Electives | 9.0 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 180-191 | |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
Program Level Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will be prepared to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of major genres, authors and the cultural and historical contexts of literary periods.
- Demonstrate critical thinking, writing and textual analysis skills
- Demonstrate research skills and facility with terms and methods of critical analysis and synthesis
- Demonstrate strong analytical, communication, technological and writing skills that enable students to make intertextual connections between material in their coursework and examine the relationships between literature and the world.
- By virtue of their coursework, internship and coop experience, be prepared for careers or graduate work in the humanities, law, teaching, professional writing and other fields
English Faculty
Kenneth Bingham, MA (Temple University). Teaching Professor. First-year writing; engineering ethics; literature of baseball.
Valerie Booth, PhD (Emory University). Associate Teaching Professor.
Jakeya Caruthers, PhD (Stanford University). Assistant Professor. English and Africana Studies. Black popular culture, literature, and media representation; black feminist theory; anti-carceral feminism; art and visual culture.
Paula Marantz Cohen, PhD (Columbia University) Distinguished Professor, Dean of the Pennoni Honors College. Co-editor, Journal of Modern Literature; Host of the Drexel Interview. Nineteenth- and early twentieth-century English and American literature; film studies.
Lisa DiMaio, MEd (Temple University). Teaching Professor. English as a second language
Dan Driscoll, MA (Temple University) Coordinator, Writing Curriculum Initiatives, University Writing Program. Teaching Professor. Associate Director, University Writing Center: Curricular Initiatives. Co-Director, Minor in Writing. First-year writing.
Nomi Eve, MFA (Brown University) Director of the Creative Writing MFA Program. Assistant Teaching Professor.
Robert Finegan, MFA (University of Pittsburgh). Associate Teaching Professor. First-year writing; technical and creative writing.
Edward Fristrom, PhD (State University of New York-Albany). Associate Teaching Professor. Professional writing, creative writing, multimedia, and writing education.
Keunah Han, PhD (Temple University). Associate Teaching Professor. English as a Second Language (ESL)
Cassandra Hirsch, MFA (Rosemont College). Associate Teaching Professor. Writing fiction and memoir; mentoring; community-based learning.
Jonathan Hobratsch, MFA (Texas State University). Assistant Teaching Professor.
Henry Israeli, MFA (University of Iowa) Director of Drexel Writing Festival, Director of Jewish Studies. Associate Teaching Professor. Founder and editor of Saturnalia Books, a publisher of contemporary poetry.
Elizabeth Kimball, PhD (Temple University). Assistant Professor. Rhetorical theory; writing studies; engaged learning; multilingual practice; community-based learning; writing program administration.
Miriam Kotzin, PhD (New York University). Professor. Founding Editor, Per Contra. American literature; genre studies; creative writing; communications.
Roger Kurtz, PhD (University of Iowa) Department Head. Professor. Postcolonial and world literatures, East African literature and culture; trauma theory.
Deirdre McMahon, PhD (University of Iowa). Teaching Professor. 19th-century British literature and culture: empire, critical race studies and analyses of material culture.
Jill Moses, MFA (University of Oregon). Associate Teaching Professor. Contemporary poetry; feminist literature; creative writing.
Christopher T. Nielson, PhD (Purdue University). Teaching Professor. Shakespeare; Drama; early modern literature; British Renaissance literature; medieval literature; world literature; composition studies.
Karen Nulton, PhD (Rutgers University) Director, Writing Assessment. Teaching Professor. Writing assessment; work-integrated-learning (WIL); reflective writing.
Margene Peterson, MA (Rhode Island School of Design). Assistant Teaching Professor. Multilingual learners; mentor; visual rhetorical analysis; anti-racist pedagogy.
Maegan Poland, PhD (University of Nevada, Las Vegas). Assistant Teaching Professor. Creative writing; first-year writing; fiction; memoir.
Elizabeth Polcha, PhD (Northeastern University). Assistant Professor. English and Digital Humanities. Black Atlantic Literature; digital humanities; early American studies; postcolonial and settler colonial studies; gender sexuality studies; environmental studies; history of science; history of the book.
Abioseh Porter, PhD (University of Alberta, Canada) Director of Africana Studies. Professor. Comparative literature; postcolonial literatures
Donald Riggs, PhD (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill). Teaching Professor. Cinematic monsters; science fiction and fantasy literature and film; Renaissance literature; creative writing; first-year writing.
Donna Rondolone, PhD (University of Pennsylvania). Associate Teaching Professor. Medieval literature; Arthurian legend; first-year writing.
Gail Rosen, JD (Temple University). Teaching Professor. Literature and law; first-year writing.
Doreen Alvarez Saar, PhD (SUNY Buffalo). Professor. Early American literature; Eighteenth-century America; race and gender studies.
Sheila Sandapen, PhD (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) Director, First Year Writing Program. Associate Teaching Professor. First-year writing; cultural studies;Black British literature; Cultural Studies; Contemporary British literature; Feminist literature.
Fred A. Siegel, PhD (New York University) Director, First-Year Writing Program. Teaching Professor. Popular theater; dramatic literature, creative non-fiction; first-year writing.
Matthew Ross Smith, MCW (University of Auckland). Assistant Teaching Professor.
Scott Stein, MFA (University of Miami) Director, Drexel Publishing Group. Teaching Professor. Creative writing; fiction and novels; satire and humor; publishing, Kafka; superheroes; first-year writing; Founding Editor, Write Now Philly.
Eva Thury, PhD (University of Pennsylvania). Associate Professor. Classical and world Mythology; classical literature; Superheroes; Vampires; Popular Culture; Mythology and film, Educational software.
Kathleen Volk Miller, MA (Rutgers University). Teaching Professor. Co-Editor,Painted Bride Quarterly (PBQ); creative writing; publishing, literary magazines, writing and neuroplasticity; healing through writing; journaling; personal essay.
Maria Volynsky, EdD (Temple University) Associate Director, First-Year Writing Program; ESL Coordinator. Associate Teaching Professor. TESOL, linguistic diversity, multilingualism, online teaching, social emotional learning, language acquisition, assessment.
Scott Warnock, PhD (Temple University) Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. Professor. Teaching with technology, online writing instruction; writing administration; learning assessment; faculty development.
Robert A. Watts, MA (Temple University). Associate Teaching Professor. Creative writing; first-year writing.
Vincent Williams, PhD (Temple University). Associate Teaching Professor. First-year writing; the intersection of race, gender, class and urbanism.
Jennifer Yusin, PhD (Emory University) Director Women's and Gender Studies. Associate Professor. LGBTQ+ studies; trans studies; psychoanalytic studies; philosophies of race and gender; global modernisms.
Emeritus Faculty
Jan Armon, PhD (University of Michigan). Associate Teaching Professor. Academic functions of personal writing, composition.
Valarie Arms, PhD (Temple University). Professor Emeritus. Rhetoric and Composition
Richard Astro, PhD (University of Washington) Distinguished Professor. Provost Emeritus. Twentieth-century American literature; literature and sports.
Raymond Brebach, PhD (University of Illinois). Professor Emeritus. Modern British fiction; the novel; textual studies.
Stephen Mandell, PhD (Temple University). Professor. First-year writing; technical writing; speech; American literature.
Harriet Levin Millan, MFA (University of Iowa) Director, Certificate in Writing and Publishing. Associate Teaching Professor. Poetry.
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