BA in English - Language and Literature
Brief Description
The Bachelor of Arts in English offers a synthesis of traditional and contemporary course content. Students may choose between two different concentrations, Language and Literature, and Communication and New Media.
The aims of the BA in English are to provide students with a solid background in the subject areas of literature, linguistics, media and cultural studies; cultivate students’ analytical and creative skills for intellectual and professional purposes; enable students to explore the evolution of English studies as it intersects a variety of theoretical approaches and academic disciplines; help students become more astute readers, writers, thinkers, and communicators; challenge students to operate more effectively in multicultural, interdisciplinary environments, both as students and future professionals; and inspire confidence, open-mindedness, and personal and professional success.
More specifically
Our curriculum draws on classic and modern literary texts, discussed through an interdisciplinary and contextual perspective; it studies the evolution of language with up to date methodologies and meaningful applications; it blends the image with the word, appraises the major writer and thinker but makes room for the “minor” voice; it teaches the skills of communication and critical thinking, and encourages creativity. In this way students gain an excellent background in the classics, bridged with innovative and groundbreaking contemporary courses and material and attain a plethora of skills.
Degree Requirements
In order to receive the BA degree, the student must have fulfilled all the GER and major requirements and have completer at least 121 US credit hours with an overall G.P.A. of 2.0 or better. According to NECHE Standards, students must complete at least one fourth of their undergraduate program, including advanced work in the major or concentration, at the institution awarding the degree. As a consequence, all candidates for an ACT degree must have been in residence at the College during the last two semesters of full time instruction, assuming availability and equivalency of transferable courses.
Open University degree structure
The program in English is currently validated by Open University: under this scheme, 24 are out of the 40 courses required for a Bachelor’s degree are validated by Open University. Students must necessarily take the fourth year courses at ACT. Successful students will receive a Bachelor’s degree from Open University in addition to the ACT degree for a single course of studies by meeting the following common set of requirements (in addition to meeting General Education Requirements)—courses highlighted in bold are validated by Open University. For more information, check the student handbook. The OU Regulations can be found here.
To read a short description of the courses mentioned below, follow this link.
Major Requirements
- English 101: Composition I
- English 102: Composition II
- English 120: Introduction to Literature (OU)
- English 203: Advanced College English Skills
- English 210: Creative Writing (OU)
- English 224: Post World War II British and American Drama (OU)
- English 230: British Literature and Culture (OU)
- English 250: Advanced Writing and Professional Communication (OU)
- English 320: The Other in Literature and Media (OU)
- English Hum 246: American Literature and Culture (OU)
- Comm 327: Research Methods and Practice (OU)
Language & Literature Concentration: Required Courses
- English 235: Introduction to Literary Theories and Criticism (OU)
- English 259: Postcolonial Literature (OU)
- English 268: Women and Literature (OU)
- English 273: Introduction to Linguistics (OU)
- English 274: Applied Linguistics in Theory and Practice (OU)
- English 299: Teaching Approaches and Methods Past and Present (OU)
- English 325: Pedagogical Foundations in Second Language Acquisition (OU)
- English 340: Comparative Literature (OU)
- English 380: The Business of Literature (OU)
Language & Literature Concentration: Major Elective Courses (5 total)
Any of the following:
- English 221: Short Fiction (OU)
- English 275: Sociolinguistics: Introduction to Language and Society (OU)
- English 220: Introduction to Twentieth Century Poetry and Drama (OU)
- Comm 127: Communication, Culture and Society (OU)
- His 201: Women in Modern Times (OU)
- Soc Sc 210: Introduction to Global Studies and Human Geographies (OU)
- CS 206: Web Development (OU)
- English 292: Literature, Art and Culture in language education (OU)
- English 284: Literature through Performance (OU)
- English 350: Semiotics and Discourse Analysis: Writing for Social Change (OU)
- Hum 221: History on Film/Film on History (OU)
- Comm 217: Media in Transition (OU)
- CS 206: Web Development (OU)
- CS 306: Advanced Web Development (OU)
- English 370: Literature and Film (OU)
- English 310: Design and Evaluation of Teaching and Assessment Materials (OU)
- Mkt 324: E-Marketing (OU)
- CS 219: Video Game Design with Unity and 3ds Max (OU)
- Marketing 324: E-Marketing (OU)
- SocSc 210: Introduction to Global Studies and Human Geographies (OU)
- Pract 300 (OU)
OR any courses in the Concentration Language and Literature.
Free Electives: Three (3)
Other Degree Requirements
- English 390: Senior Thesis I (OU)
- English 395: Senior Thesis II (OU)
