The Department of English

Armitage Hall, Fourth Floor, Rutgers University at Camden
Camden, NJ 08102
Tel:(856)225-6121 FAX:(856)225-6602

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ENGLISH MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
 
The Major
The major in English consists of 42 credits in English, excluding English Composition I and II (50:350:101-102), Uses of Language (219) and World Masterpieces  I (50:090:238).

All majors must take:
6 Credits: Language and Literature 
  • Introduction to Literary Study 50:350:220
  • Linguistics 50:615:
21 Credits: Critical Reading: Literature in English 9 Credits
  • Literature in English I 50:350:221  (required)
  • Literature in English II 50:350:222 (required)
  • Shakespeare I or II 50:350:331 or 332 (required)
12 Credits: Electives
  • One course in British Literature before 1800 50:350: 
  • One course in British Literature after 1800 50:350: 
  • Two courses in American Literature 50:352:
3 Credits: Critical Reading: Cross Cultural Perspective in Literature
  • African-American Literature I or II 50:352:250 or 251 
  • Anglo-Irish Literature 50:350:372 
  • Folklore 50:350:245
  • Legends Past and Present 50:350:374 
  • Literature and Sexuality 50:350:377 
  • Literature and the Natural Environment I or II 50:350:338 or 339 
  • Literature in English III 50:350:223 
  • Literature of Travel 50:350:371
  • Multicultural American Literature 50:352:325 
  • Mythology 50:350:380 
  • Nobel-Winning Authors 50:350:228
  • Women in Literature 50:350:388 
  • World Cinema 50:354:320
  • World Drama 50:350:346 
  • World Masterpieces II 50:350:239 
  • World Novel in the 20th Century 50:350:432
12 Credits: Advanced Electives in English: Four additional courses with prefixes 350,352,354,570, 615, or 989
  • English majors may substitute certain advanced foreign language courses for as many as 6 of the 15 English elective credits.
  • A list of such foreign language courses offered at Rutgers-Camden is available in the English Department office.

Credit toward an English major or minor is given only for English department courses in which a student receives a grade of C or better. A student may satisfy one of the specific requirements listed above with a grade of D, but the 3 credits for that course may not be included in the 42 required for the major. An additional 3-credit English course must be taken to make up the deficit.

Students are advised to complete 50:350:221,222 and 50:090:238 before enrolling in more advanced English courses.

English Majors Seeking Education Certification
Requirements for English Majors seeking Education Certification to teach grades K-12 are different from those listed above and can be dowloaded as a PDF file.  Click here:  English Majors seeking Education Certification.
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Honors Program in English

Requirements

A student may qualify for Departmental Honors in English by fulfilling the following special requirements in addition to the regular requirements for the English major:
  • Maintaining a 3.5 grade-point average in the English major and a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average in the entire undergraduate program.
  • Taking an additional course in literature before 1800 from among those offered by the department, for a total of forty-five credits in English.
  •  Completing two consecutive semesters (six credits) of the Honors Program in English, normally in the senior year: 50:350:495, 496 (Honors Program in English Literature) and 50:352:495, 496 (Honors Program in American Literature), under the supervision of a faculty sponsor.
 
Procedure
Normally the course constitutes a semester primarily devoted to preparatory reading and a semester primarily devoted to producing a substantial research paper, both in consultation with a faculty sponsor. A student who desires honors in English should make arrangements with a faculty sponsor during the semester preceding the beginning of the honors course and submit a one- or two-page proposal with a preliminary bibliography to the sponsor, who will present it to the Honors Committee. If the proposal is approved, the student may pre-register for the Honors Course and make arrangements for consultations with the sponsor.

Semester 1

Preparing an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary sources and background readings proposed by the student in consultation with the sponsor and approved by the Honors Committee and passing an examination towards the end of the first semester on these readings. By the middle of the first semester the student should give the list of works to be covered by the examination to the Honors Committee for approval and arrange a time for the examination with the sponsor. Before the examination the student should submit the annotated version of this bibliography. The examination questions will be provided by the sponsor and will cover the readings on the annotated bibliography. This exam may be either written, oral, or both, and will be evaluated as high pass, pass, or fail by the sponsor, the Honors Committee, and, where appropriate (as in the case of interdisciplinary projects), outside evaluators. If the student passes, the grade for the first semester will be deferred until completion of the honors project by an "Incomplete" on the Grade Roster.

A student who fails the examination may convert the semester's work to a non-honors Independent Study, with the permission of the sponsoring instructor and the Curriculum Committee, by completing a 10-15 page paper under the sponsor's supervision. Instead of six credits for 495 and 496, the student would receive three credits for 407 or 408. The sponsor should ask the Registrar to change the student's registration to an Independent Study number, being sure to delete 495/496 from the record.

Semester 2:

Writing a paper of twenty-five to thirty pages, with a minimum of fifteen works in its bibliography, in consultation with the faculty sponsor. The student should deliver the honors paper to the sponsor by a date agreed upon with the sponsor, allowing time for revisions and for evaluation by the Honors Committee, who will advise the sponsor in determining a grade for the entire six credits based primarily on this paper and taking the first semester's work into account.

If these requirements are satisfactorily completed, the sponsor should submit a change of grade form for the first semester's work and should inform the department chair, who will report to the Assistant Dean for Academic Services that Honors in English should be made a part of the student's permanent record.

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The B.A./M.A. Program in English

GUIDELINES:

Fall/Junior Year:
Students are identified, informed about the program, and referred to the Graduate Directors.  Interested students may also meet with the Graduate Director to determine eligibility.

Spring/Junior Year:

1.  The Graduate Program Director sends the student a letter of acceptance into the dual degree program before the April pre-registration period. A copy of this letter is sent to Admissions, to the Records Division of the Registrar’s Office and to the Associate Dean for Graduate  Studies.

2.  During pre-registration advising on the student’s senior year schedule, using  a special permission number, the student is registered  for ONE graduate course in fall of  the senior year. This course is  taken along with his/her regular undergraduate courses. The undergraduate tuition rate is  charged for it, and the credits are double counted (i.e. they are part of the 120 credits required for the BA or BS and are also counted  toward the MA or MS).

Fall/Senior Year:

Following  the registration procedure described above, the student is  registered for ONE graduate course to be taken in the spring semester of the senior year.

Spring/Senior Year:
1.  The student formally applies to the Graduate School, following all normal procedures.

2.  The student is awarded the Baccalaureate degree.

Having been formally admitted to the graduate school, the student may begin taking courses in either the summer or the fall after graduation.  Upon entering graduate school, the student will already have completed two of the courses required for the Master’s degree.  He/she will also have saved  approximately $3200 in graduate tuition.

For additional information concerning the B.A./M.A. program, consult the online  description

NOTE:

1. No student may take more than TWO graduate courses while an undergraduate student.  (Exception: BA/MPA Program)

2. No student will be classified as a graduate student and coded school 56 until the Baccalaureate degree has been awarded.

Questions about this option should be directed to the appropriate graduate program director.
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Contact us:English@camden.rutgers.edu

 
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The Phoenix  (Spring '06)
The Phoenix (Fall '06)

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