English Major

Goal 1: Study literature in diverse genres and by diverse authors.

Outcome 1.1: Students will be able to analyze and examine how the study of literature reveals the diversity of human experience and the complex and dynamic nature of culture and literary expression.

Goal 2: Learn diverse principles of composing as modeled by diverse authors.

Outcome 2.1: Students will be able to identify, analyze, and apply rhetorical, aesthetic, material, technical, and/or creative principles of composing.

Goal 3: Participate in and reflect on experiential learning opportunities.

Outcome 3.1: Students will be able to engage in and critically reflect upon experiential learning opportunities–such as internships, study abroad programs, and/or service-learning courses.

Cornerstone Core Curriculum Requirements

Consist of 14 core and 2 overlay requirements.  See below for additional detailed information on each of these requirements.

Major Requirements

¹ ENG courses that fulfill CCC Core requirements--Literature; Diversity; Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design--can double count towards major requirements.

² Majors must also take an Experiential Learning Overlay, either as one of the ten required major courses or as a course from a different subject area. Options for fulfilling the Experiential Learning Overlay requirement include service learning courses, study tours and courses taken while studying abroad, internships, and field experiences for education courses. Please consult with your advisor or the department chair about how experiential learning can complement your program of study.

Internships and Independent Studies

The College of Arts and Sciences Internship courses ANS 490, ANS 491, and ANS 492 are  designed to guide students who wish to earn credit for professional work experience in areas such as writing, editing, social media management, or journalism. Possible venues include, but are not limited to, newspapers and magazines, academic journals, publishing companies, television stations, radio stations, public relations firms and communications departments, online media outlets, advertising agencies, governmental and university departments, nonprofit organizations, and private and public schools. Students must complete a minimum of 120 hours at the internship site during the semester. Academic credit for internships requires both applied learning on site and reflective coursework. Students are responsible for locating and requesting approval for their own internships. Please work with the SJU Career Center or consult with the Assistant Dean for Internships and Experiential Education for more information.

English majors who have completed four regular semesters with an overall grade point average of 3.0 (or a cumulative average of 3.4 or higher for courses in English) may apply for credit in an independent study program, generally involving a topic that is not typically offered in the English curriculum and that will enrich the student’s study in the major. At the end of the sophomore or early in the junior year, interested students should submit a written proposal describing, with particulars, the planned study project. The minimum requirement for such a proposal is that it include a substantial critical or creative writing project. If the proposal is accepted, the student will be assigned a faculty mentor who will oversee the writing project, offer advice on readings, help with the selection of courses, and establish a timetable for the completion of the writing project. The project may extend over one or two semesters. Serious and satisfactory work for one semester will earn three credits. A student who successfully completes the two-semester project will receive six credits.

Free Electives

To be awarded a bachelor's degree at Saint Joseph's University, students must complete at least 120 total credits. As such, elective credits may be required in addition to Cornerstone Core Curriculum (CCC) and major requirements. Any credits necessary to reach at least 120 total credits outside of the CCC and major requirements are considered free electives. Under the CCC, there are no fixed number of electives required. A student's total number of electives will vary based on major requirements, transfer credits, as well as math and language placement. 

Please consult with your faculty advisor regarding the most appropriate sequence and pacing of courses for your circumstances.  When planning your registration, please keep the following guidelines in mind:
⇒ ​ENG 101 and World History must be completed by the end of freshman year.
⇒ INT 151 must be completed by the end of sophomore year.

Students majoring in English who are interested in teaching grades 7-12 can dual major in English/Secondary Education (7-12). Upon successful completion of the dual major, SJU degree requirements, and required certification exams, teacher candidates may apply to obtain an Instructional I Secondary Education (7-12) Teaching Certificate from the State of Pennsylvania. Students must also maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher to obtain teacher certification upon graduation.

In consultation with their advisor, English/Secondary Education dual majors will follow a course sequence that incorporates their required Education courses into the English major and ends with student teaching in the spring semester of their senior year. In addition to their English advisor, English/Secondary Education (7-12) dual majors will also be assigned an advisor from the Education Department who will guide them through their required Education courses. The Education advisor will also assist students seeking teacher certification in formally applying for the SJU Educator Preparation Program, usually in the spring semester of their sophomore year. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher to enroll in EDU 491 Secondary Student Teaching in their senior year.

Pennsylvania’s Secondary Education (referred to as "secondary" or "7-12") preparation program guidelines require a professional core of courses, early and varied field experiences, and student teaching. In addition to the subject-specific content requirements for secondary programs that are met by the student’s major, candidates for the 7-12 teaching certificate in Pennsylvania must complete a prescribed sequence of coursework, which includes the specific requirements for Accommodations and Adaptations for Diverse Learners in Inclusive Settings and Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners under §49.13(4)(i).

See the English major for specific requirements.
See the Secondary Education (7-12) major for specific requirements.