Literature Option

General Requirements

Admission to the program is contingent upon good academic standing and acceptance by the department.

The department will not accept D transfer credit in the major. Achievement of a C or better in all major courses at Chicago State University is required.

Completion of 120 semester hours of work: 42 hours in general education (refer to liberal arts curriculum outline) consisting of 6 hours in composition,18 hours in the social sciences, 12 hours in natural sciences [3 hours in a critical thinking course], 6 hours in mathematics; 48 hours in English, 6 hours in the same foreign language, and 21 hours in electives selected with the departmental advisor's approval; students must also pass the examination on the state and federal constitutions.

Before proceeding to any 300-level course in literature, an English major in any of the options must have passed the English Qualifying Examination and completed English 210 and 228. English majors in the literature and secondary teaching options must complete at least five 300-level English courses before graduating. 

Specific Requirements:

GENERAL EDUCATION - 42 credit hours

COMPOSITION - 6 credit hours

ENG 127 and 128

NATURAL SCIENCES - 12 credit hours

6 hours of courses in biological sciences; 6 hours of courses in physical sciences; at least one course must be a laboratory course.

SOCIAL SCIENCES - 18 credit hours

HIST 130 or 131; POL 101; PSYC 141 and 204; 3 additional hours in social science in either History or Political Science, and 3 hours in any social science course.

MATHEMATICS - 6 credit hours

3 hours of elective courses in mathematics

CRITICAL THINKING COURSE - 3 credit hours

REQUIRED ENGLISH COURSES - 51 credit hours

ENG 210, 216, 218, 226, 228, 233, 234, 291 or 294, 311, 327, 331, 338, and 390; students must choose one course from each of the following groups: ENG 314, 326, 342, 349, 357, 358, or 359; 241, 321, 322, 323, 324, 332, 334, 370, 382, 384, or 386; and 341, 345 or 346.

REQUIRED SUPPORTIVE COURSES - 6 credit hours

Students must take 6 credit hours in the same-discipline foreign language with approval of academic advisor.

ELECTIVE COURSES - 21 credit hours

The courses are to be selected from department offerings with the approval of the department academic advisor.

Program Objectives

For successful completion of the literature option, students must

• Be able to write coherent, well-organized exposition in several rhetorical modes using edited American English competently.
• Understand and be able to use effectively a variety of rhetorical forms and strategies of informative writing and write for a variety of  audiences.
• Be familiar with the literature and major developments and writers of Great Britain and America.
• Be familiar with a significant body of literature by American writers of color.
• Be able to analyze works of literature, understand a variety of critical approaches, and demonstrate an awareness of the characteristic elements and techniques of the various genres.
• Understand basic elements of language and of language development, history, dialects, and language acquisition.
• Be able to think critically about issues and articulate varying points of view.
• Be adept in solving problems involved in research and communication.
• Be competent in operating word processing programs.
• Be familiar with professional journals in the discipline.
• Be familiar with professional organizations and become a participating member of at least one.
• Be willing and able to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and outline a plan of self-improvement.

Required Courses - Number and Name

1.    210 WRITING & EDITING (3)

       Prerequisite: Successful completion of English Qualifying Examination and English 136, or consent of the department.

2.    216 SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE  I (3)

3.    219 SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE II (3)

4.    226 ELEMENTS OF LITERARY STUDY (3)
       Prerequisite: Successful completion of English Qualifying Examination

5.    228 CRITICAL STRATEGIES (3)
       Prerequisite: Successful completion of the English Qualifying Examination

6.    233 BRITISH LITERATURE I (3)

7.    234 BRITISH LITERATURE II (3)

8.    291 AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)
       Prerequisite for all 300-level courses in English: Successful Completion of English Qualifying Exam

9.     311 SHAKESPEARE (3)

10.   327 - METHODS & MATERIALS OF LITERATURE RESEARCH (3)

11.   331 LITERARY CRITICISM (3)

12.   338 LANGUAGE (3)

13.   387 ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT (3) formerly English 327
        Prerequisite: Successful completion of the English Qualifying Examination and ENG 204, 210, 216, 218, 226, 228, 233, 234, 291; consent of the department

14.   390 WOMEN'S VOICES (3)

15.   314 VICTORIAN LITERATURE (3)
        or
        326 STUDIES IN ROMANTIC LITERATURE (3)
        or
        342 ENGLISH LITERATURE SINCE 1918 (3)
        or
        349 THE ENGLISH NOVEL (3)
        or
        357 THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE (3)
        or
        358 ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE 17th CENTURY (3)
        or
        359 LITERATURE OF THE 18th CENTURY (3)

16.   241 THIRD WORLD LITERATURE (3)
        or
        321 BLACK WOMEN WRITERS (3)
        or
        322 BLACK AMERICAN POETRY (3)
        or
        323 WRIGHT, ELLISON, AND BALDWIN (3)
        or
        324 GWENDOLYN BROOKS SEMINAR (3)
        or
        332 BLACK AMERICAN FICTION (3)
        or
        334 THE IMAGE OF BLACKS IN AMERICAN PROSE FICTION (3)
        or
        370 THE AMERICAN ETHNIC EXPERIENCE IN LITERATURE (3)

17.   341 AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE 1918 (3)
        or
        345 AMERICAN LITERATURE 1820 - 1865 (3)
        or
        346 AMERICAN LITERATURE, 1865 - 1918 (3)

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