English as a discipline of thought and study is fundamentally concerned with literacy. Critic and teacher Robert Scholes helpfully defines what such literacy means: “the ability to understand and to produce a wide variety of texts that use the English language—including work in the traditional literary forms, in the practical and persuasive forms, and in the modern media as well.” English is, then, a very wide-ranging field of study. Historically, it gives attention to the great variety of texts that human culture has produced over centuries. Conceptually, it aims at developing deep abilities in reading and writing—again of a great variety of texts.

The Department has carefully designed its program of study to represent the challenges and the pleasures of such a diverse field. We reflect this in the variety of courses offered and in the sequential way in which we ask our majors to approach their study. That study begins with Eng. 201, The World of Texts, which introduces the student to the basic principles underlying the discipline. Students are also required to take at least one half of the American Literature Survey before moving into upper-level American literature courses and one half of the British Literature Survey before moving into upper-level British literature courses. The 300 and 400 level courses presume the solid grounding in literary history and critical reading skills that our 200 level courses are designed to provide. In the student’s senior year, the major provides a distinct “capstone” experience through Eng. 450, the Integrative Seminar.

The deep literacy that one can achieve through careful work in the major prepares the student for a range of post-graduate opportunities. Naturally, one can pursue the discipline further, through graduate study in English. But the major in English, in connection with the full experience of coursework that a Bellarmine education provides, can lead also to a range of professional opportunities; recent graduates in English have gone on to work in such fields as banking, law, medicine, management, public relations, advertising, and academic administration.

Department Goals
The Department of English is committed to the following four goals:

1. To teach writing, as a fundamental means of learning – of self-expression, and of communication – across the full range of our course work.

2. To teach close, creative reading of both literary and non-literary texts, and to teach such reading as an interactive, culturally grounded process of making meaning.

3. To provide our majors with a fundamental sense of literary history – American, English, and as much as possible international – and of the social history relevant to it.

4. To explore literature as a centrally important mode of human inquiry and experience; that is, to take seriously what it is saying, and to argue critically about its social and individual
truths.

Requirements for a Major in English, 37-52 hours
Basic courses: Eng. 201, 207, 208, 209, 210, 250, 412, 450, and fifteen hours selected from 300
and 400 level English courses. Students must take:

1. at least one upper-level course from American literature offerings;
2. at least one upper-level course from British literature offerings;
3. at least one 400-level course (which might coincide with #1 or #2).

Note: An internship will NOT suffice for the 400-level course.

Requirements for a Minor in English, 21–24 hours
Eng. 201, two of the following survey courses: Eng. 207, 208, 209, 210; English 412; and ninetwelve hours of electives, no more than three hours of which can be at the 200-level.

General Reminders for Majors and Minors
1. The General Education courses (Eng. 101 and Eng. 200) do NOT count as part of a student’s curriculum in the English Department.

2. Per University guidelines, if a student exceeds 52 hours in the major, he/she must add the same number of hours to overall number of hours taken at Bellarmine.

Academic Policies for Majors and Minors

1. The successful completion of Eng. 101 is a prerequisite for all other English courses.

2. Eng. 201 must be completed before a student can enroll in a 300- or 400-level course.

3. Eng. 250 must be completed before enrolling in 300- or 400-level courses.

4. All students in the English Dept. must earn at least a C in coursework. If a D or F is earned, the course must be repeated to count toward the major or minor.

5. Students are strongly encouraged to take several semesters of a foreign language to complement their major in English, especially if students plan to attend graduate school.

Department Activities for Students
1. Students majoring and minoring in English are encouraged to involve themselves in Ariel, the department’s literary society. To strengthen their writing, students are also encouraged
to write for the literary magazine, Ariel. This student-run organization offers many opportunities for students to enhance their writing and editing skills.

2. Students are encouraged to attend readings by contemporary authors, made available through the Bellarmine Writers Series. Each semester, an author of note offers a public reading and
also works intensively with the creative writing class being taught.

3. Our students have been very successful in the Metroversity Writing Competitions, which are publicized each spring. Our students fare well in these competitions, and our majors are
encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to hone their writing skills. Work on the school newspaper and yearbook represents another valuable avenue for students interested
in writing.

4. English students are encouragedto apply for the annual English-Speaking Union Scholarship, in support of summer study in Great Britain.

5. English majors entering their junior or senior year are encouraged to apply for the annual Elizabeth Norton Hagan Scholarship, which provides a substantial cash award for that
academic year.