Majors and Minors
English Major
A major in English will nourish your passion for language and literature while preparing you to read and write in many genres and setting you up for success in the job market.
As a major, you will take six courses in our core curriculum and four elective courses. We call this plan “Core + 4.” You can choose to group your elective courses into one of eight optional tracks:
- Creative Writing
- Cultural Studies/Media Studies
- English Teaching
- Irish Literature
- Literature, Anti-racism, and Social Justice
- Literary Histories and Legacies
- Literature of Place and Environment
- Writing and Composition
Alternatively, you can work with your academic advisor to create your own customized track. In total, you must take at least 30 credits of English courses at the 2000 level or above.
English majors meet individually with their advisors each semester to plan their careers.
Many English majors pursue independent projects and hands-on experiences under the guidance of faculty mentors. If you have specific career objectives, pairing your English major with a second major or minor in another discipline can also strengthen your résumé. With so many options, the possibilities are endless!
Program Learning Objectives (PLOs)
PLO 1: Contextualized Literary Knowledge - English majors understand and can fluently discuss literary works in their historical, geographical, and cultural contexts.
PLO 2: Critical Reading and Analysis - English majors know how to read complex texts and are able to analyze the nuances of such texts in written and verbal forums.
PLO 3: Effective Writing and Communication Skills - English majors can communicate clearly and effectively using a variety of different styles, genres, and media, demonstrating an awareness of different readers and audiences.
PLO 4: Technical Knowledge and Theoretical Awareness - English majors are able to employ effectively the technical vocabulary used to analyze literature, understand the distinguishing features of literary genres and modes, and can articulate and apply theoretical principles of literary and cultural analysis.
PLO 5: Social Awareness - English majors are cognizant of and sensitive to the histories of social stratification that have oppressed groups of people and marginalized bodies of literature. For example, they can understand the historical contours of explicit and implicit racism and white supremacy, especially the roles that literature plays in those histories.
PLO 6: Ethical Research and Scholarship - English majors conduct ethical and thorough research and know how to communicate their research in writing to different audiences and for different purposes.
PLO 7: Creation and Creativity - English majors are able to express themselves creatively in different genres and find creative solutions to solve conceptual and interpretive problems of the sort one encounters in literary and cultural study.
English Minor
An English minor is the perfect way to supplement your major with critical thinking, writing, and comprehension skills that will be vital in your professional career. English minors must take 15 credits of English courses at the 2000 level or above. Students may declare a minor at any time during their academic career.
Writing Minor
The writing minor allows students to build the interdisciplinary awareness of composing practices, histories, and theories in a diverse array of text and technologies. The minor requires 15 credits at the 2000-level or above. All students must take ENGL 2013W or 2049W and 12 credits from a list of pre-approved courses. Courses must be taken in at least two subject areas. No more than six credits may overlap with another major or minor.
For an overview of UConn's general education requirements, visit the CLAS Academic Services Center website.
Program Options
Students admitted to the UConn Honors Program as freshmen are selected on the basis of their SAT scores, their high school grades, and their class rank. Those admitted after their first semester are invited on the basis of their college grade point average and faculty recommendation. UConn honors students enjoy the advantages of unusually small seminars, of fellowship with other talented students, and of participation in scholarly events organized through the University Honors Program. They also receive special recognition at graduation, and a diploma acknowledging their participation in the University Honors Program.
The Neag School of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offer a dual-degree program for students planning to become teachers. Through Neag’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education program, prospective English teachers can earn three degrees: a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education, a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English, and a Master’s degree in Education. Neag School of Education majors who wish to receive a Bachelors of Arts in English may need additional courses to fulfill CLAS requirements.