Department of English
Division of Humanities and Fine Arts

The major in English is the study of the arts of literature. Although the emphasis is on critical analysis of great works, students will also gain an understanding of the historical development of literature written in English.  Every semester, you have the freedom to choose the courses that interest you most, with no required sequences of classes! Students who major in English at Washington College:

• Indulge their passion for reading and writing
• Benefit from small class sizes and lively discussions
• Become part of a vibrant community of scholars and writers
• Complete flexible course requirements that prepare them for a wide-variety of career options, including writing, editing, teaching, law, and advertising, just to name a few possibilities

English Major Requirements

The English major is the study of the arts of literature and the craft of writing. The English major requires a total of 13 courses, including the SCE, in the following areas:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Introductory Courses (3 courses chosen from ENG 100 or any 200-level course)		12
ENG 101	Literature and Composition (or any 200-level course)
ENG 200 Level
ENG 200 Level
Select 3 Pre-1800 Literature Courses From Below		12
ENG 301	Chaucer
ENG 302	Arthurian Literature
ENG 303	Women Writers to 1800
ENG 320	The Eighteenth Century
ENG 360	Lit. of Eur Colonies of N Am & Early US
ENG 394	Special Topics (in pre-1800 Lit)
or ENG 494	Special Topics
Select 3 Post-1800 Literature Courses From Below		12
ENG 321	Romanticism
ENG 322	The Victorian Age
ENG 323	The 19th Century English Novel
ENG 330	The Rise of Modernism
ENG 331	Modernism and Its Discontents
ENG 332	Modern & Contemporary British Literature
ENG 336	Postcolonial Literature
ENG 340	Women's Literature
ENG 341	Native American Literature
ENG 342	Children's & Young Adult Literature
ENG 343	American Short Story
ENG 347	American Environmental Writing
ENG 353	Contemp Am Literature : Living Writers
ENG 361	Literary Romanticism in U.S. I
ENG 362	Literary Romanticism in the U.S. II
ENG 363	Gilded Age & American Realism
ENG 370	The Harlem Renaissance
ENG 371	Faulkner & Modernism in U.S.
ENG 377	2PACalypse Now!
ENG 460	Book History & American Print Culture
ENG 470	Toni Morrison
ENG 471	Black Men & Women: Images
ENG 394	Special Topics
or ENG 494	Special Topics
Electives		8
300, 400 Level ENG
300, 400 Level ENG
Additional Required Courses		6-8
ENG 400	Junior Seminar
ENG SCE	Senior Capstone Experience (2-4 credits)
Total Credits		50-52

¹

(Students who matriculated prior to Fall 2021 may count ENG 205 Shakespeare I/ENG 206 Shakespeare II as pre-1800 literature courses instead of 200-level courses.)

English Major with Education Studies Minor

Students interested in teaching English on the secondary school level may combine the Education Studies minor with the English major. The requirements for the English major are the same, with two differences for these students:

EDU 315 Traditional & Modern Grammar is taken as an upper-level elective

ENG 342 Children's & Young Adult Literature is taken as a post-1800 literature upper-level course

Aspiring teachers should review the checklist on the English department website, follow all guidelines for the Education Studies minor, including courses that count for Social Science distribution requirements, and abide by additional requirements for teacher certification.

Advising note

Students may count up to two courses (8 credits) toward multiple programs in the English department (i.e., toward the English major, Creative Writing minor, and/or Journalism, Editing & Publishing minor).