May 20, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024 
    
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Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024

English, B.A.

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University General Education Requirements  

Chairperson: Concetta Williams

The Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Interdisciplinary Programs offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with options in Literature, Secondary Teaching, and Writing. The department also offers minor sequences in English and Writing for students majoring in other fields.

Students in the Literature and Writing Options may prepare for a variety of careers including at least the following: creative writing, editing, advertising, business, law, and librarianship. Completion of the Secondary Teaching Option in English qualifies students for an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with an endorsement for teaching English Language Arts for grades 9-12 and a middle grade endorsement in Language Arts for grades 6-8, provided that the program was completed and the middle grade endorsement was issued by January 31, 2018.

On February 1, 2018, Middle School-New Middle Grades (5-8) educator preparation programs became effective. Students in current grades 6-12 programs will now only receive endorsements for grades 9-12 instead of for the previous 6-8 grade and 9-12 grade ranges.

Licensure requires the successful completion of the Illinois Licensure English Language Arts Content Area Test and edTPA. The Secondary Teaching Program is accredited by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and meets Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards in English Language Arts education. The department maintains an updated copy of its assessment report in SCI 320.

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. For this option, students must complete 120 semester hours of coursework. They must include 36 credit hours of required General Education courses (see the University’s official list), a two-semester sequence in a single foreign language, and one embedded General Education or major course carrying the diversity designation. See more detail below. Total required credit hours break down as follows:

General Education courses

  • (36 credit hours. ENG 2011  is preferred for meeting the Oral Communications requirement.)

Foreign Languages

  • (6 credit hours, including 3 credit hours for the College of Arts and Sciences)

English Core courses

(45 credit hours)

English Electives

(15 credit hours)

University Electives

(18 credit hours)

Total credit hours: 120

Specific Requirements

Required English Core Courses (45 credit hours)

*Students may test out of ENG 1360 , which is a prerequisite for ENG 2100 , by taking and passing the Grammar Competency Examination (GCE). While ENG 1360  will be waived if a passing score is earned on the GCE, no credit hours will be earned.

NOTE: Students not meeting program standards also will be required to enroll in ENG 3920 - PTW Writng Practicum  prior to enrolling in ENG 4395 .

one 4000-level course in American Literature
one 4000-level course in British Literature

University Senior Thesis (3 credit hours)

This requirement may be met by

Foreign Language (6 credit hours in a single language)

This includes 3 credit hours for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Department Electives (15 hours)

English courses are to be selected with the approval of the department academic advisor.

University Electives (18 credit hours)

Students should complete additional electives to reach 120 total credit hours.

Secondary Teaching Option in English

General Requirements (126 hours)

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.

For this option, students must complete 126 credit hours of coursework. They must include 36 credit hours of General Education (see the University’s official list) and 3 credit hours from one embedded General Education or major course carrying the diversity designation. Taking certain social science courses will allow students to fulfill the critical thinking requirement.

English Secondary Education majors also are required to take a two-semester sequence (6 credit hours) in a single foreign language, including 3 credit hours for the college. ENG 2011  is the preferred course for fulfilling the Oral Communication requirement, and PSYC 2040  must be among the social science courses taken, as well as Student Teaching ENG 3750 . The one-credit-hour ENG 1092 - Il Eng Tch Cert Rev  course must be taken, but the credit does not count toward graduation. Students also must pass the examination on the federal constitution. See more detail below. Total required credit hours break down as follows:

General Education courses (36 credit hours)

Some of these may fulfill core English requirements. ENG 2011  is preferred for meeting the Oral Communications requirement.)

Foreign Language

(6 credit hours, including 3 credit hours for the College of Arts and Sciences)

English Core courses

(54 credit hours)

Professional Education courses

(31 credit hours, including one English methods course, and ENG 3750   - Student Teaching)

Specific Requirements

Required English Core Courses (54 credit hours)

*Students may test out of ENG 1360  by taking and passing the Grammar Competency Examination (GCE). While ENG 1360  will be waived if a passing score is earned on the GCE, no credit hours will be earned.

one 4000-level course in American Literature
one 4000-level course in British Literature
one 4000-level course in Ethnic Literature

Foreign Language (6 credit hours in a single language)

This includes 3 credit hours for the college.

Required Professional Education Courses (31 credit hours)

Select one of the following specialized teaching methods courses:

NOTE: The University Thesis requirement may be met by ENG 3750  (6 credit hours)

Writing 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.

For this option students must complete 120 credit hours of coursework. These must include 36 credit hours of required General Education courses (see the University’s official list), a two-semester sequence in a single foreign language, and one embedded General Education or major course carrying the diversity designation. See more detail below. Total required credit hours break down as follows:

General Education courses

(36 credit hours)

Foreign Language courses

(6 credit hours, including 3 credit hours for the College of Arts and Sciences)

English Core courses

(45 credit hours)

English Electives

(15 credit hours)

University Electives

(18 credit hours)

Total credit hours: 120

Specific Requirements

Required English Core Courses (45 credit hours)

*Students may test out of ENG 1360 , which is a prerequisite for ENG 2100 , by taking and passing the Grammar Competency Examination (GCE). While ENG 1360  is waived if a passing score is earned on the GCE, no credit hours will be earned.

NOTE: Students not meeting program standards also will be required to enroll in ENG 3920 - PTW Writng Practicum  prior to enrolling in ENG 4395 .

one 4000-level course in American Literature
one 4000-level course in British Literature

University Thesis Requirement

This requirement may be met by

Foreign Language (6 credit hours)

This includes 3 credit hours for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Department Electives (15 credit hours)

Courses are to be selected with the approval of the department academic advisor and must include at least the following:

  • 3 credit hours from 2000-level literature courses
  • 3 credit hours from 4000-level literature courses.

University Electives (18 credit hours)

Students should complete additional electives to reach 120 total credit hours. Students also must pass the examination on the federal constitution.

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