Carla Cannizzaro
Academic Coordinator
English (B.A.)
English (B.A.)
What is English?
You love reading novels, you love to write, or you’re fascinated with the origins of the English language. These are all good reasons to pursue a degree in English, which will give you broad exposure to the history and literature of the English language, while you also learn critical thinking skills and how to write clearly and persuasively. English majors are experts in the art and science of words, allowing you to expand your imaginative potential and solve real-world problems.
Why study English at UNH?
The English program at UNH offers a great deal of flexibility. After completing the basic degree requirements, you’ll be able to focus your studies on literature; writing, including fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry; or areas within linguistics, such as language formation. Other program highlights include our small discussion- and research-oriented seminars; internships with publishers, businesses, and arts and service organizations; and study-abroad opportunities in London and Cambridge, England.
Potential careers
- Business executive
- Communications specialist
- Editor
- Government consultant
- Lawyer
- Publisher
- Teacher
- Writer
Curriculum & Requirements
Our general English major has two objectives: provide our students with a common core of literary experience and expertise, and offer them opportunity to shape a course of study suited to their personal interests. By offering flexible requirements, we encourage students to devise a path through coursework that has an intelligent rationale. If students have a special interest in writing, for example, they can take the minimum number of literature courses (five) and complete the major by taking offerings in fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry writing; if students' interests are in literary studies, they can focus on offerings in that arena; or they can match up courses from different arenas in the department (say, literature and writing courses focused on poetry). All the undergraduate courses we offer in the English department are open to English majors so students can sample a range of courses in literature, linguistics, creative or nonfiction writing, and English teaching, according to how particular interests may change and grow.
The guiding principle of the general English major, then, is that it is open and liberal by design. It allows students to sample a variety of courses in order to study the operation of language from many perspectives.
As an English major, you must complete a minimum of 40 credits of major coursework with a grade of C- or better, the one exception is ENGL 419 Writing About Literature, which must be completed with a grade of C or better. You cannot use ENGL 401 First-Year Writing, ENGL #403 Exploring Literature, ENGL 415s, "Literature and..." courses, and ENGL 444s to satisfy major requirements. Note that any one course may satisfy more than one requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 419 | Writing About Literature 1 | 4 |
| Select two pre-1800 literature courses (select from list below) | 8 | |
| Select two post-1800 literature courses (select from list below) | 8 | |
| Select one course that addresses race, the construction of race, and racial theories (select from list below) | 4 | |
| Select one of the following options: | 8 | |
Option A: | ||
Two 500-level courses 2 | ||
Option B: | ||
ENGL/LING 405 | Introduction to Linguistics | |
One 500-level course 2 | ||
| Select six courses numbered 600 and above 3 | 24 | |
| Select one additional 500-, 600-, or 700-level English course of their choosing | 4 | |
| Capstone: | ||
| One 700-level class in addition to the 10-course major 4 | 4 | |
| 1 | This must be completed with a minimum grade of “C.” ENGL 419 Writing About Literature is the only 400-level class that may count towards the English major. ENGL #403 Exploring Literature, ENGL 415s, "Literature and..." courses and ENGL 444s will NOT count towards this major. |
| 2 | ENGL 501 Introduction to Creative Nonfiction may be included here. |
| 3 | You may include any advanced-level courses even if taken to fulfill literature requirements above. All writing courses numbered 600 and above may be included here. [ENGL 620 English Major Internship and ENGL 788 Senior Honors (previously numbered ENGL 695), cannot be used to satisfy major requirements.] |
| 4 | Minimum grade required: C. The course you select for your Capstone may not be double-counted toward English major requirements. At the time of registration , you must submit a Capstone Declaration form indicating the English course you're taking for capstone credit at the time of registration. You can pick up a capstone Declaration form in the English Department main office. |
Pre-1800 Literature Courses
Either two advanced courses (600-level and above) or one advanced course and either ENGL 512 British Literature I Age of Heroes: Beowulf to Dr. Faustus or ENGL 513 British Literature II Age of Revolutions: Shakespeare to Austen. Choose from the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 657 | Shakespeare | 4 |
| ENGL 741 | Literature of Early America | 4 |
| ENGL 751 | Medieval Epic and Romance | 4 |
| ENGL #753 | Old English | 4 |
| ENGL #756 | Chaucer | 4 |
| ENGL 758 | Advanced Shakespeare | 4 |
| ENGL 759 | Milton | 4 |
| ENGL 767 | Literature of the Restoration and Early 18th Century | 4 |
| ENGL 768 | Literature of the Later 18th Century | 4 |
| ENGL #780 | Drama of Shakespeare's Contemporaries: Will and Company | 4 |
| ENGL #781 | English Drama, 1660-1800 | 4 |
| ENGL 783 | English Novel of the 18th Century | 4 |
Other courses may count. Please see your advisor if you have questions about other courses that might fulfill this requirement.
Post-1800 Literature Courses
Either two advanced courses, or one advanced course and one of the following: ENGL 514 British Literature III: Revolts, Renewals, Migrations, ENGL #515 American Literature I Conquest and Nation: First Contact to the Civil War, or ENGL 516 American Literature II Money, Migration, and Modernity: Huck Finn to Beloved.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL #609 | Ethnicity in America: The African American Experience in the 20th Century | 4 |
| ENGL 650 | Studies in American Literature and Culture 1 | 4 |
| ENGL 681 | Introduction to African Literatures in English | 4 |
| ENGL 690 | Introduction to African American Literature in America | 4 |
| ENGL 739 | American Indian Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 742 | American Literature, 1815-1865 | 4 |
| ENGL #743 | American Literature, 1865-1915 | 4 |
| ENGL #744 | American Literature, 1915-1945 | 4 |
| ENGL 745 | Contemporary American Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 746 | Studies in American Drama | 4 |
| ENGL 747 | Studies in American Poetry | 4 |
| ENGL #748 | Studies in American Fiction | 4 |
| ENGL #749 | Major American Authors | 4 |
| ENGL #769 | English Romantic Period | 4 |
| ENGL 771 | English Victorian Period | 4 |
| ENGL #772 | English Victorian Period | 4 |
| ENGL 773 | Literary Modernisms: Return, Revolt, Recycle | 4 |
| ENGL 774 | Modern & Contemporary British Literature: New Departures | 4 |
| ENGL 777 | Postcolonial Novel | 4 |
| ENGL 784 | English Novel of the 19th Century | 4 |
| 1 | If topic is appropriate. (Please see your advisor if you have questions about other courses that might fulfill this requirement.) |
Course That Addresses Race, the Construction of Race, and Racial Theories
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 517 | Introduction to African American Literature and Culture | 4 |
| ENGL 550 | Introduction to the Literature and Culture of Race | 4 |
| ENGL #609 | Ethnicity in America: The African American Experience in the 20th Century | 4 |
| ENGL 690 | Introduction to African American Literature in America | 4 |
| ENGL 738 | Topics in Asian American Studies | 4 |
| ENGL 739 | American Indian Literature | 4 |
| ENGL #740 | Indigenous New England | 4 |
| ENGL 693 | Special Topics in Literature (subtopic R) | 4 |
| ENGL 797 | Special Studies in Literature (subtopic R) | 4 |
Other courses may count. Please see your advisor if you have questions about other courses that might fulfill this requirement.
The required minimum overall GPA in major coursework is 2.0.
Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.
English majors may use one major-required course to satisfy one Discovery category requirement.
English majors may only count one online course toward their English major requirements.
If you're interested in majoring in English please contact Carla Cannizzaro, coordinator of the Department of English, 230F Hamilton Smith Hall, (603) 862-1313.
More to Explore
