English: General English, BA
Students majoring in English explore language, literature, and culture across the globe and in a wide array of media. From books and manuscripts to theater, film, TV, and digital media, English majors go everywhere English goes in order to cultivate their critical and expressive skills.
Our faculty are among the most decorated in the university for their excellence in teaching. English Alumni pursue careers across the full range of professions, from law and medicine to consulting and teaching. For the past two decades, our graduates have especially thrived in the worlds of advertising and social media.
The English Major consists of 13 courses, divided into a Core of 6 courses and the rest Electives. Along the way, majors must take a course in The One Series (ENGL 4500 to 4599) and four Advanced Seminars, some of which may be counted in the Core. The Major was designed to allow students flexibility and choice while ensuring a comprehensive grounding in literary history and interpretation.
In addition to the Standard Curriculum, English Majors may also choose among 12 different Concentrations, including Creative Writing, Cinema & Media Studies, as well as concentrations focused on distinct historical periods, Genres, or Critical Approaches.
For more information: http://www.english.upenn.edu/Undergrad/
For information about the General Education requirements, please visit the College of Arts & Sciences Curriculum page.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| College General Education Requirements and Free Electives | ||
| Foundational Approaches + Sectors + Free Electives | 20 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Core Requirement | ||
| Select one course in each sector from ENGL 0010-ENGL 5999, except ENGL 3000-3999: 1 | 6 | |
| The One Series 2 | ||
| ENGL 4500-4998 | 1 | |
| Early-Period Seminars 3 | ||
| ENGL 0300-0399; 0500:0599; 0700-0799; 2000-2999; 4500-4998; 5000-5999 | 2 | |
Seminar 2: Literature Before 1900 (Attribute: AEB7, AEB9) | ||
| Literature Seminar Electives 4 | ||
| ENGL 0051; 0300-0399; 0500-0599; 0700-0799; 2000-2999; 3000-3999; 4000-4998; 5000-5999 | 2 | |
Seminar 3: Any Literature Seminar | ||
Seminar 4: Any Literature Seminar | ||
| Electives 5 | 2 | |
ENGL 0010-5999 | ||
| Total Course Units | 33 | |
- 1
You will need to take one course to fulfill each sector of the Major Core, six in total. Two of these courses may double-count with your Literature Seminar Electives. Creative Writing Seminars cannot count in the Major Core.
- 2
The One Series seminar (TOS) cannot double-count in the Major Core. However, if you take a second TOS course, your additional TOS may count as a Literature Seminar or an Elective.
- 3
These Early-Period Seminars may NOT double-count in the Core.
- 4
These Seminar Electives may be double-counted in the Core.
- 5
The rest of your 13 c.u. for the English Major will be met with Electives. If none of your seminars are being double-counted in the Core, you will only need two Electives. For each double-counting course, you will need to add an Elective, for a maximum of four, to reach 13 c.u. With the approval of your Major Advisor, you may count up to two courses outside of English toward the Major. Courses in Linguistics (LING) and in Literatures not in English may count; in the case of Non-English Literatures, the courses should ideally be crosslisted (“Also offered As”) with ENGL, or you may obtain the permission from your Major advisor.
Honors
Applicants must have a 3.6 GPA in the Major. Thesis required.
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.