Program Overview
The English degrees at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which include the BA in English, MA in English, MA in English as a Second Language, and MA in Interdisciplinary Studies, cultivate in students scholarly and creative achievement through graduate and undergraduate courses in literature, language, rhetoric and composition, creative writing, and secondary English language arts. We promote student literacy – specifically the abilities to read, write, and think critically – as well as an appreciation for the English language. We encourage faculty to pursue excellence in teaching, foster collegiality, contribute scholarly research, and engage in service to the university and Rio Grande Valley community. The English degrees, as a collaboration among the Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies, the Department of Writing and Language Studies, and the Creative Writing Program in the College of Fine Arts, support culturally responsive pedagogy and community engagement. A student with an English major possesses skills in critical thinking, writing, and reading. English majors can enter professions such as teaching, writing, editing, media production, the law, public service, and advocacy, and they are prepared for continued graduate or professional study.
Core Curriculum - 42 hours
The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculum as outlined below.
The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on theCore Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once.
Major Requirements – 48 hours
Required Courses - 12 hours
English Foundation - 6 hours
ENGL 3300 | Introduction to English Studies | 3 |
ENGL 4390 | Senior English Capstone | 3 |
Linguistics - 3 hours
ENGL 3362 | English Grammar | 3 |
Creative Writing - 3 hours
ENGL 3351 | Creative Writing I | 3 |
Prescribed Electives - 15 hours
This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. Except for core curriculum courses, such courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.
Literature - 9 hours
Literature Survey - Choose one from:
ENGL 3301 | Survey of British Literature I | 3 |
ENGL 3302 | Survey of British Literature II | 3 |
ENGL 3303 | Survey of American Literature I | 3 |
ENGL 3304 | Survey of American Literature II | 3 |
ENGL 3305 | Survey of World Literature | 3 |
Genre /Theme - Choose one from:
ENGL 3307 | Introduction to Film Studies | 3 |
ENGL 3308 | Literature and Film Adaptation | 3 |
ENGL 3309 | Introduction to Cultural Studies | 3 |
ENGL 3315 | The English Novel to 1850 | 3 |
ENGL 3316 | The English Novel from 1850 to Present | 3 |
ENGL 3320 | Development of the American Novel | 3 |
ENGL 3328 | The Short Story and the Novella | 3 |
ENGL 3329 | Science Fiction | 3 |
ENGL 3335 | Women's Literature | 3 |
ENGL 4300 | Advanced Topics in Literature and Cultural Studies | 3 |
ENGL 4308 | Topics in International Film | 3 |
ENGL 4309 | Special Topics in Film | 3 |
ENGL 4314 | Advanced Topics in Contemporary Poetry | 3 |
ENGL 4315 | Advanced Topics in World Literature | 3 |
ENGL 4316 | Beat Generation | 3 |
ENGL 4318 | South Texas Literature | 3 |
ENGL 4320 | Literature and Psychoanalysis | 3 |
Period /Single Author - Choose one from:
ENGL 3310 | Medieval Literature | 3 |
ENGL 3311 | English Renaissance Literature | 3 |
ENGL 3312 | The Eighteenth Century | 3 |
ENGL 3313 | The Romantic Period | 3 |
ENGL 3314 | The Victorian Period | 3 |
ENGL 3321 | 19th-Century American Literature | 3 |
ENGL 3322 | Hemingway | 3 |
ENGL 3326 | Modern Poetry | 3 |
ENGL 4310 | Chaucer | 3 |
ENGL 4311 | Shakespeare | 3 |
ENGL 4312 | Milton | 3 |
ENGL 4313 | Topics in Single Author | 3 |
ENGL 4322 | The Brontë Sisters | 3 |
Linguistics - 3 hours
Choose one from:
ENGL 3360 | Introduction to Language Studies | 3 |
ENGL 3361 | Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics | 3 |
ENGL 3370 | Language and Culture | 3 |
ENGL 4365 | History of the English Language | 3 |
Rhetorical Writing - 3 hours
Choose one from:
ENGL 3340 | Survey Rhetorical Theory | 3 |
ENGL 3345 | Studies in Literacy | 3 |
ENGL 4343 | Composition Theory and Pedagogy | 3 |
Creative Writing Concentration - 21 hours
Certain courses below appear in more than one section of the degree plan. The courses and related credit hours can only be applied only once to the degree.
Creative Writing Theory Core - 3 hours
ENGL 4353 | Forms and Techniques in Creative Writing | 3 |
Advanced Creative Writing Electives - 12 hours
Choose from:
ENGL 3350 | Gallery | 3 |
ENGL 3352 | Creative Non-Fiction | 3 |
ENGL 3353 | Creative Writing: Cross-Genre Writing | 3 |
ENGL 4350 | Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
ENGL 4351 | Advanced Creative Writing: Workshop in Playwriting | 3 |
ENGL 4352 | Advanced Creative Writing: Workshop in Fiction | 3 |
ENGL 4354 | Advanced Creative Writing: Graphic Literature | 3 |
ENGL 4355 | Advanced Creative Writing: Screenwriting | 3 |
ENGL 4356 | Advanced Creative Writing: Children's Literature | 3 |
ENGL 4357 | Advanced Creative Writing: Creative Writing and Social Action | 3 |
ENGL 4358 | Advanced Creative Writing: Writing for Performance | 3 |
ENGL 4359 | Special Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
English Electives - 6 hours
Choose from additional English (ENGL) courses
Free Electives - 30 hours
Advanced hours will vary to meet the minimum 42 advanced institutional credit hour requirement for a bachelor’s degree.
Total Credit Hours: 42
Total Credit Hours: 120
View this program’s recommended roadmap to graduation.
UTRGV Roadmaps are a suggested sequence of courses designed to assist students in completing their undergraduate degree requirements. This is a term-by-term sample roadmap of courses required to complete the degree. Students must satisfy all requirements in their catalog including, but not limited to course prerequisites, grade point average and course grade benchmarks, progression requirements, and graduation requirements.
Students should meet with their academic advisor every semester to discuss their individualized path toward completion. Degree progress within this roadmap depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation and readiness, student time management, work and personal responsibilities, and financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.