The Bachelor of Arts in English is housed within the College of Arts and Sciences and offers small class sizes and a dedicated faculty who provide the highest quality instruction. The B.A. degree in English was made for students with an interest in reading, writing, philosophy, languages, media, and communication. Our faculty use “smart” classrooms, which allow subjects of study to come alive in video and audio. Upper-level courses provide the necessary subject matter concentration for students preparing for careers or graduate work in the humanities in one of three content area concentrations: literature, creative writing, and philosophy. Whether you want to write for our student-run newspaper, edit our literary journal, or tutor others in our student-only Writing Center, the Division of Languages and Literature provides students with the skills necessary to succeed in the classroom and the boardroom.
10:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
15
Program specific scholarships
100+
Years of combined faculty experience
Why Choose English at DSU?
The aim of the Division of Languages and Literature is to provide high-quality instruction in the study of literature, composition, English pedagogy, communication, philosophy, and foreign languages in order to develop critically literate scholars, writers, and educators prepared to engage a global society. Our faculty of active scholars and committed teachers support our students in and outside the classroom, while our internship program allows students to obtain real-world experience in their chosen field before they graduate.
- Flexible and part-time course scheduling
- Online and in-person student advisement
- Publications workshop
- English honors society
- Student-run theatre club
- Student-run newspaper
- Student literary magazine
- A student-only Writing Center
Concentrations in English
Creative Writing
A concentration in Creative Writing helps to prepare students for careers in editing, journalism, and teaching, as well as graduate programs in creative writing and literature. It is a program of study characterized by flexibility and a hands-on approach to writing genres, book layout and design, and newspaper production. A hallmark of the concentration is the close, mentoring engagement with creative writing faculty and guest writers, as well as the opportunity to publish in both The Delta Statement, our award-winning undergraduate newspaper, and DA: A Journal of Delta Arts, a literary magazine published every spring by students in the program.
English Literature
The concentration of English Literature helps students to understand and evaluate English-language literature, assisting them to become critically literate scholars, writers, and educators prepared to engage a global society. The recently revised curriculum of seminar courses provides the necessary subject matter concentration for students preparing for careers or graduate work in the humanities in an environment that prioritizes student engagement.
Philosophy
The Philosophy concentration offers students opportunities to pose and respond to fundamental questions about existence and human values. It is ideal for students interested in pursuing graduate study in the humanities, as well as professional programs such as law and medical school. Upper-level electives provide training in the composition of clear, rational argument, while maintaining a position sympathetic to varied perspectives and cultures.
What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in English?
An English degree is eminently versatile. The skills developed through our bachelor’s program in English will transfer confidently to any number of jobs, such as:
- Copy editor
- Publisher
- Middle school teacher
- High school teacher
- Librarian
- Archivist
- Newspaper reporter/editor
- Magazine reporter/editor
English Scholarships
The Division of Languages and Literature has one of the most robust scholarship programs at the university. Students may be eligible for more than 15 discipline-specific awards. Most scholarships are merit-based and some have residential requirements or preferences. Students may also be eligible for non-program specific scholarship opportunities.
Internships
The Division of Languages and Literature offers numerous internship opportunities for its students both on and off campus. Internships partner students with organizations such as the University Press of Mississippi, the Delta Center for Culture and Learning, the Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archive and Museum, and the Roberts-LaForge Library. The following are examples of possible internships:
- Communications
- Creative Publishing
- Academic Publishing
- Writing Center Administration
- New Media
- Creative Writing Pedagogy
- Archival Management & Museum Curatorship
- Library Science
Program Goals
Our goal is to train critically literate scholars, writers, and educators prepared to engage a global society no matter where their degree in English takes them. From the classroom to the boardroom, our graduates go on to careers in education, media, marketing, technology, publishing, and countless other fields, while others pursue graduate degrees in literature, creative writing, pedagogy – even law or business.
Admission Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in English Program has no additional admissions requirements. Students only need to meet the admissions requirements set by Delta State University.
Curriculum
The following courses are required to complete the major in English plus one concentration.
English (Major)
| Categories | Course Number and Course Title | Credits |
| General | ENG 304: Advanced Composition ENG 435: William Shakespeare ENG 490: Senior Capstone Seminar |
9 |
| Internship | ENG 491: Internship: Creative Publishing ENG 493: Internship in Academic Publishing ENG 494: Internship in Writing Center Administration ENG 496: Internship in New Media ENG 497: Internship in Creative Writing Pedagogy ENG 498: Internship in Archival Management & Museum Curatorship ENG 499: Internship: Library Science COM 493: Internship: Communications |
1 |
| In addition, select one course from two of the four categories | 6 | |
| Period Elective | ENG 401: Early Moderate Literature ENG 403: Postcolonial Literature ENG 405: Modernist Literature ENG 407: Postmodern Literature ENG 411: Contemporary Literature |
|
| Genre Elective | ENG 420: Popular Fiction ENG 421: Seminar in Drama ENG 422: The Epic Poem ENG 424: New Journalism ENG 425: The Rise of the Novel |
|
| Single Author Elective | ENG 433: Mark Twain ENG 438: William Faulker ENG 440: John Milton ENG 442: Jane Austen ENG 445: Toni Morrison |
|
| Diversity Elective | ENG 461: Blues Literature ENG 462: Literature by Women ENG 463: African American Literature ENG 464: Native American Literature ENG 465: LGBTQ Literature ENG 466: Disability Studies in Literature and Film |
|
| TOTAL | 16 | |
Creative Writing (Concentration)
| Categories | Course Number and Course Title | Credits |
| General | ENG 202: Introduction to Creative Writing Any two courses below ENG 309: British Literature Seminar I, or ENG 310: British Literature Seminar II, or ENG 312: American Literature Seminar I, or ENG 313: American Literature Seminar II |
9 |
| Workshop | ENG 220: Student Publications Workshop Any two courses below ENG 320: Poetry Writing Workshop, or ENG 321: Fiction Writing Workshop, or ENG 322: Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop, or ENG 324: Creative Writing Techniques |
9 |
| TOTAL | 18 | |
English Literature (Concentration)
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| ENG 309 | British Literature Seminar I | 3 |
| ENG 310 | British Literature Seminar II | 3 |
| ENG 312 | American Literature Seminar I | 3 |
| ENG 313 | American Literature Seminar II | 3 |
| Additional English electives (ENG 300-level or above) | 6 | |
| TOTAL | 18 | |
Philosophy (Concentration)
| Courses | Credits |
| English electives (ENG 300-level or above) | 6 |
| Upper-level Philosophy electives beyond PHI 201 | 12 |
| TOTAL | 18 |
Degree Requirements
To earn this degree, you must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including your general education requirements and the major requirements below. You must also earn a grade point average of at least 2.0 in the major field overall and successfully complete the Senior Capstone project.
| General Education | 38-41 |
| University Requirement | 1 |
| Special Degree Requirements | 12-15 |
| Major | 34 |
| Minor | 15-24 |
| Electives | 5-20 |
| TOTAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS | 120 |
For more information on degree requirements and specifics on courses needed to complete the degree, consult the Undergraduate Academic Catalog. For a semester-by-semester breakdown on how you can complete this degree in 4-years, visit academic maps.
