The English major teaches students to appreciate and use the English language and literature effectively for critical thinking, effective communication, citizenship, and career success. English majors build strong writing skills and engage in high-level critical and analytical thinking. They encounter enriching, enduring, experimental, and complex works of literature. And they grapple with perspectives far distant from their own, examining their deepest values. Instructors introduce students to a wide range of genres and cultural perspectives, and pay close attention to all aspects of student thinking and writing, from logic and evidence to originality and style. Fostering communication skills, stimulating creativity, developing cultural sensitivity, and sharpening analytical abilities, the English major prepares students for a broad range of careers.
English majors choose one of three tracks: the general major (which emphasizes literary and cultural studies), creative writing, or language and linguistics. All majors take a core curriculum that introduces them to a range of approaches to literature and language, including courses in literary and cultural history. Students who opt for the general major build on core courses with intermediate and advanced classes that focus on texts from across a range of periods and places, investigating literature and culture using multiple methods and approaches. Students pursuing the emphasis on creative writing take the core curriculum with a sequence of creative writing workshops. Students wishing to emphasize language and linguistics choose options in grammar, the history of the English language, phonology, and language acquisition.
Teaching Major
Those who wish to prepare for teaching careers at the secondary level should complete the undergraduate English major and then apply for a teaching certificate or graduate education program. For further information, students should make an appointment with the undergraduate advisor in English or the graduate advisor in curriculum and instruction.
How to Get in
There are no admission requirements for the major. Students interested in declaring the major should schedule an appointment with the undergraduate academic advisor listed in the Contact Box on the right sidebar of this page.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science curriculum.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Mathematics | Complete the University General Education Requirements for Quantitative Reasoning A (QR-A) and Quantitative Reasoning B (QR-B) coursework. |
| Language |
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| LS Breadth |
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| Liberal Arts and Science Coursework | Complete at least 108 credits. |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | Complete at least 60 credits at the intermediate or advanced level. |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | Complete at least 120 credits. |
| UW-Madison Experience |
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| Quality of Work |
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Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
30 credits in intermediate- and advanced-level ENGL courses numbered 204 and higher, excluding ENGL 207 and ENGL 236.
English (Literature)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Survey of Literature | ||
| ENGL 241 | Literature and Culture I: to the 18th Century | 3 |
| ENGL 242 | Literature and Culture II: from the 18th Century to the Present | 3 |
| American Literature (1 course) | 3 | |
| Vladimir Nabokov: Russian and American Writings | ||
| American Literary Cultures | ||
| Literature by American Indian Women | ||
| Women in Ethnic American Literature | ||
| A Survey of Asian American Literature | ||
| Major American Poets | ||
| Modern and Contemporary American Literature | ||
| Chicana/o and Latina/o Literatures | ||
| African and African Diaspora Literature and Culture | ||
| A Study of an Outstanding Figure or Figures in American Literature | ||
| Topic in Nineteenth-Century American Literature and Culture | ||
| Topic in American Literature and Culture since 1900 | ||
| Major American Writer or Writers | ||
| Three American Novelists | ||
| Topics in Ethnic and Multicultural Literature | ||
| Race and Sexuality in American Literature | ||
| Asian American Women Writers | ||
| Asian American Poetry | ||
| Topic in Contemporary Literature | ||
| Jewish Literatures in Diaspora | ||
| Feminist Theory and Women's Writing in English | ||
| Literature of Jewish Identity in America | ||
| Selected Topics in Afro-American Literature | ||
| Pre-1800 course (two courses) | 6 | |
| You may take only one Shakespeare course: | ||
| Shakespearean Drama | ||
| Early Works of Shakespeare | ||
| Later Works of Shakespeare | ||
| You must take at least one course that is not Shakespeare: | ||
| The Sixteenth Century | ||
| Eighteenth Century Literature and Culture | ||
| Stage and Page in the Long Eighteenth Century | ||
| Eighteenth-Century Novel | ||
| The Anglo-Saxons | ||
| Outstanding Figure(s) in Literature before 1800 | ||
| Topic in Medieval Literature and Culture | ||
| Medieval Drama | ||
| Medieval Romance | ||
| Chaucers Courtly Poetry | ||
| Chaucer's Canterbury Tales | ||
| Topic in Early Modern Literature and Culture | ||
| Spenser | ||
| Milton | ||
| Topic in Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture | ||
| Old English | ||
| Advanced Old English Literature | ||
| Discourses of Disability, Antiquity to 1800 | ||
| Topic in Travel Writing before 1800 | ||
| Seminar | ||
| ENGL 245 | Seminar in the Major | 3 |
| Language or Composition Rhetoric (1 course) | 3 | |
| Studies in Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy | ||
| The English Language | ||
| History and Theory of Rhetoric and Writing Studies | ||
| Advanced Composition | ||
| Race, Sex, and Texts (How to do things with writing) | ||
| Seminar on Tutoring Writing Across the Curriculum | ||
| Topics in Composition and Rhetoric | ||
| Electives | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Named Options
Students may complete a named option, instead of the traditional English major. These are formally printed on the transcript.
Residence and Quality of Work
2.000 GPA in all ENGL courses and all major courses
2.000 GPA on at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the major, taken in residence1
15 credits in ENGL, taken on the UW–Madison campus
- 1
Intermediate and Advanced level ENGL courses are considered upper level in the major.
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the English major with permission of the major advisor. All English majors, including those declared in either named option, are eligible to complete Honors in the major.
Honors in the English Major Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in English, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA in all ENGL courses and all major courses
- Complete 12 credits, taken for Honors, with a grade of B or better to include:
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- (History of literature and language) To demonstrate knowledge of major forms, techniques, social conditions, values, and genres that have shaped the history of English literature and language.
- (Critical thinking) To be able to discern and integrate divergent and contradictory perspectives, identify and question assumptions, and assess evidence and methods.
- (Creativity) To generate original ideas and texts, experimenting and taking risks, solving problems, and answering questions in a range of genres and media.
- (Critical writing) To write original, coherent, and compelling arguments that push beyond summary to analysis and independent and critical thinking in clear prose that meets expectations for grammatical correctness.
- (Citizenship) To develop empathy by learning about the experiences of others, and to gain an understanding of how we participate in communities (including the classroom) and the public sphere.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A (complete during your first year) | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A (complete during your first year) | 3 | Foreign Language (if required) | 4 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 4 | Physical Science Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 4 | ENGL 201 or 207 (COM-B) | 3 |
| ENGL 241 | 3 | ENGL 242 | 3 |
| ENGL 245 | 3 | English Language or Composition/Rhetoric Requirement | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3-4 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| INTER-LS 210 | 1 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Declare the Major (before 86 credits)1 | Pre-1800 Literature Requirement | 3 | |
| Natural Science Breadth | 3 | English I/A Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Natural Science Breadth | 3 |
| American Literature | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Pre-1800 Literature Requirement2 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| English I/A Elective | 3 | English I/A Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Footnotes
- 1
Students must declare a major before 86 credits.
- 2
See your major advisor if you want to declare English/Creative Writing, Honors in the English major, or plan to study abroad.
Please refer to the Requirements tab in Guide for additional College of Letters & Science Breadth and Degree Requirements as well as Residence and Quality of Work requirements for the major.
Three-Year Plan
This Sample Three-Year Plan is a tool to assist students and their advisor(s). Students should use it —along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools — to make their own three-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests.
Three-year plans may vary considerably from student to student, depending on their individual preparation and circumstances. Students interested in graduating in three years should meet with an advisor as early as possible to discuss feasibility, appropriate course sequencing, post-graduation plans (careers, graduate school, etc.), and opportunities they might forgo in pursuit of a three-year graduation plan.
Departmental Expectations
Students planning to graduate within three years with an English major should enter the University with a minimum of 30 advanced standing credits, and have satisfied the following requirements with course credit or via placement examination:
- Communication Part A
- Quantitative Reasoning Part A
- 18 combined credits of Humanities, Social Science, and Natural Science coursework
- 3-4 units of foreign language
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Ethnic Studies | 3 | ENGL 201 or 207 (meets Communication B) | 3 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | ENGL 241 or 242 | 3 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | Physical Science Breadth | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Foreign Language (if interested in retroactive credit or to reach 4 units) or Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 241 or 242 | 3 | Pre-1800 Literature course | 3 |
| ENGL 245 | 3 | ENGL Elective | 3 |
| English Language or Composition & Rhetoric course | 3 | Social Science Breadth or Elective (Intermediate or Advanced level) | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning B (if BA) or Elective (if BS) | 3 | Intermediate or Advanced COMP SCI, MATH, or STAT (if BS) or Elective (Intermediate or Advanced level) (if BA) | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Elective (Intermediate or Advanced level) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| American Literature course | 3 | ENGL Elective | 3 |
| Pre-1800 Literature course | 3 | ENGL Elective | 3 |
| Biological Science Breadth | 3 | Intermediate or Advanced COMP SCI, MATH, or STAT (if BS) or Elective (Intermediate or Advanced level) (if BA) | 3 |
| Science Breadth or Elective | 3 | Electives (Intermediate or Advanced level) | 6 |
| Elective (Intermediate or Advanced level) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 90 | |||
Advising and Careers
Academic Advising
The English department supports majors and prospective majors by offering a comprehensive advising team based on your personal interests. You will find us on the 7th floor of the Helen C. White Building next to Memorial Union. Our team is here to support students holistically as they navigate their time at UW. To meet our advisors, visit our undergraduate advising page for more information, including how to schedule an appointment.
Careers and Internship Advisor
Career & Internship Coordinator
careers@english.wisc.edu
7195E Helen C. White, 600 North Park Street
English Career Advising
The English Department encourages our majors to begin working on their career exploration and preparation soon after declaring the major. Our career advisor also partners with SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science. L&S graduates are in high demand by employers and graduate programs. It is important to us that our students are career ready at the time of graduation, and we are committed to their success.
L&S Career Resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
People
Please visit the English Department website for a complete list of faculty, instructional, and academic staff.
Resources and Scholarships
Writing Center
The Writing Center, located in 6171 Helen C. White Hall, offers free individualized help with writing. Students are welcome to come to the center for help with writing assignments in almost any course. In half-hour tutorials, instructors help students clarify and organize ideas and offer advice about revising a draft. The center also offers short-term classes on various facets of writing, including classes on writing about literature, writing research papers, writing book reviews, writing essay exams, and on many other topics. The Writing Center also has a computer lab.
To make an appointment, students should call 608-263-1992 or stop by when the center is open. During busy times of the semester, the center often is booked several days in advance, so students should plan ahead. For complete information about the center, including hours, schedules for writing assistance in the Multicultural Student Center and residence halls, extensive handouts about writing, and information about the Undergraduate Writing Fellows program, see the center website.
Scholarships and Writing Prizes
The English Department is proud to offer numerous forms of support for its undergraduate students and to recognize exceptional accomplishments in various forms of academic and creative work. You can find information about scholarships, prizes, and grants specifically designated for declared English majors on our website. Typically, these prizes and scholarships are awarded in the spring semester. Applications need to be submitted online, via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WISH).