English, B.A.
Writing is central to all aspects of Saint Louis University's program in English. In all English courses, students hone their ability to write and to reflect upon what they read.
Along with courses in literature in which critical and analytical writing plays a principal role, students majoring in English at SLU may take courses in various genres of creative writing or business and professional writing. These courses enhance both personal creativity and professional competence. SLU's English alumni consistently cite this departmental emphasis on analytical thinking and effective writing skills as a significant asset in preparing them for various academic and nonacademic postgraduate pursuits.
Additional highlights of SLU's B.A. in English include:
- SLU's Department of English sponsors a student-edited online literary magazine, the Kiln Project, which publishes creative work by students, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art.
- The English department also provides the opportunity for students to publish their original, critical research projects during their undergraduate career through VIA, an online journal of student scholarly research.
- The English Club, run by undergraduate students, actively seeks inventive ways to strengthen the community of Saint Louis University students who love literature and writing.
Curriculum Overview
Saint Louis University's English major is student-centered, with small classes emphasizing discussion and independent thinking. Coursework within the major balances tradition and innovation in all areas of literary and rhetorical studies, including:
- British and American literatures
- Postcolonial and world literatures
- African American and Native American literatures
- Literary theory
- Film studies
- Gender studies
- History of the English language
- Rhetoric and composition
- Creative writing
- New media writing
- Business and professional writing
Fieldwork and Research Opportunities
The benefits of SLU's English program also include several internship and career opportunities. The English department's internship program supports upper-level English majors who wish to supplement their academic course of study with an educational work experience. SLU's English department seeks to place its students in internship environments where interns go beyond performing clerical work and can make meaningful connections between their course of study and the practical, social and intellectual demands of a workplace.
Careers
Students who study English at SLU receive a solid foundation for any profession that requires excellent analytical and communication skills. Graduates have enrolled in doctoral programs to continue their English studies. Others find employment in arts, education, business, government and nonprofit agencies. Some graduates enroll in master's or doctoral programs or pursue service upon graduation through organizations such as Teach for America, Americorps, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps or the Peace Corps. Many students attend law school, medical school or MBA programs. Others pursue careers in the media or publishing.
Admission Requirements
Begin Your Application
Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.
Freshman
All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.
To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test.
Transfer
Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED.
Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).
In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.
International Applicants
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:
- Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
- Proof of financial support must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
- Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:
- Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
- Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided in the form of grants and loans, some of which require repayment.
For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by Dec. 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
For information on other scholarships and financial aid, visit www.slu.edu/financial-aid.
- Graduates will be able to produce close readings of literary texts and other media that demonstrate an ability to analyze elements such as syntax, word choice, tone, tropes and imagery.
- Graduates will be able to analyze the ways in which works of literature reflect and shape their historical and cultural contexts.
- Graduates will be able to analyze the ways in which medium, form or genre create and shape meaning in a variety of works.
- Graduates will be able to produce written and oral arguments about literary works and other media that demonstrate facility with appropriate research methods, clear organization and awareness of audience.
- Graduates will be able to analyze the ways in which literary works represent the intersections of factors such as race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, ethnicity, environment and belief.
- Graduates will be able to interpret and evaluate texts and other media through a variety of theoretical and critical lenses (e.g. formalist, Marxist, psychoanalytic, feminist, postcolonial, poststructuralist, etc.).
- Rhetoric, Writing, and Technology Track: Graduates with a concentration in rhetoric, writing and technology will analyze the rhetorical functions and features of a variety of texts and media.
- Rhetoric, Writing, and Technology Track: Graduates with a concentration in rhetoric, writing and technology will produce rhetorically sophisticated texts or media for a range of contexts.
- Creative Writing Track and Minor: Graduates with a concentration in creative writing will use appropriate craft techniques to develop multiple dimensions of textual complexity in creative compositions.
- Research Intensive English: Graduates with a concentration in research intensive English will pursue original research questions that demonstrate advanced awareness of theoretical, historical and interpretive contexts in sustained discipline appropriate written arguments.
The English major consists of 12 courses (36 minimum credits), made up of one course at the 2000-level, five courses in 3000-level area requirements, five electives at the 4000-level and one senior seminar.
The overall requirements are as follows:
- Three credits at the 2000-level;
- Fifteen credits at the 3000-level including at least three credits from each area;
- Fifteen credits at the 4000-level;
- Three credit senior inquiry requirement, fulfilled by satisfactorily completing ENGL 4960 Senior Inquiry Seminar (3 cr).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Many English courses fulfill University Undergradaute Core requirements. For additional information about Core courses, please visit: | ||
| University Undergraduate Core | 32-35 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| 2000-level Course | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Literary Study | ||
| Conflict, Social Justice and Literature | ||
| Faith, Doubt and Literature | ||
| Nature, Ecology & Literature | ||
| Gender, Identity & Literature | ||
| Technology, Media & Literature | ||
| Film, Culture and Literature | ||
| Nation, Identity and Literature | ||
| 3000-level Courses | ||
| Select one course with each of the following attributes: | 15 | |
Additional course taken from any of the above areas. | ||
| 4000-level Courses | ||
| Select five courses. Any English course offered at the 4000-level may count, such as: | 15 | |
| New Media Writing | ||
| Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism | ||
| Topics in Medieval Literature | ||
| Topics in Shakespeare | ||
| Milton | ||
| The Age of Romanticism | ||
| Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction | ||
| Irish Modernism | ||
| Contemporary Postcolonial Literature and Culture | ||
| Contemporary American Literature | ||
| Major American Authors | ||
| Post-1900 African American Literature | ||
| Representations of Native Americans in Text & Film | ||
| Internship | ||
| Senior Seminar | ||
| Senior Inquiry Seminar | ||
| General Electives | 52-55 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Creative Writing Concentration
General Requirements
The requirements for the English major with a Creative Writing concentration are the same as those for the English major: students must take a 2000-level literature course, fulfill fifteen credits of 3000-level area requirements, and complete fifteen credits of 4000-level English seminars as well as ENGL 4960: Senior Inquiry Seminar. This concentration requires twelve credits of coursework in creative writing. 3000-level creative writing courses fulfill the Form and Genre area requirement and may also fulfill 3000-level elective credit; 4000-level creative writing courses count as 4000-level English seminars.
Non-Course Requirements
Students majoring in English with a Creative Writing concentration must submit a portfolio of representative work for assessment before graduation.
Elective Courses
Select four creative writing courses. Any course with the "English Creative Writing" attribute may count, such as:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing: Poetry | ||
| Creative Writing: Fiction | ||
| Creative Writing: Drama | ||
| Creative Writing: Non-Fiction | ||
| Topics in Creative Writing | ||
| The Craft of Poetry | ||
| The Craft of Fiction | ||
| The Craft of Creative Writing | ||
| Writing with Style |
Research-Intensive English Concentration
English majors with sophomore status or above may apply for the selective Research Intensive English (RIE) concentration. This concentration within the English major, which admits a maximum cohort of 12 students per academic year, offers opportunities for pursuing literary and rhetorical studies in smaller, more rigorous settings. All Research Intensive English students must take at least two Research Intensive English seminars (while maintaining a 3.50 or higher GPA in English). To complete the RIE concentration successfully, students must complete either ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr) or an additional Research Intensive English seminar after achieving senior status. Students who complete these requirements will graduate with the Research-Intensive English designation and will leave the program well prepared for advanced study in English.
General Requirements
The concentration requires all Research Intensive English students to complete at least two Research Intensive English seminars (ENGL 4XXX). Research Intensive English seminars will be 4000-level English courses designated with a Research Intensive English attribute. The final requirement of the RIE concentration must be fulfilled with one of the following options:
- Completion of ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr) after achieving senior status. ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr) is a research and writing requirement that students enter into individually, guided by a faculty mentor. The student must submit a formal project proposal with faculty mentor approval to the Director of the Research-Intensive English concentration the semester before enrolling in ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr).
- Completion of an additional 4000-level Research-Intensive English seminar after achieving senior status.
Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration
Students interested in studying rhetoric and digital writing are invited to pursue the department’s concentration in Rhetoric, Writing and Technology (RWT). In this concentration, students study both the history of rhetorical expression and the present possibilities of digital expression. Coursework in Rhetoric, Writing and Technology dovetails with a variety of majors, minors and courses of study across the university: communication, health management, entrepreneurship, business, marketing, pre-law, and environmental studies. RWT’s focus public writing and rhetoric likewise fits with Saint Louis University’s Jesuit mission of service to humanity.
General Requirements
Students completing the English major with a concentration in Rhetoric, Writing and Technology (RWT) follow the English major curriculum. The difference is that students prioritize RWT courses when completing area requirements at the 3000-level and advanced seminars at the 4000-level. Twelve credits of RWT coursework are required to complete the concentration.
Required Courses
All students who major in English with a concentration in RWT should take at least four courses from the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Persuasive Writing | ||
| Conflict Writing | ||
| Living Writing | ||
| Writing Consulting Practicum | ||
| Public Writing | ||
| Professional Writing | ||
| New Media Writing | ||
| Technical Writing | ||
| Histories of Persuasion | ||
| Writing with Style |
Form and Genre
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing: Poetry | ||
| Creative Writing: Fiction | ||
| Creative Writing: Drama | ||
| Creative Writing: Non-Fiction | ||
| Topics in Creative Writing | ||
| American Short Story | ||
| Poetry | ||
| European Drama | ||
| Film | ||
| Literature of Ridicule and Satire | ||
| Fantasy and Literature | ||
| Film and Literature | ||
| Reading the Female Bildungsroman | ||
| Young Adult Literature | ||
| The Classics and Literature |
History and Context
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| British Literary Traditions to 1800 | ||
| British Literary Traditions after 1800 | ||
| American Literary Traditions to 1865 | ||
| American Literatures after 1865 | ||
| Topics in American Literary Traditions | ||
| World Literary Traditions I | ||
| World Literary Traditions III | ||
| Introduction to Shakespeare | ||
| 19th Century British Literature |
Culture and Critique
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Literature of the Postcolonial World | ||
| African American Literary Traditions II: After 1900 | ||
| Topics in African American Literary Traditions | ||
| Literature of the African Diaspora | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| Ethnic American Literature | ||
| Writing Sex in the Middle Ages | ||
| Nature and Literature | ||
| Monsters of Europe: Nature and Monstrosity in European Literature | ||
| Women in Literature | ||
| The City and Literature | ||
| Topics in Spirituality and Literature | ||
ENGL 3625 | The Sacramental Imagination | |
| Disaster Narratives | ||
| British Culture and Travel | ||
| Science Fiction | ||
| LGBTQ Literature and Culture | ||
| The Bible & Literature | ||
| Introduction to Medical Humanities, Literature | ||
| Medicine and Literature |
Rhetoric and Argument
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Writing about Literature | ||
| Persuasive Writing | ||
| Living Writing | ||
| Writing Consulting Practicum | ||
| Public Writing | ||
ENGL 4025 | Technical Writing | |
| Writing Personal Narratives and Memoirs | ||
| Conflict Writing |
Continuation Standards
All English courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher in order to count for English major requirements and for the student to continue in the major.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses numbered below 1000).
- Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements.
- Complete major requirements: minimum 30 credits required.
- Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate and/or electives to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
- Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s) and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate, or related elective credits.
- Complete department-/program-specific academic and performance requirements.
- Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
- Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
- Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
General Major
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 1900 | Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 2250 | Conflict, Social Justice and Literature (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3470 | Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) | 3 |
| ENGL 3650 | Science Fiction | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 3050 | Creative Writing: Poetry (satisfies CORE 2800) | 3 |
| ENGL 4830 | Post-1900 African American Literature | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3850 | Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| ENGL 3330 | World Literary Traditions III (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Identities in Context) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4360 | Milton | 3 |
| ENGL 4530 | Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 4960 | Senior Inquiry Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 4010 | New Media Writing | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4176 | Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism | 3 |
| ENGL 4910 | Internship | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Creative Writing Concentration
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 1900 | Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 2250 | Conflict, Social Justice and Literature (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3470 | Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) | 3 |
| ENGL 3060 | Creative Writing: Fiction (satisfies CORE 2800) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 3650 | Science Fiction | 3 |
| ENGL 4830 | Post-1900 African American Literature | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3850 | Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| ENGL 3050 | Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4720 | Contemporary American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 4060 | The Craft of Fiction | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 4100 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 4070 | The Craft of Creative Writing | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4960 | Senior Inquiry Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 4910 | Internship | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Research Intensive English (RIE) Concentration
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 1900 | Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 2250 | Conflict, Social Justice and Literature (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3470 | Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) | 3 |
| ENGL 3650 | Science Fiction | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 3050 | Creative Writing: Poetry (satisfies CORE 2800) | 3 |
| ENGL 4830 | Post-1900 African American Literature | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3850 | Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| ENGL 3330 | World Literary Traditions III (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Identities in Context) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4360 | Milton | 3 |
| ENGL 4530 | Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction (Research Intensive English Seminar) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 4960 | Senior Inquiry Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 4500 | The Age of Romanticism (Research Intensive English Seminar) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4176 | Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism | 3 |
| ENGL 4990 | Senior Honors Project (Research Intensive Capstone Project) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 1900 | Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 2250 | Conflict, Social Justice and Literature | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3470 | Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) | 3 |
| ENGL 3850 | Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 3859 | Writing Consulting Practicum (qualifies students to work in SLU Writing Services) | 3 |
| ENGL 4830 | Post-1900 African American Literature | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 3630 | Disaster Narratives | 3 |
| ENGL 3220 | Film and Literature | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4010 | New Media Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 4530 | Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 4960 | Senior Inquiry Seminar | 3 |
| ENGL 4035 | Histories of Persuasion | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 4176 | Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism | 3 |
| ENGL 4910 | Internship | 3 |
| Core and elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |