Undergraduate Program
A Bachelor of Arts in English is an enriching pursuit that can lead to an exciting career in teaching, law, publishing, information science, business, and beyond. Here, our B.A. programs in English include introductory course work in the study of language, the principles of critical investigation and critical writing, and methods of literary and/or language study.
All English majors complete core requirements, which include six units of lower-division coursework in literature in English, a Junior Seminar (ENG 480), a course in Shakespeare, and two to three courses surveying the history of Literature in English. Beyond these core courses, students pursue programs of study further exploring literature, language studies, or English education. The requirements for each of these concentrations familiarize students with one of the principal areas of English studies, and show how other areas of English studies can illuminate his or her area of concentration.
Students preparing for a graduate degree in linguistics or in TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) ideally will concentrate on language studies; this concentration is also appropriate for students interested in working in areas of information technology that focus on the structure of language (e.g., jobs with Google orAsk.com).
The sequence of courses in the English Education concentration is designed for students preparing for the single-subject credential in English and Language Arts in California. Students should meet with an English education advisor to plan their program of study.
Students may also work with an advisor to create an individualized course of study.
The English Major and Minor
We offer four concentrations in the major and two concentrations in the minor:
Major:
- Literature
- Language Studies
- English Education
- Individual Major
Minor:
B.A. Checklist
Course Classification Guide
For the list of courses that fulfill the various requirements of the English major and minor, please click here.
Course Descriptions
For course descriptions for the current academic semester, please click here.
New/Old Major Requirements Advising FAQs
Academic Calendar
Current academic calendar for SFSU.
Junior Proficiency Essay Test
All undergraduates, including English majors, must complete JEPET before graduating. If you fail, then you must complete English 414. The English Department does not administer the test. For more information about the test, including test dates, please visit the SFSU Testing Center.
English Tutoring Center
Composition Students (English 114, 214, etc.) in need of tutoring should contact the Tutoring Center.
