Undergraduate Programs

Director: Professor Alan R. Velie
Office: 405-325-6278
alanvelie@ou.edu

Undergraduate Tracks
English majors choose one track in (1) literary and cultural studies or (2) writing. For both tracks, majors are required to take six hours of survey courses (2433/2443, 2543/2653, or 2773/2883), two courses in literary and cultural studies (2313 and 3313), and a senior capstone course (4853).

Track 1: Literary and Cultural Studies. In this track students study literary works, movements, genres, themes, and writers in their cultural contexts. Courses emphasize reading, story, communication, language, and historical and cultural events. Students are afforded maximum flexibility in planning their degree programs. They elect seven courses distribute over at least four of six areas and may choose to take four of those courses in one area. These areas are: American Literatures; Genres and Media; Theory, Criticism, and Cultural Studies; Contemporary and Early Modern British Literature; World Literature and Medieval/Renaissance. Students may elect a writing course as one of the seven and/or select courses in Women's and Minority literatures.

Track 2: Writing. In this track students study theories of written communication, practice them extensively in various writing contexts, and explore issues concerning literacy, language, and the relation of writing to different cultures. Students elect four writing courses (three of which must be upper division) from the following: 2113 Intermediate Writing; 2123 Creative Writing; 2133 Personal Writing; 3103 Topics in Advanced Composition; 3123 Fiction Writing; 3133 Poetry Writing; 3153 Technical Writing; 3163 Writing, Rhetoric and Histories of Technology; 3173 Histories of Writing, Rhetoric and Technology; 3223 Oklahoma Writers/Writing Oklahoma; 4923 Advanced Fiction Writing; 4933 Advanced Poetry Writing; 4943 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing; and 4990 Independent Study in Writing. Students are ordinarily restricted to taking no more than one creative course in any given semester, except with special permission from the Undergraduate Director (2123 must be taken before upper-division creative writing courses are attempted).

Language Requirement
Proficiency in one language other than English is required as demonstrated by departmental examination or by successful completion of two intermediate courses in an ancient or modern language (with a grade of C or better in the second course). The department may also accept transfer credit to satisfy this requirement.

Language Arts Certificate
Students majoring in English may also work for the standard teaching certificate in language arts. Students in the language arts program must meet all of the requirements of the English major, and a few additional specifications. Information concerning the teaching certificate programs can be found in the General Catalog under the College of Education. Detailed checksheets of degree requirements and advisers with whom students can discuss programs of study are available in the department office.

How the Program Works

A. Required Courses (15 hrs) (required for all English majors, whether in literary/cultural studies or writing)

a. One pair of "methods" courses at beginning of major (6 hrs): 2313 Intro to Critical Reading/Writing 3313 and Intro to Literary and Cultural Studies
b. One pair of survey courses at beginning of major (6 hrs): 2433 World Literature to 1700; 2443 World Literature, 1700 to Present; 2543 English Literature from 1375 to 1700; 2653 English Literature, 1700 to Present; 2773 American Literature to 1865; 2883 American Literature since 1865
c. Capstone course at end of major (3 hrs): 4853 English Capstone

B. Elective Courses in Literary and Cultural Studies (21 hrs)

Seven courses, distributed over at least four groups out of the following six groups. One of these courses may be a writing course.

GROUP I: American Literatures

2733 American Indian Literature: Early and Traditional
2743 American Indian Literature: Modern and Contemporary
3253 Spec. Topics in American Indian Literature
3353 American Indian Nonfiction Writing
3713 Introduction to American Studies
4343 The Indian in American Popular Culture
4713 Major American Authors
4723 American Transcendentalism
4733 American Naturalism and Realism
4813 American Drama
4823 American Novel since 1920
4833 20th Century American Poetry

GROUP II: Early Modern and Contemporary British Literature (ca. 1700)

3033 British Women Writers
3543 18th Century English Literature
3613 19th Century English Literature
3623 20th Century English Literature
4013 Major Figure in Early Modern and Contemporary British Literature
4563 Drama of the Restoration and 18th Century
4573 18th Century English Novel
4583 Major British Authors
4613 19th Century English Novel
4623 English Romantic Poetry
4643 20th Century English Novel
4653 20th Century English Poetry Back to Group Choices.

GROUP III: Genres and Media

3023 Thematic Approaches to Literature II
3113 Theory of English Grammar
3213 Special Topics in Fiction
3233 Special Topics in Drama
3243 Special Topics in Film
3363 Films and Contexts
3373 Television: A Critical Approach
3383 Politics and Literature
3403 Graphic Novel
3423 Film and Other Expressive Forms
3463 American Fiction
3473 American Nonfiction
3723 Mysteries and Case Histories
3833 Introduction to American Drama
4133 History of the English Language
4253 Introduction to Film Theory

GROUP IV: Medieval/Renaissance (ca. 1375-1700)

3443 Backgrounds of the Renaissance
3513 Medieval English Literature
3523 16th Century English Literature
3533 17th Century English Literature
4003 Movements in World Literature
4413 Dante in English Literature
4513 Chaucer 4523 Shakespeare Comedies
4533 Shakespeare Tragedies
4543 Tudor and Stuart Drama
4553 Milton

GROUP V: Theory, Criticism, and Cultural Studies

3013 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Literature
3323 Gender and Culture Texts
3333 Literature and Psychological Criticism
3413 Science and Culture Texts
3813 Science Fiction
4243 Issues in Cultural Studies
4233 Major Figures in Theory
4263 Contemporary Feminist Theory
4303 Special Topics in Criticism
4463 Linguistics and Semiotics

GROUP VI: World Literatures

3343 Literature of Empire
3433 Foundations of Indic Culture and Civilization
3453 Caribbean Literature adn Cultural Consciousness: From Alienation to Voice
3573 Arthurian Legend and Literature
3633 Bible as Literature
4373 Literary Form and Cultural Expression
4383 Civilization and Diaspora
4403 Special Topics in Comparative Literature
4423 Modern European Novel
4433 Modern British and European Drama
4443 Contemporary Literature
4453 Literature and Landscape Back to Group Choices.

C. Elective Courses for Writing (21 hrs)

Three courses in literary and cultural studies, from two different groups; and four writing courses, three of which must be upper-division.

2113 Intermediate Writing
2123 Creative Writing
2133 Personal Writing
3103 Topics in Advanced Composition
3123 Fiction Writing
3133 Poetry Writing
3143 Studies in Literacy and Rhetoric
3153 Technical Writing
3163 Writing, Rhetoric, and Histories of Technology
3173 Histories of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology
4923 Advanced Fiction Writing
4933 Advanced Poetry Writing
4943 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing