English Major

Requirements for the Major in English

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The major requires eleven courses.

1. ENGL 067 PO  (one course)

This introductory seminar acquaints students with certain historical and methodological dimensions of literary study, with an emphasis on close reading techniques. The course is a prerequisite for the advanced studies seminar (ENGL 170 PO ) and senior thesis (ENGL 191 PO ). It should be taken during the first or second year.

2. Breadth in the major (minimum of four courses; a single course can fulfill more than one requirement; for example, one course can fulfill H1, GS, and TH)
   1. Historical Periods: Courses centered in four of the following five periods:
      1. Medieval (H1)
      2. Renaissance/Early Modern (H2)
      3. 18th Century (H3)
      4. 19th Century (H4)
      5. 20th-21st Century (H5)
   2. Interpretive Lenses: Courses emphasizing two of the following three sociopolitical areas:
      1. Race/Class (RC)
      2. Gender/Sexuality (GS)
      3. Diaspora/Geopolitics (DG)
   3. Theory: One course designated “theory-intensive” (TH), in which the theory of literary criticism is a significant component of the course’s reading and approach. The course must be taken before, or concurrently with, ENGL 191 PO .
3. Elective courses (up to five courses, depending on the senior exercise option)

Students may petition the department to have up to two courses from outside the Pomona English Department count toward the fulfillment of this requirement. 

Up to three creative writing courses (from the ENGL064  PO series and/or ENGL183  PO series) may be counted toward major requirements.

The Pass/No Credit (P/NC) grading option is allowed only by petition to the department chair. No more than two P/NC courses are allowed for the major. ENGL 067 PO , ENGL 170 PO , and the Senior Thesis cannot be taken P/NC.

4. Advanced Studies Seminar (one course)

One section of a course in the ENGL 170 PO  series. Prerequisite: ENGL 067 PO . Majors electing the thesis option are advised to take their seminar during the junior year.

5. Senior Exercise (one to two courses; two options)
   1. Thesis Option: Students who choose to write a senior thesis take the fall semester ENGL195 PO - Literary Criticism: Advanced Methods  (1 credit) and the two-semester ENGL191 PO - Senior Thesis  (0.5 credit/semester). Permission to write a senior thesis is based on an application solicited by the department in the spring semester of the student’s junior year.
   2. Seminar Option:  Those who elect not to write a thesis take a second ENGL 170 PO  series seminar during either semester of their senior year and register concurrently for the ENGL190 PO - Senior Exercise/Seminar Option . In exceptional cases, the department may permit a student to replace one English advanced studies seminar (ENGL 170 PO  series) with an advanced seminar in another department or program.

All senior majors will present senior exercise research–either a portion of the senior thesis or written work produced for the second ENGL 170 PO  series seminar taken–at the Department Symposium toward the end of spring semester.

 

Breadth Requirement Designations

Courses offered in the English Department carry a designation or designations indicating which major requirement(s) they can satisfy. Many courses will carry multiple designations; one course can be used to satisfy one of each of the major breadth requirements as described in 2 above. No single course can be used to satisfy more than one historical periods (H) requirement or more than one interpretive lenses requirement (RC, GS or DG).

Examples: ENGL054 PO - Asian/American Literature Since 2000  (H5; RC; DG)

H5=20th-21st Century; RC=Race/Class; DG=Diaspora/Geopolitics

Student would fulfill one history major breadth requirement (H5) and their choice of interpretive lens requirement, either RC or DG.

 

Sample Program of Study*

1. ENGL067 PO - Literary Interpretation , 1 credit
2. ENGL126  PO (H5), 1 credit; ENGL054 PO - Asian/American Literature Since 2000  (RC, TH), 1 credit; ENGL 134  BK (GS, H1), 1 credit; ENGL145 PO - Gothic Tradition  (H3), 1 credit; and ENGL141 PO - Shakespearean Drama  (H2), 1 credit
3. Four elective courses
4. ENGL 170D PO  
5. Senior Exercise
   1. Seminar Option
      1. ENGL170I PO - Tragedy and Philosophy , 1 credit; and ENGL190 PO - Senior Exercise/Seminar Option , no credit; or
   2. Thesis Option
      1. ENGL195 PO - Literary Criticism: Advanced Methods , 1 credit; and ENGL191 PO - Senior Thesis , two semesters, 1 credit

*Actual requirement designations will be assigned by the instructor teaching the course; designations suggested here are for purposes of illustration only.

Courses taken at other Claremont Colleges, in study abroad, or brought in by transfer for major credit will be evaluated for major requirement eligibility by the department chair. Students petitioning for such credit will be required to produce course syllabi.

 

Creative Writing Emphasis

An emphasis in creative writing requires that the student:

1. Complete a course in the ENGL183  PO series, Advanced Creative Writing;
2. With permission of a creative writing faculty member, submit a portfolio* of creative work in the senior year, to be evaluated by the creative writing faculty; and
3. Participate in a public reading during the senior year.

*The portfolio must be accompanied by a brief, reflective introduction; students are required to leave a bound copy of the portfolio with the department. The portfolio and public reading entail neither credit nor grade; their content is at the discretion of the student, in consultation with a creative writing faculty member.