Introduction
ENGL 101 Texts and Contexts
ENGL 220 Introduction to Literary Studies
101 has no prerequisite; the prerequisite for 220 is 101 or a first-year seminar with an English faculty member. Students may also take 101 and 220 concurrently. Students who score 4 or 5 on the English Literature AP Examination should go directly into 220 without taking 101. If a student excelled in English while in high school but was unable to take the AP Lit exam (because of illness or because their school did not offer it), the English Department is willing to waive the 101 prerequisite for 220; have the student contact the English Department Chair. Any student interested in the English major or minor should take 220 as soon as possible.
ENGL 221 Workshop in Writing
ENGL 222 Topics in Methods and Theory
221 and 222 have no prerequisite; those interested in majoring or minoring in English may prefer to begin with 221 or 222. The major requires one term of either 221 OR 222 in addition to 101 and 220. Please note that 220 is the prerequisite for all 300-level courses. Prospective majors or minors are therefore encouraged to take 220 as soon as possible.
Transfer students or students entering with college credits should contact the chair before selecting courses for the first semester, since prior courses have to be evaluated for equivalence in the English major.
Please contact the department chair with any placement questions.
Courses appropriate for prospective majors
ENGL 101 Texts and Contexts
ENGL 220 Introduction to Literary Studies
101 has no prerequisite; the prerequisite for 220 is 101 or a first-year seminar with an English faculty member. Students may also take 101 and 220 concurrently. Students who score 4 or 5 on the English Literature AP Examination should go directly into 220 without taking 101. If a student excelled in English while in high school but was unable to take the AP Lit exam (because of illness or because their school did not offer it), the English Department is willing to waive the 101 prerequisite for 220; have the student contact the English Department Chair. Any student interested in the English major or minor should take 220 as soon as possible.
ENGL 221 Workshop in Writing
ENGL 222 Topics in Methods and Theory
221 and 222 have no prerequisite; those interested in majoring or minoring in English may prefer to begin with 221 or 222. The major requires one term of either 221 OR 222 in addition to 101 and 220. Please note that 220 is the prerequisite for all 300-level courses. Prospective majors or minors are therefore encouraged to take 220 as soon as possible.
Transfer students or students entering with college credits should contact the chair before selecting courses for the first semester, since prior courses have to be evaluated for equivalence in the English major.
Please contact the department chair with any placement questions.
Courses that fulfill distribution requirements
Humanities (Division I B)
ENGL 101 Texts and Contexts
First-year students wishing to fulfill a distribution requirement should enroll in a section of 101, unless the student has a 4 or 5 in the English Literature AP, in which case the student should enroll in 220.
ENGL 220 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 222 Topics in Methods and Theory
Writing in the Discipline (WID)
ENGL 220 Introduction to Literary Studies (gateway for majors)
ENGL 221 Workshop in Writing
US Diversity, Global Diversity, Sustainability Connections
Each term, some English courses fill the US Diversity, Global Diversity, and/or Sustainability Connections requirements. Please see course descriptions for details.
Suggested curricular flow through the major
We encourage students to take more than the minimum number of courses and to work with their faculty advisors to develop an individually meaningful selection of courses in English and related disciplines. Here is a suggested distribution of courses that meets the major requirements outlined above:
Click here for a checklist worksheet that gives a succinct overview of the major requirements.
Here is a suggested distribution of courses:
First Year
English 101 or first-year seminar with an English faculty member.
English 220
Sophomore Year
2-4 300-level English courses
ENGL 221 or 222
Junior Year
2-4 300-level courses
Many English majors study abroad. Numerous abroad programs offer students the chance to take courses that will transfer to credit in the Dickinson English major. For information on how to choose courses abroad that will count toward the English major, please consult the chair or your faculty advisor.
Senior Year
English 403 (fall)
English 404 (spring)
Two 300-level English courses
Senior Thesis
The senior experience in the English department is a yearlong course, English 403-404. Students remain with the same professor and group of peers throughout both English 403 and English 404. Over the course of the year, students develop a senior thesis: an original, daring, and deeply researched piece of literary scholarship, situated in a scholarly field, anchored by a strong argument, and written in lucid, engaging prose. Through this process, they also develop their capacity as a constructive reader, critic, and editor of their colleagues' work-in-progress. Even as each student pursues an independent research project, they are accountable to and inspired by their 403-404 workshop community.
Honors
All senior theses in English are eligible for honors nomination. Exemplary of the finest senior theses in English, an honors project:
- advances a cogent, ambitious, and thoroughly-researched argument;
- includes a judicious selection of, close engagement with, and focused analysis of, details of text(s);
- situates itself in and contributes to germane scholarly fields (e.g., literary studies, film and media studies, cultural history);
- exhibits remarkable methodological sophistication and creativity;
- demonstrates the writer’s critical self-awareness and informed investment in the project; and
- achieves a clear voice and confident prose.
A select number of theses are nominated for honors by the faculty teaching English 404. Honors are determined by a committee of English faculty appointed by the chair.
Independent study and independent research
The English Department offers independent study and research in literature and in expository and creative writing for content not covered in regular courses. A list of professors and their special interests is available in the English office, 4th floor, East College 400. As a general rule, no more than two independent studies or independent research courses may be counted toward the major; exceptions must be approved by the department chair. Students must secure a professor with whom to study and submit proposals (covering topic, methodology, preparation, relevance to educational goals, bibliography or primary and secondary sources, director, and course requirements) normally in the semester before the study is to be undertaken. See the academic department coordinator for English for the necessary forms.
Internships
Students who are interested should gain experience by writing for and working on The Dickinsonian and/or The Dickinson Review, the college's literary journal. English majors have done internships with state and local government agencies, newspapers, public relations firms, law offices, and film studios, among other placements.
Co-curricular activities/programs
We encourage students to take more than the minimum number of courses and to work with their faculty advisors to develop an individually meaningful selection of courses in English and related disciplines. Here is a suggested distribution of courses that meets the major requirements outlined above:
Click here for a checklist worksheet that gives a succinct overview of the major requirements.
Here is a suggested distribution of courses:
First Year
English 101 or first-year seminar with an English faculty member.
English 220
Sophomore Year
2-4 300-level English courses
ENGL 221 or 222
Junior Year
2-4 300-level courses
Many English majors study abroad. Numerous abroad programs offer students the chance to take courses that will transfer to credit in the Dickinson English major. For information on how to choose courses abroad that will count toward the English major, please consult the chair or your faculty advisor.
Senior Year
English 403 (fall)
English 404 (spring)
Two 300-level English courses
Senior Thesis
The senior experience in the English department is a yearlong course, English 403-404. Students remain with the same professor and group of peers throughout both English 403 and English 404. Over the course of the year, students develop a senior thesis: an original, daring, and deeply researched piece of literary scholarship, situated in a scholarly field, anchored by a strong argument, and written in lucid, engaging prose. Through this process, they also develop their capacity as a constructive reader, critic, and editor of their colleagues' work-in-progress. Even as each student pursues an independent research project, they are accountable to and inspired by their 403-404 workshop community.
Opportunities for off-campus study
Majors and prospective majors should begin thinking about study abroad early in their sophomore year. Talk to your advisor, professors, and the department chair about study abroad opportunities. Dickinson programs in Norwich, England, at the University of East Anglia, and Dunedin, New Zealand, at the University of Otago, work well with the English major and enrich students’ learning in English. Advanced courses can transfer back to the Dickinson English major. English majors also participate in the Dickinson’s program at Mansfield College, Oxford. Admission to this program requires that a student maintain at least a 3.7 GPA show depth in the major by second semester of their sophomore. Many English majors also study abroad at other Dickinson programs; this may require more planning to ensure successful completion of the major.
Please note: To receive 300-level credit for any course taken abroad, please be sure the course meets the standards laid out here. At UEA, Level 6 courses are most likely to meet the learning goals of 300-level English courses taught at Dickinson.
Additional Remarks
We encourage students to take more than the minimum number of courses and to work with their faculty advisors to develop an individually meaningful selection of courses in English and related disciplines. Here is a suggested distribution of courses that meets the major requirements outlined above:
Click here for a checklist worksheet that gives a succinct overview of the major requirements.
Here is a suggested distribution of courses:
First Year
English 101 or first-year seminar with an English faculty member.
English 220
Sophomore Year
2-4 300-level English courses
ENGL 221 or 222
Junior Year
2-4 300-level courses
Many English majors study abroad. Numerous abroad programs offer students the chance to take courses that will transfer to credit in the Dickinson English major. For information on how to choose courses abroad that will count toward the English major, please consult the chair or your faculty advisor.
Senior Year
English 403 (fall)
English 404 (spring)
Two 300-level English courses
Senior Thesis
The senior experience in the English department is a yearlong course, English 403-404. Students remain with the same professor and group of peers throughout both English 403 and English 404. Over the course of the year, students develop a senior thesis: an original, daring, and deeply researched piece of literary scholarship, situated in a scholarly field, anchored by a strong argument, and written in lucid, engaging prose. Through this process, they also develop their capacity as a constructive reader, critic, and editor of their colleagues' work-in-progress. Even as each student pursues an independent research project, they are accountable to and inspired by their 403-404 workshop community.