BA in English
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BA in English. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill KU Core Goals, please visit the KU Core website.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (Goal 2.1 Written Communication/BA Writing I)1 | 3 | ENGL 102 (Goal 2.1 Written Communication/BA Writing II)1 | 3 |
| Goal 3 Social Science | 3 | Goal 1.2 Quantitative Reasoning2 | 3 |
| 1st Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 5 | 2nd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 5 |
| First Year Seminar (Goal 1.1 Critical Thinking) | 3 | Goal 2.2 Communication | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 1 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 1 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| 3rd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 3 | 4th Semester Language, or 1st semester of Another Language (BA Second Language) | 3 |
| Goal 4.1 Human Diversity | 3 | Goal 4.2 Global Awareness | 3 |
| ENGL 200+ (Major Requirement, Goal 3 Arts & Humanities)3 | 3 | ENGL 300 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 300+ from Rhetoric, Language, or Writing studies (Major Requirement) | 3 | Goal 5 Social Responsibility & Ethics | 3 |
| ENGL 300+ elective (Major Requirement)4 | 3 | ENGL 300+ from Diverse Identities, Communities, & Texts (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| BA Quantitative Reasoning2 | 3 | ENGL 300+ elective (Major Requirement)4 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | Goal 3 Natural Science | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | BA Laboratory/Field Experience (LFE) | 1-2 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16-17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 500+ required capstone (Major Requirement)5 | 3 | ENGL 500+ required capstone (Major Requirement, Goal 6 Integration & Creativity)4,5 | 3 |
| ENGL 300+ from Literature, Language, or Rhetoric bef. 1850 (Major Requirement) | 3 | ENGL 300+ elective (Major Requirement)4 | 3 |
| LA&S 490 (Total Hours, recommended) | 3 | LA&S 492 (Job Search Stategies, or elective) | 1 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours6 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
- 1
The BA requires completion of two courses of collegiate-level writing instruction. Students who test out of Composition will still need to complete ENGL 102 (or equivalent) and one additional Goal 2.1 course.
- 2
Visit this website for a list of courses that fulfill the BA Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- 3
Before beginning 300+ level English courses it is recommended that students take a 200-level English course. One 200-level course may be counted toward English Studies coursework. ENGL 203, ENGL 205, ENGL 209 and ENGL 210 fulfill KU Core Goal 3 Arts & Humanities.
- 4
Students may pursue an emphasis in a particular field by taking at least 3 courses in it (including a capstone). These emphases include:
- Literary Studies: one literary history course, one theory course, and one literary studies capstone
- Creative Writing: 300-level workshops in two genres, and one creative writing capstone
- Language, Culture, and Rhetoric: ENGL 380 or ENGL 387, another RCL course, and one RCL capstone
- Students may also designate their own ‘custom’ emphasis, in consultation with a departmental advisor.
- 5
Capstone Requirements (6 hours, 500 or above): Students must complete ENGL 300 and 2 other 300-level courses before they proceed to the capstone requirements. All 500-level or above English courses count as capstone courses. Students pursuing departmental honors may use ENGL 598 to fill one capstone requirement, and must also enroll in ENGL 599: Thesis hours.
- 6
Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through KU core, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours. Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study. Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.
Please note:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.
The same course cannot be used to fulfill more than one KU Core Goal. However, overlap of a KU Core course with a major or degree-specific requirement is allowed. Overlapping is recommended to allow more opportunities to explore other majors and/or minors.