As an undergraduate in Duquesne’s Department of English, you’ll explore a diverse
array of courses covering literature, creative writing, rhetoric and composition.
You will have the opportunity to study classic and contemporary works of literature
and explore a variety of critical approaches to understanding and interpreting them.
Literary study, composition and research skills are the bedrock of academic and professional
excellence, and as a student of our English program, you will gain the skills needed
to help you both as a broadly knowledgeable undergraduate student but also as a graduate
student or graduate entering professional life.
The program gives you the flexibility to craft your degree around your personal and
professional interests and move beyond the core courses in literature and composition
to choose from a variety of electives that cover topics such as film studies, poetry,
creative nonfiction and more.
As an English major, you can also take advantage of a number of extracurricular activities,
such as literary magazines and reading groups, and participate in events such as lectures,
poetry readings, and workshops with visiting writers.
"Being a student in the Duquesne English Department is all about opportunities—opportunities
to work closely with dedicated faculty, opportunities to develop one’s skills as writers
and critical thinkers, opportunities to engage with the world outside Duquesne through
internships built specifically for the English major or minor and that often translate
into jobs and careers. Above all, being an English student is about joining our welcoming
and nurturing community through your time at Duquesne and beyond."
John Fried, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies
English Education
Students pursuing a dual degree in English and education complete a 51-credit program
and will earn a concentration in both literary studies and writing.
This dual degree program requires that students complete the McAnulty College Core
Curriculum and 36 credits in English. The 15 credit hours in writing are not required
in this program.
Minors in English
Aside from a major in English, our undergraduate department also offers the following:
Students who elect to major in English must earn at least 36 credits beyond the University
Core requirements and choose between two concentrations.
You may choose between a concentration in literature or a concentration in writing. While the two concentrations share four required introductory courses (12 credits),
the different concentrations allow students to also focus in on their chosen area
of interest with their remaining coursework.
As an English major, you will be required to take ENGL 300W: Critical Issues, a course
that introduces you to the strategies and techniques involved in literary analysis,
historical research and critical thinking, while also exploring the opportunities
connected to the study of English within various professional trajectories.
Students are then required to take three 300-level survey courses, offering students
a foundation in specific regions and/or period within the history of literature.
After fulfilling these initial requirements, you will then follow of path of coursework
within one of the below concentrations.
In addition to the required courses for all majors, students in the literature concentration must take 26 credits from the following:
Five classes (15 credits) at the 400-level that fulfill the following distribution requirements:
One course focused on texts written pre-1700
One course focused on texts written between 1700-1900
One course focused on texts written post-1900
One course focused on diversity: writers who are neither British nor American, or who are from historically marginalized/minority communities
Please note: Courses may fulfill more than one distribution requirement. For instance, a course
on 18th-century women writers would fulfill both the 1700-1900 historical requirement
and diversity requirements.
Three elective courses (9 credits) of your choosing. No more than two of these courses may be at the 100-level,
and BRDGs 101/102 may not count as an elective.
In addition to the required courses for all majors, students in the writing concentration must take 26 credits form the following:
Three writing courses (9 credits) at the 300 or 400 level in at least two different
genres.
One writing course (3 credits) at the 400 level.
Two courses (6 credits) at the 400 level, one of which must be a literature course.
The other can be a writing course. Please note: Only 3 credits are required in literature if student is a double major and English
is the second major.
Two elective courses (6 credits), which may include ENGL 101 Multi-Genre Creative
Writing. (BRDGs 101 and 102 may not count as electives.) Please note: Only 3 credits are required if student is a double major and English is the second
major.
