
Bachelor of Arts in English
OBJECTIVES:
The program is a traditional liberal arts offering which emphasizes a broad and intensive background in the arts, humanities and sciences. Students who wish to prepare themselves for advanced study, particularly in traditional liberal arts areas, should consider matriculating in this degree.
DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT:
UMA students who complete the English degree have learned how to read closely, think critically, and communicate persuasively. Through their knowledge of literature and language, they also understand the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical currents that inform their culture and shape their roles in society. Students with the Bachelor of Arts in English from UMA have a strong foundation for careers in education, public relations, business, law, government, writing/editing, and journalism, among others.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The English faculty delivering the Bachelor of Arts in English degree at the University of Maine at Augusta is committed to the development and enhancement of our students' skills, abilities, and competencies and anticipates the following outcomes:
- that students think critically about oral, written, and visual texts
- that students write well developed expository, persuasive, and critical essays
- that students design documents to meet the needs of readers
- that students edit documents effectively
- that students understand and can evaluate the rhetorical strategies writers use to achieve their purposes
- that students understand the components of poetry, fiction, and drama
- that students have knowledge of works from different periods and genres within the evolving canon of English language texts, including but not limited to texts by women, ethnic and racial minorities, Anglophone authors, and lesbian and gay authors
- that students understand the historical contexts of literature
- that students read, discuss, analyze and write about Shakespeare competently
- that students understand various critical and theoretical approaches to texts
- that students are able to synthesize knowledge and practice through performances, presentations, projects, essays, and research papers
- that students are able to locate, evaluate and properly cite primary source material, literary criticism, theory, and other scholarly texts
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
- high school graduation
- minimum English language competency permitting registration in ENG005 and REA008 or higher
- satisfactory SAT scores—applicants are never denied admission based solely on the basis of test scores
- acceptable class standing in high school with a preferable college preparatory program
ADVISING:
All students are required to meet with their advisors prior to registration. An advisor's signature or electronic equivalent is required for registration. Students are encouraged to continue to meet with their advisors on a regular basis to help ensure a productive and meaningful college experience.
TRANSFER:
Students wishing to transfer credits in from institutions other than UMA should be aware that the General Education Requirements are very specific and that course equivalencies are determined after very careful scrutiny by academic officers of the institutions.
DEGREE:
Upon successful completion of the program requirements listed below, the student will be awarded a bachelor of arts in English degree.
- completion of 120-121 semester hours of credit
- minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00
- completion of 45 semester hours at the upper level (300-400 series) with grades of "C" or better
- completion of the General Education Requirements
- completion of the English major requirements
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS (52-53 credit hours):
- COMPETENCY: 12 credit hours from ENG101 and 102W; MAT100 or higher-level mathematics; COM101, 102, 104, or 106
- FINE ARTS: 6 credit hours from any studio art, music, theatre or dance performance course and one of the following: ARH105, 106; ART211; DRA101, 265, 280; INT129; MUS123, 160, 180, 333, 334
- FOREIGN LANGUAGE: 6 credit hours from a two-semester sequence of foreign language or American sign language
- HISTORY: 6 credit hours from HTY101/102 or HTY103/104 or HTY105/106
- HUMANITIES: 6 credit hours (select courses from two different disciplines) from any art history, ART211, DRA101, 265, 280, any literature, any HTY, any humanities, INT129, MUS110, 113, 117, 120, 123, 124, 131, 160, 180, 223, 333, 334, any PHI, HUM/POS390, WST101W
- SCIENCE: 7-8 credit hours from (courses must be from two different areas) choose one laboratory science (4 credit hours) from BIO100, 110, 112; CHY105/106, 115, 111/112; GEY101, 103; PHY115; SCI120); choose any laboratory or descriptive science (3-4 credit hours)
- SOCIAL SCIENCE: 9 credit hours (select from at least two different disciplines) from PSY100; SOC101, 201; ANT101, 102; GEO101; ECO100, 201, 202; POS101, 102
ENGLISH MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (39 credit hours):
- SURVEY COURSES: 15 credit hours from ENG202W, 203W, 250W, 251W, and 466W or 467W
- LANGUAGE AND CRITICAL THEORY: ENG201
- WRITING: 3 credit hours from ENG317W, 351W, 452W
- BRITISH LITERATURE: 3 credit hours from ENG356W, 461W, 466W, or 467W
- AMERICAN LITERATURE: 3 credit hours from ENG345W, 347W, 390W, 454W, or 459W
- COMPARATIVE LITERATURE: 3 credit hours from ENG346W, 348W, 355W, 365W, 366W, or 469W
- ENGLISH ELECTIVES: 9 credit hours (must be 300- or 400-level)
- ELECTIVES: 29 credit hours
Upper-level electives (300-400 level): 15 credit hours
Upper-level electives outside of the major: 6 credit hours
General electives: 8 credit hours
Bachelor of Arts in English Sample Curriculum
FIRST YEAR
| First Semester | Second Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
ENG101 College Writing | 3 | ENG102W Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| MAT100 Math. & Its Applications or higher-level math | 3 | XXXXXX Art or Music History | 3 |
| COMXXX COM101, 102, 104, or 106 | 3 | HTY1XX* | 3 |
| HTY1XX* | 3 | XXXXXX Social Science | 3 |
XXXXXX Social Science | 3 | XXXXXX Laboratory Science | 4 |
TOTAL HOURS | 15 | TOTAL HOURS | 16 |
SECOND YEAR
| Third Semester | Fourth Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
ENG202W English Literature: Beowulf to Romantics | 3 | ENG203W English Lit.: Romantics to 20th Century | 3 |
| XXXXXX Studio Art or Music Performance | 3 | XXXXXX Foreign Language or ASL | 3 |
| XXXXXX Foreign Language or ASL | 3 | XXXXXX Humanities | 3 |
| XXXXXX Humanities | 3 | XXXXXX Science | 3 |
XXXXXX Elective | 3 | XXXXXX Elective | 4 |
TOTAL HOURS | 15 | TOTAL HOURS | 15 |
THIRD YEAR
| Fifth Semester | Sixth Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
ENG250W American Literature to 1900 | 3 | ENG251W American Literature 1900 - Present | 3 |
| ENGXXX English requirements at 300-400 level# | 9 | ENGXXX English requirements at 300-400 level# | 9 |
XXXXXX Elective (non-English) at 300-400 level# | 3 | XXXXXX Social Science | 3 |
TOTAL HOURS | 15 | TOTAL HOURS | 15 |
FOURTH YEAR
| Seventh Semester | Eighth Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
ENGXXX English requirement at 300-400 level# | 3 | ENGXXX English elective at 300-400 level# | 3 |
| ENGXXX English elective at 300-400 level# | 3 | XXXXXX Elective (non-English) at 300-400 level# | 3 |
XXXXXX Electives at 300-400 level# | 9 | XXXXXX Electives at 300-400 level# | 6 |
XXXXXX General Elective | 3 | ||
TOTAL HOURS | 15 | TOTAL HOURS | 15 |
* Must be a two-semester sequence of HTY101 and 102 or HTY103 and 104 or HTY105 and 106
# 45 credit hours must be 300- or 400-level classes; 6 of those credits must be outside of the major