English - Programs

College of Liberal Arts

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Arts in English

While planning a program of courses for the major in English, a student should consider the opportunities and limitations of the different options detailed below. For each option, official Program Planners are available in the department office. They require faculty consultation and approval for a graduation audit, but students should also consult department faculty for advising when choosing a program in English and regularly after making that choice.
For all options, the major in English consists of at least 41 units. Because ENGL 100 satisfies a University general education requirement, it is not part of any English option. Some options permit or require courses from other departments; if approved by a faculty advisor, options may also include other courses outside English. Because some courses meet requirements in several options, many students can change options with no great loss of credit toward the required total.

In rare instances, a student may accelerate completion of the major in English by taking advantage of the department’s credit by examination policy. Certain courses may also be waived or substituted for under certain circumstances. Consult a department advisor for the option concerned.

In addition to the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in English, English majors must meet the following requirements for University graduation:
1. Each lower division course counted towards the English major must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. A course in which a grade lower than a “C” is received must be retaken and successfully completed prior to enrolling in any course for which it is a prerequisite.
2. English 380, required of all English majors, must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. If a grade lower than a “C” is received, English 380 must be retaken and successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better prior to enrolling in any course for which it is a prerequisite.

Option in Creative Writing (code ENGLBA02) (120 units)

The Creative Writing option is designed for students who wish to write, as well as study, fiction, poetry, plays, or media scripts. Exposure to traditional and recent literature is also of significant value for anyone seeking to master the forms and conventions of writing creatively for the literary marketplace. (Students seeking a Secondary Credential should complete the Creative Writing emphasis of the English Education Option.)

This option consists of 45 units, 31 of which must be taken in the upper division, including the following:
Lower Division: ENGL 184; 204 or 205, or 206; 250 A, B.
Upper Division: ENGL 380; nine units in creative writing chosen from ENGL 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 499, FEA 404, 408, THEA 380, 498F; three classes chosen from the following classes in recent literature, literary genres, and literary criticism: ENGL 385, 386, 459, 466, 467A, B, 469, 474, 475, 476A,B, 477A,B, 478, 479; electives to make up a total of 45 units chosen from the classes listed above and/or any upper-division English courses.

Option in English Education (code ENGLBA06) (120 units)

English Education emphases should not be confused with B.A. options or majors in English or other departments, which have significantly different requirements. The English Education option is designed for prospective secondary English teachers and satisfies the state-mandated requirement in subject matter competence for the Single Subject Teaching credential. This 52-unit option combines a 40-unit core with a specified emphasis in one of nine areas. All nine areas of emphasis require an additional 12 units of breadth and perspective beyond the core as indicated below.

Students must complete the following core courses for all emphases: ENGL 310, 320, 363, 375, 380, 410, 482, LING 339; ENGL 250A or 250B; ENGL 270A or 270B; one course from the following in Comparative World Literature: CWL 100, 124, 132, 320I, 346, 404, 452/552 or CLSC101. General Education courses that will meet California Commission for Teacher Credentialing Requirements are: (select three units from) THEA 113, 122, or 324I, and (select three units from) COMM 130 or 335.

In addition to meeting the subject matter competence requirement for the Preliminary Single Subject Credential in English, prospective English teachers are also required to complete 44 units of professional preparation in the Single Subject Credential Program, including student teaching. Students may begin the professional preparation courses as early as the junior year. With careful planning, it is possible to complete all of the credential program courses, except for student teaching, as an undergraduate. Courses may also be completed as a post-baccalaureate student. Refer to the Single Subject Teacher Education section of this Catalog or the Single Subject Credential Program website (www.ced.csulb.edu/single-subject) for a description of the professional preparation requirements, courses, and application procedures. Prospective students should consult the department's English Education Advisor early to plan their program.

Black Studies Emphasis

Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): B/ST 140, 415; select three units from B/ST 343A, 343B; select three units from B/ST 180, 205, 240, 340, 346.
Communication Studies Emphasis
Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): COMM 355; select nine units from COMM 309, 331, 335, 352, 358, 411.

Creative Writing Emphasis

Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): select six units from ENGL 404, 405, 406, 407; select six units from ENGL 385, 386, 459, 463, 467A , 476B, 474, 475, 476A,B, 477A, 477B, 478.
Journalism Emphasis
Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): JOUR 120, 305, 311; select three units from 430, 431.
Language and Linguistics Emphasis
Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): select three units from LING 420, 421, 433; select three units from LING 485 (also listed as EDP 485), LING 486; select three units from LING 425 (also listed as ANTH 421), LING 472; select three units from ENGL 435, LING 460.

Literacy and Composition Emphasis

Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): ENGL 435, 436; select two courses from ENGL 300, 309, 317, 404, 405, 406, 407, 417, 418, 496, 497, LING 460.

Literature Emphasis

Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): select three units from ENGL 450 series; select three units from ENGL 470 series; select three units from ENGL 318I, 385, 386, 398; select three units from any course in 440 series, any course in 450 series different from above, any course in 460 series, any course in 470 series different from above, any course in 480 series other than ENGL 482, 498.
Theatre Arts Emphasis
Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): THEA 101, 114A, 321, 374.

World Literature Emphasis

Students are required to complete the core of forty (40) units and twelve (12) units to provide breadth and perspective.
Breadth and Perspective (12 units): select three units from CWL 101, 132, 452, CLSC 101; select three units from CWL 330A, 330B; select three units from CWL 103, 104, 334, 336, 402, 403, 406, 440; select three units from CWL 414I, 422I, 431, 432, 437, 438; CLSC 311I, 312I, 420I.

Option in Literature (code ENGLBA01) (120 units)

The Literature option is designed for students who desire a thorough grounding in English and American literature and is particularly recommended for those planning on graduate study in English. (Students seeking a Secondary Credential should complete the Literature emphasis of the English Education option.)

This option consists of 46 units, 27 of which must be taken in the upper division, including the following:
Lower Division: ENGL 184, 250A, 250B, 270A, 270B.
Upper Division: ENGL 380; 363; either two courses from the 450 series or one course from the 450 series and one course from the 460 series (excluding 461 and 469)—one of these two courses must be in English literature before 1900; one course from the 470 series (excluding 479); one senior seminar (469, 479, 489); electives to make up a total of 46 units.

Option in Rhetoric and Composition (code ENGLBA04) (120 units)

The Rhetoric and Composition option is designed for students who desire to write for multiple readers and to analyze and interpret texts. This option prepares students for teaching on virtually all levels, for graduate study in English, and for professions that require intensive writing and communication skills. (Students seeking a Secondary Credential should complete the Literacy and Composition emphasis of the English Education option.)

This option consists of 45 units, 32 of which must be upper division, including the following:
Lower Division: ENGL 184 or equivalent; select two courses from ENGL 250A, 250B, 270A, and 270B.
Upper Division: ENGL 380; select two courses from ENGL 300, 317, 410, and 435; select seven courses from ENGL 310, 320, 337, 363, 404, 411, 416, 417, 418, 419, 423, 426, 436, 437, 488, and 497; select upper-division English course electives to reach a total of 45 units.
Note: students are strongly encouraged to take ENGL 102 or an English-department equivalent at a transfer school for this option.

Option with Special Emphasis (code ENGLBA05) (120 units)

Some students wishing to major in English have special interests or career objectives so different from those for which the other options are designed that another pattern of courses would better serve their personal educational needs. For those students, the Special Emphasis option offers an opportunity to pursue individually designed 41-unit programs of study. Student programs may center on technical writing, for example, or other writing goals; they may focus on American or English literature or literature in a particular genre, a particular historical period, or a particular theme.

A Special Emphasis program may include courses outside the Department of English closely related to a student’s focus in English studies. At least 21 units must be earned in the Department of English at CSULB and at least 21 units of the program must be upper division. For degrees with more than four courses in any single other department, students should consider a Special Major in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program.

Students wishing to take the Special Emphasis option should prepare a detailed program proposal early in their college careers. Such programs will be recognized only if planned in consultation with a faculty advisor in the Department of English, approved in writing by the advisor, given signed approval by the Department Chair, and carried out under the advisor’s continuing supervision. Students must complete at least 15 upper-division units applicable to their Special Emphasis program after it has been officially approved.

The only specific course requirements and limitations are the following: ENGL 184, Composition and Literature (3 units); ENGL 380, Approaches to English Studies (4 units).
Electives in English and related fields are needed to make up a total of 41 units. These electives may not include ENGL 100 or 101.

Minor in English

Creative Writing (code ENGLUM01)

The minor in English (Creative Writing) requires a minimum of 20 units which must include the following: ENGL 184; three units from ENGL 204, 205 or 206, three units from ENGL 404, 405 or 406; three units from ENGL 385 or 386; and eight units of electives from ENGL 359, 404, 405, 406, 407, 432, 459, 466, 467A,B, 474, 475, 476, 477A,B, 499. (Note: ENGL 404, 405, 406 and 407 may be repeated for credit to a maximum of six units by consent of instructor.)

Literature (code ENGLUM03)

The Literature minor in English requires a minimum of 20 units and must include: ENGL 184; eight units from ENGL 250A, 250B, 270A, 270B; and nine elective units from upper-division literature classes in the English department (including at least one class at the 400 level).

Rhetoric and Composition (code ENGLUM02)

The Rhetoric and Composition minor in English requires a minimum of 20 units and must include: ENGL 310, 497, LING 420, and 421. Also recommended are three units from ENGL (or LING) 423 or 426.

Special Emphasis (code ENGLUM04)

The Special Emphasis minor in English requires a minimum of 21 units in a program developed, approved, and supervised in the same manner as the Special Emphasis Option. ENGL 184 is required of all students, with the rest of the program constructed in consultation with a faculty advisor. At least 9 upper-division units must be taken after program approval, and at least 11 units must be earned in the Department of English at CSULB.

Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (code ENGLCT02)

The Certificate Program in Teaching English as a Second Language is conducted by the Linguistics Department faculty. Please refer to the Linguistics sections of this Catalog.

Certificate in Technical and Professional Communication (code ENGLCT01)

The Department of English offers a Certificate in Technical and Professional Communication to students interested in careers in writing and editing. Application forms and advising materials may be obtained from the department office.
Prerequisites
1. Formal consultation with a faculty advisor in the Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) Certificate program;
2. Submission of an application to enter the program, supported by transcripts;
3. Upper division or post-baccalaureate standing at CSULB with a grade point average of at least 2.75 overall;
4. Admission to a degree program in this university or possession of a degree from an accredited university;
5. Successful completion of ENGL 317, Technical Communication, with a letter grade of "C" or higher.

General Requirements
1. A baccalaureate degree, which may be taken concurrently with the Certificate in Technical and Professional Communication;
2. A minimum of 24 units in courses approved for the Certificate Program at this University, preferably completed within 10 years of the first credit granted toward the Certificate (consult an advisor concerning any transfer or extension credit that may be allowable);
3. A letter grade of "C" or higher in every course in the Certificate program (a grade of "CR" is acceptable in no more than one course);
4. Completion of a program of courses in Areas I through IV, developed in consultation with an advisor in the Technical and Professional Communication Certificate program, and approved by the Program Director and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (or the Dean's designee);
5. Demonstrations (in or outside the program of courses) of competence in the use of computers and graphic media;
6. Development of a portfolio of reports, written and edited by the student during enrollment in the Certificate program, for review and approval by faculty in the Technical and Professional Communication Certificate program (required for a grade in ENGL 492A/B, Area IV).

Course Requirements

For each of the following courses, TPC Certificate students have been granted enrollment rights equal to those of students majoring in the Department offering the course. Substitutions are possible, especially in more advanced courses, with approval by the Program Director.

Area I: Technical and Professional Writing (9 units): ENGL 417, 418, and one from the following courses: ART 307, 309; CRIM 302; ENGL 419; GEOL 420; IS 301, JOUR 316, 319B.
Area II: Language Studies (4 units): ENGL 416, 320.
Area III: Electives chosen from the following (minimum 8 units):

Analytical Reading: COMM 301; ENGL 380, 423, 488; GEOG 380; HIST 400I; NSCI 375I; PHIL 381I;
Business/Professional Skills: ACCT 201; BLAW 220; COMM 334, 335, 344; JOUR 370; MKTG 300, 330;
Computer Applications: CECS 174; JOUR 331; MGMT 426; NSCI 200; IS 300; SOC 260;
Creative Writing: ENGL 404, 405, 406, 407; FEA 304, 404; THEA 380;
Intercultural Communication: ANTH 412I, 413; COMM 330; MKTG 480;
Visual Communication: ET 170; GEOG 200; JOUR 305; MAE 172;

Area IV: Practical Writing (3 units): ENGL 491 (1 or more units), 492A or B (2 or more units). No grade in ENGL 492 will be assigned without an approved portfolio, as indicated in Paragraph 6, General Requirements.

Graduate Programs

The Department of English offers two graduate degrees, an M.A. in English and an MFA in Creative Writing. Teaching assistantships are available in both. In addition, the Department's tutoring program, the Writer's Resource Lab, employs a number of graduate and undergraduate students each semester. Application information may be obtained from the Department office, (562) 985-4223.

Master of Arts in English (code ENGLMA01)

The Department of English offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts degree. The candidate must satisfy the general requirements stated in this Catalog as well as the specific departmental requirements stated here and, more fully, in the Master of Arts brochure issued by the department (copies of which are available upon request). Applicants must submit to the University’s Office of Admissions and Records a graduate application (available at that office or on-line). Applicants must also submit two sets of transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. One set must be submitted to the Office of Enrollment Services and another set must be sent directly to the Department of English. The deadline for submitting an application for Fall semester is May 1; the deadline to apply for Spring is October 15.

Prerequisites

An applicant may be admitted to the M.A. program in English only after satisfying University requirements for admission and the following prerequisites to this degree:

1. A Bachelor of Arts degree in English from an accredited institution or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with 24 units of upper-division English courses that offer a broad coverage of English and American literature.
Any deficiencies will be determined by the Department Graduate Advisor in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee. Courses used to remove course or unit deficiencies may not be included in the M.A. program.
2. A 3.2 GPA in upper-division English courses.
3. All applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose native language is not English and whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must receive a minimum score of 600 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (applicants taking the Computer-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language must present a score of 250 or above; applicants taking the Internet-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language must present a score of 100 or above).

After Admission to Program

Students must be formally admitted to the program before they can enroll in ENGL 696, which is pre-requisite or co-requisite to all other 600-level courses.

Advancement to Candidacy

1. The student must satisfy the general requirements of the University, including fulfilling the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).
2. The student’s M.A. program must be approved by a faculty graduate advisor, the Department Graduate Advisor, and the Department Chair before submission to the Associate Dean of Liberal Arts.
3. Advancement to candidacy may take place upon completion of six units in the M.A. program. Advancement to candidacy must take place no later than the semester preceding the awarding of the degree.

Requirements

1. A minimum of 30 units of approved upper-division (indicated in the Catalog with an asterisk*) and graduate courses including 24 units in English;
2. A minimum of 20 units in the 600 series in English at this University, including ENGL 696, which is to be completed before or concurrently with other 600-series courses. (A student will not be granted credit for 600-series courses unless admitted to the M.A. program);
3. A minimum of one seminar in the 600 series in English literature before 1800;
4. A foreign language requirement, which may be fulfilled in one of the following ways:
A. completing college course work in a foreign language equivalent to sophomore proficiency (normally 201B at this University) with “C” or better;
B. completing college course work in a foreign language equivalent to freshman proficiency (normally 101B at this University) with “C” or better and completing either ENGL 550 or ENGL 551 with “B” or better;
C. passing a special examination or demonstrating native proficiency in any foreign language accepted by the Graduate Studies Committee;
5. Successful completion of a final comprehensive examination in a specified specialty area. (Students who fail the examination may retake it once only.) A thesis may be written in lieu of the examination;
6. Appropriate filing for Graduation Check and for Diploma.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (code ENGLMF01)

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing is the recognized terminal degree which offers the minimum professional training deemed necessary by the major schools in the United States for university and college teaching and for positions in the publishing industry. It is also the degree most frequently held by professional writers. The Department of English at California State University, Long Beach is a fully accredited program that meets the standards of the State of California.

Criteria for Admission to the Program

1. Students applying for admission to the MFA degree program generally have completed a bachelor's or master's degree in English from an accredited institution with a 3.2 GPA in upper-division English courses, meet university admission requirements, and submit evidence of creative ability in fiction or poetry (10 pages poetry, 20-30 pages fiction). For each annual cycle, applications are due by February 15, when review will begin.
2. When an undergraduate degree has been completed in a program having different requirements from those of CSULB or in some field other than English, additional preparation may be required before the student can be considered for classified status in the degree program.
3. At the time of the student's conditional classification into the program, an examining diagnostic committee consisting of at least two instructors in the student's field of specialization and at least one other faculty member must approve and evaluate the student's work no later than the end of his/her first full year in residence and judge whether the student should continue in the program.
4. In order to obtain a full classified status, the student must obtain satisfactory evaluation from his/her committee at the end of the first full year in residence. Both the student's coursework and the student's portfolio will be evaluated.
The appeals procedure for unfavorable portfolio evaluation is as follows:
If the student feels that his/her work has been unfairly evaluated, that student has recourse any time to discuss the matter informally with the MFA Coordinator in order to resolve the issue. If the issue cannot be resolved on that basis, the following procedure shall be followed:
A. The student shall present a written appeal to the MFA Coordinator.
B. Within ten (10) working days of receipt of a written appeal by a student, the MFA Coordinator shall refer the appeal to an ad hoc committee consisting of three tenured creative writing faculty not involved with the issue.
C. The committee shall meet in formal sessions holding hearings at separate times for the student and for the faculty involved to gather information and evidence relevant to the issue.
D. After deliberation, the committee shall present its findings to the MFA Coordinator within thirty (30) working days from the origination of the committee. (Working days do not include periods of time between semesters.)
E. The MFA Coordinator shall inform the concerned student in writing of the committee's decision.
5. Advancement to candidacy
A. Attain fully classified status.
B. Remove all undergraduate deficiencies as determined by the graduate advisor, the department chair, and the dean of graduate studies.
C. Fulfill the GWAR
D. Submit a program of courses for approval by the student's faculty advisor.
6. Up to 24 units of credit from a Master of Arts program in Creative Writing may be acceptable after review and approval by the faculty evaluation committee.
7. Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
A. The MFA degree is a sixty-unit degree normally requiring full-time residency. Course requirements are arranged according to the following structure.
Core Courses: (39 units, to be chosen on the basis of consultation with a faculty advisor, to include): ENGL 505A,B or 506A,B; 590A,B; 605A,B or 606A,B; 584; 590; 598; 696; 698.
Elective Courses: (21 units, to be chosen on the basis of consultation with a faculty advisor, to include): ENGL 523, 526, 535, 537, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556, 558, 559, 562, 567A, 567B, 568, 574, 575, 576, 577A, 577B, 578, 583, 652, 653, 655, 656, 657, 659, 672, 673, 674, 681; FEA 404; *THEA 380, *480.
* may be counted for graduate credit
B. Both fiction and poetry specializations share a common core of courses which offer study in literary history, theory, and research. The remainder of the courses offer students the opportunity to develop additional skills in their particular area of related interest. The program culminates in a major creative project (novel, short story collection, or poetry collection) of publishable quality.