Introductory Level Courses: What's Right for You
The English Department offers a variety of introductory courses, all of which may be taken by freshman. Students considering majoring in English might wish to begin with English 250, Interpreting Literature, which is required for the English major and minor. The historical survey courses English 203 and English 204 (British Literature I; British Literature II), are no longer required for the major, but are also good choices for students interested in majoring or minoring in English, as they provide historical surveys of periods in British Literature that students might not have previously explored.
Other 200-level introductory English courses fulfill the COLL 200 requirement or ALV requirement and may be taken by students who are or are not considering an English major: English 207 (American Literature: Themes and Issues); and English 210 (Topics in Literature). Prospective majors, however, should note that only 9 credit hours at the 100 or 200-level may be counted toward the 36 hours they need for majoring in English. Therefore, if a student has AP, IB, or transfer credit for a 200-level course, 207 and 210 cannot be counted toward the major.
Courses at the 200-level are ordinarily available only to sophomores and freshmen, so students, including pre-med students needing to take English classes for their curriculum, should plan on taking these courses before their junior year. Transfer students with junior-year status intending to major in English who need 250 for the major or minor should email the instructor of the relevant section of these courses to request an override.
English 201 (Literature and the Bible) is appropriate for students at all levels of study, including freshmen.
