Major Requirements
First-Year English Requirements
Students with satisfactory entrance proficiency in English take ENG-101 and ENG-102, the standard Freshman English sequence. Those whose SAT verbal scores indicate exceptional proficiency are invited to take ENG-103 (Advanced Freshman English) and follow it with ENG-102. For students in ENG-103 who receive a grade of “A,” "A-," "B+," or “B,” a free elective will replace 102. All new students whose standardized test scores indicate a need for further development of verbal or writing skills will be placed into a developmental English course (ENG-095 or ENG-096). Upon successful completion of this course, they will then matriculate into ENG-101 and will then follow the standard Freshman English sequence. Second-language students with serious writing problems may be required to enroll in additional developmental English courses before enrolling in ENG-101. Students may petition for further evaluation of their reading and writing proficiency before enrolling in ENG-095/ENG-096 by contacting the Second Language Services Office prior to the start of their first semester.
Students should have finished ENG-101 and ENG-102 or authorized equivalents by the time they have reached 64 credits. Delaying the English requirement may impair performance in upper division courses and make it difficult to graduate on schedule. Upper division students who have not completed all English requirements should do so before they achieve senior status.
Writing Sample
During the first class period, all students in first-year English courses will be asked to provide a writing sample. Students with inadequate reading and writing proficiency will be asked either to attend writing workshops or to withdraw from the course in order to enroll in a remedial English course.
NOTE: ENG-102 is a prerequisite for all English courses above ENG-124. However, students who pass ENG-103 with a B or above are exempt from ENG-102 and may take all English courses above ENG-124.
Second-Year English Requirements
All CAS undergraduates must take one sophomore literature course. This requirement may be satisfied by enrolling in ENG-213 (English Literature I), ENG-214 (English Literature II), ENG-216 (World Literature), ENG-217 (American Literature I), or ENG-218 (American Literature II).
Note that all English majors must take TWO sophomore surveys: ENG-213 and ONE of ENG-214, ENG-217 or ENG-218. Each course offers an introduction to a significant body of literature in English with continued instruction in reading and writing skills.
English Major Requirements (9 courses, 36 credits)
Requirements for a major in English are satisfied by 36 credits of coursework in English (in addition to English 213, the sophomore CAS literature requirement). One course must be chosen from ENG-214, 217, and 218. Five courses must be chosen from the groups of English courses – one course per group – and lists of group courses are available in the English Department. A sixth course must be numbered 300 or above. Two English electives may be chosen from any English courses numbered above 104. The Seminar for Freshmen may satisfy one of the English electives at the discretion of the department. The English Honors Seminar may replace one of the five group courses if the student is invited to participate in the seminar. (Each Honors Seminar is relevant to a specific group.) Note that an English major must take ENG-213. An English major must earn the BA.
Transfer students with an English major must complete at least 12 credits of English courses at Suffolk beyond the sophomore literature requirement (ENG-213, ENG-214, ENG-217, ENG-218).
Minor Requirements
English Minor (5 courses, 20 credits)
English-213 plus four English electives chosen from courses numbered 104 or above. At least three of these four electives must be at the upper-level (numbered 300 or above). English courses fulfilling the core humanities and literature requirements may double-count in the minor. With departmental approval, selected seminars for freshmen may also double-count in the minor. (In some circumstances, an upper-level course from Group 3 of the major Requirements – Literary History I (Medieval to Renaissance) – may be substituted for ENG-213.)
The Creative Writing Minor (5 courses, 20 credits)
This minor is intended for students who are not majoring in English.
Students who are majoring in disciplines other than English may elect to minor in creative writing. The minor in creative writing requires the student to take at least three creative writing workshops. The minor also requires that the student take one literature course from Group II Genres and Backgrounds and also one other upper-division (300-level or above) literature course.
The phrase “creative writing workshops” refers specifically to those prose and poetry workshops designed and implemented by the English department.
Creative Writing Concentration
Students who are majoring in English may elect to take a creative writing concentration within the English major. The student would then be required to take at least three creative writing workshops in addition to fulfilling the requirements of the English major. One of those creative writing workshops may simultaneously satisfy the major requirement in the “Genres” group or serve as an elective within the major.
The phrase “creative writing workshops” refers specifically to those prose and poetry workshops designed and implemented by the English department.
Honors
To be considered for honors in English, a student must satisfy the following criteria:
- Students interested in honors should consult with the English department honors coordinator in the sophomore or junior year. Qualifying students must have a 3.5 GPA in English.
- Honors students must complete Gateway (ENG-301) and 8 Honors credits in English, 4 credits of which are in addition to the major requirement of 36 credits. These 8 credits would normally include one Honors Seminar and one Independent Study (ENG-510), wherein a student produces a major project under the direction of an advisor of his or her choice.
- Honors students should register for one credit of ENG-510 (normally in the fall semester of the senior year), and for three credits of 510 (normally in the spring semester of the senior year). Any student who completes 510 will receive credit for the course; for achievement of honors in English, projects completed in 510 must also be approved by the English department.
- Honors students must complete their coursework in English with a GPA of 3.5.
- In special circumstances (for example in the case of transfer students), exceptions to the requirements above will be considered.
History and Literature – Honors Major
This honors program provides interested and qualified students the opportunity to explore in-depth the relations between history and literature. The history and literature honors student must complete the requirements for a major in either history or English and also complete the requirements for the minor in the other of the two departments.
Regardless of whether the student in history and literature chooses to major in history or English, he or she must complete the honors requirements as described in the history and literature program.
See the history and literature major program listing in this catalog.
Writing Center Scholars Program
English majors and English minors may apply to the Writing Center Scholars Program. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall. Recipients of this $4,000 scholarship join the staff at the Writing Center, tutoring 10 hours per week between September and May. Awards are renewable. Application packets are available in January in the English department.
Societies
Sigma Tau Delta International Honor Society
Sigma Tau Delta, a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), established its Eta Upsilon Chapter at Suffolk University in January, 1986. Active membership is open to both English majors and English minors who have completed a minimum of two college courses in English language or literature (beyond the freshman and sophomore English requirements) with an average of 3.5, plus a general cumulative average of 3.0. Associate membership is open to students who have the requisite academic background (as stipulated above for active membership) but who are not majoring or minoring in English. In addition to conferring distinction for high achievement in English language and literature and exhibiting high standards of academic excellence through its chapters, Sigma Tau Delta promotes and emphasizes the discipline of English in all its aspects, including creative and critical writing, by inviting both active and associate members to contribute to its national publication, The Rectangle. All inducted members remain permanently on the roster of the Eta Upsilon Chapter.
