English, Bachelor of Arts

Program Requirements (42 hours)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

All English major concentrations require 42 semester hours with 27 hours in the core and 15 hours in the concentration. Students must take an introduction to the major course (ENG 299), three literature survey courses (ENG 385 and either ENG 381 and ENG 392 or ENG 382 and ENG 391), a language course (ENG 204), two writing courses (ENG 203, ENG 306, ENG 307, ENG 401, or ENG 410) AND (ENG 212, ENG 301, or ENG 412), and a capstone (ENG 413, ENG 414, or ENG 416, depending on their concentration).

Creative Writing Concentration

Our Creative Writing program offers courses in a variety of genres: creative nonfiction, fiction, play/screenwriting, and poetry. The curriculum includes a study of literature and emphasizes experimentation to help students find and develop their interests, their skills, and ultimately, their own niche. 

Our Readers Series brings to campus several successful authors each year for public readings, classroom visits, and workshops. CW students are encouraged to pursue publication of original work both by submitting for print publication and participating in readings – and opportunities abound.

Our literacy publication, Zephyrus, is produced by and for WKU students; numerous writing contests (including the English Club's Goldenrod Poetry Contest and a genre-rotating contest accompanying the annual Jim Wayne Miller Celebration of Writing) are offered each year, and the campus and larger community offer a variety of venues for readings, from coffeehouse open-mic nights to more formal occasions, like our annual Senior Reading.

The CW major requires either a second major or a minor, and we invite students to use that requirement to their advantage by selecting one which will contribute directly to their aspirations, whether that may be a career plan (since almost every career field has a place for skilled writers) or a discipline which will better equip them for a specific writing pursuit. Naturally, the CW program—like all other English majors—also offers opportunities to study abroad.

The creative writing concentration requires a minimum of 42 hours and leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. A minor or second major is required. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all courses applying to this major.

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ENG 203 is a required prerequisite to the upper-level creative writing courses.

Literature Concentration

The English literature concentration at WKU is a dynamic program offering a wide range of courses. Our majors not only build a strong, broad foundation in literature in English (British, American, World), they also have opportunities for in-depth study in literature electives such as "Dante's Divine Comedy," "Southern Literature, " and "Mythology" as well as special topics courses such as "Gothic Fiction" and "Literature and the Environment."

In addition to courses offered here at WKU, we offer opportunities to study abroad in far-flung locations such as Cuba, Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom; closer to home, recent study away courses have traveled to Chicago, New York City, and Oxford, Mississippi. 

Through the English Club, literature majors engage in extracurricular activities that include attending public readings and plays or serving as Judges for the Goldenrod poetry contest. Our students' talents are showcased in the department's undergraduate scholarly journal, The Ashen Egg, and each year a number of students present their work at local, regional, and even national conferences.

The literature concentration in English requires a minimum of 42 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. A minor or second major is required. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all courses applying to the major. At least one of the restricted literature electives must be at the 400-level.

Professional Writing Concentration

Our PW program emphasizes the kinds of thinking, reading, and writing skills necessary for today's workplaces. Students in our program learn how to write persuasively, edit and publish professional texts, research projects and consult with clients, and use online writing technologies (social media, blogging, etc.) for professional purposes.

In conjunction with the English department, we also offer study-abroad opportunities in locations like the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, and Greece. Finally, we strongly encourage Professional Writing students to enroll in our robust internship program and get "on-the-job" writing/editorial experience in publishing houses and presses, local non-profits, and campus organizations. Many of our students have used their successful internship opportunities to secure permanent positions as new editors, journalists,  technical writers in local security firms and environmental consulting organizations, or to pursue advanced degrees in English, Biology, Social Work, and Law to name a few.

The professional writing concentration requires a minimum of 42 hours and leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. A minor or second major is required. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all courses applying to the major. It is strongly recommended that students in the professional writing concentration complete an internship (ENG 369). 

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ENG 306 or ENG 307 is a prerequisite for most professional writing classes.

Finish in Four Plans

Creative Writing

Literature

Professional Writing