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Department of English

English (BA)

An English major participates in enlivening the language 1.5 billion people live by, extending and enriching the life it is and the lives it represents. By thinking critically about who is speaking for whom, whose point of view is made to mean in a represented world, and acknowledging the ambiguous spaces in which words grow or diminish, an English major is well-equipped to succeed in any profession that needs nuance and care in how we read, interpret, and act in the world.

Major Requirements

The English major requires 10 courses (40 units). Within the major, there are two tracks: Literature or Creative Writing.

Students who began the major before Fall 2023 may be following the old major requirements.

Literature Track Requirements

  • The core seminar introduces you to literary study and is a chance to work with a USC faculty member in a small seminar setting. Complete this course in your first few semesters at USC:

    • ENGL-240 “Literary Arts”

  • Choose two courses: one lower-division (100- or 200-level) and one upper-division (300-level or above), focusing on literature written before 1800.

    Lower-Division

    • ENGL-200g “Introduction to Colonialism/Postcolonialism”
    • ENGL-261g “English Literature to 1800”

    Upper-Division

    • ENGL-325g “Pre-Modern Wonders: Magic, Monsters and Marvels”
    • ENGL-420 “English Literature of the Middle Ages (1100–1500)”
    • ENGL-421 “English Literature of the 16th Century”
    • ENGL-422 “English Literature of the 17th Century”
    • ENGL-423 “English Literature of the 18th Century (1660–1780)”
    • ENGL-430 “Shakespeare”
    • ENGL-440 “American Literature to 1865”
    • ENGL-461 “English Drama to 1800”
    • ENGL-465 “The English Novel to 1800”

  • Choose two courses: one lower-division (100- or 200-level) and one upper-division (300-level or above), focusing on literature written from 1800 to the present.

    Lower-Division

    • ENGL-262g “English Literature since 1800”
    • ENGL-263g “American Literature”

    Upper-Division

    • ENGL-333g “Literature of Gandhi’s India”
    • ENGL-424 “English Literature of the Romantic Age (1780–1832)”
    • ENGL-425 “English Literature of the Victorian Age (1832–1890)”
    • ENGL-426 “Modern English Literature (1890–1945)”
    • ENGL-441 “American Literature, 1865 to 1920”
    • ENGL-442 “American Literature, 1920 to the Present”
    • ENGL-462 “British and American Drama 1800–1950”
    • ENGL-466 “The 19th Century English Novel”

  • This category explores how we read, taking up the ways in which different critical frameworks change our interpretations of literature.

    Choose two courses exploring interpretive lenses in the following categories: “Race, Gender, and/or Sexuality” and “Genre and Media Studies.” At least one course must be from the “Race, Gender, and/or Sexuality” category.

    Race, Gender, and/or Sexuality

    • ENGL-342 “Women in English and American Literature after 1800”
    • ENGL-343 “Images of Women in Contemporary Culture”
    • ENGL-344g “Sexual/Textual Diversity”
    • ENGL-373g “Literature and Society”
    • ENGL-374 “Literature, Nationality and Otherness”
    • ENGL-444 “Native American Literature”
    • ENGL-445 “The Literatures of America: Cross-Cultural Perspectives”
    • ENGL-446 “Contemporary African American Literature”
    • ENGL-447 “African-American Narrative”
    • ENGL-448 “Chicano and Latino Literature”
    • ENGL-449 “Asian American Literature”
    • ENGL-450 “Caribbean Literature”
    • ENGL-451 “Black British Literature”

    Genre and Media Studies

    • ENGL-270g “Studying Narrative”
    • ENGL-280g “Introduction to Narrative Medicine”
    • ENGL-290 “Cultural Studies: Theories and Methods”
    • ENGL-297g “Introduction to the Genre of Nonfiction”
    • ENGL-298g “Introduction to the Genre of Fiction”
    • ENGL-299g “Introduction to the Genre of Poetry”
    • ENGL-351 “Periods and Genres in American Literature”
    • ENGL-360 “Modern Poetry”
    • ENGL-361g “Contemporary Prose”
    • ENGL-362g “Contemporary Poetry”
    • ENGL-363g “Contemporary Drama”
    • ENGL-364 “The Modern Novel”
    • ENGL-371g “Literary Genres and Film”
    • ENGL-372 “Literature and Related Arts”
    • ENGL-375 “Science Fiction”
    • ENGL-376g “Comics and Graphic Novels”
    • ENGL-381 “Narrative Forms in Literature and Film”
    • ENGL-392 “Visual and Popular Culture”

  • The senior seminar gives you the opportunity to write a longer paper on a more specialized topic.

    Complete this course during the fall or spring of your senior year. Most or all of your major requirements must be completed before enrolling in ENGL-491.

    • ENGL-491 “Senior Seminar in Literary Studies”

  • Choose two upper-division (300-level or above) English (ENGL) electives based on your interests. At least one must be a 400-level course.

English (Literature) Requirements Worksheet

Creative Writing Track Requirements

  • The core seminar introduces you to literary study and is a chance to work with a USC faculty member in a small seminar setting. Complete this course in your first few semesters at USC:

    • ENGL-240 “Literary Arts”

  • Choose one course focusing on literature written before 1800.

    • ENGL-200g “Introduction to Colonialism/Postcolonialism”
    • ENGL-261g “English Literature to 1800”
    • ENGL-325g “Pre-Modern Wonders: Magic, Monsters and Marvels”
    • ENGL-420 “English Literature of the Middle Ages (1100–1500)”
    • ENGL-421 “English Literature of the 16th Century”
    • ENGL-422 “English Literature of the 17th Century”
    • ENGL-430 “Shakespeare”
    • ENGL-440 “American Literature to 1865”
    • ENGL-461 “English Drama to 1800”
    • ENGL-465 “The English Novel to 1800”

  • Choose one course focusing on literature written from 1800 to the present.

    • ENGL-262g “English Literature since 1800”
    • ENGL-263g “American Literature”
    • ENGL-333g “Literature of Gandhi’s India”
    • ENGL-424 “English Literature of the Romantic Age (1780–1832)”
    • ENGL-425 “English Literature of the Victorian Age (1832–1890)”
    • ENGL-426 “Modern English Literature (1890–1945)”
    • ENGL-441 “American Literature, 1865 to 1920”
    • ENGL-442 “American Literature, 1920 to the Present”
    • ENGL-462 “British and American Drama 1800–1950”
    • ENGL-466 “The 19th Century English Novel”

  • Craft courses allow you to sharpen your creative writing and to understand your work in relation to contemporary literature.

    Complete two introductory creative writing workshops, with one in poetry and one in prose.

    Poetry

    • ENGL-304 “Introduction to Poetry Writing”

    Prose

    • ENGL-303 “Introduction to Fiction Writing”
    • ENGL-305 “Introduction to Creative Nonfiction”

    Then, deepen your craft by choosing two more courses within a single focus, either prose or poetry:

    Poetry Emphasis

    • ENGL-406 “Poetry Writing” or ENGL-408 “Advanced Poetry Writing”
    • ENGL-360 “Modern Poetry” or ENGL-362g “Contemporary Poetry”

    Prose Emphasis

    • ENGL-405 “Fiction Writing” or ENGL-407 “Advanced Fiction Writing”
    • ENGL-361g “Contemporary Prose” or ENGL-364 “The Modern Novel”

  • This category explores how we read, taking up the ways in which different critical frameworks change our interpretations of literature.

    Choose one course exploring interpretive lenses.

    • ENGL-270g “Studying Narrative”
    • ENGL-280g “Introduction to Narrative Medicine”
    • ENGL-290 “Cultural Studies: Theories and Methods”
    • ENGL-297g “Introduction to the Genre of Nonfiction”
    • ENGL-298g “Introduction to the Genre of Fiction”
    • ENGL-299g “Introduction to the Genre of Poetry”
    • ENGL-341 “Women in English Literature before 1800”
    • ENGL-342g “Women in English and American Literature after 1800”
    • ENGL-343 “Images of Women in Contemporary Culture”
    • ENGL-344g “Sexual/Textual Diversity”
    • ENGL-351 “Periods and Genres in American Literature”
    • ENGL-363g “Contemporary Drama”
    • ENGL-371g “Literary Genres and Film”
    • ENGL-372 “Literature and Related Arts”
    • ENGL-373g “Literature and Society”
    • ENGL-374 “Literature, Nationality and Otherness”
    • ENGL-375 “Science Fiction”
    • ENGL-376g “Comics and Graphic Novels”
    • ENGL-381 “Narrative Forms in Literature and Film”
    • ENGL-392 “Visual and Popular Culture”
    • ENGL-444 “Native American Literature”
    • ENGL-445 “The Literatures of America: Cross-Cultural Perspectives”
    • ENGL-446 “Contemporary African American Literature”
    • ENGL-447 “African-American Narrative”
    • ENGL-448 “Chicano and Latino Literature”

  • The senior seminar gives you the opportunity to write a longer paper on a more specialized topic.

    Complete this course during the fall or spring of your senior year. Most or all of your major requirements must be completed before enrolling in ENGL-491.

    • ENGL-491 “Senior Seminar in Literary Studies”

  • Choose one 400-level English (ENGL) elective based on your interests.

English (Creative Writing) Requirements Worksheet

Opportunities

  • An English degree can help prepare you for a career in entertainment, journalism, business, technology, law, medicine, public policy, or many other fields. Because of this, many of our students combine English with other majors for a double major. While students cannot double major in Literature and Creative Writing, since they each belong to the single English major, it is possible to combine a major in English with a major in our interdisciplinary Narrative Studies program.

  • English majors participate in overseas studies through USC Dornsife to study Anglophone literature at universities abroad. In recent semesters, students have taken classes like “Satire, Scandal, and Society, 1700-1740” at Queen Mary University of London, “Twentieth-Century Children’s Fiction” at the National University of Ireland in Galway, and “Romance to Realism” at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

    As part of your application to study abroad, you will select courses to be pre-approved by your academic adviser to meet your major requirements.

    Visit English Overseas Programs to explore your opportunities abroad.

  • The English Honors Program is for students in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Narrative Studies who want to write an honors thesis. The program is selective and is by application only. Completing an honors thesis provides a unique opportunity to pursue in depth a project of your own design. If you are thinking about applying to graduate school or professional school (such as law school) you will find the program especially rewarding. Students apply in fall of their senior year to take the Honors Thesis Seminar in spring. The thesis is a critical research project and typically runs upwards of 40 pages. Upon successful completion of a Senior Honors Thesis your USC transcript will record departmental honors.

    Learn more about the Honors Thesis Program

  • Our students complete internships and volunteerships tutoring students at neighborhood elementary schools with the Joint Education Project, assisting with faculty research and research at USC Libraries, volunteering on political campaigns, and working in publishing, marketing, and media. These opportunities complement the intensive study and professionalization on campus in classes and co-curricular activities, and they guide students toward the diverse set of careers open to those with liberal arts educations.

    Students can find these opportunities through the USC Career Center at careers.usc.edu, and students majoring in English are eligible to apply for the USC Dornsife Gateway Internship Program.

  • Students majoring in English are eligible to apply to our progressive degree program in Literary Editing and Publishing and earn both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years.

     

    Literary Editing and Publishing (MA)

Declare the Major

You should declare the major before your junior year so that you have time to complete all the requirements. 

To change your major to English or add it as a double major, you should:

  1. Review the requirements for major (outlined above).
  2. Meet with a staff advisor in the English department (by appointment or drop-in). 
  3. To make an appointment, use Advise USC. You will need to be referred by your current advisor or email english@usc.edu to be referred.
  4. When you meet with an English advisor, they will help you determine if the major will fit within your course plan as well as answer any questions you may have about the major requirements. If it does, they will help you declare the major. 

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