Overview

Students who major in English at the University of Miami choose one of two concentrations: a concentration in literature, or a concentration in creative writing. Each concentration develops students' skills in critical thinking, academic research, and writing; encourages the rigorous investigation of literary history and contemporary culture; fosters student creativity and intellectual curiosity; and prepares majors for graduate study and a wide variety of professional careers.

Curriculum Requirements

BA in English: Concentration in Literature

Of the 10 total classes (30 credits) required for the major, at least FIVE must be numbered at 300 or above, of which at least TWO must be numbered 400 or above.
1. Select ONE 200-LEVEL LITERATURE course3
2. Select TWO LITERATURE courses numbered 200 or above that fulfill the following area requirements:
- Select one course in Forms, Methods, and Genres3
Introduction to Poetry
Introduction to Fiction
Contemporary Disaster Fiction
Curiosity: Vice and Virtue in Science and Literature
Major American Novelists
Major British Novelists
Major European Novelists
Forms of the Novel
Lyric Voices and Traditions
Data and Contemporary Culture
Edgar Allan Poe and the U.S. Gothic
The Literature of Science Fiction
Myth and Literature
Literature and Popular Culture
Politics and Literature
Literature and Psychoanalytic Theory
Twentieth-Century Literary Theory
Postcolonial Literature and Theory
History of Literary Criticism
Feminist Literary Theory
- Select one course in Diversity and Global Understanding3
Jewish Literature
English and American Literature by Women
Contemporary American Migrations
The Harlem Renaissance and Its Afterparties
Afrofuturism
African-American Literature
Literature of the Americas
Black Girl Magic
Modern African Literature and Film
Comparative Literature of the Black World
Caribbean Literature
Jewish American Literature
Sephardic Literature
Literature of the Holocaust
Asian American Literature
Representations of Arabs and Jews in Israeli and Palestinian Literature and Film
Women Writing: Theory and Practice
Literary Representations of Women
Women Writers
Literature and Imperialism
Irish Literature
Race, Ethnicity, and Literature
Queer Sexualities: Literature and Theory
Studies in Women and Literature
3. Select THREE LITERATURE courses numbered 300 or above that fulfill the following historical distribution requirements:
- Select one course numbered 300 or above in Literature before 17003
Literature and Culture in Classical Greece and Rome, I
Literature and Culture in Classical Greece and Rome, II
The European Middle Ages
The European Renaissance
The Classical Epic Tradition
Early Celtic Literature
Science, Medicine, and Magic in Early Modern Literature
Shakespeare
The Bible as Literature
King Arthur in Literature
Old English Language and Literature
Old English Literature
Chaucer
Shakespeare: The Early Plays
Shakespeare: The Later Plays
English Renaissance Poetry and Prose
English Renaissance Drama
Seventeenth-Century Poetry and Prose
Milton
- Select one course numbered 300 or above in Literature between 1700 and 19003
The European Enlightenment
Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature
18th-Century British Novel
The Early Romantic Period
The Late Romantic Period
Jane Austen and Literary Criticism
Victorian Poetry and Prose
Nineteenth-Century English Novel
Storied Pasts: Nineteenth-Century U.S. History and Literature
Early American Literature
American Literature: 1800-1865
American Literature: 1865-1915
Early African-American Literature
Russian and Soviet Classics in English
- Select one course numbered 300 or above in Literature since 19003
Modern British and American Poetry
Modern Drama
Contemporary Drama
Modern Literature
Contemporary Literature
The Sixties: Literature, History, and Culture of the 1960s
Modern British Literature
Contemporary British Literature
Joyce
Contemporary British and American Poetry
American Literature: 1915 to 1945
American Literature: 1945 to the Present
Modern African-American Literature
4. Select FOUR additional English electives numbered 200 or above (can include creative writing workshops)12
Total credits required for the major: 30 (36 credits required for Departmental Honors)
5. General Education Requirements
Written and Communication Skills:
WRS 105First-Year Writing I3
ENG 106Writing About Literature and Culture3
or WRS 106 First-Year Writing II
Quantitative Skills:
MTH 113Finite Mathematics (or any MTH course numbered 108 or higher)3
Areas of Knowledge:
Arts and Humanities Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major)
People & Society Cognate 19
STEM Cognate 29
6. Additional Graduation Requirements
MTH 101Algebra for College Students (not needed for students who place into MTH 113)3
Language Requirement3
Natural Science course 33
Advanced Writing & Communication 4
Electives 539
Minor15
Total Credit Hours120
1

If the student has a minor (or second major) that counts as "People & Society," the student does not need to satisfy the requirement for a People & Society cognate.

2

If the student has a minor (or second major) that counts as "STEM," the student does not need to satisfy the requirement for a STEM cognate.

3

This requirement is waived if the STEM cognate includes a Natural Science course from the approved list.

4

Students satisfy this requirement by taking four writing courses, at least one of which must be in one of the student's major disciplines. Since all ENG courses, other than first year writing, are designated as writing (W) courses, all English majors satisfy this requirement by completing their major.

5

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation. Sufficient credits must be earned in electives to enable the student to complete this minimum of 120 credits. The exact number of elective credits required will vary depending on the number of credits needed to complete all other graduation requirements.

BA in English: Concentration in Creative Writing

1. Complete the following FOUR courses:
ENG 290Beginning Fiction Workshop3
ENG 292Beginning Poetry Workshop3
ENG 390Intermediate Fiction Workshop3
ENG 392Intermediate Poetry Workshop3
2. Select ONE of the following courses:3
Creative Writing (Prose Fiction)
Creative Writing (Poetry)
3. Select ONE of the following courses:3
Any ENG literature course at the 400 level
Creative Writing (Prose Fiction)
Creative Writing (Poetry)
Creative Writing Special Topics
Writing Autobiography
4. Select one ENG class at the 200 level (ENG 290 and ENG 292 may NOT be used towards the fulfillment of this requirement).3
5. Additional Literature Requirements: *at least one of the 300 or 400 level ENG literature courses must cover literature before 1900.9
Select TWO English Literature courses at the 300 level or higher
Select ONE English Literature course at the 400 level
Total credits required for the major: 30 (36 credits required for Departmental Honors)
6. General Education Requirements
Written and Communication Skills:
WRS 105First-Year Writing I3
ENG 106Writing About Literature and Culture3
or WRS 106 First-Year Writing II
Quantitative Skills:
MTH 113Finite Mathematics (or any MTH course numbered 108 or higher)3
Areas of Knowledge:
Arts & Humanities Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major)
People & Society cognate 19
STEM cognate 29
7. Additional Graduation Requirements:
MTH 101Algebra for College Students (not needed by students who place into MTH 113)3
Language Requirement3
Minor15
Natural Science course 33
Advanced Writing & Communication 4
Electives 539
Total Credit Hours120
1

If the student has a minor (or second major) that counts as "People & Society," the student does not need to satisfy the requirement for a People & Society cognate.

2

If the student has a minor (or second major) that counts as "STEM," the student does not need to satisfy the requirement for a STEM cognate.

3

This requirement is waived if the STEM cognate includes a Natural Science course from the approved list.

4

Students satisfy this requirement by taking four writing courses, at least one of which must be in one of the student's major disciplines. Since all ENG courses, other than first year writing, are designated as writing (W) courses, all English majors satisfy this requirement by completing their major.

5

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation. Sufficient credits must be earned in electives to enable the student to complete this minimum of 120 credits. The exact number of elective credits required will vary depending on the number of credits needed to complete all other graduation requirements.

Suggested Plan of Study

BA in English: Concentration in Literature

This Suggested Plan of Study is a sample four-year plan, but an individual student's actual plan is likely to vary from this sample plan in a number of ways, depending on such factors as (1) AP, dual-enrollment, and transfer credits that a student brings in; (2) the student's initial placement in first-year writing, mathematics, and a second language; and (3) the minor chosen by the student, as well as any additional minor or major the student chooses to complete.  For example, a student is not required to complete a cognate in People & Society if the student has a minor (or second major) that fulfills the People & Society area of knowledge, and similarly, a student is not required to complete a cognate in STEM if the student has a minor (or second major) that fulfills the STEM area of knowledge.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
FallCredit Hours
WRS 105 First-Year Writing I 3
MTH 101 Algebra for College Students (if needed; otherwise, can be replaced by an elective) 3
Language 3
People & Society cognate (first course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG 106 or WRS 106 Writing About Literature and Culture
or First-Year Writing II
3
MTH 113 Finite Mathematics 3
STEM cognate (first course) 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore Year
Fall
ENG 200-Level Literature course requirement 3
People & Society cognate (second course) 3
Minor (first course) 3
Elective 1 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG Forms, Methods, and Genres requirement 3
ENG Historical Distribution requirement #1 3
Minor (second course) 3
STEM cognate (second course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior Year
Fall
ENG Diversity and Global Understanding requirement 3
ENG Historical Distribution requirement #2 3
Minor (third course) 3
STEM cognate (third course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG Elective 3
ENG Historical Distribution requirement #3 3
Minor (fourth course) 3
Natural Science course (if needed) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior Year
Fall
ENG Elective 2 3
ENG Elective 3
Minor (fifth course) 3
People & Society cognate (third course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG Elective 3
Elective 3 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours120
1

Students who are considering the possibility of writing a six-credit senior thesis for Departmental Honors in Creative Writing their last year should replace this elective course with an ENG course for their major.

2

Students who are writing a six-credit senior thesis for Departmental Honors in Creative Writing should, ideally, have completed eight ENG courses for their major prior to their senior year, and should therefore be able to replace this course with ENG 497.

3

Students who are writing a six-credit senior thesis for Departmental Honors in Creative Writing should replace this elective course with ENG 498 .

BA in English: Concentration in Creative Writing

This Suggested Plan of Study is a sample four-year plan, but an individual student's actual plan is likely to vary from this sample plan in a number of ways, depending on such factors as (1) AP, dual-enrollment, and transfer credits that a student brings in; (2) the student's initial placement in first-year writing, mathematics, and foreign language; and (3) the minor chosen by the student, as well as any additional minor or major the student chooses to complete.  For example, a student is not required to complete a cognate in People & Society if the student has a minor (or second major) that counts as "People & Society," and similarly, a student is not required to complete a cognate in STEM if the student has a minor (or second major) that counts as "STEM."

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
FallCredit Hours
WRS 105 First-Year Writing I 3
MTH 101 Algebra for College Students (if needed; otherwise, can be replaced by an elective) 3
Language 3
People & Society cognate (first course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG 106 or WRS 106 Writing About Literature and Culture
or First-Year Writing II
3
MTH 113 Finite Mathematics 3
STEM cognate (first course) 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore Year
Fall
ENG 290 Beginning Fiction Workshop 3
People & Society cognate (second course) 3
Minor (first course) 3
Elective 1 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG 292 Beginning Poetry Workshop 3
ENG 2xx (excluding ENG 290 and ENG 292) 3
Minor (second course) 3
STEM cognate (second course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior Year
Fall
ENG 390 Intermediate Fiction Workshop 3
ENG 3xx (course in literature before 1900) 3
Minor (third course) 3
STEM cognate (third course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG 392 Intermediate Poetry Workshop 3
ENG 3xx (literature course; students seeking Departmental Honors in Creative Writing must take this literature course at the 400-level) 3
Minor (fourth course) 3
Natural Science course (if needed) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior Year
Fall
ENG 404 or 406 Creative Writing (Prose Fiction)
or Creative Writing (Poetry)
3
ENG 4xx (course in literature before 1900) 2 3
Minor (fifth course) 3
People & Society cognate (third course) 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENG 404 or 406 Creative Writing (Prose Fiction) (or ENG 407 or ENG 408 or ENG 400-level literature class)
or Creative Writing (Poetry)
3
ENG 4xx (literature course) 3
Elective 3 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours120
1

Students who are considering the possibility of writing a six-credit senior thesis for Departmental Honors in Creative Writing their last year should replace this elective course with an ENG course for their major.

2

Students who are writing a six-credit senior thesis for Departmental Honors in Creative Writing should, ideally, have completed eight ENG courses for their major prior to their senior year, and should therefore be able to replace this course with ENG 497.

3

Students who are writing a six-credit senior thesis for Departmental Honors in Creative Writing should replace this elective course with ENG 498.

Mission

The mission of the English Department undergraduate program is to lead student learning in literary form and history; Standard English expression; critical thinking, writing, and research skills; and ethical reflection via the study of literature and other cultural productions. Students who complete an undergraduate degree in English will be prepared for graduate study in areas such as English and law, or for employment in any position requiring skills in critical thinking and in writing.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Student demonstrates broad and select knowledge of literary form, of works written in or translated into English, and of literary history.
  • Student achieves critical and expressive fluencies relevant to GERs in writing-intensive courses, including control of Standard English, and demonstrates ability to integrate quotations and ability to edit his/her own work.
  • Student demonstrates ability to analyze literature, ability to formulate and sustain an argument with appropriate evidence and documentation, and appropriate knowledge of relevant scholarship and criticism.