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English Teaching Option

The Department of English sponsors two options, a teaching education major in English, and a teacher education minor in English, and it is designed to prepare students to teach English at the secondary level. Also see English Major.

Download English Teaching Option Graduate Check-List

Teaching Education Major in English

In order to remain in good standing in this program and be recommended for certification, candidates are required to maintain UIUC, cumulative, content area, and professional education, grade-point averages of 2.5 (A= 4.0). Candidates should consult their advisor or the Council on Teacher Education for the list of courses used to compute these grade-point averages

Degree title: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences

Minimum required major and supporting course work normally equate to 48 hours

General education: The general education requirements for the teaching options of the English major will be the same as for LAS with the addition of a speech performance course, SPCM 101, or course sequence SPCM 111 and 112.

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours

Departmental distinction: Distinction will be awarded on the basis of grade-point average and satisfactory completion of honors, individual study, and honors essay courses. See the English adviser for a detailed statement of the requirements.

Prerequisites to transfer to the Teaching Option. In addition to EPSY 201 and EPS 201, students must also complete ENGL 200 or 101 (English 200 preferred) and at least nine hours from ENGL 301, 209, 210, 255, or 256 prior to transfer into the Teaching Option.

NOTE: In addition to the requirements for the option listed below, students must complete the Teaching Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching (36 hours). Conferral of the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences prior to completion of the minor requires approval by petition to the LAS Student Affairs Office. While it is possible to complete this program in 8 semesters, many students may require an extra semester or two.

Hours

Requirements
3-6 Introductory Literature: Courses in this group should be completed as early as possible. Students may choose one of the following options:
3 hrs Option A (preferred):
  English 200: Intro to Literary Study or
6 hrs Option B:
  English 101: Intro to Poetry and either
  English 102: Intro to Drama or
  English 103: Intro to Fiction
  (Students who have already taken some other combination of introductory literature courses should consult with an advisor).
15 Core Courses (the 200-level courses in this group need not be taken strictly in the order listed, but should be taken before the 300-level coursework). At least nine hours of these core courses should be completed or in progress by the time of application to the Teaching of English program. Note the special prerequisites for these courses:
3 hrs English 209: English Lit to 1798. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and English 200/101.
3 hrs English 210: English Lit 1798 to Present. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and English 200/101.
3 hrs English 255: Survey of American Lit I. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and English 200/101.
3 hrs English 256: Survey of American Lit II. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and English 200/101.
3 hrs English 301: Critical Approaches to Lit. Prerequisite: Completion of the Comp. I requirement and English 200/101/102 or 103.
24 Distribution Requirements: Choose one course from each of the following groups: You must include 12 hours at the 300- or 400-level (at least six of these must be in literature), including a section of English 300+ (Writing about Literature) designated as fulfilling one of the distribution requirements. It is recommended that English 300+ be taken before your other 300- or 400-level coursework.
  Note: Courses listed under more than one group can count for only one group requirement. Topics of courses marked with an asterisk (*) must be identified as satisfying the appropriate group to count.
  Students in the Teaching of English option are also required to include in their courses for Groups I-V at least one course in African-American, American ethnic minority, or women's literature.
3 hrs Shakespeare:
 
418 Shakespeare I
 
419 Shakespeare II
 
300+*
6 hrs British Literature: Choose one course from both Group I and Group II
  Group I: British literature before 1800.
 
202 Medieval Lit and Culture
 
204 Renaissance Lit and Culture
 
206 Enlightenment Lit and Culture
 
274* Literature and Society
 
280* Women Writers
 
281* Women in the Lit Imagination
 
415 Early Renaiss Poetry & Prose
 
416 Drama of Shakespeare's Contemp
 
421 Later Renaiss Poetry & Prose
 
426 Earlier 18thC Literature
 
427 Later 18thC Literature
 
428 English Drama 1660-1800
 
429 18th Century Fiction
 
461* Topics in Literature
 
475 Lit and Other Disciplines
 
300+* Writing About Literature
  Group II: British literature after 1800.
 
207 Romantic Lit and Culture
 
208 Victorian Lit and Culture
 
247 The British Novel
 
274* Literature and Society
 
280* Women Writers
 
281* Women in the Lit Imagination
 
285 Postcolonial Lit in English
 
431 English Romantic Literature
 
434 Victorian Poetry and Prose
 
435 19thC British Fiction
 
441 British Lit 1900 - 1930
 
442 British Lit Since 1930
 
461* Topics in Literature
 
462* Topics in Modern Fiction
 
466* Topics in Modern Drama
 
475* Lit and Other Disciplines
 
300+* Writing About Literature
3 hrs Group III: American literature:
 
250 The American Novel to 1914
 
251 The American Novel Since 1914
 
256 Survey of American Lit II
 
259 Afro-American Literature I
 
260 Afro-American Literature II
 
363 Jewish Immigrant Literature
 
274* Literature and Society
 
280* Women Writers
 
281* Women in the Lit Imagination
 
286 Asian American Literature
 
449 American Lit 1820 - 1865
 
450 American Lit 1865 - 1914
 
451 American Lit 1914 - 1945
 
452 American Lit 1945 - Present
 
460 Lit of American Minorities
 
461* Topics in Literature
 
462* Topics in Modern Fiction
 
466* Topics in Modern Drama
 
475* Lit and Other Disciplines
 
300+* Writing About Literature
3 hrs Group IV: an Author-studies course:
 
411 Chaucer
 
423 Milton
 
455 Major Authors
 
300+* Writing About Literature
3 hrs Group V: Special-topics courses: Choose from one of the following groups or an English 300+ identified as a Group V topic:
  Theme, Mode, Genre:
 
213 Modernist Lit and Culture
 
241 Beginnings of Modern Poetry
 
242 Poetry Since 1940
 
243 Modern Drama I
 
244 Modern Drama II
 
247 The British Novel
 
248 Brit Amer & Contin Fiction
 
250 The American Novel to 1914
 
251 The American Novel since 1914
 
267 Grimms’ Fairy Tales in Context
 
274* Literature and Society
 
285 Postcolonial Lit in English
 
416 Drama of Shakespeare's Contemp
 
428 English Drama 1660-1800
 
429 18th Century Fiction
 
435 19thC British Fiction
 
461* Topics in Literature
 
462* Topics in Modern Fiction
 
465 Stage Comedy
 
466* Topics in Modern Drama
 
475* Lit and Other Disciplines
  Gender and Ethnic Studies:
 
211 Intro to Modern African Lit
 
259 Afro-American Literature I
 
260 Afro-American Literature II
 
363 Jewish Immigrant Literature
 
272 Minority Images in Amer Film
 
280 Women Writers
 
281 Women in the Lit Imagination
 
284 Modern Jewish Literature
 
285 Postcolonial Lit in English 
 
286 Asian American Literature
 
359 Lit Responses to the Holocaust
 
460 Lit of American Minorities
 
470 Modern African Fiction
  Film Studies:
 
272 Minority Images in Amer Film
 
273 Intermediate Film Studies
 
473 Special Topics in Film Studies
  Critical Theory:
 
461* Topics in Literature
 
483 Lit Crit From 1800 to Present
 
485 Literature for the High School
3 hrs English 402 Descriptive English Grammar (with advisor's permission, students may substitute English 404 Engl Grammar for ESL Teachers)
3 hrs English 481 Comp Theory and Practice
3 hrs Language or Writing Studies - choose one (with the permission of an advisor, students may substitute a course in Linguistics for the courses in this group):
  401 Intro to Study of Engl Lang
  403 History of the English Lang
  482 Writing Technologies
  BTW 490 Special Topics Prof Writing
42 Supporting Coursework:
6 hrs Western Civilization Requirement: Choose one of the following pairs:
  CWL 241 and 242: Masterpieces of West Culture I & II
  History 141: Western Civ to 1660 and 142: Western Civ Since 1660
  History 171: US Hist to 1877 and 172: US Hist Since 1877
  History 255: British Isles to 1688 and 256: Great Britain Since 1688
36 hrs Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching:
  The professional education component of the program will be divided into two phases:
  Pre-education courses:
  EPSY 201 (prerequisite: PSYC 100)
  EPS 201
  The professional education sequence as approved by the Council on Teacher Education:
  3 semester hours in the fall of the junior year
  6 in the spring of the junior year
  6 in the fall of the senior year
  15 in the spring of the senior year (combining courses in pedagogy and the student teaching experience)

Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.

All foreign language requirements must be satisfied.

Students must maintain a University and cumulative 2.5 grade point to remain in good standing.

Teacher Education Minor in English

Teacher education minors are available only to students seeking to add additional teaching fields to their teaching majors.

Hours

Requirements
4 Select from:
 
RHET 105–Principles of Composition
 
RHET 108–Forms of Composition
6 Two courses in English literature (the following are strongly recommended):
 
ENGL 209–English Lit to 1798, and
 
ENGL 210–English Lit 1798 to Present
6 Two courses in American literature (the following are strongly recommended):
 
ENGL 255–Survey of American Lit I, and
 
ENGL 256–Survey of American Lit II
3 ENGL 402–Descriptive English Grammar
3 Select from:
 
ENGL 481–Comp Theory and Practice (strongly recommended)
 
RHET 233–Principles of Composition
 
RHET 243–Inter Expository Writing
6 Electives in English or American literature:
 
ENGL 301–Critical Approaches to Literature (strongly recommended)
28 Total

Students are advised that additional course work is necessary to teach middle grades six through eight. Consult the certification officer in 130 Education Building for additional information.

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