SUNY Oneonta English Major

An English major reads prepared material at the Common Read Conference.

Overview

SUNY Oneonta English majors are well-prepared to become effective communicators, thinkers and problem solvers working in a variety of professions. You can tailor your program of study to your interests by choosing one of two B.A. tracks: Literature or Writing.

Department

English Department

Program Type

Major

Area of Study

Humanities and Languages

Delivery Mode

In Person

Career Opportunities

Alumni go on to graduate school and careers in teaching, law, business, publishing, administration, communications and public service. Here’s a sampling of alumni careers.

Author
Director of Marketing
Game Designer
Editor
Literary Agent

Publisher
Reporter
Script Writer
Social Media Manager
Teacher

Requirements

Select the track that interests you – either Literature or Writing – and see the list of required courses and a sample plan of study for your next four years.

Major Requirements

4 Year Degree Map

Print Requirements

Hegis Code 1501

Major Requirements:

Core English Courses: 21 s.h.

COMP 1000 - Composition 3 s.h.
LITR 1050 - Introduction to Literary Studies 3 s.h.

Period Courses: 12 s.h.

Select one course from each of the following periods to include one ELIT, ALIT, & WLIT. At least two courses must be at the 3000 level or higher.

Beginnings Through Medieval

Select one:

COMP 3015 - Early Literary Criticism 3 s.h.
ELIT 2000 - English Literature – Beginnings to Early Renaissance 3 s.h.
ELIT 3040 - Medieval English Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 4074 - Chaucer 3 s.h.
WLIT 2000 - World Literature – Ancient to Medieval 3 s.h.
WLIT 2012 - Survey of Greek Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 2013 - Roman Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 3015 - Ancient Religious Writings 3 s.h.
WLIT 3025 - The Greek Dramatists 3 s.h.
WLIT 3027 - Sex and Gender in Greek Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 3031 - Mythology 3 s.h.
WLIT 3083 - Homer 3 s.h.

Renaissance to 1800

Select one:

ALIT 2000 - American Literature to 1865 3 s.h.
ELIT 2001 - English Literature – Renaissance to 18th Century 3 s.h.
ELIT 2070 - Shakespeare 3 s.h.
ELIT 2087 - From Romance to Gothic 3 s.h.
ELIT 3041 - The English Renaissance 3 s.h.
ELIT 3043 - 18th Century English Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 3072 - 17th Century English Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 3073 - Milton 3 s.h.
ELIT 4071 - Shakespeare and Culture 3 s.h.
WLIT 2001 - World Literature – Renaissance to 18th Century 3 s.h.
WLIT 3081 - The Chinese Novel 3 s.h.

1800 to Present

Select one:

ALIT 2001 - American Literature 1865 – Present 3 s.h.
ALIT 2007 - Survey of Environmental Literature 3 s.h.
ALIT 2050 - African-American Literature 3 s.h.
ALIT 3010 - American Poetry 3 s.h.
ALIT 3016 - Modern American Fiction 3 s.h.
ALIT 3017 - Contemporary American Fiction 3 s.h.
ALIT 3026 - Contemporary American Poetry 3 s.h.
ALIT 3040 - The American Renaissance 3 s.h.
ALIT 3051 - Literature of the Harlem Renaissance 3 s.h.
ALIT 3086 - African-American Women Writers 3 s.h.
ALIT 4065 - Race and the American South 3 s.h.
ALIT 4073 - Upstate New York Writers 3 s.h.
ALIT 4074 - Hawthorne and Melville 3 s.h.
ELIT 2002 - English Literature – 18th Century to Present 3 s.h.
ELIT 2046 - Victorian Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 2047 - 20th Century English Writers 3 s.h.
ELIT 2075 - Jane Austen 3 s.h.
ELIT 3017 - 19th Century English Novel 3 s.h.
ELIT 3045 - British Writers of the Romantic Age 3 s.h.
ELIT 3074 - Modern British Poets 3 s.h.
ELIT 4064 - Dickens 3 s.h.
WLIT 2002 - World Literature – 18th Century to the Present 3 s.h.
WLIT 2042 - Muslim Women Writers 3 s.h.
WLIT 2070 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: Africa 3 s.h.
WLIT 2071 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: The Americas 3 s.h.
WLIT 3041 - Literatures of the Middle East 3 s.h.
WLIT 3050 - European Literature and Culture 3 s.h.
WLIT 3057 - Modern Black Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 4080 - Writing and Violence 3 s.h.

Additional Period Requirement

Select any course from the list below, or from the other periods listed above.

LITR 2020 - Short Fiction 3 s.h.
LITR 2083 - Women’s Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 2084 - Writing the Land: Literature of Place 3 s.h.
LITR 2085 - Writing Lives: Gender and Memoir 3 s.h.
LITR 3008 - Queer Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3022 - Science Fiction 3 s.h.
LITR 3034 - The Folktale Tradition 3 s.h.
LITR 3037 - Fantasy 3 s.h.
LITR 3043 - Major Author in Children’s and Young Adult Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3044 - Contemporary Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3045 - Native American Literatures 3 s.h.
LITR 3470 - Environmental Humanities 3 s.h.
LITR 4006 - Children’s Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 4007 - Madness in Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 4051 - Contemporary Critical Theory 3 s.h.
LITR 4055 - Postmodernism 3 s.h.
LITR 4060 - Poetics 3 s.h.

Identity and Difference: 3 s.h.

Select one:

ALIT 2050 - African-American Literature 3 s.h.
ALIT 3051 - Literature of the Harlem Renaissance 3 s.h.
ALIT 3086 - African-American Women Writers 3 s.h.
LITR 2083 - Women’s Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 2085 - Writing Lives: Gender and Memoir 3 s.h.
LITR 3008 - Queer Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3045 - Native American Literatures 3 s.h.
WLIT 2000 - World Literature – Ancient to Medieval 3 s.h.
WLIT 2001 - World Literature – Renaissance to 18th Century 3 s.h.
WLIT 2002 - World Literature – 18th Century to the Present 3 s.h.
WLIT 2042 - Muslim Women Writers 3 s.h.
WLIT 2070 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: Africa 3 s.h.
WLIT 2071 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: The Americas 3 s.h.
WLIT 3015 - Ancient Religious Writings 3 s.h.
WLIT 3041 - Literatures of the Middle East 3 s.h.
WLIT 3057 - Modern Black Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 3081 - The Chinese Novel 3 s.h.

Literature Concentration Courses: 21 s.h.

COMP 2045 - Writing About Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 2070 - Shakespeare 3 s.h.
LITR 3050 - Literary Theory 3 s.h.

4000 Level English Electives: 9 s.h.

Select three courses:

Any 4000 level ALIT courses
Any 4000 level COMP courses
Any 4000 level ELIT courses
Any 4000 level LING courses
Any 4000 level LITR courses
Any 4000 level WLIT courses
ENED 4360

Capstone: 3 s.h.

Select one:

COMP 4098 - Capstone in English 3 s.h.
ENED 4098 - Seminar in Middle and High School English Education 3 s.h.

Total: 42 s.h.

Print Requirements

Hegis Code 1501

Major Requirements:

Core English Courses: 21 s.h.

COMP 1000 - Composition 3 s.h.
LITR 1050 - Introduction to Literary Studies 3 s.h.

Period Courses: 12 s.h.

Select one course from each of the following periods to include one ELIT, ALIT, & WLIT. At least two courses must be at the 3000 level or higher.

Beginnings Through Medieval

Select one:

COMP 3015 - Early Literary Criticism 3 s.h.
ELIT 2000 - English Literature – Beginnings to Early Renaissance 3 s.h.
ELIT 3040 - Medieval English Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 4074 - Chaucer 3 s.h.
WLIT 2000 - World Literature – Ancient to Medieval 3 s.h.
WLIT 2012 - Survey of Greek Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 2013 - Roman Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 3015 - Ancient Religious Writings 3 s.h.
WLIT 3025 - The Greek Dramatists 3 s.h.
WLIT 3027 - Sex and Gender in Greek Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 3031 - Mythology 3 s.h.
WLIT 3083 - Homer 3 s.h.

Renaissance to 1800

Select one:

ALIT 2000 - American Literature to 1865 3 s.h.
ELIT 2001 - English Literature – Renaissance to 18th Century 3 s.h.
ELIT 2070 - Shakespeare 3 s.h.
ELIT 2087 - From Romance to Gothic 3 s.h.
ELIT 3041 - The English Renaissance 3 s.h.
ELIT 3043 - 18th Century English Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 3072 - 17th Century English Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 3073 - Milton 3 s.h.
ELIT 4071 - Shakespeare and Culture 3 s.h.
WLIT 2001 - World Literature – Renaissance to 18th Century 3 s.h.
WLIT 3081 - The Chinese Novel 3 s.h.

1800 to Present

Select one:

ALIT 2001 - American Literature 1865 – Present 3 s.h.
ALIT 2007 - Survey of Environmental Literature 3 s.h.
ALIT 2050 - African-American Literature 3 s.h.
ALIT 3010 - American Poetry 3 s.h.
ALIT 3016 - Modern American Fiction 3 s.h.
ALIT 3017 - Contemporary American Fiction 3 s.h.
ALIT 3026 - Contemporary American Poetry 3 s.h.
ALIT 3040 - The American Renaissance 3 s.h.
ALIT 3051 - Literature of the Harlem Renaissance 3 s.h.
ALIT 3086 - African-American Women Writers 3 s.h.
ALIT 4065 - Race and the American South 3 s.h.
ALIT 4073 - Upstate New York Writers 3 s.h.
ALIT 4074 - Hawthorne and Melville 3 s.h.
ELIT 2002 - English Literature – 18th Century to Present 3 s.h.
ELIT 2046 - Victorian Literature 3 s.h.
ELIT 2047 - 20th Century English Writers 3 s.h.
ELIT 2075 - Jane Austen 3 s.h.
ELIT 3017 - 19th Century English Novel 3 s.h.
ELIT 3045 - British Writers of the Romantic Age 3 s.h.
ELIT 3074 - Modern British Poets 3 s.h.
ELIT 4064 - Dickens 3 s.h.
WLIT 2002 - World Literature – 18th Century to the Present 3 s.h.
WLIT 2042 - Muslim Women Writers 3 s.h.
WLIT 2070 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: Africa 3 s.h.
WLIT 2071 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: The Americas 3 s.h.
WLIT 3041 - Literatures of the Middle East 3 s.h.
WLIT 3050 - European Literature and Culture 3 s.h.
WLIT 3057 - Modern Black Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 4080 - Writing and Violence 3 s.h.

Additional Period Requirement

Select any course from the list below, or from the other periods listed above.

LITR 2020 - Short Fiction 3 s.h.
LITR 2083 - Women’s Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 2084 - Writing the Land: Literature of Place 3 s.h.
LITR 2085 - Writing Lives: Gender and Memoir 3 s.h.
LITR 3008 - Queer Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3022 - Science Fiction 3 s.h.
LITR 3034 - The Folktale Tradition 3 s.h.
LITR 3037 - Fantasy 3 s.h.
LITR 3043 - Major Author in Children’s and Young Adult Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3044 - Contemporary Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3045 - Native American Literatures 3 s.h.
LITR 3470 - Environmental Humanities 3 s.h.
LITR 4006 - Children’s Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 4007 - Madness in Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 4051 - Contemporary Critical Theory 3 s.h.
LITR 4055 - Postmodernism 3 s.h.
LITR 4060 - Poetics 3 s.h.

Identity and Difference: 3 s.h.

Select one:

ALIT 2050 - African-American Literature 3 s.h.
ALIT 3051 - Literature of the Harlem Renaissance 3 s.h.
ALIT 3086 - African-American Women Writers 3 s.h.
LITR 2083 - Women’s Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 2085 - Writing Lives: Gender and Memoir 3 s.h.
LITR 3008 - Queer Literature 3 s.h.
LITR 3045 - Native American Literatures 3 s.h.
WLIT 2000 - World Literature – Ancient to Medieval 3 s.h.
WLIT 2001 - World Literature – Renaissance to 18th Century 3 s.h.
WLIT 2002 - World Literature – 18th Century to the Present 3 s.h.
WLIT 2042 - Muslim Women Writers 3 s.h.
WLIT 2070 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: Africa 3 s.h.
WLIT 2071 - Postcolonial Literature and Culture: The Americas 3 s.h.
WLIT 3015 - Ancient Religious Writings 3 s.h.
WLIT 3041 - Literatures of the Middle East 3 s.h.
WLIT 3057 - Modern Black Literature 3 s.h.
WLIT 3081 - The Chinese Novel 3 s.h.

Writing Concentration Courses: 24 s.h.

COMP 2000 - Advanced Composition 3 s.h.
Or
COMP 2045 - Writing About Literature 3 s.h.
COMP 2039 - Technical and Professional Writing 3 s.h.
COMP 2050 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 s.h.
LING 3010 - Traditional Grammar: English 3 s.h.

Writing and Language Electives: 9 s.h.

Select three Writing and Language electives from the following list. One course must be 4000 level; two must be COMP courses.

BUS 3240 - Writing for Business and the Professions 3 s.h.
COMP 2000 - Advanced Composition 3 s.h.
COMP 2045 - Writing About Literature 3 s.h.
COMP 2094 - Special Topics in Composition 3 s.h.
COMP 3010 - Screenwriting Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 3011 - Writing About Nature and the Environment 3 s.h.
COMP 3037 - Writing Fantasy and SF 3 s.h.
COMP 3060 - Poetry Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 3070 - Fiction Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 3075 - Creative Nonfiction Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 4039 - Advanced Professional Writing 3 s.h.
COMP 4060 - Advanced Poetry Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 4065 - Forms of Fiction 3 s.h.
COMP 4070 - Advanced Fiction Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 4075 - Creative Nonfiction: Biography 3 s.h.
COMP 4094 - Special Topics in Composition 1 s.h. - 3 s.h.
COMP 4099 - Independent Study in Composition 1 s.h. - 6 s.h.
LING 2001 - Language and Society 3 s.h.
LING 3015 - Introduction to Editing and Publishing 3 s.h.
LING 3022 - Varieties of American English 3 s.h.
LING 4020 - History of the English Language 3 s.h.
LITR 4060 - Poetics 3 s.h.
MDIA 2004 - Media Writing 3 s.h.
MDIA 3204 - Journalism 3 s.h.
MDIA 4604 - Advanced Journalism 3 s.h.

Capstone Experience: 3 s.h.

Select one:

COMP 4039 - Advanced Professional Writing 3 s.h.
COMP 4060 - Advanced Poetry Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 4070 - Advanced Fiction Workshop 3 s.h.
COMP 4075 - Creative Nonfiction: Biography 3 s.h.
COMP 4097 - Internship in English 1 s.h. - 15 s.h.
COMP 4098 - Capstone in English 3 s.h.

Total: 45 s.h.

Print Degree Map

**First Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
LITR 1050 - Introduction to Literary Studies	3	1800 to Present Period Elective	3
COMP 1000 - Composition	3	Gen Ed Elective	3
Gen Ed Quantitative Reasoning	3	Gen Ed Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	DRGN 1000 - Red Dragon Seminar	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

**Second Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
COMP 2045 - Writing About Literature	3	Identity and Difference Elective	3
Renaissance to 1800 Period Elective	3	Beginnings-Medieval Period Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Gen Ed Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Elective	3	Upper Division Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

**Third Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
LITR 3050 - Literary Theory	3	ELIT 2070 - Shakespeare	3
Additional Period Elective	3	4000-Level Elective	3
Liberal Arts Upper Division Elective	3	Upper Division Liberal Arts Elective	3
Liberal Arts Upper Division Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Elective	3	Upper Division Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

**Fourth Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
4000-Level Elective	3	COMP 4098 - Capstone in English	3
4000-Level Elective	3	Upper Division Liberal Arts Elective	3
Upper Division Liberal Arts Elective	3	Upper Division Elective	3
Liberal Arts Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Liberal Arts Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

Elective Key

Dragon Academy Elective: a course carrying one or more General Education area attribute(s): Oral Communication (OCOM), Written Communication (WCOM), Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice (DESJ), Quantitative Reasoning (MAT), Scientific Reasoning (NSCI), Humanities (HUMA), Social Sciences (SOSC), Arts (ARTS), US History & Civic Engagement (UHCE), World History & Global Awareness (WHGA), World Languages (WLAN), Critical Thinking and Reasoning (CTR), Information Literacy (IL), and Global Literacy (GL). Elective courses and major courses carrying Gen Ed attributes apply toward SUNY Oneonta’s Gen Ed requirements .

Liberal Arts Elective: any course that carries a Liberal Arts (LA) attribute. SUNY Oneonta’s minimum LA requirements vary by degree award.

Upper Division Elective: any elective course numbered 3000 and above. All courses (required and elective) at this level apply toward SUNY Oneonta’s upper division requirement .

Upper Division Liberal Arts Elective: any course numbered 3000 and above that carries an LA attribute.

Elective: any course outside the major. Electives apply toward the total credits required by a degree program. Electives may also be needed to satisfy other degree requirements , including the minimum number of credits outside the department of the major.

Print Degree Map

**First Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
LITR 1050 - Introduction to Literary Studies	3	COMP 2050 - Introduction to Creative Writing	3
COMP 1000 - Composition	3	1800 to Present Period Elective	3
Gen Ed Quantitative Reasoning	3	DRGN 1000 - Red Dragon Seminar	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Gen Ed Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Gen Ed Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

**Second Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
COMP 2000 OR COMP 2045	3	COMP 2039 - Technical and Professional Writing	3
Renaissance to 1800 Period Elective	3	Beginnings-Medieval Period Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Gen Ed Elective	3	Gen Ed Elective	3
Elective	3	Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

**Third Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
LING 3010 - Traditional Grammar: English	3	Additional Period Elective	3
COMP Writing/Language Elective	3	Writing/Language Elective	3
Liberal Arts Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Upper Division Elective	3	Upper Division Elective	3
Elective	3	Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

**Fourth Year**
Fall	Credit	Spring	Credit
4000-level Writing/Language Elective	3	Capstone Experience Elective	3
Identity and Difference Elective	3	Upper Division Liberal Arts Elective	3
Liberal Arts Elective	3	Upper Division Elective	3
Liberal Arts Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
Upper Division Elective	3	Liberal Arts Elective	3
TOTAL	15	TOTAL	15

Elective Key

Liberal Arts Elective: any course that carries a Liberal Arts (LA) attribute. SUNY Oneonta’s minimum LA requirements vary by degree award.

Upper Division Elective: any elective course numbered 3000 and above. All courses (required and elective) at this level apply toward SUNY Oneonta’s upper division requirement .

Upper Division Liberal Arts Elective: any course numbered 3000 and above that carries an LA attribute.

Students participate in a session at the Common Read Conference.

Related Program

If you’re interested in becoming a middle or high school English teacher, you’ll complete a dual major in English (B.A.) and Adolescence Education: English (B.S.)

More about the Adolescence Education Major

An English major discusses material during the Common Read Conference.

Hands-On Learning

You’ll have many opportunities to learn by doing, including internships in a range of career fields. Present your work at the annual New Critics, New Writers Undergraduate Conference or contribute a poem, fiction piece or academy essay to our “Edit This!” student journal. You can develop your writing skills and make friends who share your interests by getting involved in one of several student organizations and publications

Contact Admissions

Contact

Admissions

admissions@oneonta.edu

Address

108 Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820
United States

Phone

(607) 436-2524 +1 800-786-9123 800-SUNY-123 Toll Free

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English Major

Overview

Department

Program Type

Area of Study

Delivery Mode

Career Opportunities

Requirements

Related Program

Hands-On Learning

Contact Admissions

Request Information

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