your virginia tech english degree

Your Virginia Tech English Degree

Consists of 120 hours:

• Liberal Ed Requirements (roughly 36 hrs)• Major Requirements (51-55 hrs)• Free University Electives (remaining hrs)

CLE Areas (36 hrs)

1: First-Year Writing 6 hrs

2: Ideas, Cultural Traditions, & Values 6 hrs

3: Society & Human Behavior 6 hrs

4: Scientific Reasoning & Discovery 6 hrs

5: Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning 6 hrs

6: Creativity and Aesthetic Experience 3 hrs

7: Critical Issues in a Global Context 3 hrs (double-dipper?)

Curriculum for Liberal Education

The CLE Guide, which contains lists of Area 1-7 classes, is available online at

http://www.cle.prov.vt.edu/guides/

This PDF is a great reference for required classes and free electives. We advise students to check for the new school year’s updated version.

Major Requirements: 3 Parts

1. ENGL Core Foundations, Lit Traditions,

Global Literacy, & Capstone

2. Option Requirements

3. Free ENGL Electives

Major Requirements (50-54 hrs)

Three Major Options

*Each option has its own checklist(s). Before you leave, please take a copy of each for a clear overview of your choices within the major.

1. Creative Writing (54 hrs)

2. Professional Writing (51 hrs)

3. Literature, Language, and Culture:• Literature Track (52 hrs)• Pre-Law Track (52 hrs)• Pre-Education Track (55 hrs)

Major Requirements: The English Core

The English Core (24 hrs)

• 2604: Intro to Critical Reading * 3 hrs• 2614: Electronic Portfolio * 2 hrs• 2515: Survey of Brit Lit I and 2516: Survey of Brit Lit II 6 hrs• 2525: Survey of Am Lit I or 2526: Survey of Am Lit II 3 hrs• 4165: Shakespeare I or 4166: Shakespeare II 3 hrs• 3534: Lit & Ecology or 3644: Postcolonial Lit or 3 hrs

3954: Study Abroad • 4XXX: Senior E Portfolio

Core Requirements

Capstone or Senior Seminar

ENGL 4704: Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction ENGL 4714: Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry ENGL 4784: Senior Seminar in Literature ENGL 4874: Professional & Public Discourse (PW)

Major Requirements: Option Specifics

Creative Writing (54 hrs) includes:

Creative Writing: Poetry Creative Writing: Fiction Fiction for Young People Creative Nonfiction Playwriting


Professional Writing (51 hrs)

includes: Professional Writing Technical Editing & Style Designing Documents for Print Writing for the Web Issues in Professional and Public Discourse


The Pre-Law track recommends elective hours of study:Sociology, Philosophy, History, Business.

The Pre-Education track prepares you for possible application to graduate school (MAED).

*Note: If you are interested in teaching elementary school, you MUST let us know as soon as you can!

Major Requirements: ENGL Electives

ENGL electives (9-12 hrs) for ALL checklists:

Your choice, but remember: Only 1 course can be under the 3000 level. 2 courses must be on the 4000 level.

***Professional writers have only 6 hrs and must talk to your advisors about under 3000 level courses.

You Must…

1 Formalize your option choice by the time you are a 60-hour junior, if not sooner

2 Run a What-If DARs (Degree Audit Report) to assist in option choice

3 Run a real DARs to chart your progress to degree

1 Visit Cathy Skinner and Vanessa Ruccolo until you are assigned a new faculty advisor within your option who will also act as your mentor

2 You are subject to checklist changes until you are a 60-hour junior

Sample DARs Report

Arranging Your Schedule

Twice each academic year you will course request for classes: October and March Period of 1 week Use Hokie SPA

This period is called Course Request. Course request results will be returned to you about 3 weeks after

you register for classes. You might not get every course you request. Preference is not first-come, first-served but is based on rank.

Rearranging Your Schedule

After Course Request results are returned, you can alter your schedule.

This period is known as Drop/Add. Drop/Add is open for a limited period each semester after Course

Request. During summer, fall Drop/Add is closed. Drop/Add becomes

available in August, before classes begin.

For Course Request and for Drop/Add, you should consult your advisor to ensure that you are registering for courses that will count toward your degree.

For More Information on the Department:

• Departmental Web Site: http://www.english.vt.edu

• Email: Cathy Skinner ([email protected])

Vanessa Ruccolo ([email protected])