Chairperson: Greg Barnhisel, Ph.D.

Dedicated to the study of literature, theater, writing and culture, the English Department occupies a distinguished position within a liberal arts education.  Through dynamic and varied explorations of the centrality of human expression and the vast creative possibilities of language, literary studies offer a window into multifaceted culture and cultures of the past.  A wide range of courses taught from a variety of critical perspectives examines texts in their manifold relations: as aesthetic objects, as social documents, as chapters in the history of an idea or a people, as occasion for meditation or revolution.

The Department of English offers two majors, English and Theater Arts, as well as a minor in English, Theater Arts, Film Studies, and Creative Writing. Through opportunities for analysis, discussion and written composition in these fields, students develop clarity of thought, precision of expression, and informed critical judgment.  These opportunities provide excellent preparation for careers in secondary and university teaching, law, business and management, publishing, editing, technical writing, journalism, writing for media, public relations, library science, advertising, and many other areas of professional and creative endeavors.

Students who major in English choose a concentration in Literary Studies or Writing.  These concentrations offer a wide range of courses in English, American, and global literatures; creative writing and/or critical/professional writing; linguistics; and literary theory.

Students who major in Theater Arts study dramatic literature as well as acquire experience in acting, directing and the technical aspects of theatrical production.

Learning Outcomes

English B.A. Learning Outcomes

  • Develop a working command of the breadth of British, American, and Multi-ethnic literature, including both canonical and non-canonical writers and/or directors and a diversity of critical perspectives.

  • Develop the ability to read and think critically and creatively about texts, ideas, and their writing and/or film strategies.

  • Develop the ability to conduct scholarly research and present the results of that research in a form consistent with the requirements of the discipline.

  • Develop the ability and the confidence to write lucid and persuasive prose and/or creative work in a variety of modes and to a variety of audiences.

  • Learn the fundamental importance of literature, writing, and/or film and the creative imagination.

Cooperative Programs

The Department of English offers a variety of cooperative programs:

Double Degrees

  • The School of Law: Designed to allow qualified students to earn both an undergraduate degree in English and a law degree in six years rather than seven.

  • The Graduate School of Liberal Arts: Designed to allow qualified students to obtain a BA and MA in English at an accelerated pace.

  • The School of Education:  Designed to allow students to earn a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Education and initial certification in English in a total of 130 credits.

Cooperative Majors

  • English and Education: see above.

  • English and Theater Arts: Designed to allow students to complete a double major in English and Theater.  Under this program of study, students meet all requirements for a major in one of these disciplines, and complete a major in the other with a reduced number of credits.

  • English and Communication/Rhetorical Studies:  Designed to allow students to complete a double major emphasizing language and interpretation.  Under this program, students meet all requirements (36 credits) for a major in one of these disciplines, and complete a major in the other with 30 additional credits.

  • English and Philosophy: Designed to allow students to complete a double major emphasizing theoretical and analytical explorations of the written word.  Under this program, students meet all requirements (36 credits) for a major in one of these disciplines, and complete a major in the other with 24 additional credits.

  • English and Journalism, or Public Relations and Advertising, or Media Management and Production: Each of these double majors is designed to allow students to complete a double major emphasizing the role of the written word in both the literary and public spheres.  Under this program, students meet all requirements (36 credits) for a major in one of these disciplines, and complete a major in the other with 30 additional credits.

  • English and History:  Designed to allow students to complete a double major emphasizing the historical and cultural contexts of literary expression and production.  Under this program, students meet all requirements (36 credits) for a major in one of these disciplines, and complete a major in the other with 24 credits.

Interdisciplinary Minor and Certificate

  • Women’s and Gender Studies: Designed to allow students to complete a major in English (36 credits) and an interdisciplinary minor in Women’s and Gender studies (15 credits).  Up to one course may count toward both the English major and the Women’s and Gender Studies minor.

  • Business: Designed to allow students to complete a B.A. in English (36 credits) while at the same time earning a Certificate in Business (24 credits).

Prerequisites-- For all 200-level courses, students must have completed UCOR 101, Thinking and Writing Across the Curriculum (or its equivalent).  UCOR 102, Imaginative Literature and Critical Writing (or its equivalent), may be taken concurrently with 200-level courses if a student receives a B or better in UCOR 101.  For all 300-level courses, students must have taken UCOR 101 and 102.  For all 400-level courses, students must have taken UCOR 101 and 102, and at least one English course at the 200 level.  Ideally, students also should take English 300 before enrolling in a 400-level course.  Individual courses numbered above 200 may require specific prerequisites; for more information, consult the Department.

Requirements for the English Major

Concentration in Literary Studies

Students enrolled in the Literary Studies concentration are afforded the opportunity to examine both canonical and non-canonical texts; to place works of a given literary period in relation to other periods, and in relation to the literature of other cultures; to explore the ever-changing and sometimes conflicting critical perspectives and conceptual categories that have defined literary understanding over time; and to consider the relations of literature to society, history and other forms of cultural expression.

Required: 36 credits

Core requirements:  12 credits (4 classes), including:

ENG 300W--Critical Issues in Literary Study

9 credit hours of 300-level English survey courses

Distribution requirements:  15 credit hours (5 classes) at the 400-level, that fulfill distribution requirements:

  • Pre-1700

  • 1700-1900

  • Post-1900

  • Diversity 

Electives:  9 credit hours (3 classes) of English courses, with no more than two at the 100-level (UCOR 101 & 102 may not count as electives)

*A 400-level course may fulfill multiple distribution requirements.

 

Concentration in Writing

The concentration in writing educates students within a broad practical and theoretical framework that combines courses in rhetoric, the history of writing, literature, and/or creative writing to help students develop as mature writers.  Workshops, seminars, internships, and other types of writing courses assure that students gain a thorough understanding of writing as a multifaceted and rigorous discipline of study.

Required: 36 credits

Core requirements:  12 credits (4 classes), including:

ENG 300W--Critical Issues in Literary Study

9 credit hours of 300-level English survey courses

Distribution requirements:  18 credit hours (6 classes) at the 400-level, including:
  • 9 credit hours of 300/400 Writing courses in at least TWO genres (Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting, Playwriting, Critical or Professional Writing)
  • 3 credit hours of a 400-level Writing course (Creative, Critical, or Professional Writing)
  • 6 credit hours of a 400-level course (at least one of which must be in literature)

Electives:  6 credit hours (2 classes) (UCOR 101 & 102 may not count as electives)

 

Requirements for the Minor in English

The English minor requires 15 credit hours in English, including: ENGL 300W--Critical Issues in Literary Study; One 400-level literature course; Three elective English courses (9 hours), one of which can be at the 100-level.

* English majors who are also seeking certification in Education must meet a slightly different set of requirements.  In addition to the requirements for all majors, these students must:

  • Take a course in World Literature beyond the 100 level (322W Global Literature Survey or a 400-level course recommended)
  • Take a course on the English language:  433 History and Structure of the English Language, or a course on grammar or linguistics, when offered
  • English-Education dual majors are strongly encouraged to take 317 Survey of British Literature I to fulfill one of their survey requirements

These additional requirements may be met partially by using electives, but may necessitate that Education students take one or two courses beyond the 36 hour minimum to complete the major.

** Under exceptional circumstances, and with the approval of the Department, a student may substitute one 400-level survey course for a 200-level core survey requirement.  In all cases, however, a student must take at least one course in American literature and one in British literature to satisfy the core requirements.

Minor in Film Studies

Students enrolled in the Film Studies minor are afforded the opportunity to examine classic, avant-garde, and popular films; to learn the major trends, schools and philosophies of film and film production; to explore theories of film production, viewing and circulation; and to consider the relations of film to society, history and other forms of cultural expression.


Required: 15 credits

  • 3 credits of ENGL 205-01, Introduction to Film

  • 3 credits of ENGL 308-91 at Pittsburgh Filmmakers (agreement already exists between Duquesne and Pittsburgh Filmmakers)*

  • 9 credits of Film Studies electives

    • 3 of these 9 credits may be taken at Pittsburgh Filmmakers depending on availability
    • 3 of these 9 credits may be satisfied by a film class taken outside the English Department.  The English Department will determine whether film-oriented classes offered by other departments will count toward the Film Studies minor.

*Though courses in filmmaking are not taught at Duquesne, a course or courses in that field may be taken at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 477 Melwood Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (Phone: 412-681-5449). If the student is a Film Studies minor, then he/she may take as many as two courses in Filmmaking at Pittsburgh Filmmakers toward his/her degree at Duquesne (depending on availability). The Duquesne flat rate tuition will cover the two courses at Pittsburgh Filmmakers because of a cooperative agreement between the two institutions.  Before enrolling at Pittsburgh Filmmakers for any course, students must meet with their Film Studies mentor to complete the registration process and then enroll for ENGL 308-91 on Dori.

Students are responsible for transportation to Pittsburgh Filmmakers and for the purchase of books. Pittsburgh Filmmakers charges a course fee (approx. $70) that must be paid in advance of the class. 

  • No more than one course may count for both the Film Minor and a student's Major.

  • English Majors may opt for the Film Minor, since English (literature and writing) and Film are distinct disciplines.

Minor in Creative Writing

 

Required: 15 credits

  • 6 credits of 300-level creative writing courses 

  • 6 credits of 300/400-level creative writing courses

  • 3 credits of 400-level creative writing courses

No more than one course may count for both the Film Minor and a student's Major.

 

English Curriculum

Note: with respect to the descriptions listed below, the English department is committed to offering at least one course from each area every year, though the particular course(s) in the various areas may change from semester to semester.

Period Courses In British And American Literature

Note: all 400-level courses in British and American literature are organized around four major areas of interest: period studies, genre studies, major author studies, and cultural contexts.

English and Theater Arts

Students can double-major in English and Theater Arts by fulfilling all the requirements of the English major and taking 27 Theater Arts credit hours.