English Core Requirements

You Will Study Core Skills and Literary Periods

The English core requirement courses will prepare you to meet the standard expectations of an English major, focusing on critical reading, analysis, and writing.

Are all English classes the same? Not really. Understanding the different categories of core classes will help you select the right classes at the right time.

The English Major Core divides into two categories:

English Gateway Courses
Core Classes

As the name suggests, take the Gateway Courses first. Then you can alternate between taking the remaining Core Classes and your English Electives as you'd like.

NOTE: Even though they are English classes, think of ENG150 and ENG301 as Foundation courses, not English classes. Consider taking ENG150 your first semester of school and ENG301 in your third semester. (There is a 22-credit prerequisite before you can register for ENG301.)

Remember that you must pass all major classes, both Core Requirements and Electives, with a C- or higher.

English Gateway Courses

Three courses (ENG251, ENG252, and ENG314) prepare you to succeed in all other English classes. Completing these courses early in your program will ensure greater enjoyment and success in your degree. These classes are required before you complete any 300-level literature courses, as the 300-level courses assume you have the basic skills developed in ENG251, ENG252. and ENG314.

ENG251: Fundamentals of Literary Interpretation

This class is your first English major class, and you should take it before any other English major courses. In this course, you will review the major literary genres, improve your skills at literary analysis, and learn about literary theory. These are the skills you need for all other classes, so start your program here.

ENG314: Advanced Research and Literary Analysis

This should be your second English major class, as it will teach you how to write all the papers English majors get to write in their university careers. In this class, you will learn how to write short literary analyses, as well as longer, researched-based analysis essays. Some students will take a 300-level literature class the same semester they take ENG314.

Core Classes

As you complete the English Core Courses, you will gain a broad look at the various areas of study in English, as you complete coursework in the following areas. You do not need to complete these courses in any specific order; however, you should consider saving the 400-level course and the Senior Project until your senior year.
See the Catalog Description for the complete degree requirements:

One of the great strengths of your program is your ability to choice courses, even in the Core, that fit your interests. Here's a brief description of the choices available to you.

British Literary Survey Courses

These courses are called "survey" because they provide a broad overview of a specific literary period (timeframe). All survey courses will study literature specific to that time period and the historical events, philosophical ideas, and literary trends that influenced that era.

You will choose two literary periods to study from the British literary survey courses.

ENG331: Medieval and Renaissance. Representative authors include Beowulf, Chaucer, and Milton.

ENG332: Neoclassic and Romantic. Representative authors include Pope, Dryden, Wordsworth, Keats, and Austin.

ENG333: Victorian and Modern. Representative authors include Dickens, Browning, Wilde, Eliot, and Shaw.

ENG336: British and American Literature. Focuses on contemporary authors from 1965 to the present. This class can be used to fill a British OR American survey requirement. No double counting.

You may fall in love with British Literature. While you must take two classes from this list for the Core requirements, you can take others for your Elective classes. Just remember that one class can't fill two requirements (no double counting).

American Literary Survey Courses

You will choose one literary period to study from the American literary survey courses.

ENG334: Colonial and Romantic. Representative authors include Bradstreet, Hawthorne, Poe, and Dickinson.

ENG335: Realism and Modern. Representative authors include Twain, Wharton, Crane, and Ellison.

ENG336: British and American Literature. Focuses on contemporary authors from 1965 to the present. This class can be used to fill a British OR American survey requirement. No double counting.

You may fall in love with American Literature. While you must take one class from this list for the Core requirements, you can take others for your Elective classes. Just remember that one class can't fill two requirements (no double counting).

Theme and Genre Survey Courses

Each course in this list focuses on a specific literary genre or literary theme. You will choose one course to study from this list.

ENG350R: Themes in Literature. Traces an important theme (nature, fantasy, archetypal quest) as expressed in various literature. Each semester new themes are studied so check the semester schedule. You can take this class twice, counting once for this requirement and once for an elective, or counting as two electives.

ENG351: Fiction. Explores the development of short fiction and the novel.

ENG352: Poetry. Studies major poets and analyzes significant poetry.

ENG353: Drama. Studies plays, encompassing their historical, critical, and social contexts.

ENG354: Non-fiction. Studies creative non-fiction works by major authors. (Includes memoir, personal essay, nature, travel, and literary journalism.)

ENG355: Children's Literature. Studies the spectrum of children's literature, past and present.

ENG356: Young Adult Literature. Focuses on evaluating, promoting, and teaching young adult literature in public schools.

While you must take one class from this list for the Core requirements, you can take others for your Elective classes. Just remember that one class can't fill two requirements (no double counting).

Grammar, Rhetoric, and Shakespeare

What should every English major know? A little grammar, a little rhetoric, and a little Shakespeare. Here's your chance to brush up on those skills and develop some more expertise. You will take all three of these classes for the Core Requirements.

ENG325: Language Theory-Grammar and Usage. Studies the English language with an emphasis on grammar, usage, and semantics.

ENG328: Rhetorical Criticism. Studies how people use language and images to persuade and make meaning.

ENG373: Shakespeare. Focuses on the works of Shakespeare and the culture of Elizabethan England.

400-Level Course

As you complete your 200- and 300-level courses, you will learn that the discipline of English divides into many different areas: literature, language, writing, rhetoric, and literary theory. Once you have explored these areas broadly through your Elective classes and other Core courses, you get the opportunity to focus on one area in greater depth. Select the 400-level course that best fits your career goals and your personal interests. Be sure to check out the Course Catalog for any prerequisites for these courses. Use your Elective classes to meet these requirements.

ENG400R: Genres of Professional Writing. Gain experience writing for the real world. Work with a variety of genres, and build your writing portfolio.

ENG418R: Creative Writing and Publishing. Focuses on workshops, document production, portfolio preparation, and editing.

ENG440: Studies in Literary Theory. Surveys predominant critical theories for literary study and interpretation.

ENG450: Rhetorical Studies. Focuses on how people make meaning through language and images and how this study can make our writing more effective.

ENG452: Advanced Professional Writing. Develops expertise in professional writing, comprehensive editing, copy editing, proofreading, document production, and design.

ENG495: Senior Writing Seminar. Provides an in-depth reading, discussion, and analysis of important works of literature. Culminates in a major research paper representing the student's best work as a critical thinker and interpreter of literature.

Senior Project Courses

As one of your final classes at BYU-Idaho, you will complete a senior project course. In this course you will develop significant writing projects for your professional or academic portfolio. ENG 495 focuses on academic writing, while ENG 452 focuses on writing in the professional world.

ENG452: Advanced Professional Writing. Develops expertise in professional writing, comprehensive editing, copy editing, proofreading, document production, and design.

Can't choose between these two great classes. You could take the other class for your 400-level Course or as an Elective. Just remember that one class can't fill two requirements (no double counting).