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B.A. in English

Transform your passion for language and storytelling into a career-ready skillset with our English major, offering six dynamic concentrations tailored to meet the demands of today's diverse professional landscape.

Program Overview

Based on a strong general education foundation in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, the Bachelor of Arts in English is built around a set of core requirements. All English majors take six courses (18 hours) in American, British and world literature, along with film, rhetoric and linguistics. Beyond the core, English majors must choose a 21-hour concentration from the following five options:

Concentrations

This concentration focuses on creative writing in several genres, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and screenwriting.  Students take a range of courses in English as well as intensive writing workshops that enable them to hone their modes of expression and develop creative approaches to writing in a variety of genres.

If you first enrolled at NC State in Fall 2010 or later your complete degree requirements and major requirements are listed here. If you began your academic career at NC State at an earlier point in time, scroll down for degree requirements.

Academic Advisors
Chelsea Krieg
cekrieg@ncsu.edu
Tompkins Hall 

Elizabeth Anne Wagner
eawagne2@ncsu.edu
111 Tompkins Hall

This concentration trains students to work across genres of literary and cinematic representation, focusing on their common source in narrative representation.  Students take courses in film analysis, film history, and film and literature, along with additional film and English electives. This is an ideal concentration for students who want to develop their skills in analyzing and writing about film. 

The Film Studies (FLM) link below will take you to advising information and requirements for the English major with a concentration in Film Studies.  For more information about the NC State Film Studies program in general, visit the Film Studies website.

If you began your academic career at NC State at an earlier point in time, your complete degree requirements will appear here (if you enrolled between fall 2009 and fall 2010) or here (if you enrolled between fall 2003 and fall 2009).

Academic Advisor

Dr. Gene Melton
hgmelton@ncsu.edu
G128 Tompkins Hall

The linguistics concentration compliments the skills learned in the English core classes by exposing students to scientific approaches to study language, communication and culture. Students will take at least 18 hours in linguistics classes which will introduce them to quantities and qualitative analytical techniques and develop problem solving and critical thinking skills that are sought after in today’s marketplace. Students who complete this concentration might find employment in diverse fields such as market research, advertising, publishing, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, speech and language pathology and more. Graduates may also be competitive for graduate programs in linguistics, communication, speech and language pathology or law school. Visit the Linguistics website

The LIN degree program will compliment the skills learned in the English core classes by exposing students to language analysis methods and critical thinking skills that are sought after in today’s marketplace. Student who complete this concentration will: 

  1. Study the formal structure of language organization on phonological, syntactic, semantic, and discourse levels. 
  2.  Examine modes of linguistic argumentation as a type of scientific inquiry. 
  3.  Understand the systematic variation of language in its social context. 
  4. Explore the applications of linguistic knowledge. 

Academic Advisor

Christin Phelps
caphelps@ncsu.edu
Tompkins Hall G 105C, Box 8105
919.513.1807

The newly revised literature concentration (Fall 2017) offers exciting opportunities to explore interdisciplinary approaches, complete deep study of individual authors, and practice using and creating digital media.  Diversity and globalization alter how to read the cultural histories and experiences that define the humanities. In upper-level literature courses (and in the capstone), new interpretive skills are modeled in seminar settings through individual presentations and innovative projects that make the most of small class sizes usually found only in liberal arts colleges.

Academic Advisors

Dr. Gene Melton
hgmelton@ncsu.edu
G128 Tompkins Hall

This concentration trains students to work with the essential tools of writing, communication, presentation, and persuasion.  Students in this concentration take courses in rhetoric, journalism, effective communication, and digital media. This is an ideal concentration for students who want to develop their skills in technical and professional writing, journalism, and web design.

As of June, 2020, this concentration, previously known as Language, Writing and Rhetoric concentration (LWR), has been renamed Rhetoric and Professional Writing. The concentration remains coded as “LWR.” Students are trained to work with the essential tools of writing, communication, presentation and persuasion. 

Courses are taken in rhetoric, journalism, effective communication and digital media. This is an ideal concentration for students who want to develop their skills in technical and professional writing, journalism, and web design. 

If you first enrolled at NC State in Fall 2020 or later your complete curricular requirements and major requirements are listed below. If you began your academic career at NC State at an earlier point in time, scroll down for complete degree requirements.

Academic Advisors

Christin Phelps
caphelps@ncsu.edu
G105A Tompkins Hall
919.515.4119

Rebecca De Haas
rldehaas@ncsu.edu
G106 Tompkins Hall
919.513.2490

This curriculum provides the study of education theory and teaching methods that leads to teacher certification in English on the high-school level (grades 9-12).  TED graduates typically pursue careers in teaching.

All students pursuing a B.A. in English must fulfill the complete degree requirements for the B.A. in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The TED curriculum includes a study of English, American, and world literature as well as courses in literacy, the English language, educational psychology, and pedagogy, while preparing students for a career in secondary English education. Satisfactory completion of the current TED curriculum and additional College of Education requirements allows students to apply for licensure to teach in North Carolina.

Community College students interested in transitioning into the Teacher Education Concentration click here for additional information.

Helpful Links (for currently enrolled students)

NC State Course listings
College of Education’s Professional Development offerings
NC State’s Professional Education policies and handbook
Admission to Candidacy, including testing requirements for Praxis Core
Praxis II requirements for licensure

Academic Advisor

Dr. Jeff Reaser
243 Tompkins Hall
919.515.4112
Video introduction to this program