The English Major and Minor
Our English program offers both a major and minor in English.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE B.A. IN ENGLISH
To be awarded a baccalaureate degree in English, students must successfully complete at least 56 units as follows:
Lower Division English Major Requirements
• ENG 010: Foundations of Literary Studies [4 units]
• One lower division seminar course drawn from ENG 50-89 [4 units]
• Two additional lower division course[s] drawn from ENG 10-89 [4 or 8 units].+
• Two semesters of college-level foreign language [8 units]
+ One course may be substituted with a course drawn from ENG 105-189; see "upper division electives" below.
Upper Division English Major Requirements
• English Survey of Literature courses: ENG 101, ENG 102, ENG 103 and ENG 104 (16 units). These courses need not be taken in order, but it is recommended. Note: ENG 101 is offered every even-numbered fall (i.e. fall 2016); ENG 102 is offered every odd-numbered spring; ENG 103 is offered every odd numbered fall; ENG 104 is offered every even-numbered spring.
• Three or four upper division electives from ENG 105-189* [12-16 units]
*one course may be substituted with ENG 192, 195 or ENG 198 [4 units].
• Senior Thesis: ENG 190 [4 units]*
*UC Merced English majors may petition to join the English Honors Program, which will have additional requirements beyond the standard English major. Undergraduate majors who are accepted and successfully complete the Honors Program will receive a notation to that effect on their diploma and on their undergraduate transcript thereafter. Students admitted to the English Honors Program will be required to enroll in the two semester Honors Senior Thesis sequence, ENG 193 and ENG 194. ENG 193 and 194 will count as two of the five upper division seminars required of all English majors, with one of the courses replacing ENG 190.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR IN ENGLISH
To be awarded a minor in English, students must successfully complete at least 24 units as follows:
Lower division (courses numbered 10-99)
• Two courses drawn from ENG 10-89. One of these must be a lower-division seminar (ENG 50-89). Students may take two lower-division seminars, or a seminar and a large-enrollment course (ENG 10-49).
Upper division (courses numbered 100 and above)
• Two courses drawn from the four courses making up the Survey of Literatures in English: ENG 101, 102, 103 and 104 (8 units)
• Two upper division seminars (100 level): ENG 105-190 (8 units).
Updated 2021
