College of Liberal Arts
and Social Sciences

Who's Who in the Department of English

Chair:
John McNamara

Professors:
John Bernard, Elizabeth Brown-Guillory, Mark Doty, Ted Estess, Wyman H. Herendeen, Edward Hirsch, Lawrence Hogue, Carl Lindahl, Cynthia Macdonald, John McNamara, William Monroe, Robert Phillips, James Pickering, Irving Rothman, Daniel Stern, Adam Zagajewski (Visiting), Lois Zamora

Associate Professors:
Margot Backus, Dorothy Baker, Harmon Boertien, Ann Christensen, James Cleghorn, Marianne Cooley, Chitra Divakaruni, Terrell Dixon, Peter Gingiss, Maria Gonzalez, Elizabeth Gregory, David Judkins, James Kastely, David Mazella, David Mikics, James Pipkin, Lorraine Stock, George Trail, Lynn Voskuil, Roberta Weldon, Linda Westervelt, Barry Wood, Patricia Yongue, Sherry Zivley

Assistant Professors:
Hosam Aboul-Ela, Karen Fang, Tamara Fish, Paul Guajardo, Natalie Houston, Dudley Reynolds

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in English encompasses a variety of academic and career goals (e.g., graduate school in English; secondary certification); therefore, students with specific objectives should choose a concentration and consult with the English advisor as soon as possible to ensure optimal selection of advanced English electives.

List of Concentrations

Literature
Linguistics
Creative Writing

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Concentration in Literature

Students majoring in English with a concentration in literature must complete all university and college requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Before enrolling in advanced courses in English, students must complete the six hour university Core requirement in Communication (ENGL 1303 and 1304 or equivalents) and MATH 1310 or equivalent. Additional non-advanced courses in English may not be applied toward the major. In addition to the university and college requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, majors seeking a concentration in literature must complete thirty-three advanced semester hours in English (3000- and 4000-level courses), to include:

1. ENGL 3301: Introduction to Literary Studies (to be completed within the first nine hours of advanced English)
   
   
2. Nine hours in British literature, to include:
   1. Six hours in British literature before 1798 (ENGL 3302 through 3313, 3317, and 3327)
   2. Three hours any British literature (3000 or 4000 level)
      
      
3. Six hours in American literature, to include:
   1. Three hours in American literature before 1900 (ENGL 3350 or 3352)
   2. Three hours any American literature (3000 or 4000 level)
      
      
4. Fifteen hours electives in English (3000 or 4000 level), no more than six of which can be in creative writing courses.

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Concentration in Linguistics

Students majoring in English with a concentration in linguistics must complete all university and college requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Before enrolling in advanced courses in English, students must complete the six hour university Core requirement in Communication (ENGL 1303 and 1304 or equivalents ) and MATH 1310 or equivalent. Additional non-advanced courses in English may not be applied toward the major. In addition to the university and college requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, majors seeking a concentration in linguistics must complete twenty-seven advanced semester hours in English (3000- and 4000-level courses or advisor approved equivalents), to include:

1. Three hours in British literature before 1798 (ENGL 3302 through 3313, and ENGL 3327)
   
   
2. Six hours ENGL 4300 and 4305
   
   
3. Nine hours from ENGL 4310, 4315, 4322, 3396, 4398 (content of Selected Topics/Special Problems courses must be in linguistics)
   
   
4. Nine hours of electives, six of which must be advisor approved literary period or genre courses (3000- or 4000-level) or equivalents. Among non-English courses recommended by the department are PHIL 3311 or 3332; PSYC 3350; COMD 4385. Students are restricted to a maximum of six semester hours in non-English courses.

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Concentration in Creative Writing

Students majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing must complete all university and college requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Before enrolling in advanced courses in English, students must complete the six hour university Core requirement in Communication (ENGL 1303 and 1304 or equivalents ) and MATH 1310 or equivalent. Additional non-advanced courses in English may not be applied toward the major. In addition to the university and college requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, majors seeking a concentration in creative writing will take thirty-nine advanced hours in English (3000 and 4000 level courses), to include:

1. Nine hours in British literature, to include:
   1. Six hours in British literature before 1798 (ENGL 3302 through 3313, and 3327)
   2. Three hours any British literature (3000 or 4000 level)
      
      
2. Six hours in American literature, to include:
   1. Three hours in American literature before 1900 (ENGL 3350 or 3352)
   2. Three hours any American literature (3000 or 4000 level)
      
      
3. Nine hours electives in English (3000- or 4000-level courses, excluding creative writing courses)
   
   
4. Fifteen hours in Creative Writing courses, to include:
   1. ENGL 3330 and 3331
   2. Three hours in ENGL 4353 or 4354
   3. Three hours in ENGL 4355 or 4356
   4. Three hours ENGL 3329, 4350, 4351 (or any other Creative Writing courses or repeats of a 4000 level course with approval of the instructor)

In order to declare a major in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, the student must earn a minimum B (3.00) average in ENGL 3330 and 3331.

In order to graduate with a major in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, the student must have a minimum overall average of B (3.00) in Creative Writing courses.

Select superior writing students may be permitted to write a senior honors thesis. These students graduate with Honors in English, a distinction also noted in the transcript and graduation program. (Students who also fulfill the requirements of the university's Honors College graduate with University Honors and Honors in English.) In order to pursue a senior honors thesis in creative writing, the student must have a minimum GPA of 3.60 in all creative writing courses. He or she must submit a preliminary manuscript of 10 pages of poetry or 20 pages of prose to a creative writing faculty member for review. If the manuscript is accepted, that faculty member will serve as the student's thesis advisor, and the student will register for ENGL 3399 and 4399. Both courses must be completed in order for credit to be earned. The student must complete, with a grade of B+ or better, the creative writing thesis, a manuscript of approximately 40 pages of poetry or 80 pages of prose. The thesis committee ultimately determines appropriate and sufficient length and quality.

Minor in English

A minor in English consists of 15 semester hours of English above the 1000 level with at least 12 at the 3000 and 4000 level. At least nine of the advanced semester hours must be completed in residence. A 2.00 minimum grade point average is required in all courses attempted at the university in the minor field excluding the required freshman courses. Courses to be applied to the minor must be approved by the department.

Advanced Degrees

The University of Houston also offers the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of English. The Master of Arts includes majors in English and American literature, applied English linguistics, and creative writing and literature.

The Doctor of Philosophy includes English and American literature, and literature and creative writing.

For information regarding admission to the graduate programs, degree requirements, and course listing, consult with the director of graduate studies in the Department of English and refer to the Graduate and Professional Studies catalog.

Language and Culture Center

The Language and Culture Center (LCC), housed in the Department of English, provides noncredit compensatory English language instruction to undergraduate and graduate international students who must improve their reading, writing, grammar, or spoken English language skills to compete successfully in the university classroom. Graduate students who score low on the Test of Spoken English (TSE), the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) direct proficiency oral interview, or other nationally standardized tests may register for courses in reading/writing, pronunciation, and teaching styles in higher education.

LCC courses do not count toward a degree, but do count toward full-time student status for immigration reporting purposes, and for calculation of building use and student service fees.