Overview

The English program at D’Youville offers the opportunity to study and enjoy British, American and World literature, to master expository writing and to learn to write and publish creative fiction, poetry and drama. Our courses focus on close reading of both classic and non-canonical works and the study of critical and cultural theories about literature.

D’Youville’s English majors develop the highly marketable skills of analytical, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and effective written and oral communication. Career opportunities for students who earn a B.A. in English exist in the fields of education, media, creative and technical writing, library science, public relations, marketing, non-profit, government and law. The course option of an individually designed internship allows a student to prepare application material to graduate school and/or to explore a career path.

A minor concentration in English literature of 15-credit hours is also available to all students. Please see the catalog section on minors for requirements.

*Admissions and internal transfers into this program have been paused

English and Study Abroad at D'Youville University

The English program encourages its students to complete some portion of their undergraduate study through the university’s Study Abroad program in England, Italy, and many other locations. English majors can deepen their understanding of British, American, and post-colonial English literature by study in a foreign university. English majors who study abroad come to understand that cultural context is crucial for interpreting literary texts. Seeing Shakespeare performed in the reconstructed London Globe, visiting the Lake District where Wordsworth and Coleridge wrote some of their finest poetry, reading Joyce’s Ulysses in Dublin, discussing American literary texts with British or Australian students are all experiences that foreground the ways in which knowledge is constructed differently in other political and social environments. Alternatively, through immersion in a foreign language program, English students may gain fluency in another language and acquire a sense of its literature while at the same time studying their own literature. All courses taken through the college’s Study Abroad program are accepted as D’Youville courses. With careful planning, students may spend a semester in a foreign university with no loss of time in completing their degrees. Junior and senior students are also eligible to complete internships abroad. For details on the Study Abroad program, see “Study Abroad Opportunities” on the D’Youville website (www.dyc.edu).

The English degree curriculum is designed for maximum flexibility for students to develop their own course of study in partnership with their academic English faculty advisor. The path through the rest of the curriculum is individually designed to move students through basic skill sets to more advanced study and application of knowledge.

Course Requirements for the Major

Note: Introduction to Literature: Acad Writing (ENG-111)-Humanities Seminar (ENG-112) are required of all students and do not count towards the major.

Admission Requirements

D'Youville selects students who are academically well-rounded and committed to meeting the challenges of a high-quality education. Applications will be assessed holistically. Applicants are encouraged to apply for admission into the major based on a love of the subject matter and a desire to learn. Space in the program may be limited. If an applicant cannot be admitted into a program due to space constraints, the applicant will be placed on a waiting list for entry and duly notified.

Freshman Admission

Freshman applicants to this major must submit high school transcripts. Applicants may also submit any of the following optional materials:

1. Statement of intent (strongly encouraged)
2. High School average of 85.

Transfer Admission

Transfer students must submit high school transcripts and any/all other transcripts from institutions previously attended. Transfer applicants may also submit any of the following optional materials:

1. Statement of intent (strongly encouraged)
2. Transfer GPA of 2.5