2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog Department of English

English.IllinoisState.edu

Admission/Retention Requirements

Admission to the English major may be affected and restricted by the lack of available Department resources in times of oversubscription. Students in the major and all sequences must pass ENG 100 with a C or better in order to advance and complete the program. 

For information about admission to this program visit the University’s Academics website .

The Accelerated English Education Sequence (AEES) is an Accelerated Master's Degree (AMD) program, which serves as a pathway to the Master's in English Education. This AMD is designed for undergraduate teacher education students who, when they graduate with their undergraduate degree, will pursue employment as secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers. Qualifying students with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher may apply to the AEES once they have reached junior status. Admission is based on competitiveness of the applicant. Application procedures are available on the English Education website and applications are considered on a rotating basis each fall and spring semester. 
Acceptance into the AEES constitutes acceptance into the MA/MS in English Education. To transfer to graduate-only status after completing the BA in English Education, students must submit an application to the Graduate School for the MA/MS in English Education. This application to the Graduate School will be considered pro-forma if students are in good standing. 

Course Finder

Honors in English

English Honors students can earn the designation Honors in the Major by completing an intensive independent study that results in a 40-page thesis, which the students will defend before a committee.

For more information on Honors in English, including admission and retention standards, please visit the Honors website.

English

Degree Offered: B.A. or B.S.

Interdisciplinary Minors

The Department of English participates in a number of interdisciplinary minors at the University. Coursework offered by the Department contributes to the following minors: African Studies, African-American Studies, Children’s Studies, Civic Engagement and Responsibility, Cognitive Science, Ethnic Studies, European Studies, International Studies, Latin American and Latino/a Studies, Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies, Native American Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; and also the Minor in Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy. For further information on these minors and their advisors, please consult the Interdisciplinary Studies Programs and Department of Philosophy sections.

Approval for Teaching English as a Second Language

Students of both graduate and undergraduate standing may obtain an Illinois State Ap­proval for Teaching English as a Second Language by fulfilling the following require­ments: (1) fulfill Teacher Education require­ments of either the Standard Elementary and/or High School License, (2) complete the 18 hours of required coursework as listed in the minor in TESOL above, and (3) obtain 100 clock hours of ESL Clinical Experience or three months of teaching experience in Eng­lish as a Second Language at the appropriate level. This practical experience may be ob­tained by enrolling in ENG 394.

Major in English

The English Studies major is based on a broad model of interdisciplinary study in the fields that make up English Studies. The Department of English offers a full curriculum of courses in eight disciplines, including literature and cultural studies, children's literature, linguistics, rhetoric and composition, technical communications, creative writing, the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Publishing. Students learn how to write well, read critically, develop investigative research skills, working hands-on in digital environments and social networking, and frequently win some of the most prestigious awards at Illinois State, such as the Bone Scholarship. Faculty are eager to work with undergraduate students on research projects, and our low student-to-faculty ratio means you will receive guidance from professors who hold the highest doctoral degrees and are internationally recognized as experts in their fields. This flexibility in the degree allows both the student with interests in a variety of different fields in English Studies and the student who wants to specialize in a particular discipline to meet their goals.

For additional information on minimum requirements for admission and the application and selection process, visit the Majors website or contact the undergraduate advisor for the intended major.

View English Course Requirements

Students can also satisfy the requirements for the English major by completing one of the following sequences.

Creative Writing Sequence

The Creative Writing sequence has a distinguished national reputation and is known for encouraging experimental writing. Courses develop talents in writing workshops that focus on fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or a combination. Small class sizes mean having ample opportunity to get feedback on writing from professors and peers. Outside the classroom, students have the chance to network with renowned visiting writers and present creative work at student readings. Students can also help produce and submit work to Euphemism, a journal for the creative arts.

View Creative Writing Sequence Course Requirements

Publishing Studies Sequence

The Publishing Studies sequence is designed to prepare graduates for careers in all types of publishing. Undergraduate students interested in nonprofit presses, journals, and scholarly publications are well suited for this sequence.  Skill sets acquired by completing the sequence include proofreading, editing, design and layout, marketing, advertising, permissions, graphic work, record keeping, archiving, and bulk/distribution mailing. By providing a broad work experience, students not only build their portfolios, but also enter the marketplace with valuable and current skills.

View Publishing Studies Sequence Course Requirements

Technical Writing and Rhetorics Sequence

Technical Writing and Rhetorics is a sequence in the English major. Professional technical writers take complex information and communicate it in a way that people understand. Focusing on this sequence prepares you for a career as a technical and professional writer in a variety of settings, such as corporate, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. You will develop the skills and knowledges needed to communicate specialized information effectively to a range of audiences. The sequence offers degrees in both the B.A. and the B.S.

View Technical Writing and Rhetorics Sequence Course Requirements

English Teacher Education Sequence

The English Teacher Education program (ETE) is an English Studies sequence in the Department of English (College of Arts and Sciences) at Illinois State University. Admitted teacher candidates will prepare to become effective secondary (grades 9-12) English Language Arts (ELA) teachers in diverse classrooms. Coursework in the 46-hour major develops content knowledge and discipline-specific methods by addressing how theory and research support best practices in integrated language arts skills pedagogy.

Teacher candidates develop and apply instructional delivery skills through clinical experiences conducted at University High School (Illinois State's on-campus laboratory school) and a variety of public school classrooms: rural, suburban, and urban.

Admission to the English Teacher Education Sequence is limited and is based on cohort space availability and competitiveness of the applicant.

A 3.00 GPA in the major, a 2.5 cumulative GPA, a grade of C or better in all required major courses, and adherence to all application procedures and deadlines is required for admission to Professional Studies and Student Teaching. Deadlines and information about application forms and procedures for admission to Professional Studies and Student Teaching are available from the Council for Teacher Education and on the English Department website and are strictly enforced.

Completion of entitlement program leading to licensure: Secondary 9-12

Required courses for licensure and accreditation (18 hours): ENG 194, ENG 243, ENG 246, ENG 283, ENG 296, and ENG 297. ENG 194, ENG 296 and ENG 297 must be completed with a grade of C or better; these courses include 35 clock-hours of state-mandated pre-student teaching Clinical Experiences.

View English Teacher Education Sequence Course Requirements

Accelerated English Teacher Education Sequence

The Accelerated English Education Sequence (AEES) is an Accelerated Master’s Degree (AMD) program, which serves as a pathway to the Master’s in English Education. This AMD is designed for undergraduate teacher education students who, when they graduate with their undergraduate degree, will pursue employment as secondary ELA teachers. AEES admitted students will be allowed to take up to 12 hours of graduate-level credits by enrolling in ENG 435 and/or 400-level elective coursework under the advisement of the program coordinator or designated advisor. These credits will count toward both the undergraduate and graduate programs in English Education. All Graduate School policies apply to courses taken for graduate credit.

View Accelerated English Teacher Education Sequence Course Requirements

Literary and Cultural Studies Sequence

View Literary and Cultural Studies Sequence Course Requirements

Minor in English

The English Department offers three minors: English Studies, Writing, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Teacher candidates who wish to complete an endorsement in English Language Arts should follow the English Studies minor.

18 total credit hours required in English

3 credit hours of literature

3 credit hours of writing

3 credit hours of language

9 credit hours of electives selected from below

Minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Students enrolling in this program must have at least two years of a foreign language or equivalent at the college level in the case of a native speaker of English, or demonstrated proficiency in English at a level commensurate with the student’s role as a language model and instructor in the case of a non-native speaker of English.

18 total credit hours required

Required courses

3 credit hours selected from

Elective practicum ENG 394

Minor in Writing

Courses taken for the Writing Minor may not count for the English Major.

21 total credit hours required

6 credit hours selected from

15 credit hours of electives selected from

Electives may include any of the above courses, and up to six hours in writing courses from other departments/schools