Major English

To help plan out your degree, the Major Maps is a great tool to use. The Academic Advisement Report tool in SOLUS can tell you whether you are meeting your requirements.

For the most up-to-date and detailed descriptions of all the requirements needed to fulfill a major in the English Languages and Literature program, please use the English Major Plan page in the Queen’s University Digital Calendar.

Program: Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Plan Code: ENGL-M-BAH

Requirements: 60.0 ENGL units, plus 60.0 elective units, to a total of 120.0 units (114.0 units for students admitted prior to September 2017). The English Major can be combined with a Minor in another subject. To qualify for the English Major, students must take the following core and option courses.

Year 1

• ENGL 100/6.0 an introduction to the techniques for analyzing literary texts, with training in academic essay-writing.

Year 2

• ENGL 200/6.0
• ENGL 290/3.0

These two courses are prerequisites for upper-year English courses, so they must be taken in second year.

• 9.0 to 12.0 ENGL units on an array of topics: children’s literature, Indigenous literature, genres such as fantasy, or thematic courses such as literature and gender or literature and the environment. Majors may also take English Substitutions, including Creative Writing
• The Department recommends that English Majors take ENGL 292/6.0 Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism, particularly if they are interested in pursuing graduate study.

Year 3

• Three full-year period/nation surveys:
  • one pre-1800
  • one nineteenth century
  • and one twentieth century and beyond

Year 4

• Five upper-year seminars on diverse topics;
  • at least one must be pre-1800,
  • and at least one must be nineteenth century and beyond.
• Majors have the option to write a Senior Essay in place of one seminar, if they meet the eligibility criteria. This is an option, not a requirement, and does not necessarily confer any advantage in graduate or professional applications.

Note on English Substitutions: A number of courses offered by other units can count toward ENGL Plans: these courses are called ‘English Substitutions’ (ENGL_Subs). Majors can count up to 12.0 units of English Substitutions toward their Plans.

For a full list of English Substitutions, see the English Major Plan page in the Queen’s University Digital Calendar.

The Department recommends that Majors take the following number of ENGL units each year:

Year 1

• 6.0 100-level units (ENGL100)

Year 2

• 18.0–21.0 200-level units (ENGL 200/6.0 and 290/3.0, plus 9.0–12.0 additional ENGL units)
• The Department also recommends that English Majors take ENGL 292/6.0 “Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism” or 296/3.0 and 297/3.0 "Introduction to Literary Criticism and Theory I" and "Introduction to Literary Criticism and Theory II"

Year 3

• 18.0 300-level units

Year 4

• 15.0 400-level units + any remaining Option units at the 200 level or above

Our program offers a wide variety of creative writing courses, all of which count towards the program requirements. Majors can count up to 12.0 units of CWRI toward their plans.

View our Creative Writing courses