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If you love reading and writing, if you are imaginative but also practical, consider majoring in English. There is no major as versatile, that prepares you for as many career paths, as English. Whether you’d like to be a published writer, an acclaimed poet, or a hard-hitting journalist, an English degree will help you achieve your goals. Or, maybe you’re interested in comparative literature, linguistics, or teaching; majoring in English supports these dreams, too. By majoring in English, you will study the work of critically acclaimed authors, and develop the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills prized in fields from public relations to law.
Our graduates find success in a wide range of careers and in the nation’s top graduate programs. The skills you will learn as an English major—how to read and think critically, how to write with precision, how to do research—will prepare you to be a high school teacher, college professor, doctor, lawyer, social worker, community organizer, social justice worker, comic strip continuity writer, grants writer, content strategist, editor, publicist, literary agent, producer, copywriter, journalist, and more.
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2024–25 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
Students may concentrate in the standard English program or in the History and Literature concentration (see “III. Electives” below).
English 2120 and 2121 are both required. English majors should complete either English 2120 or 2121 or be enrolled in one or the other, before continuing in other electives. No ENGL course numbered lower than 2115 may count toward the major.
One course from each of three of the following six historical periods; two of the courses must be chosen from periods 1 through 3 and one must be chosen from periods 4 through 6:
Program Objective 1. Learn to read literature in its historical context; identify characteristic styles and subject matter of different periods.
Program Objective 2. Learn to read through a variety of critical lenses.
Program Objective 3. Be able to carry out close readings of literary texts.
Program Objective 1: Be able to identify and demonstrate knowledge of literary terminology.
Program Objective 1: Identify, write, and edit for currently accepted conventions of standard English mechanics, grammar, and style (including proper punctuation, subject-verb and noun-pronoun agreement, parallel construction, appropriate tense sequences and moods, etc.).
Program Objective 2: Learn and follow the conventions of literary argumentation, including formulating thesis statement, and conventions of quoting and citing textual evidence.
Program Objective 3: Learn how to rethink and revise essays.
Program Objective 1: Learn to develop viable research questions and identify appropriate sources.
Program Objective 2: Learn to use library resources, including collections, databases, and archives.
Program Objective 3: Learn how to summarize and cite both primary and secondary sources in support of the argument.
Program Objective 4: Learn appropriate scholarly conventions, such as MLA Style or Chicago Manual of Style.
Program Objective 5: Learn how to avoid plagiarism by citing sources properly.
To help you pursue your studies in the most efficient manner, and to maximize your efforts to graduate in four years, Brooklyn College has created four-year degree maps for all its majors.
View degree maps for this major and others.
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Seven additional courses:
To qualify for this concentration, students must have a B+ or higher average and obtain permission from the chair or major’s counselor. They should seek guidance in choosing their period of study and consult with the counselor on a suitable thesis adviser.
Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in the Department of English offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
Through job fairs, the internship database, and internship panels, the Magner Career Center gives students in the English B.A. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:
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