Chair
Karen Macfarlane, B.A., M.A. (Queen’s), PhD (McGill), Associate Professor
English is the most interdisciplinary of disciplines. To study English is to study such fields as history and philosophy, psychology and sociology, but always from the unique perspective of the study of the English language itself through the practice of critical reading and writing. Because of the variety of the works studied, your thinking will become more flexible and creative–an asset for any future career.
The department offers a minor in Writing in addition to a major and minor in English. Courses designated ENGL/WRIT may be counted toward either the Writing minor or the English major or minor. Courses designated WRIT can be counted only toward the writing minor.
Any student wishing to major in English or minor in English or Writing must consult with the department chairperson, who will assign the student to an advisor. The student’s program should be planned in consultation with the advisor.
Admission RequirementsReview sections 2.1.5 Admission Requirements and 2.1.7 Additional Admission Requirements.
Major (20 Units)
The degree with a major is intended for those students with a clearly focused interest who wish to gain knowledge in depth of a single discipline.
Students intending to complete the major degree must declare their intention to do so before registering for their sixth unit of coursework. Students who do not make this declaration within this time frame will not be permitted to register for further coursework.
| Students must successfully complete 20 units with the following requirements: |
| ❏ | a minimum of 8.0 and a maximum of 10 units in the major as follows:
❏ ENGL 1155 or (ENGL 1170 and 1171) Students may not take both ENGL 1155 and 1170/1171
❏ ENGL 2201
❏ 1.0 unit from ENGL 3300, 3355, 3356, 3361, 3364, 3365 3375, 3376
❏ 3.0 additional units of ENGL at the 3000 level or above
❏ a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in the required 8.0 units of ENGL |
| ❏ | a minor consisting of 3.0 units as specified by the department offering the minor. Students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required 3.0 units |
| ❏ | students may choose a second 3.0 unit minor in any area that offers a minor |
| ❏ | 1.0 unit from each core group A, B, and C listed under the Bachelor of Arts (General Studies) (exclusive of the major):
❏ Core A - Sciences & Mathematics (1.0 unit)
❏ Core B - Social Sciences (1.0 unit)
❏ Core C - Humanities (1.0 unit) |
| ❏ | at least 9.0 units must be at the 2000 level or above |
| ❏ | Note: No more than 4.0 units from professional areas may be counted toward the degree. Courses included in the Applied Human Nutrition science minor will not be counted as professional electives. |
Special Studies
Students may count a maximum of 4.0 units of directed/independent/research studies courses towards the degree, with no more than 2.0 units in any single discipline.
Major Certificate
Students who have graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English may apply to do an advanced major certificate. Students must fulfill the requirements for the advanced major degree.
Honours Degree
Admission to the honours program must be approved by the honours committee of the English Department. Typically, application through the department chair would be made after the completion of 10 units of study; acceptance is contingent upon the agreement of a faculty member to supervise the thesis. Students considering graduate school should take a language other than English.
| Students must successfully complete 20 units with the following requirements: |
| ❏ | a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 units in the honours subject as follows;
❏ ENGL 1155 or (ENGL 1170 and 1171) Students may not take both ENGL 1155 and 1170/1171
❏ ENGL 2201
❏ 1.0 unit from ENGL 3330, 3354, 3363, 4407, 4408
❏ 4.0 units from the following list with at least 0.5 unit from four different areas:
Medieval: ENGL 3361, 3375, 3376
Renaissance: ENGL 3355, 3356, 3364
Eighteenth-Century or Romantics: ENGL 3300, 3307, 3308, 3365
Nineteenth-Century British or American Literature: ENGL 3327, 3328, 3352, 3366
Twentieth-Century Literature: ENGL 3313, 3319, 3342, 3346, 3348, 3354, 3363, 3380
❏ 2.0 additional units of ENGL
❏ ENGL 4499, including the presentation of an honours colloquium and attendance at the
colloquia of other honours students
❏ with departmental approval, designated ENGL 4401, 4405, 4406 (Special Topics) may be
used to meet honours requirements |
| ❏ | a minor consisting of 3.0 units as specified by the department. Students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required 3.0 units |
| ❏ | 1.0 unit from each core group A, B, and C listed under the Bachelor of Arts (General Studies)(exclusive of the honours subject):
❏ Core A - Sciences & Mathematics (1.0 unit)
❏ Core B - Social Sciences (1.0 unit)
❏ Core C - Humanities (1.0 unit) |
| ❏ | obtain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a grade of at least C- in 10 of the required ENGL units |
| ❏ | achieve a minimum of B- in the honours thesis |
| ❏ | obtain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all courses counted for the degree beyond the first 5.0 units taken |
| ❏ | Note: No more than 4.0 units from professional areas may be counted toward the degree. Courses included in the Applied Human Nutrition science minor will not be counted as professional electives. |
Note: First-class honours will be awarded to students who obtain a minimum GPA of 3.5 or better in 10 units in the honours subject and no grade below B- in all courses counted for the degree beyond the first 5.0 units taken.
Honours Certificate
Students who have graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English may apply to do an honours certificate. Students must fulfill the requirements for the honours degree listed above and meet the University regulations regarding honours certificates.
Concentration
| To obtain a concentration in English, students must fulfill the following requirements: |
| ❏ | ENGL 1155 or (ENGL 1170 and 1171) Students may not take both ENGL 1155 and ENGL 1170/1171 |
| ❏ | 3.0 units of ENGL, 1.0 unit of which must be at the 3000 level or above |
Minor in English
| To obtain a minor in English, students must fulfill the following requirements: |
| ❏ | ENGL 1155 or (ENGL 1170 and 1171) Students may not take both ENGL 1155 and ENGL 1170/1171 |
| ❏ | 2.0 additional units of ENGL at the 2000 level or above |
Minor in Writing
| To obtain a minor in Writing, students must fulfill the following requirements: |
| ❏ | WRIT 1120 |
| ❏ | 2.5 units from WRIT, ENGL/WRIT, LIBR 2100 |