Listserv

All declared English majors should join the English listserv to receive important information about advising and registration issues, as well as program updates, upcoming events, and opportunities relevant to English majors.

• To join the English listserv, go the MSC listserver
• Select the ENGLSTUDENTS list
• Select “Join”
• Enter your name and email address
• Click “Join”
• Reply to the confirmation email

Remember to check your e-mail regularly.

Professional Organizations

In order to stay abreast of changes within the field, current research, and to have opportunities to attend and present at conferences, students are encouraged to obtain membership in one or more professional organization, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), the Georgia Council of Teachers of English (GCTE), and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). All of these organizations offer student memberships at an affordable rate.

English Capstone Seminar

English 4900 has a prerequisite of at least a “C” in ENGL 3010 and 90 or more earned hours

This is a capstone course required of candidates in the English track of the B.A. in English. The course engages students in advanced critical analysis, leading to an original research project. Students produce an extended critical essay based on the research and make an oral presentation of their research.

English FAQ

What is a bachelor of arts in English?

The B.A. in English is a four-year course of study with a two-track program that either certifies students to teach English in high schools or graduates students with a traditional four-year English degree. In either track, students read literature and learn to write on topics generated by their reading experience. Good writers will become even stronger writers, and less experienced writers will soon become the strong writers that graduate schools and business desire. Some students will specialize in teaching English themselves.

Can I get my degree at either campus?

Macon State College students have an excellent campus in Warner Robins to begin any baccalaureate that the college offers, including the new English degree. Once the core curriculum is completed at WRC, students will be able to continue their junior and senior course work at the Macon Campus. Students should remember that they can get first-rate advising at either campus.

Will I be certified to teach English in a secondary school as soon as I graduate?

Almost. All students must take and pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, GACE test which is Georgia’s test in English content that certifies graduates to teach in Georgia high schools.

Do I have to be a good writer to begin studying English?

It is important for all college students to be good writers, but it is especially important for English majors to work very hard on improving their writing skills as soon as they begin taking English courses. Students should value good writing and should always see writing as the most important life skill they gain from studying English.

Do I have to be very well read before I become an English major?

If you like to read, that’s a big plus, but you do not have to know everything before you begin. Our courses are designed to give students a wide knowledge of the many different kinds of literatures, the major authors from significant periods of literary history, and the important milestone texts of what your teachers will call the “canon” (books like The Canterbury Tales, Leaves of Grass, and To the Lighthouse).

If I start taking classes in the middle of the year or take only a few courses at a time, will it take too long to get my degree?

All degrees take time to finish, but many part-time students finish in five or six years. Remember that not all courses are offered at all locations each semester. What is most important is that students plan closely with their advisers, being certain to complete the required courses as they are scheduled.

What can I use an English degree for if I do not want to become a teacher?

Law schools have always valued the training in close reading, logic, and writing for which an English degree is excellent training. Along with a minor in business, an English degree additionally puts students in a strong position to get an MBA. Good writing skills are also essential to the ever-growing field of digital writing and communication.

Will I learn to use computers in my English classes?

For many years, Macon State College has stressed digital literacy as we train students to work in the contemporary economy. Many of your classes will require that you work on an e-learning platform like WebCT Vista, and senior-level classes will often have students making presentations from websites that students learned to construct in other classes. We also offer courses in both professional writing and writing for the Web. It’s also a really good idea for students to take a few IT courses or even get a minor in IT, since many jobs require both skills.

Will I have to take foreign language courses?

All students in English must take a certain number of classes in either French or Spanish (see program curriculum). Since the study of foreign language is essential to any thorough education in English, we encourage students to enjoy and value their exposure to a second language. Spanish, of course, is especially relevant as Georgia continues to add Spanish speakers to its businesses and classroom.

Can I transfer to Macon State College from a private college where I’m currently studying English?

Of course. There’s also a very good chance that most of your English courses will transfer. Students sometimes have to take a few core courses as prerequisites when they transfer, but since Macon State College is still the most affordable higher education choice for students in Middle Georgia; it is much less expensive getting a degree from MSC than from anywhere else in the region.

What makes an English degree at Macon State College so attractive?

We have the highest number of Ph.D.s of any division on our campus. Our faculty is exceptionally well trained, and we have many faculty members who regularly present at national conferences and publish in national publications. Two of the college’s most recent recipients for Excellence in Teaching are in our division. We also advise The Fall Line Review, The Matrix, and MSC-TV. Our division hosts the annual Spring Arts Festival and frequently sponsors screenings of digital films made by our students in production classes. In short, we have a young and energetic faculty.

Coordinating and Advising

Coordinator of English: Dr. Debra Holmes Matthews

Contact Information:

• Office Location: Humanities Division, 109
• Telephone/Voicemail: (478) 471-5775
• E-mail: debra.matthews@maconstate.edu

Advising hours may vary each semester; therefore, please contact me to schedule a time.

Note: During regular registration, English majors may also be advised by any academic advisor in English.

Admission Policy

Students should declare their majors as soon as possible. However, before officially being admitted into the program, students must complete the 62 hours required for the associate’s degree in English, including satisfying all Area F requirements.

In addition, the upper division courses have prerequisites of at least a C in English 1102 and/or at least a C in English 3010 Introduction to Literary Studies. English 3010 is a survey of modern literary criticism. Students will conduct literary research, read and interpret literary texts, and write literary criticism.

English Program Philosophy

The English Program at Macon State College is committed to preparing graduates who are reflective professionals with an exceptionally strong content knowledge, a commitment to their chosen professions, a willingness to maintain their professional development long after they graduate, and a desire to use their professional expertise to provide service within their communities. Regardless of the track that the student chooses, the goal is the same. The program offers two tracks: a traditional English track and an English education track. The traditional track prepares students interested in careers requiring a foundation in language and communications skills, such as business, the arts, technical writing, public relations and law. The education track will prepare students to teach English at the high school level and address the ever growing need for highly qualified teachers.

English Education Track

The English education track includes 33 semester hours of education classes, which will prepare students to teach English at the high-school level.

Total of 128 Semester Hours

A. General Requirements (62 hours)

Freshman/Sophomore core
42 hours in areas A-E (described below)
18 hours in area F (described below)
2 hours in physical education
Area A: Essential Skills (9 hours)
Area B: Institutional Options (4 hours)
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts (6 hours)
Area D: Natural science, math and technology (11 hours)
Area E: Social sciences (12 hours)
Area F:Major area (18 hours)
Foreign Language 1002 – Elementary Language II
Foreign Language 2001 – Intermediate Language I
Foreign Language 2002 – Intermediate Language II (6-9 hours)
English Electives * (6-12 hours)
* English courses must be chosen from 2000-level English course offerings and must include either world literature sequence (English 2111 and 2112) or African-American literature sequence (English 2141 and 2142) or British literature sequence (English 2121 and 2122) or American literature sequence (English 2131 or 2131H and 2132 or 2132H).

B. Major Field Courses (36 hours)

ENGL 3010 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 3020 Introduction to Composition Studies
ENGL 4430 Literature of the Non-Western World
ENGL 4100 Shakespeare

*Two courses (one British, one American) selected from:
ENGL 2121 British Literature I
ENGL 2122 British Literature II
ENGL 2131 American Literature I
ENGL 2132 American Literature II
*If one course is taken in Area F, one approved upper division major field course is to be substituted.

One film course:
ENGL 4481 Survey of Film

One course selected from:
ENGL 4020 Advanced Grammar
ENGL 4600 History of the English Language

Three courses (must not be exclusively British or American) selected from:
ENGL 3100 Early English Literature
ENGL 3200 Chaucer
ENGL 3300 Literature of the English Renaissance
ENGL 3400 17th and 18th Century American Poetry and Prose
ENGL 3500 19th Century American Poetry and Prose
ENGL 3600 20th Century American Poetry and Prose
ENGL 4200 Milton
ENGL 4300 18th Century British Poetry and Prose
ENGL 4400 19th Century British Poetry and Prose
ENGL 4500 20th Century British Poetry and Prose

One course selected from:
ENGL 4440 Literature by Women
ENGL 4460 Southern Literature
ENGL 4490 African American Literature

C. Teacher Education Courses (33 hours)

Traditional English Track

Traditional English track prepares students interested in careers requiring a foundation in language and communications skills, such as business, the arts, technical writing, public relations and law.

Total of 122 Semester Hours

A. General Requirements (62 hours)

Freshman/Sophomore core
42 hours in areas A-E (described below)
18 hours in area F (described below)
2 hours in physical education
Area A: Essential Skills (9 hours)
Area B: Institutional Options (4 hours)
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts (6 hours)
Area D: Natural science, math and technology (11 hours)
Area E: Social sciences (12 hours)
Area F: Major area(18 hours)
Foreign Language 1002 – Elementary Language II
Foreign Language 2001 – Intermediate Language I
Foreign Language 2002 – Intermediate Language II (6-9 hours)
English Electives * (6-12 hours)
* English courses must be chosen from 2000-level English course offerings and must include either world literature sequence (English 2111 and 2112) or African-American literature sequence (English 2141 and 2142) or British literature sequence (English 2121 and 2122) or American literature sequence (English 2131 or 2131H and 2132 or 2132H).

B. Major Field Courses (36 hours)

ENGL 3010 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 4100 Shakespeare
ENGL 4900 Senior Capstone Seminar

Three courses selected from:
ENGL 3100 Early English Literature
ENGL 3200 Chaucer
ENGL 3300 Literature of the English Renaissance
ENGL 3400 17th and 18th Century American Poetry and Prose
ENGL 3500 19th Century American Poetry and Prose
ENGL 3600 20th Century American Poetry and Prose
ENGL 4200 Milton
ENGL 4300 18th Century British Poetry and Prose
ENGL 4400 19th Century British Poetry and Prose
ENGL 4500 20th Century British Poetry and Prose

Two courses selected from:
ENGL 3700 The Novel
ENGL 3800 American and British Poetry
ENGL 3900 Modern Drama
ENGL 4481 Survey of Film

Two courses selected from:
ENGL 4420 Literature of the Western World
ENGL 4430 Literature of the Non-Western World
ENGL 4440 Literature by Women
ENGL 4460 Southern Literature
ENGL 4470 Contemporary Literature
ENGL 4481 Survey of Film
ENGL 4490 African American Literature

One course selected from:
ENGL 3020 Introduction to Composition Studies
ENGL 4030 Advanced Composition
ENGL 3040 Creative Writing

One course selected from:
ENGL 4000 Rhetoric
ENGL 4020 Advanced Grammar
ENGL 4600 History of the English Language
ENGL 4700 Literary Theory

C. Related Field Courses (15 hours)
(Must include 9 hours numbered 3000 or above)

Five courses selected from:
ENGL 3106 Professional Communication
ENGL 3108 Writing for Digital Media
ENGL 3206 Gender Studies
ENGL 3999 Special Topics
ENGL 4450 Visual Rhetoric: Principles of Production I
ENGL 4451 Advanced Video Production: Broadcast Forms
ENGL 4480 History of Print
ENGL 4482 Popular Culture

D. Electives (9 hours)

Three courses selected from:
Any French course(s) at the 3000-level
Any history course(s) at the 3000-level and above
HUMN 3999 Special Topics
HUMN 3010 Cross Cultural Issues
HUMN 3145 Technology and the Creative Artist
HUMN 4340 Introduction to Ethics
HUMN 3460 Media Criticism
HUMN 3501 Applied Linguistics
HUMN 3600 Digital Storytelling
HUMN 4471 Comparative Cultures
HUMN 4472 Studies in Culture
Any Spanish course(s) at the 3000-level

E. Regents’ Test and Exit Exam