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English, B.A.

Writing is central to all aspects of Saint Louis University's program in English. In all English courses, students hone their ability to write and reflect upon what they read. 

Along with courses in literature, in which critical and analytical writing play a principal role, students majoring in English at SLU may take courses in various genres of creative writing or business and professional writing. These courses enhance both personal creativity and professional competence. SLU's English alumni consistently cite this departmental emphasis on analytical thinking and effective writing skills as a significant asset in preparing them for various academic and nonacademic postgraduate pursuits.

Additional highlights of SLU's B.A. in English include:

  • SLU's Department of English sponsors a student-edited online literary magazine, the Kiln Project, which publishes creative work by students, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art.
  • The English department also provides the opportunity for students to publish their original, critical research projects during their undergraduate career through VIA, an online journal of student scholarly research.
  • Through the English Department’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society, students take part in social events, present work at conferences, and strengthen the community of SLU students who love literature and writing.

Curriculum Overview

Saint Louis University's English major is student-centered, with small classes emphasizing discussion and independent thinking. Coursework within the major balances tradition and innovation in all areas of literary and rhetorical studies, including:

  • British and American literatures
  • Postcolonial and world literatures
  • African American and Native American literatures
  • Literary theory
  • Film studies
  • Gender studies
  • History of the English language
  • Rhetoric and composition
  • Creative writing
  • New media writing
  • Business and professional writing

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

The benefits of SLU's English program also include several internship and career opportunities. The English department's internship program supports upper-level English majors who wish to supplement their academic course of study with an educational work experience. SLU's English department seeks to place its students in internship environments where interns go beyond performing clerical work and can make meaningful connections between their course of study and the practical, social and intellectual demands of a workplace.

Careers

Students who study English at SLU receive a solid foundation for any profession that requires excellent analytical and communication skills. Graduates have enrolled in doctoral programs to continue their English studies. Others find employment in arts, education, business, government and nonprofit agencies. Some graduates enroll in master's or doctoral programs or pursue service upon graduation through organizations such as Teach for America, Americorps, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps or the Peace Corps. Many students attend law school, medical school or MBA programs. Others pursue careers in the media or publishing.

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED.

Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).

In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

  • Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
  • Proof of financial support must include:
    • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
    • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
  • Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Tuition

Tuition Cost Per Year
Undergraduate Tuition $52,260

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

  • Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
  • Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2022, 99% of first-time freshmen and 90% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $445 million in aid University-wide.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.

For information on other scholarships and financial aid, visit www.slu.edu/financial-aid.

  1. Graduates will be able to produce close readings of literary texts and other media that demonstrate an ability to analyze elements such as syntax, word choice, tone, tropes and imagery.
  2. Graduates will be able to analyze the ways in which works of literature reflect and shape their historical and cultural contexts. 
  3. Graduates will be able to analyze the ways in which medium, form or genre create and shape meaning in a variety of works.
  4. Graduates will be able to produce written and oral arguments about literary works and other media that demonstrate facility with appropriate research methods, clear organization and awareness of audience.
  5. Graduates will be able to analyze the ways in which literary works represent the intersections of factors such as race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, ethnicity, environment and belief.
  6. Graduates will be able to interpret and evaluate texts and other media through a variety of theoretical and critical lenses (e.g. formalist, Marxist, psychoanalytic, feminist, postcolonial, poststructuralist, etc.).
  7. Rhetoric, Writing, and Technology Track: Graduates with a concentration in rhetoric, writing and technology will analyze the rhetorical functions and features of a variety of texts and media.
  8. Rhetoric, Writing, and Technology Track: Graduates with a concentration in rhetoric, writing and technology will produce rhetorically sophisticated texts or media for a range of contexts.
  9. Creative Writing Track and Minor: Graduates with a concentration in creative writing will use appropriate craft techniques to develop multiple dimensions of textual complexity in creative compositions.
  10. Research Intensive English: Graduates with a concentration in research-intensive English will pursue original research questions that demonstrate advanced awareness of theoretical, historical and interpretive contexts in sustained discipline-appropriate written arguments.

The English major consists of 12 courses (36 minimum credits), made up of one course at the 2000-level, five courses in 3000-level area requirements, five electives at the 4000-level and one senior seminar.

The overall requirements are as follows:

  • Three credits at the 2000-level;
  • Fifteen credits at the 3000-level including at least three credits from each area;
  • Fifteen credits at the 4000-level;
  • Three credit senior inquiry requirement, fulfilled by satisfactorily completing ENGL 4960 Senior Inquiry Seminar (3 cr).
University Undergraduate Core32-35
Major Requirements
2000-level Course3
Select one of the following:
ENGL 2020
Introduction to Literary Study
ENGL 2250
Conflict, Social Justice and Literature
ENGL 2350
Faith, Doubt and Literature
ENGL 2450
Nature, Ecology & Literature
ENGL 2550
Gender, Identity & Literature
ENGL 2650
Technology, Media & Literature
ENGL 2750
Film, Culture and Literature
ENGL 2850
Nation, Identity and Literature
3000-level Courses15
Select one course with each of the following attributes:
Additional course taken from any of the above areas.
4000-level Courses15
Select five courses. Any English course offered at the 4000-level may count, such as:
ENGL 4010
New Media Writing
ENGL 4176
Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism
ENGL 4290
Topics in Medieval Literature
ENGL 4320
Topics in Shakespeare
ENGL 4360
Milton
ENGL 4500
The Age of Romanticism
ENGL 4530
Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction
ENGL 4640
Irish Modernism
ENGL 4670
Contemporary Postcolonial Literature and Culture
ENGL 4720
Contemporary American Literature
ENGL 4810
Major American Authors
ENGL 4830
Post-1900 African American Literature
ENGL 4840
Representations of Native Americans in Text & Film
ENGL 4910
Internship
Senior Seminar3
ENGL 4960
Senior Inquiry Seminar
General Electives49-52
Total Credits120

Continuation Standards

All English courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher in order to count for English major requirements and for the student to continue in the major.

Creative Writing Concentration

General Requirements

The requirements for the English major with a Creative Writing concentration are the same as those for the English major: students must take a 2000-level literature course, fulfill fifteen credits of 3000-level area requirements, and complete fifteen credits of 4000-level English seminars as well as ENGL 4960: Senior Inquiry Seminar. This concentration requires twelve credits of coursework in creative writing. 3000-level creative writing courses fulfill the Form and Genre area requirement and may also fulfill 3000-level elective credit; 4000-level creative writing courses count as 4000-level English seminars.

Non-Course Requirements

Students majoring in English with a Creative Writing concentration must submit a portfolio of representative work for assessment before graduation.

Elective Courses

Select four creative writing courses. Any course with the "English Creative Writing" attribute may count, such as:

ENGL 3050
Creative Writing: Poetry
ENGL 3060
Creative Writing: Fiction
ENGL 3070
Creative Writing: Drama
ENGL 3080
Creative Writing: Non-Fiction
ENGL 3100
Topics in Creative Writing
ENGL 4050
The Craft of Poetry
ENGL 4060
The Craft of Fiction
ENGL 4070
The Craft of Drama
ENGL 4120
Writing with Style

Research-Intensive English Concentration

English majors with sophomore status or above may apply for the selective Research Intensive English (RIE) concentration. This concentration within the English major, which admits a maximum cohort of 12 students per academic year, offers opportunities for pursuing literary and rhetorical studies in smaller, more rigorous settings. All Research Intensive English students must take at least two Research Intensive English seminars (while maintaining a 3.50 or higher GPA in English). To complete the RIE concentration successfully, students must complete either ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr) or an additional Research Intensive English seminar after achieving senior status. Students who complete these requirements will graduate with the Research-Intensive English designation and will leave the program well prepared for advanced study in English.

General Requirements

The concentration requires all Research Intensive English students to complete at least two Research Intensive English seminars (ENGL 4XXX). Research Intensive English seminars will be 4000-level English courses designated with a Research Intensive English attribute. The final requirement of the RIE concentration must be fulfilled with one of the following options:

  1. Completion of ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr) after achieving senior status. ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr) is a research and writing requirement that students enter into individually, guided by a faculty mentor. The student must submit a formal project proposal with faculty mentor approval to the Director of the Research-Intensive English concentration the semester before enrolling in ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (3 cr).
  2. Completion of an additional 4000-level Research-Intensive English seminar after achieving senior status.

Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration

Students interested in studying rhetoric and digital writing are invited to pursue the department’s concentration in Rhetoric, Writing and Technology (RWT). In this concentration, students study both the history of rhetorical expression and the present possibilities of digital expression. Coursework in Rhetoric, Writing and Technology dovetails with a variety of majors, minors and courses of study across the university: communication, health management, entrepreneurship, business, marketing, pre-law, and environmental studies. RWT’s focus public writing and rhetoric likewise fits with Saint Louis University’s Jesuit mission of service to humanity.

General Requirements

Students completing the English major with a concentration in Rhetoric, Writing and Technology (RWT) follow the English major curriculum. The difference is that students prioritize RWT courses when completing area requirements at the 3000-level and advanced seminars at the 4000-level. Twelve credits of RWT coursework are required to complete the concentration.

Required Courses

All students who major in English with a concentration in RWT should take at least four courses from the following:

ENGL 3850
Persuasive Writing
ENGL 3875
Conflict Writing
ENGL 3854
Living Writing
ENGL 3859
Writing Consulting Practicum
ENGL 3860
Public Writing
ENGL 4000
Professional Writing
ENGL 4010
New Media Writing
ENGL 4025
Technical Writing
ENGL 4035
Histories of Persuasion
ENGL 4120
Writing with Style

Form and Genre

ENGL 3050
Creative Writing: Poetry
ENGL 3060
Creative Writing: Fiction
ENGL 3070
Creative Writing: Drama
ENGL 3080
Creative Writing: Non-Fiction
ENGL 3100
Topics in Creative Writing
ENGL 3110
American Short Story
ENGL 3140
Poetry
ENGL 3170
European Drama
ENGL 3180
Film
ENGL 3190
Literature of Ridicule and Satire
ENGL 3210
Fantasy and Literature
ENGL 3220
Film and Literature
ENGL 3240
Reading the Female Bildungsroman
ENGL 3241
Young Adult Literature
ENGL 3380
The Classics and Literature

History and Context

ENGL 3250
British Literary Traditions to 1800
ENGL 3260
British Literary Traditions after 1800
ENGL 3270
American Literary Traditions to 1865
ENGL 3280
American Literatures after 1865
ENGL 3290
Topics in American Literary Traditions
ENGL 3310
World Literary Traditions I
ENGL 3330
World Literary Traditions III
ENGL 3470
Introduction to Shakespeare
ENGL 3490
19th Century British Literature

Culture and Critique

ENGL 3500
Literature of the Postcolonial World
ENGL 3520
African American Literary Traditions II: After 1900
ENGL 3530
Topics in African American Literary Traditions
ENGL 3540
Literature of the African Diaspora
ENGL 3550
Native American Literature
ENGL 3560
Ethnic American Literature
ENGL 3570
Writing Sex in the Middle Ages
ENGL 3590
Nature and Literature
ENGL 3591
Monsters of Europe: Nature and Monstrosity in European Literature
ENGL 3600
Women in Literature
ENGL 3610
The City and Literature
ENGL 3620
Topics in Spirituality and Literature
ENGL 3625
The Sacramental Imagination
ENGL 3630
Disaster Narratives
ENGL 3640
British Culture and Travel
ENGL 3650
Science Fiction
ENGL 3660
LGBTQ Literature and Culture
ENGL 3700
The Bible & Literature
ENGL 3730
Introduction to Medical Humanities, Literature
ENGL 3740
Medicine and Literature

Rhetoric and Argument

ENGL 3750
Writing about Literature
ENGL 3850
Persuasive Writing
ENGL 3854
Living Writing
ENGL 3859
Writing Consulting Practicum
ENGL 3860
Public Writing
ENGL 3880
Writing Personal Narratives and Memoirs
ENGL 3875
Conflict Writing

Graduation Requirements

  • Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses numbered below 1000).
  • Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements.
  • Complete major requirements: minimum of 30 credits required.
  • Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate and/or electives to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
  • Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s), and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate, or related elective credits.
  • Complete department-/program-specific academic and performance requirements.
  • Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
  • Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
  • Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

General Major

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar 3
ENGL 1900 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 2250 Conflict, Social Justice and Literature (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society) 3
Core and elective courses 12
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ENGL 3470 Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) 3
ENGL 3650 Science Fiction 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 3050 Creative Writing: Poetry (satisfies CORE 2800) 3
ENGL 4830 Post-1900 African American Literature 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENGL 3850 Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) 3
ENGL 3330 World Literary Traditions III (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Identities in Context) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4360 Milton 3
ENGL 4530 Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
ENGL 4960 Senior Inquiry Seminar 3
ENGL 4010 New Media Writing 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4176 Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism 3
ENGL 4910 Internship 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
 Total Credits120

Creative Writing Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar 3
ENGL 1900 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 2250 Conflict, Social Justice and Literature (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society) 3
Core and elective courses 12
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ENGL 3470 Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) 3
ENGL 3060 Creative Writing: Fiction (satisfies CORE 2800) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 3650 Science Fiction 3
ENGL 4830 Post-1900 African American Literature 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENGL 3850 Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) 3
ENGL 3050 Creative Writing: Poetry 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4720 Contemporary American Literature 3
ENGL 4060 The Craft of Fiction 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
ENGL 4100 History of the English Language 3
ENGL 4070 The Craft of Creative Writing 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4960 Senior Inquiry Seminar 3
ENGL 4910 Internship 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
 Total Credits120

Research Intensive English (RIE) Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar 3
ENGL 1900 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 2250 Conflict, Social Justice and Literature (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society) 3
Core and elective courses 12
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ENGL 3470 Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) 3
ENGL 3650 Science Fiction 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 3050 Creative Writing: Poetry (satisfies CORE 2800) 3
ENGL 4830 Post-1900 African American Literature 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENGL 3850 Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) 3
ENGL 3330 World Literary Traditions III (Fulfills Core Equity and Global Identities: Identities in Context) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4360 Milton 3
ENGL 4530 Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction (Research Intensive English Seminar) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
ENGL 4960 Senior Inquiry Seminar 3
ENGL 4500 The Age of Romanticism (Research Intensive English Seminar) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4176 Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism 3
ENGL 4990 Senior Honors Project (Research Intensive Capstone Project) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
 Total Credits120

Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar 3
ENGL 1900 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (satisfies CORE 1900) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 2250 Conflict, Social Justice and Literature 3
Core and elective courses 12
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ENGL 3470 Introduction to Shakespeare (satisfies CORE 3400) 3
ENGL 3850 Persuasive Writing (Fulfills Core Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive) 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 3859 Writing Consulting Practicum (qualifies students to work in SLU Writing Services) 3
ENGL 4830 Post-1900 African American Literature 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENGL 3630 Disaster Narratives 3
ENGL 3220 Film and Literature 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4010 New Media Writing 3
ENGL 4530 Medicine, Mind, and Victorian Fiction 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
ENGL 4960 Senior Inquiry Seminar 3
ENGL 4035 Histories of Persuasion 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
Spring
ENGL 4176 Queer Cinema: History, Aesthetics and Activism 3
ENGL 4910 Internship 3
Core and elective courses 9
 Credits15
 Total Credits120

Students can complete all or part of the English major at SLU’s campus in Madrid.

Learn More

2+SLU programs are formal  transfer agreements for students seeking an associate degree at a partner institution.