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

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

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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).

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:

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:

Form and Genre

History and Context

Culture and Critique

Rhetoric and Argument

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

Creative Writing Concentration

Research Intensive English (RIE) Concentration

Rhetoric, Writing and Technology Concentration

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. 

• English, B.A. (STLCC 2+SLU)