* Courses must be completed with a minimum grade of B.

Assessment of English Majors
Students are assessed in all classes using various means including written assignments, quizzes, examinations, comprehensive final exams in most classes, and course projects. In their final semester, students must successfully complete a capstone project (Senior Thesis or Portfolio). Graduates also have an opportunity to complete an alumni survey and provide feedback about the quality and effectiveness of the education they have received. The role of the assessment of the English Major is to determine (1) whether a student has met the requirements of his/her program; (2) whether a student understands the relationship of the major to the world culture; and (3) whether the program has met the needs of the student. English majors are required to meet with the English Faculty during the first half of their junior year for a discussion of their progress and goals. Further assessment of English majors will be accomplished through a senior thesis. The senior capstone project may take one of two forms:

(1) Senior Thesis: Students will develop an extended research essay (25-30 pages with full MLA documentation) while enrolled in Eng 497 Senior Thesis. This option is especially appropriate for students who are considering graduate work in English or related fields. Exceptional students may petition to have honors credit granted for the senior thesis.

(2) Portfolio of Creative Writing: Students must have faculty approval to pursue this option. Students will develop a portfolio of their creative works under faculty guidance. The portfolio must adhere to publication standards for the specific genre, including formatting. A typical portfolio will contain 3-5 short stories, 3-5 chapters of a novel, 3-5 plays, 5-6 interviews or journalistic columns, 18-20 poems, or some acceptable combination of these genres. Senior theses and portfolios should be of a quality to submit as samples to graduate programs or potential employers. Accordingly, senior thesis/portfolio work should demonstrate facility with the English language, as well as knowledge of writing, literature, culture, and the conventions of English studies as appropriate to the particular form of the senior thesis/portfolio project. An archive of outstanding student work will be maintained in the Arts and Humanities Division.

Suggested Sequence of Courses: