English: Literary & Cultural Studies, B.A./M.A.

View Checksheet

Minimum Total Credit Hours: 144

Major Hours: 36

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 54


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 3.25

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 3.25

Program Code: A375 P421

Undergraduate Requirements

  • Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or College of Arts & Sciences Requirements.
  • A grade of C or better must be earned in each English course presented for major credit.

Major Requirements

Core Courses
ENGL 2273Literary and Cultural Analysis3
Choose one of the following early survey courses:3
World Literature to 1700
English Literature from 1375 to 1700
American Indian Literature: Early and Traditional
American Literature I
Choose one of the following late survey courses:3
World Literature, 1700 to Present
English Literature from 1700 to the Present
Introduction to Black Literature in the United States
American Indian Literature: Modern and Contemporary
American Literature II
Capstone Course
ENGL 4853The English Capstone Course3
Literary & Cultural Studies Courses
Choose one course in ENGL Pre-1700 13
Choose one course in ENGL Post-1700 13
Major Electives
Choose 6 additional ENGL courses (18 hours)18
Multicultural Course Requirement 1
All English majors must complete one Multicultural course. This course may be used to satisfy either one of the LCS Distribution requirements or one of the additional Major Electives.
Total Credit Hours36
1

Distribution course lists: Consult the Department of English website and Undergraduate Advisor for current course offerings in these areas. 

Major Support Requirements

Proficiency in one language is required as demonstrated by proficiency examination or successful completion of 1 semester of intermediate coursework in a language taught in Classics, Native American Studies, or Modern Languages departments. Successful completion = grade of C or better in the intermediate-level course. 0-3

M.A. Component

Choose one of the following options:

LiteraRY Studies Option

ENGL 5113Teaching College Composition3
ENGL 5313Literary Criticism3
ENGL 5980Research for Master's Thesis3
Choose seven elective courses in consultation with advisor (two graduate 4000/5000 level classes can be shared)21
Total Credit Hours30

Rhetoric and Writing Studies Option

ENGL 5113Teaching College Composition3
ENGL 5403Introduction to Rhetoric and Writing Studies3
ENGL 5980Research for Master's Thesis3
ENGL 6103Research Methods in Rhetoric and Writing3
Choose six elective courses in consultation with advisor (two graduate 4000/5000 classes can be shared)18
Total Credit Hours30

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and College of Arts & Sciences requirements must be from the approved General Education course list published in the Class Schedule or at http://www.ou.edu/gened/coursesCourses graded P/NP will not apply.

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-13 hours in the same language)
The college requirement cannot be met by high school coursework.
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Intermediate Course (2000 level) 1,20-3
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, including one laboratory component)
Biological Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: BIOL, HES, MBIO, or PBIO 13-4
Physical Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: AGSC, ASTR, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, GPHY, METR, or PHYS 13-4
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities (18 hours)
Artistic Forms
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483/1493)3
World Culture
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Additional Core IV Upper-Division Arts & Humanities courses
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours56
1

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements: college requirements are not automatically fulfilled by a previous degree.

2

One course at the intermediate level or demonstrated competency at that level

3

6 upper-division hours, 2 courses, at the 3000- 4000-level. Must be outside the major.

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 48 upper-division hours.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements

Arts and Sciences Hours: At least 80 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BA degree. At least 55 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BS degree.
Pass/No Pass Enrollment: A maximum of 16 semester hours of free elective credit may be attempted under this option.
Individual Studies (e.g., courses titled “Independent Study”): A maximum of 12 total semester hours may be counted toward graduation, excluding Honors Reading and Honors Research.
P.E. Courses: No physical education activity courses will be counted toward the 120 semester hours of acceptable credit for graduation.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • At least 15 of the final 30 hours applied toward the degree or at least 50 percent of the hours required by the institution in the major field must be satisfactorily completed at the awarding institution.
  • At least 15 semester hours of upper-division major work must be completed in residence at OU.
  • OU correspondence courses are not considered resident credit.

Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum over all 2.00 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU. Some schools and departments of the College have higher minimum grade point averages required for their students.
 

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in five years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with Dodge College of Arts and Sciences and/or Department of English academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy University, College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate College, and English requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
MATH (Core I) 3
Beginning Language (Core I) 5
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours17
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
Beginning Language Continued (Core I) 5
Natural Science with Lab (Core II) 4
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
ENGL 2273 Literary and Cultural Analysis (Core IV-AF) 3
ENGL Core Elective (Early Survey) 3
Intermediate Language (grade of C or better) 3
World Culture (Core IV-WDC) 3
Free Elective, lower-division 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENGL Core Elective (Late Survey) 3
ENGL Literary & Cultural Studies Major Requirement, multicultural 3
Natural Science without lab (Core II) 3
Social Science (Core III-SS) 3
Free Elective, lower division 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
ENGL Literary & Cultural Studies Pre-1700, upper-division 3
ENGL Major Elective, lower or upper division 3
ENGL Major Elective, upper-division 3
Western Culture (Core IV-WC) or Free Elective 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENGL Literary & Cultural Studies Post-1700, upper-division 3
ENGL Major Elective, upper-division 3
Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Free Elective, lower or upper division 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
ENGL Major Graduate Elective (Shared; G4000-5000-level) 3
Free Elective, lower or upper division 1
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours13
Second Semester
ENGL 4853 The English Capstone Course 3
ENGL Major Graduate Elective (Shared; G4000-5000-level) 3
Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Fifth Year
First Semester
ENGL 5313 Literary Criticism 3
ENGL 5113 Teaching College Composition 3
ENGL Graduate elective (4000-5000-level) course 3
ENGL Graduate elective (4000-5000-level) course 3
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
ENGL 5980 Research for Master's Thesis 3
ENGL Graduate elective (4000-5000-level) course 3
ENGL Graduate elective (4000-5000-level) course 3
ENGL Graduate elective (4000-5000-level) course 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours144