COURSE CATALOGUE

ENGLISH

English
417 Barnard Hall
Phone: 854-2116, 854-8971
Fax: 854-9498
www.barnard.edu/english
english@barnard.edu

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

A major program consists of at least ten courses:

1. Majors should complete the following requirements by the end of the junior year:

a) ENGL BC 3193 Literary Criticism and Theory: an introduction to the methods of literary analysis. A prospective major should, if possible, elect this course in her sophomore year.

b) ENGL BC 3159 – BC 3160. The English Junior Colloquium: an introduction to some major texts and ideas of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Sophomores may be admitted, but are advised to wait if possible. Students planning to go abroad for their junior year should see their advisers about substitutions for this requirement.

Students may substitute 3 courses for the 2 semesters for Junior Colloquium from among the following:
Only one of the three Shakespeare courses: ENGL BC 3163 or ENGL BC 3164 or ENTH BC 3136y
ENGL BC 3154 – ENGL BC 3158, ENGL BC 3165-ENGL BC 3169
ENGL BC 3173, and ENGL BC 3174 (or W4301), and ENGL BC 3179
At least one of these 3 courses must cover material before 1660 (i.e., Medieval or Renaissance); at least one, material of the 17th or 18th century. One of these courses will also count towards satisfying the "before 1900" requirement. Students may also take 1 colloquium and 2 substitutions. For suggestions of specific courses, please see the English Department website.

2. In addition, a major will elect five courses so distributed as to extend her knowledge of English and American literature:

a) At least two of these must be in literature before 1900:
ENTH BC 3136, ENGL BC 3137
ENGL BC 3141
ENGL BC 3154 (Chaucer) through ENGL BC 3180 (American Literature 1800-1870)

b) Of the three remaining elective courses, two may be in writing (ENGL BC 3103- ENGL BC 3120), film (FILM BC 3119 or FILM BC 3120), speech (ENGL BC 3121), theatre (ENTH BC 3136-BC 3140), or seminars on special themes (ENGL BC 3140, ENTH BC 3144).

c) As a senior an English major will complete advanced work in two seminars (ENGL BC 3997, 3998). Seniors concentrating in Theatre or Writing will normally substitute the Special Project in Theatre or Writing (ENGL BC 3996) for one of the required seminars. Under special circumstances qualified senior majors may request permission to substitute Independent Study for one of the seminars (see ENGL BC 3999, below).

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR

A minor consists of at least five English courses: one from either Chaucer (ENGL BC 3154 or ENGL BC 3155), Shakespeare (ENTH BC 3136, ENGL BC 3163, or ENGL BC 3164), or Milton (ENGL BC 3167); two additional courses in literature before 1900 (See above 2a); and two electives (See above 2b).

CONCENTRATIONS IN THE MAJOR

All concentrations in the major except that in American Literature require 11 courses.

American Literature
Students interested in an American Literature concentration should consult with Professor Gordis (408d Barnard). In addition to ENGL BC 3159, ENGL BC 3160 (or appropriate substitutions), and ENGL BC 3193, an American concentration consists of either ENGL BC 3179 or ENGL BC 3180, either ENGL BC 3181 or ENGL BC 3183, one other American literature course, and one senior seminar with a focus on American literature. (The Department requires two senior seminars for the major.)

Film
Students interested in a film concentration should consult Professor Ross Hamilton (419 Barnard). A film concentration consists of four courses:”

1) Introduction to Film and Film Theory (FILM BC 3201 or Columbia's W 3001)

2) A writing course, either Screenwriting (FILM BC 3119), Advanced Screenwriting (FILM BC 3120) or Film Criticism

3) A Film/Literature Senior Seminar (ENGL BC 3997/ ENGL BC 3998))

4) The final course, which requires approval, is a film and literature class from among specific offerings at Barnard or Columbia.

These four courses will count in place of two electives and one Senior Seminar in the regular English major.

Theatre
Students interested in a theatre concentration should consult Professor Denison (Room 412 Barnard). A Theatre concentration consists of four courses: three courses, either two theatre history courses (THTR V 3150, 3151) and one dramatic literature seminar, or one theatre history course and two dramatic literature seminars; the fourth course, Special Project in Theatre (ENGL BC 3996) in combination with a dramatic literature course. These courses will count in place of two electives and one Senior Seminar in the regular English major. An eleventh course should be in dramatic literature in English, elected in consultation with the director of the Theatre concentration.

Writing
Open to a limited number of majors. Students enter the writing concentration by application only. Interested students must submit a portfolio of their work to the director of Creative Writing during the second semester of their junior year, no later than the program filing deadline. A writing concentration consists of at least four courses: two writing courses, of which one will be introductory (ENGL BC 3105- ENGL BC 3113 and ENGL BC 3120: Creative Non-fiction) and one advanced (ENGL BC 3114- ENGL BC 3118); a Senior project written either in a third writing course combined with a Special Project in Writing (ENGL BC 3996) or in an Independent Study (ENGL BC 3999); and a fourth course, either literature (in English or another language), or creative writing. Consult the Director of Creative Writing, Professor Szell (423 Barnard), for applicability of Columbia courses. These four courses will count in place of two electives and one Senior Seminar in the regular English major. (N.B. FILM BC 3119: Screenwriting, and ENGL BC 3103 & ENGL BC 3104: Essay Writing can only count as an elective toward the writing concentration.)

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