Hone your skills of self-expression and reasoning: You’ll do that here.

An English degree prepares you for a career in publishing, communication, journalism, and advertising fields. Our graduates work in schools, libraries, non-profits, healthcare, and are prepared for Ph.D. programs or law school.

What You’ll Do

As an English major at Southeast, you’ll gain incredible real-world learning experience including many opportunities outside the classroom.

  • Work with award-winning faculty in small class settings.
  • Learn written and oral communication skills, research methods, textual analysis, and understanding of the global community.
  • Focus on literary study, which teaches ethical complexity, interpretative multiplicity, and the importance of empathy in human relationships.
  • Complete soft-skills trainings that are highly valued in any career. 

What Can You Do with an English Degree?

Your education is just one piece to launching an extraordinary career. Once you’ve mastered the material, you still have to find the job you want, make the right connections, sell your knowledge and experience—and if all this is giving you anxiety, don’t panic. SEMO’s Career Services office is here to help you with the next step. They’ll provide the expertise and support you need, so you’re landing your dream job in no time. 

Internship, Employment, and Graduate Program Opportunities of Recent Graduates

  • Public and private schools
  • Libraries
  • Ph.D. programs
  • Law schools and other professional programs
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Healthcare industry
  • Publishing and editing
  • Local, state, and federal governments
  • Parks and recreation
  • Financial industries
  • Technical and professional writing
  • Human resources
  • Marketing/Advertising

English (BA) Degree Map

Explore the courses you'll need to complete your degree.

Outcomes & Careers

  • $77k 

    Technical Writer 

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a technical writer is $76,860.

  • $60k 

    Librarian 

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a librarian is $59,600.

  • $68k

    Human Resources Specialist 

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a human resources specialist is $67,760.

What You'll Study

Degree Map

As an English major, you’ll focus on literary study which teaches ethical complexity, interpretative multiplicity, and the importance of empathy in human relations. You’ll complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to complete this degree, including the general education requirements and at least 39 senior division hours.

Required Course: 

  • EN201 Writing About Literature (3) 

Early Literature - choose 3 hours: 

  • LI211 World Literature I (3) 
  • LI260 English Lit I (3) 
  • LI270 American Lit I (3) 

Surveys of Literature - choose 6 hours: 

  • LI211 World Literature I (3)* 
  • LI212 World Literature II (3) 
  • LI260 English Literature I (3)* 
  • LI261 English Literature II (3) 
  • LI270 American Literature I (3)* 
  • LI271 American Literature II (3) 
  • *If not chosen above 

Special Topics in Literature - choose 12 hours: 

  • LI305 Film Studies (3) 
  • LI307 Studies in TV/Pop Culture (3) 
  • LI309 Studies in World Literature (3) 
  • LI341 Victorian Studies (3) 
  • LI425 Focus on the Author (3) 
  • LI431 Faulkner Seminar (3) 
  • LI432 Shakespeare’s Comedies and Histories (3) 
  • OR 
  • LI433 Shakespeare’s Tragedies (3) 
  • LI473 Studies in Renaissance British Literature (3) 
  • LI476 Early 20th Century British Literature (3) 
  • LI523 Studies in American Literature (3) 
  • LI565 Southern Literature (3) 
  • LI542 Literature for the Young Adult (3) 
  • LI568 Masculinities in the 19th Century American Novel (3) 
  • LI570 20th Century American Literature (3) 
  • LI571 Contemporary American Poetry (3) 
  • LI576 American Fiction of the 21st Century (3) 
  • LI577 Early English Literature (3) 
  • LI578 Studies in Late British and Postcolonial Literature (3) 
  • LI582 Topics in Literature (3) 

Broadened Perspectives – choose 9 hours: 

  • LI317 Multicultural Visions on Film (3) 
  • LI332 Images of Women in Literature (3) 
  • LI412 Native American Literature (3) 
  • LI417 Writing Race and Gender in the South (3) 
  • LI424 Asian-American Literature (3) 
  • LI426 Gender and Sexuality in Literary Studies (3) 
  • LI434 African-American Literature I (3) 
  • LI435 African-American Literature II (3) 
  • LI458 Literary Criticism (3) 
  • LI470 Immigration in Literature and Film (3) 
  • LI472 Border Literature of the Americas (3) 

Pedagogy and Linguistics – choose 3 hours: 

  • EN378 Grammars of English (3) 
  • EN379 Composition in Secondary Schools (3) 
  • LI385 Teaching Literature and Nonfiction in Secondary Schools (3) 
  • EN448 Principles of Language (3) 
  • EN457 Composition Theory and Pedagogy (3) 
  • EN486 Sociolinguistics (3) 
  • EN500 History of the English Language (3) 
  • TLxxx TESOL course (3) 

Writing and Publishing – choose 3 hours: 

  • EN302 Small Press Publishing (3) 
  • EN303 Content Copywriting (3) 
  • EN305 Writing for the Professions (3) 
  • EN307 Writing for New Media (3) 
  • EN309 Writing for Science/Technology (3) 
  • EN311 Literary/Manuscript Editing (3) 
  • EN325 Topics in Writing (3) 
  • EN376 Advanced Composition (3) 
  • EN423 Visual Rhetoric (3) 
  • EN470 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry 
  • EN478 Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction 
  • EN550 Style in Writing (3) 
  • EN572 Creative Nonfiction (3) 

Electives – choose 3 hours 

  • ENxxx/LIxxx/TLxxx 300-599 level (3) 

Some requirements may be fulfilled by coursework in major program.

  • Social and Behavioral Sciences – 6 hours
  • Constitution Requirement – 3 hours
  • Written Communication – 6 hours
  • Oral Communication – 3 hours
  • Natural Sciences – 7 hours (from two disciplines, one to include a lab)
  • Mathematics – 3 hours
  • Humanities & Fine Arts – 9 hours (from at least two disciplines)
  • Additional requirements – 5 hours (to include UI100 for native students)
  • Civics examination

Freshman Year    

Fall Semester (13 Hours)     
  • UI100 (1)
  • EN100 (3)
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3)
Spring Semester (15 Hours)     
  • EN140 (3)
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3)

Sophomore Year    

Fall Semester (15 Hours)  
  • EN201 (3)
  • Early Literature (3)
  • Special Topics (3) 
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3) 
Spring Semester (15 Hours)    
  • Special Topics (3) 
  • Survey of Literature (3) 
  • Survey of Literature (3)
  • General Education (3)
  • General Education (3)

Junior Year    

Fall Semester (15 Hours)    
  • Broaded Perspectives (3) 
  • Pedagogy and Linguistics (3)
  • Special Topics (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)
Spring Semester (15 Hours)     
  • Broadened Perspectives (3) 
  • Special Topics (3)
  • Writing and Publishing (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)

Senior Year    

Fall Semester (17 Hours)     
  • Broadened Perspectives (3) 
  • Elective (3) 
  • Elective (3) 
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (2)
Spring Semester (15 Hours)  
  • Elective - EN/LI/TL 3xx-5xx (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)

Degree requirements for all students: a minimum of 120 credit hours, completion of the General Education program, and completion of 39 senior division hours (300-599). Refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin or Degree Works for additional graduation requirements for your program. 

A minimum 2.0 GPA in the major and overall are required to graduate with a BA degree. 

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Cape Girardeau, MO 63701