English (B.A.)

Program: B.A.
Department of English and Linguistics
College of Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts Building 145 ~ 260-481-6841

For details on pursuing a secondary education second degree (BSEd) to teach English in middle school/high school, click on the links to the Secondary Education - Second Degree Program and the School of Education page in this catalog. Note: The BSEd as a second degree in these programs cannot be earned without completion of the bachelor’s degree in the content area from the College of Liberal Arts. See Program Requirements below for a link to the Secondary Education - Second Degree 4-Year Plan.

Additional Clarification: Language Arts is an Education licensure title. Dual degree Education/English students may choose to complete any of the English concentrations below for their English B.A. degree.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the degree, students will be able to:

Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the fields that make up the English B.A: studies in literature, writing, language, and world Englishes.
Develop original thought using research tools and methods appropriate to the English B.A., including library databases.
Produce original works that are informative, educational, analytical, persuasive, or creative, especially within genres relevant to their major field and their selected concentration.

Program Delivery:

This program is available on-campus

Declaring this Major:

Declare this major within the Department of English and Linguistics

General Requirements:

To earn the B.A. with a major in English, you must fulfill the following requirements in addition to the General Requirements noted above:

College Scorecard

The U.S. Department of Education has created a scorecard for each university and its programs. The scorecard shows data for the university such as graduation rate, average annual cost, and median earnings. Then, when certain minimum standards have been met, data are available for a specific program. That data could include median earnings, median total debt, and number of graduates. The link below will help you learn more:

https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?151102-Purdue-University-Fort-Wayne&fos_code=2301&fos_credential=3

Program Requirements:

English BA with 4-Year Plan:

English (B.A.) 3-Year Plan

English (B.A.) 3-Year Plan (when ICC Certificate completed)

A grade of C- or higher in all department courses required for the major and an overall GPA of 2.00 or higher for all courses taken in the major.
An area of concentration is required to graduate with this degree. Links to the concentrations are in the Area of Concentration section below.
Credit not given for both ENGL 22001 and ENGL 41501.

English BA with Secondary Education 4-Year Plan:

English (B.A.) Articulation with Northwest State Community College, Requirements & 2-Yr Plan

English (B.A.) Articulation with Ivy Tech Community College, Requirements & 2-Yr Plans

General Education: Credits 30

Effective Fall 2025, the General Education program at PFW requires 30 credits to be completed, such that students pass each course listed below with a grade of C- or better:

Category A. Foundational Intellectual Skills (Foundational Intellectual Skills Course Lists)
- One course in A1. Written Communication Cr. 3.
- One course in A2. Speaking and Listening Cr. 3.
- One course in A3. Quantitative Reasoning Cr. 3.
Category B. Ways of Knowing (Ways of Knowing Course Lists)
- One course in B4. Scientific Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B5. Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B6. Humanistic Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B7. Artistic Ways or Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B8. Interdisciplinary Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
Six additional credits from any Foundational Skills (A1-A3) or Ways of Knowing (B4-B8) categories
At least one Ways of Knowing course that is designated as having a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or global awareness

Some programs recommend courses and/or require a specific course as part of the major that may also be used to fulfill General Education requirements. Please see below or your Academic Advisor for courses that fulfill both purposes. You can familiarize yourself with other program regulations at General Education Requirements .

College of Liberal Arts Course Requirements

Click on the PFW College of Liberal Arts link above for detailed information on college requirements.

Introduction to the Liberal Arts: Credits 3

IDIS 10605 - Introduction To The Liberal Arts Cr. 3.

Second Semester Writing, Research, and Methods Class: Credits 3

ENGL 20201 - Literary Interpretation Cr. 3.
or choose one of the following equivalent courses:
ENGL 23301 - Intermediate Expository Writing Cr. 3.
HIST 21700 - Historical Methods Cr. 3.
ILCS 30000 - Methods Of Research And Criticism Cr. 3.
POL 20700 - Elements Of Political Analysis Cr. 3.
WOST 23000 - Writing For Social Change Cr. 3.

International Language: Credits 12

You must complete two courses at the first-year level and two courses at the second-year level in a single international language or demonstrate equivalent proficiency. Click on the PFW College of Liberal Arts link above for more details.

Thematic Requirements: Credits 15

Students will take one course in each of these five areas to ensure that they have an opportunity to deepen their traditional liberal arts education while also preparing for a culturally diverse, technologically advanced, and increasingly globalized and complex world:

Gender, Sexuality, Race, and/or Ethnicity: Credits 3
Conflict and Cooperation: Credits 3
Institutions and Behavior: Credits 3
Regional/Geographic Study: Credits 3
Digital Humanities/Public Humanities: Credits 3

List of Courses and Stipulations for the COLA Thematic Requirements