2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.

View Undergraduate Section View Graduate Section

Explore Programs

Explore programs to find a fit for you.

Search Courses

Explore courses by subject and keyword.

Bachelor of Arts in English

English Major with Pre-Law Option

Program Curriculum

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements ¹
Foundational Theories and Content
ENGL 1004	Books, Libraries, Archives	3
ENGL 1514	Language and Society	3
ENGL 2604	Introduction to Critical Reading	3
ENGL 3324	Acts of Interpretation	3
ENGL 3754	Advanced Writing and Research	3
English and Cross-cultural Representation
Select two of the following:		6
ENGL 3144	Language and Ethnicity in the United States
ENGL 3644	The Postcolonial Novel
ENGL 3654	Ethnic American Literature
ENGL 3834	Intercultural Issues in Professional Writing
Subtotal		21
Major Requirements
Literary History
ENGL 2534	American Literary History	3
ENGL 2544	British Literary History	3
Capstone Experience
ENGL 4784	Senior Seminar	3
ENGL 3900	Bridge Experience	0
Subtotal		9
Option Required Courses
Prose Narrative
Select one of the following:		3
ENGL 3644	The Postcolonial Novel
ENGL 3694	Topics in World Novels
ENGL 4434	The American Novel
ENGL 4444	The British Novel
ENGL 4664	Contemporary Fiction
Underrepresented Authors
Select one of the following:		3
ENGL 2644	Introduction to African-American Literature
ENGL 3364	Topics in Literature by Women
ENGL 3514	Ethnic Literature for Children
ENGL 3524	Literature for Children
ENGL 3654	Ethnic American Literature
Law and Literature
ENGL 3684	Literature and the Law	3
Free Elective in English
Select two of the following:		6
ENGL 3154	Literature, Medicine, and Culture
ENGL 3204	Medieval Literature
ENGL 3214	Renaissance Literature
ENGL 3234	Romantic Literature
ENGL 3244
ENGL 3264	Modernist British Literature
ENGL 3274
ENGL 3364	Topics in Literature by Women
ENGL 3514	Ethnic Literature for Children
ENGL 3524	Literature for Children
ENGL 3534	Literature and the Environment
ENGL 3544	Literature and Cinema
ENGL 3624	Appalachian Literature
ENGL 3644	The Postcolonial Novel
ENGL 3684	Literature and the Law
ENGL 3694	Topics in World Novels
ENGL 4054	History of the English Language
ENGL 4114	Chaucer
ENGL 4124	Introduction to Old English
ENGL 4164	Studies in Shakespeare
ENGL 4214	Milton
ENGL 4314	Narrative Medicine
ENGL 4434	The American Novel
ENGL 4444	The British Novel
ENGL 4504	Modern Poetry
ENGL 4514	Contemporary Poetry
ENGL 4624	Studies in a British Author after 1800
ENGL 4634	Studies in an American Author before 1900
ENGL 4664	Contemporary Fiction
ENGL 4684	Special Topics in Literature
ENGL 4784	Senior Seminar
Subtotal		15
Free Electives
Select 30 hours of Free Electives		30
Subtotal		30
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
Select three hours in Pathway 1a		3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select six hours in Pathway 2		6
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select six hours in Pathway 3		6
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
Select six hours in Pathway 4		6
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
Select six hours in Pathway 5f		6
Select three hours in Pathway 5a		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select three hours in Pathway 6a		3
Select three hours in Pathway 6d		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States
Select three hours in Pathway 7		3
Subtotal		45
Total Credits		120

¹: In accordance with university guidelines, courses satisfying degree core requirements may not be double counted to satisfy other areas of a degree (e.g. Pathways).

Note: All English courses above the 1000-level have as a pre-requisite completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement—i.e., completion of 1106 or COMM 1016 Communication Skills.

Satisfactory Progress Toward the B.A. in English, Major in English: Pre-Law Option

Satisfactory progress toward the B.A. in English, Major in English: Pre-Law Option, requires that upon having attempted 72 credits (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, credit by examination, and course withdrawal), students must have passed 12 of the required credits in the English Core (Section I) and have attained a GPA of 2.0 or better both within the major and overall.

In order to graduate, students must complete the degree with a GPA of 2.0 or better both within the English Major: Pre-Law Option and overall. All English courses above the 1000-level are factored into the in-major GPA.

Graduation Requirements

The B.A. in English with a Major in English, in the Pre-Law Option, requires 45 hours in English, distributed as follows, and 120 hours overall. In accordance with university guidelines, courses satisfying degree core requirements may not be double counted to satisfy other areas of a degree (e.g. Pathways).

Note: All English courses above the 1000-level have as a pre-requisite completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement—i.e., completion of 1106 or COMM 1016 Communication Skills . Some courses required for this major have other prerequisites/co-requisites and/or enrollment requirements. Such courses are identified by an asterisk (*) on this checksheet. Please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog or consult your advisor for information about the specific pre-req/co-req or enrollment requirements for a specific course.

Foreign Language Requirement

3 years in high school or
2 years in high school + an 1106 foreign language (e.g., FR, GR, SPAN) or
Less than 2 years in high school + an 1105-1106 foreign language (e.g., FR, GR, SPAN) grouping.