First of all, English courses have an impact on all your other college work. Further, good reading and writing skills are essential for success beyond college and into your future career. And finally, most people would agree that the ability to read and write well improves the quality of every life.

UMUC offers English courses that build reading, writing and thinking skills, foster understanding of language and its power, and explore special topics in literature, literary criticism, language, and writing. Like any good liberal arts curriculum, UMUC’s English program will help you develop a view of the world from at least three perspectives: the international or intercultural perspective, the historical perspective, and the perspective that clarifies your sense of civic responsibility.

You may choose the study of English as a major or minor because you realize that good communication skills are necessary for success in any career. Or perhaps you have experienced the richness of poetry, novels, short stories, and plays and want to understand them better–or even write them yourself. To major in English means to look at the relationship between literature and life and focus on human values. Studying literature encourages you to look for answers to the big questions: Who am I? Why are we here? What do people live for–and even die for?

Many Fortune 500 corporations recruit liberal arts majors, and the English major is among the most attractive. It produces graduates with demonstrated skills in effective writing, critical thinking, and analysis of the writing of others. Such skills are always in demand. They qualify students for careers in education, law, writing and publishing, journalism, public relations, business, and management.

People with training in critical thinking and communication are valued for their flexibility, broadmindedness, and their ability to appreciate differing points of view. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens felt that the best preparation for law school is to study poetry. Why? Because to study poetry is to ask the same question lawyers ask: “How many ways are there to interpret this text?”

For more information on career opportunities, see the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Peterson’s Job Opportunities, and other specialized guides to the job market.

Specific course requirements for both majors and minors are listed in the UMUC Asia Catalog.

Major in English

• First Courses (to be taken within the first 18 credits)


LIBS 150 Information Literacy and Research Methods (1)
WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)
MATH 107 College Algebra (3)
or MATH 106 or a higher-level math course
 

• Introductory Courses (to be taken within the first 30 credits)


• Foundation Courses (to be taken within the first 60 credits)


• Additional Required Courses (to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)


• Minor and/or Elective Courses (to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses) (46)



• Detailed Degree Description

Total credits for BA in English: 120

Minor in English

Employers and the military recognize a college degree as a major academic achievement. An associate or bachelor's degree from UMUC distinguishes you as a graduate of one of America's leading public universities.

UMUC participates in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Degree Programs for Military Personnel, so you can complete your degree in Asia or at a future duty location.

Your UMUC degree may be closer than you realize. Learning acquired through military experience, examinations, and course work from other schools may be applied to your degree. UMUC may accept as many as 45 credits from these sources toward an associate degree and up to 90 credits toward a B.A. or B.S. degree.

A wide variety of online courses in computer studies and other fields are available through UMUC's distance education (DE) programs, and are helping many students make progress towards UMUC degrees. For lists of courses offered, visit the UMUC Asia DE Web site and click on “Schedule of Classes.”

Contact a UMUC Academic Advisor to arrange for an evaluation of your course work and experience to determine where you stand in your degree program.

1. The placement exam required of all beginning UMUC students will determine whether you start with EDCP 101 Effective Writing Skills (a refresher course) or ENGL 101 Introduction to Writing. If you place in EDCP 101, you should take ENGL 101 as soon as possible afterwards.

 

2. After ENGL 101, you should take ENGL 102 Composition and Literature or ENGL 291 Expository and Research Writing. These courses prepare you for further work in English as well as for courses in any field of study.

 

3. The third course should be in communications to fulfill the general education requirement (GER). It could be a writing course or a speech course. An Academic Advisor can help you decide.

 

4. Along with your English courses, fulfill your general education requirements (GERs) with courses in mathematics, social studies, and the humanities. These courses provide a foundation for upper-level work in any field of study.

 

5. If you intend to complete your bachelor’s degree with UMUC, you should take an upper-level writing course before registering for any upper-level courses in your area of concentration. ENGL 391 Advanced Expository and Research Writing is offered at many education centers as well as online through the UMUC Distance Education program.

UMUC Asia Academic Advisors are based at Yokota, Kadena, and Yongsan, and also travel frequently to most education centers. They advise students in person, by telephone, and by e-mail, and prepare evaluations of students’ academic progress. Your local UMUC Asia Field Representative can put you in touch with an Academic Advisor.

UMP-104 (4M 9/06)