Bachelor of Arts in English

Create a versatile career with your Bachelor of Arts in English from Ashford University.

Degree Focus
The Bachelor of Arts in English degree program offers you a disciplined study of literature and a rigorous foundation for the development of writing and critical thinking skills. Professionals with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English are in demand for their proficiency in communication and writing by employers in a broad range of fields. By deepening your understanding of this unique language, you strengthen your comprehension of our world and your ability to communicate. You will fathom new insights into the social, philosophical, and moral themes that are crucial to a just society and global community.

Career Opportunities
No matter what career you choose, the study of English enhances your understanding of the world. Job seekers with degrees in English enjoy a broad range of job opportunities from which to choose. Many professionals find that English makes an excellent subject for their undergraduate studies, in preparation for earning an advanced degree. Just a few of the many professional careers that often begin with a Bachelor of Arts in English include:

• Copywriter
• Editor
• Corporate communications specialist
• Freelance writer / journalist
• Technical writer
• Publications researcher
• Educator

Bachelor of Arts in English

Program Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Arts in English degree program will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of various literary genres and works in their historical, analytical, and sociopolitical contexts;
• Develop the ability to write creatively, clearly, and concisely;
• Develop critical thinking skills through intellectual inquiry;
• Demonstrate the ability to integrate significant literary ideas and themes into a personal worldview;
• Evaluate the power of language relative to ethnicities and gender;
• Analyze how writing, language, and literature function to shape human culture and individual identity; and
• Apply effective independent research skills.

Program Requirements

• Total number of credits required: 120 credits
• General Education Requirements: 52 credits*
• Major Course Requirements: 36 credits*
• Electives: 38 credits

You must complete 30 upper-division credits, of which 18 credits must be from the major program. A total of 30 credits must be completed at Ashford University to meet the residency requirement.

* In this program, 6 credits from the major may also satisfy General Education requirements.

Program Disclosures
Federal regulations published in October, 2010 require institutions to report certain information about students who enrolled in Title IV eligible educational programs that lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation (GE programs). These required disclosures include a program’s 1) program costs; 2) on-time completion rates; 3) median loan debt; 4) links to O*NET SOC descriptions; and 5) placement rates. Please find all of the required information at this link: Program Disclosures.

Admission Requirements

• Have a regular high-school diploma earned through college preparatory or regular high school courses or GED equivalency recognized by the Department of Education of the state in which it was earned, completed secondary school through home schooling as defined by state law, or earned an equivalent to a US high school diploma at an international high school. An earned IEP or Special Education Diploma or Certificate of Completion based upon IEP goals does not meet the regular high school diploma requirement for admission to Ashford University. If no high school degree was earned, applicants may be admitted with a minimum of 60 transferable credits from an appropriately accredited postsecondary institution as defined by Ashford University transfer credit policies.
• Be 22 years of age or older, or a graduate of Ashford University's Associate of Arts in Business degree program, or receive documented approval from the Registrar's Office via the "Under 22 Appeal" process.
• English Language Requirement.
• Successful completion of Student Success Orientation for students who indicate that they have fewer than twenty-four (24) traditional college-level transferable credits at the time of application.

Technology Requirements


Competencies

Students must possess the following online competencies:

• Ability to access course and program material on the Internet;
• Ability to correspond with University staff, students, and faculty using email and the Internet; and
• Ability to use appropriate antivirus utilities so that files transmitted and received are virus free.

System requirements
The following minimum system configuration and software are required:

• Platforms: Mac OS X 10.2 or higher or Windows XP or higher;
• Hardware: 256 Mb RAM, CD-ROM, and 1 Gb free disk space;
• Productivity Software: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2003 or higher; Adobe Reader 8.0 or higher; Adobe Flash 10 or higher (Constellation users);
• Web Browser: Firefox 3.0 or higher, Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher, Safari 4.0 or higher, or Chrome;
• Networking: 56k dialup modem, DSL, or Cable modem;
• Email: Outlook, Outlook Express, Mac Mail, Eudora, Entourage, or Yahoo/Hotmail/Gmail.

Recommended for optimal performance

• Productivity Software: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2007 or higher;
• Networking: Broadband Internet connection (DSL, cable, or other); 
• Constellation users: Windows Media Player 7 or higher, sound card and speakers.

Transferability
Put your college credits to work at Ashford! You can transfer up to 90 semester credits (135 quarter credits) to help fulfill your degree requirements.* That means all your past hard work will not be wasted.

If you enter the program with fewer than twenty-four (24) transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete an online orientation prior to enrolling in credit-bearing coursework. Following successful completion of orientation, you will be required to successfully complete EXP 105 Personal Dimensions of Education as your first course. EXP 105 is required if you have little or no previous college experience and is not recommended if you have high transfer credit. EXP 105 applies toward elective credit requirements so enrollment in EXP 105 may result in the reduction of three (3) potential transfer credits in the Elective category. If you take EXP 105, you are required to take PSY 202 as your second course.

If you enter the program with twenty-four (24) or more transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete PSY 202 Adult Development and Life Assessment as your first course. PSY 202 is designed to help you acclimate to the online college environment, though you already have some college experience. If you have been out of school for a long time or feel that you need additional support to enter the online environment, you may appeal to enroll in EXP 105 as your first course, followed by PSY 202 as your second course. Unsuccessful completion of either EXP 105 or PSY 202 will result in the rescheduling of the course and revision of the future course sequence. See the Courses tab for descriptions of each course.

* The transferability of credits is subject to Ashford University’s transfer credit policies, and requires the submission of official transcripts. The official transcripts will be evaluated to determine the credits that will officially apply toward an Ashford University degree program.

Online Format
You will take your courses one at a time for 5 weeks each, accelerating your path to graduation. Your course content is delivered in a high-tech format, and you can complete your weekly assignments when and where it's convenient for you thanks to the asynchronous online environment.

Cost*
Your tuition rates are among the lowest available online at $402 per credit. You will also be responsible for fees to enroll. View complete cost of attendance. Call today to learn more at 866.711.1700.

* Tuition costs subject to change without notice.

Payment Options

• Cash Plan – 100% of tuition and fees paid on or before each course start date.
• Tuition Reimbursement – If your employer offers a tuition reimbursement plan, we'll work with you to apply this great benefit toward your education.
• Financial Aid – You may be eligible for financial aid. Talk to an Admissions Counselor to find out if you meet the requirements to qualify.
• Direct (Employer) Billing – If you work for a company approved for direct billing, you may qualify for this payment option.
• Military Tuition Assistance – Includes active-duty service and Veterans Affairs Benefits, such as GI Bill and Vocational Rehab, if you qualify. Learn more about military benefits.

If this program fits your personal and professional goals, contact Ashford University at 866.711.1700 to learn more, or request additional information.

Bachelor of Arts in English

Read and appreciate great books. Analyze how language and literature shape culture and identity. Your courses include theory, linguistics, and composition, in addition to surveys of American and British literature.

Introductory Courses

Depending on the number of credits transferred in, you may be required to take one or both of Ashford University's introductory courses: EXP 105 Personal Dimensions of Education and PSY 202 Adult Development and Life Assessment. If you enter the program with fewer than twenty-four (24) transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete EXP 105 as your first course, followed by PSY 202 as your second course. If you enter the program with twenty-four (24) or more transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete PSY 202 as your first course.

EXP 105 Personal Dimensions of Education
This course is designed to help adult learners beginning their university studies to achieve academic success. Students will explore learning theories, communication strategies, and personal management skills. Adult learners will develop strategies for achieving success in school and work. Students will also be introduced to the University's institutional outcomes and learning resources.

PSY 202 Adult Development & Life Assessment
This course presents adult development theory and links theoretical concepts of life and learning through a process of psychometric assessment and reflection. Both classical and contemporary adult development theories are examined. These theories then provide the paradigm for self-analysis and life learning, including a plan for personal, professional and academic learning.

Major Course Requirements

(36 credits, all courses are 3 credits unless otherwise indicated. Courses are listed in the recommended sequence.)

ENG 341 Studies in Literary Genres
This course will introduce students to literary genres such as poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, and the novel. Students will read, analyze, and write critically about representative selections in the various genres.

ENG 201 American Literature to 1865
This course will examine American literature from early colonization through 1865, including texts from the colonial, revolutionary, and antebellum periods. The focus will be upon literary analysis and literary movements contextualized by American history and culture.

ENG 202 American Literature after 1865
This course will examine American literature focusing on a selection of works published between 1865 and the present. We will explore the impact of social and cultural transformations on our national literature working through literary movements and paying close attention to the development of ideas about gender, race, region and nation as expressed in fiction, poetry, and drama.

ENG 345 British Literature I
This course examines British literature from the Old English period through the Age of Reason.

ENG 346 British Literature II
A survey of the British literature from the Romantic Period through the early part of the 20th Century.

ENG 325 Intermediate Composition
Intermediate Composition is designed for students who have some experience with college-level writing but want to develop their ability to write. The goal of this course is to help students learn techniques for writing effective narrative, reflective, analytical, and research essays. These techniques include the effective use of specific details to engage and persuade readers, methods of organization that enable readers to follow a line of thinking, and strategies for editing sentences for clarity and concision.

ENG 321 Introductory Linguistics
This course provides students with an introduction to the principles and methods of linguistic theory. Basic concepts included are phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. The developmental stages of language acquisition and the variations of dialect and style observed in spoken and written English are also examined. Students practice applying linguistic theory to explain language-related phenomena encountered in everyday life.

ENG 317 International Voices
An introduction to recent international writing in its cultural context. Students read fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and interview, and are introduced to music, art, film, and cuisine of cultures beyond US borders.

ENG 380 Literary Research
This course is designed to teach the techniques for conducting literary research. Students will focus on particular authors while focusing on the essential skills of literary research. In addition to short critical essays, students will produce a major research paper.

ENG 318 Creative Writing
This course provides writing experiences in fiction, nonfiction or poetry for students who have a strong interest in creative expression and have some experience in writing in one of these genres. Various aspects of the imaginative process are explored with separate application made to the genres of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Students choose one genre, participate in workshops with instructors, join with instructors and writing practitioners in critiquing colleagues' work, and make presentations of their own work.

ENG 438 Literary Theory
This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and tools to develop an understanding the nature of literature, what functions is has, what the relation of the text is to the author, the reader, to language, to society and to history.

ENG 497 English Capstone
Students will demonstrate mastery of the concepts and methodology in the major by producing a final project that includes extensive research into the selected topic.

If this program fits your personal and professional goals, contact Ashford University at 866.711.1700 to learn more, or request additional information.

Chat With a Counselor

With your full schedule, you may not have a lot of time to spare. Whether you are a busy parent, a working adult, or just short on time, you can still get the information you need to explore your options for higher education. Now you can take advantage of Ashford University's LiveChat function to speak with an Admissions Counselor in real time from the comfort of your desktop. In just a few minutes, you can: discover Ashford's affordable tuition rates; find out how to earn your Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's degree in less time than you think; see how conveniently online courses can fit with your schedule; choose the degree program that's right for you; and have all your questions answered quickly Make an informed decision regarding your education. Click the link above to speak live with an Admissions Counselor right away, or have an Admissions Counselor call you at the time that works best for you. * Admissions Counselors are available Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, PST and Saturday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, PST.