Writing Concentration
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
Department of English Language & Literature
Bulletin Year: 2026-2027

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Semester One (15-17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 101	Critical Reading and Composition (CC-CMW)	3	C
		Carolina Core ARP Requirement (CC-ARP)	3-4
		Foreign Language3 or other Carolina Core Req.4 (CC-GFL)	3-4
		Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC)	3
		UNIV 101 The Student in the University or Carolina Core Requirement4 (PR/CC)	3

Semester Two (15-16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 102	Rhetoric and Composition (CC-CMW, CC-INF)	3	C		C or better in ENGL 101
		Carolina Core ARP Requirement (CC-ARP)	3-4
		Foreign Language3 or other Carolina Core Req.4 (CC-GFL)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC)	3
		History5 (CR)	3

Semester Three (16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	ENGL 287	American Literature (CR)	3	C		ENGL 101 & 102
		Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC)	4
		Foreign Language3 or Carolina Core Requirement4 (CR/CC)	3
		Social Science (CR)	3
		Humanities or Fine Arts (CR)	3

Semester Four (16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	ENGL 288	English Literature (CR)	3	C		ENGL 101 & 102
		Cognate or Minor Course6 (PR)	3	C
		Cognate or Minor Course6 (PR)	3	C
		Elective7 (PR)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC)	4

Semester Five (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		Cognate or Minor Course6 (PR)	3	C
		Elective7 (PR)	3

Semester Six (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		Cognate or Minor Course6 (PR)	3	C
		Carolina Core Requirement4 or Elective7 (CC/PR)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement4 or Elective7 (CC/PR)	3

Semester Seven (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		Minor Course6 or Elective7 (minor) (PR)	3	C (minor)
		Elective7 (PR)	3

Semester Eight (13-18 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3	C		See Bulletin listing.
		English Major Course8 (MR)	3-6	C		See Bulletin listing.
		Minor Course6 or Elective7 (minor) (PR)	3	C (minor)
		Elective7 (PR)	3
		Elective7 (only if needed to meet hours to graduate) (PR)	1-3

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Total Hours	Minimum Major Requirements Hours	College & Program Requirements Hours	Carolina Core Hours	Minimum Institutional GPA
120	30	46-58	32-44	2.000

1. Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA.
2. Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses. Courses indicated in this column are included in the major GPA for this program of study.
3. Students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score.
4. The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students.
5. The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course, both of which must be chosen from the approved Carolina Core GHS courses. Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement.
6. The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. The cognate must consist of twelve hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of, but related to the major. In place of a cognate, a student may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of courses concentrated in one area that follow a structured sequence. A second major eliminates the minor/cognate requirement.
7. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses.  Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. 
8. English Major courses, equaling 30-33 hours, must be comprised of the following: 
   1. Two courses (6 hours) in pre-1800 Literature; 
   2. Two courses (6 hours) in post-1800 Literature;
   3. Six courses (18 hours) of writing requirements to include:
      1. ENGL 360
      2. ENGL 387
      3. Three courses (9 hours) selected from Writing and Rhetoric (ENGL 460, 461, 462, 463, 466, 467, 468, 470, 471, 472, 485, 486, 494) and/or from Creative Writing (ENGL 460, 464, 465, 469, 491, 492, 493)
      4. One additional ENGL course numbered 300 or above 
   4. A diversity course (0-3 hours) which may also serve as a pre- or post-1800 literature course or an elective. Students who do not meet this Diversity Requirement through another major requirement must take a course in addition to the major requirements. 
   5. Note: For a list of courses fulfilling the pre-1800 and post-1800 Literature requirements, and the Diversity Requirement, please visit the Bulletin. 

Program Notes

• Courses identified as “critical” must be completed in the student’s first 60 semester hours of work in order for these courses to be credited toward graduation.
• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
• The Departmental Undergraduate Research Track (B.A. with Distinction) is available to students majoring in English who wish to participate in a substantial research or creative project in collaboration with, or under the supervision of, a faculty mentor.  Ideally, students who pursue this option would complete their theses by December of their final year of coursework.  In addition to the English major requirements, a student must complete the following: 1) ENGL 499 or by taking ENGL 490, provided that the latter course includes a thesis requirement; 2) a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major; 3) a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30; 4) Submission of the distinction intent form (available in the undergraduate English office) to the undergraduate English office at the beginning of the semester in which you write your thesis; 5) a public presentation of the Senior Thesis (at an English Department Colloquium Series, USC Discovery Day, or professional conference or journal publication).  Students who successfully complete these requirements will be awarded their degree with “Distinction in English” upon graduation. 
• The last 30 credit hours toward your degree must be earned in residence at the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Code Definitions

University Requirements: Bachelor’s degree-seeking students must meet Carolina Core (general education) requirements.

Code	Definition
CC	Carolina Core
CC-AIU	Carolina Core – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding
CC-ARP	Carolina Core – Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving
CC-CMS	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component
CC-CMW	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written Component
CC-GFL	Carolina Core – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language
CC-GHS	Carolina Core – Historical Thinking
CC-GSS	Carolina Core – Social Sciences
CC-INF	Carolina Core – Information Literacy
CC-INT	Carolina Core – Integrative Course
CC-SCI	Carolina Core – Scientific Literacy
CC-VSR	Carolina Core – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
CR	College Requirement
MR	Major Requirement
PR	Program Requirement