Majoring in English

Faculty

Resources

Events

Programs

Division: Language Arts

Phone: 408-741-4010

408-741-2613

Email: Julie_maia@westvalley.edu

Counseling: 408-741-2009

The English department teaches skills that are universal to every other discipline.  Taking courses in English increases a student’s chances of success in every other area.  The ability to read effectively and to write expressively will prove invaluable for any student.

Highlights:

• Composition courses designed for all levels of ability
• Transfer level literature and creative writing courses that meet CSU & UC requirements.
• On-line courses in composition and creative writing.
• Links with industry and regional Learning Communities. 
• Experienced, innovative faculty dedicated to student success.

Learning Outcomes:

The West Valley College English Department offers composition and literature courses designed to provide students with the skills needed to e successful in both their academic and work lives.  Through these courses, students develop reading, writing, and critical thinking skills needed to attain an AA/AS degree, transfer to a four-year college or university, or move directly into the workforce.

  Career Options: 

A degree in English provides opportunities for careers in the following fields:

• Advertising
• Business
• Civil Service
• Editing
• Information Systems
• Insurance
• Journalism
• Law
• Library Science
• Management
• Marketing Communications
• Politics
• Public Relations
• Publishing
• Research
• Teaching
• Technical Communications
• Writing

Note: Some career options require more than two years of college study.

Degree Offered:

A.A. English

English Transfer:

For transferable English courses, see the Transfer Planning Guide available at the Counseling Center.

Major Requirements:

1. Completion of 6 units of English Composition selected from the following:                                                                                                                  

Engl 001A               English Composition

Engl 001B               English Composition

Engl 001C               Clear Thinking in Writing 

      2. Completion of one of the following literature survey sequences:

Engl 005A,B           Survey of English Literature

      Engl 007A,B          American Literature

3. Completion of 9 units of literature courses, without duplicating any of the above:

Engl 005A,B          Survey of English Literature

Engl 006A,B          World Literature

Engl 007A,B          American Literature

Engl 010               Children’s Literature

Engl 012               African-America Literature

Engl 013               Latino/Chicano Literature

Engl 016               Latin-American Literature

Engl 018               Asian-American Literature

Engl 041               Literature and Film

Engl 043               Classical Mythology

Engl 044               The Bible as Literature

Engl 046               Contemporary American Multi-Cultural Literature

Engl 047               Introduction to Poetry

Engl 048              Introduction to Shakespeare

Engl 049              Modern Fiction

Engl 070 A,B       Creative Writing

Literature courses used to meet general education requirements cannot be used to satisfy major requirements.  All English courses are three units.

To be awarded an A.A. Degree, a student must complete:

1. All the major requirements

2. Additional units to meet the college graduation requirements.

A student planning to transfer to a B.A. program in English should select courses that apply toward both the college graduation requirements and the bachelor’s degree requirements of the four-year institution to which he/she intends to transfer.  Students planning ot undertake graduate study in English are advised to complete intermediate Foreign Language 02A and 02B before transferring.