Majoring in English

Requirements for the Major

1. Two 200-level English courses in different genres (Literature 266, when offered, may be used to fulfill this English department requirement, as well).

2. One semester of the Junior Seminar.

3. At least three other 300- or 400-level English courses taken at Reed College, one of which may be in creative writing or literature in translation.

4. English 470.

5. One of the English courses aside from the junior seminar and English 470 must be in literature prior to 1700.

6. Junior Qualifying Examination.

7. The department recommends that all majors take at least one course in each of the principal literary genres: poetry, drama and fiction.

A complete list of faculty approved courses for the English Department appears in the Reed College Catalog. Not all courses are taught in any one year. Departmental courses are open to freshmen only with the consent of the instructor. This will be permitted only on very rare occasions. Students wishing to enroll in a particular course and lacking the prerequisite for it should consult with their adviser and the course instructor. 200-level courses are intended primarily but not exclusively for sophomores.

Declaring a Major

Students may declare a major (or the intention to major) in English at any time, but College regulations require that students MUST declare a major once they have completed 16 or more units. If a student is enrolled in courses the completion of which would bring the student's total number of units to 16 or more, the student will not be allowed to register for subsequent semesters until s/he declares a major. (Students who transfer with 16 or more units must declare the major before the end of their first semester at Reed.) The major shall be declared by filing with the Registrar's Office an approved Declaration of Major form, indicating the completion of the required introductory work and outlining the remainder of the program to be taken in order to achieve graduation. The Department will review the records of all newly declared juniors and advise them whether the proposed program of study is satisfactory, or whether certain course changes are required. All upper class students must have as their official faculty advisor a member of the English Department.

The Junior Qualifying Examination

Each student must pass a junior qualifying examination before beginning the thesis. The qualifying exam is generally taken in the spring semester of the junior year, although the qual is offered also at the beginning of each semester for students returning from leave. The exam usually consists of three parts, involving questions about a piece of fiction, a critical or theoretical essay, and a poem or poems (all of which are generally handed out to be read before taking the exam). Students are given a weekend over which to work on the qualifying exam, although no more than six hours are to be spent writing on the examination questions. Given the nature of the English Junior Qualifying Examination and students' previous course preparation, most pass on their first try. A student must have passed the Qual before registering for the senior thesis.

The student's performance in the qualifying examination as well as in all previous course work is discussed in full Departmental or Divisional meetings to assess the student's readiness to begin work on a thesis. The review may also identify those who appear to need more time to develop their capabilities for the sustained independent work of the senior thesis. It is possible that a student who does not demonstrate competence in a field may be required to take further work. A second failure will debar the student from candidacy for a degree in the English Department, but the student may be encouraged to transfer to another department or division.

The Senior Year

As you start your senior year it is imperative that you consult with your academic advisor to make sure that you have completed or will complete your College, Divisional, and Departmental requirements. The thesis is only one of the requirements you must fulfill to graduate. Students who do not meet all requirements, including the PE requirement, will not be allowed to graduate. The ultimate responsibility to meet these requirements rests with the individual student, but you can get help from Registrar Office personnel and Faculty advisors.

You should note that college requirements state that students must earn credit for at least six academic units of work in their degree year. No fewer than two academic units, at least one of which shall be in a non-thesis course, shall be earned in any semester.

The English thesis is usually a piece of individually designed research and interpretation--a chance to apply in an intense fashion those methods learned in the program. Aspiring writers may propose to write a creative theses, such as original fiction, poetry, or drama. Thesis is a program of research (a full course for a year in almost all cases) to be done as independently as is appropriate in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Guidelines for choosing a thesis topic and advisor and a series of due dates to guide the process of thesis writing are printed in "Suggestions for Thesis Students" available from the office of the Division of Literature and Languages (Vollum 320). The English Department subscribes to the due dates therein, with the addition of one preliminary requirement that its majors submit a proposed thesis topic and potential advisor during the first week of classes in the senior year; then the Department meets to match advisors, advisees, and topics.