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ENGLISH PROGRAM

As an English major or minor, you will learn to think critically and write well. You will study great works of literature, ranging from ancient poetry to twenty-first century fiction, and you will learn to express your ideas in clear, precise language.

Many BHSU English majors become highly-successful high school and middle school teachers. Others go into writing, editing, publishing, advertising, public relations, or journalism. Still others continue their education in English graduate programs, law school, and other professional programs.

We encourage all BHSU students to become involved in readings and lectures sponsored by the English program. We also invite submissions to the Bellman Awards for outstanding undergraduate writing and to our creative publication, which is sponsored by Three Peaks Review.

Entrance Requirements

In order to declare an English major, student must meet the following requirements:

Be in good academic standing with the University.
Have passed both ENGL 101 and ENGL 201 with a grade of C.

Reasons to Choose BHSU

A talented, diverse, and experienced group of faculty who are committed to student success
Many program options for English majors, including creative and professional writing concentrations and a professional writing certificate.
Multiple opportunities outside of the classroom, including writing competitions and Three Peaks Review
Paid work experience as a consultant in the BHSU Writing Assistance Center

Quick Sells

The English major delivers a broad study of literature and culture in Britain, America, and beyond, but also provides students with the freedom to choose electives and intensive seminars that fit their interests and passions.
Less than 40% of employers are basing hiring decision on GPA, according to the NACE 2024 job outlook report. Instead, they are interested in key attributes in potential employees: 88.7% of the surveyed employers desire candidates with problem-solving skills, 72.7% desire strong written communication skills, and more than 70% of employers are seeking both a strong work ethic and flexibility and adaptability.

The creative writing and professional writing minors assist students in developing dexterity in creative problem solving and observation and invention, while our English major and minor fosters superior critical reading and analytical skills. Each of our programs focus on exceptional writing skills and verbal acuity, readying our graduates for the competitive job market and the diverse demands of the workplace.
English Education Placement is at 100% for those seeking employment after graduation.
Many students pursue internships at regional organizations such as Matthews Opera House and Sanford Underground Research Facility, an opportunity that gives them an edge in the job market, per NACE’s 2024 job outlook report.
Students are eligible for paid positions as writing consultants in the Writing Assistance Center.

Recent English Graduates

Portrait of Erin Woodward Erin Woodward graduated from Black Hills State University in 2019 with a Bachelors of Science in English Literature, with an emphasis on Mass Communications and Journalism. During her senior year, she interned with the Communications Office at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, the deepest underground laboratory in the United States. Upon graduation, she joined the laboratory as a Science Writer, promoting the facility's cutting-edge research into particle physics, biology, geology, and engineering. In 2023, Erin moved to San Francisco, where she is a Marketing Coordinator for EHDD Architecture. She promotes the firm's efforts to decarbonize the built environment and the innovative technologies that put that goal within reach. Erin is also a freelance science writer. Her science writing has been published by Frontiers in Physics, Symmetry Magazine, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sanford Underground Research Facility, and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council.

"The connections BHSU has with leading institutions gave me a significant leg up in launching my career, even before graduation. For me, this opportunity looked like an internship at a renowned science laboratory. Beyond that, BHSU faculty truly care about their students. They take the time to understand your strengths and goals, and then go above and beyond to prepare you for the next best step for you, personally."

Portrait of Hayley Kay Bowen

Hayley Kay Bowen graduated from Black Hills State University in 2019 with a B.S. in English and minors in Creative Writing and Professional Writing. After graduating BHSU, she attended Syracuse University and received her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Poetry in 2023. Her poetry has been published in Kissing Dynamite, Rust & Moth, Alien Magazine, Poetry Online, and elsewhere. Hayley’s first chapbook, Dearly Departed, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2022. Hayley is the 2022 recipient of the Joyce Carol Oates poetry prize, and the 2024 Laura S. Dabundo Graduate Award for Excellence. She has presented critical work at the Northeast Modern Language Association and will present at the North American Society for Studies in Romanticism in August 2024. Hayley is currently a PhD student at Temple University in Philadelphia studying 19th Century polar exploration and British Literature.

“When I transferred to BHSU from Denver halfway through my sophomore year, I immediately fell in love with the beauty of the Black Hills and the strong sense of community that resonates so powerfully in Spearfish. The small class sizes offered the opportunity to form more meaningful relationships with my professors as well as my peers, and the lifelong friendships I found through my experiences in the BH English department have changed me for the better. If it were not for my time at BHSU, I may have never changed my major to English (having entered college as a biology major), discovered my passion for poetry, or had the courage to pursue both poetry and literary studies at the graduate level. I look back on my years as an undergraduate with so much love and appreciation for what a truly special place BHSU is and will forever be grateful to the incomparable English faculty for shaping me into the writer and scholar I am today.”

Headshot of Clara MacIlravie Canas

Clara MacIlravie Canas graduated from Black Hills State University in 2019 with a Bachelor's in English. She also earned minors in Professional Writing and Journalism, showcasing her diverse talents. Clara has a natural talent for technical and creative writing, with her poetry published in Pasque Petals, The Santa Clara Review, Sylvia Magazine, and other places. Clara pursued her love for learning and passion for words at the University of South Dakota, where she earned her Master's in English Literature in 2022. Currently, Clara works as a Grant Writer at Avera Health, where she applies the skills and knowledge she has earned from BHSU. In her role, she takes on the challenge of researching, writing, and editing proposals to federal, state, and local organizations, securing millions in funding for rural communities in the Upper Midwest. Clara collaborates with other departments to ensure all necessary information and materials are gathered and organized for submission, and her attention to detail is a valuable asset in this process.

"I've always considered myself a writer with a strong passion for storytelling. During my childhood, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents on their ranch in the Black Hills of Wyoming. This experience led me to apply to Black Hills State University after high school as I found myself drawn to the scenery and close-knit community in which I was raised. Initially, I wanted to become a high school English teacher, so I opted for an education degree. However, after meeting with several English professors and students in the program, I changed my mind and decided to pursue a degree in English instead. My connections with the English department led to my job as a Writing Consultant at the Writing Assistance Center and later to my Masters's degree at the University of South Dakota. BHSU helped me discover my love for poetry and literary analysis, introduced me to lifelong friends, and gave me the confidence to declare myself a writer. Today, I owe who I am to my educational background at BHSU, and I cannot speak more highly of the faculty and student culture."

English

Required Core - 48 semester hours

3 ENGL 221 British Literature I
3 ENGL 222 British Literature II
3 ENGL 241 American Lit I
3 ENGL 242 American Lit II
3 ENGL 401 Advanced Writing
3 ENGL 284 Introduction to Criticism
9 ENGL 200/300/400 Elective (Except 201, no more than 2 courses from 200 level0
12 ENGL 490/492 Topics or Seminar

Choose 1:

3 ENGL 211 World Lit I
3 ENGL 212 World Lit II

Choose 1:

3 ENGL 426 History & Structures of English
3 LING 403 Intro to Linguistics

Choose 1:

3 ENGL 431 Shakespeare I
3 ENGL 432 Shakespeare II

Gen Ed Requirements

ENGL 101
ENGL 201
CMST - 3 semester hours
MATH - 3 semester hours
Gen Ed - Social Science (2 classes from different subjects) - 6 semester hours
Gen Ed- Arts & Humanities (2 classes from different subjects or a foreign language sequence) - 6 semester hours
Gen Ed - Natural Sciences & Lab (2 classes/corresponding labs) - 6-8 semster hours

Social Science Reciprocity - 3 credits

Take one course from the following prefixes. Your choice may not be used to satisfy a General Education or Major requirement, and must be from outside your major discipline: AIS/LAKL, ANTH, CMST, GEOG, HIST, POLS, PSYC, SOC

Humanities Reciprocity - 3 credits

Take one course from the following prefixes. Your choice may not be used to satisfy a General Education or Major requirement, and must be from outside your major discipline: ART, ARTH, ENGL, FREN, GER, HUM, MCOM, PHIL, RUSS, SPAN, THEA.

English Education

Required Core - 42 semester hours

3 ENGL 221 British Literature I
3 ENGL 222 British Literature II
3 ENGL 241 American Lit I
3 ENGL 242 American Lit II
3 ENGL 304 Fundamentals of English Grammar
3 ENGL 406 Adolescent Literature
3 ENGL 412 Composition for the English Teacher
3 ENGL 284 Introduction to Criticism
3 ENGL 200/300/400 Elective (except 201, 210)(1 course)
3 SEED 424 7-12 Language Arts Methods
6 ENGL 490/492 Electives (2 courses)

Choose 1:

3 ENGL 211 World Lit I (gen ed)
3 ENGL 212 World Lit II (gen ed)

Choose 1:

3 ENGL 431 Shakespeare I
3 ENGL 432 Shakespeare II

Pre-Professional Teaching Core - 18 semester hours

2 EDFN 338 Foundations of American Education
1 EDFN 295 Practicum: Pre-Admission Teaching
3 EPSY 302 Educational Psychology
3 EPSY 428 Child & Adolescent Development
3 INED 411 South Dakota Indian Studies
3 PSYC 101 General Psychology (gen ed)
3 SPED 100 Intro to Persons with Exceptionalities

Professional Secondary Ed Teaching Core - 26 semester hours

3 EDFN 365 Computer Based Technology & Learning
1 EDFN 375 Methods of Technology Integration
1 EDFN 440 Classroom Management
2 MLED 480 Middle Level Methods
3 SEED 408 Planning, Managing, & Assessing the 7-12 Diverse Classroom
3 SEED 450 7-12 Reading & Content Literacy
1 to 16 SEED 488 7-12 Student Teaching
1 SEED 495 Practicum
3 EDFN 475 Human Relations

Gen Ed Requirements - 30 semester hours

ENGL 101
ENGL 201
SPCM - Gen Ed - Speech (1 class) - 3 semester hours
MATH - Gen Ed - Mathematics (1 class) - 3 semester hours
Gen Ed - Social Science (2 classes from different subjects) - 6 semester hours
Gen Ed - Arts & Humanities (2 classes from different subjects or a foreign language sequence) - 6 semester hours
Gen Ed - Natural Sciences & Lab (2 classes/corresponding labs) - 6-8 semester hours

Electives

A minor is NOT required with this major but electives are required to total 120 hours, of which 36 hours must be 300-400 level courses.

Minor in Creative Writing—18 semester hours

3 ENGL 283 Introduction to Creative Writing
3 ENGL 482 Creative Writing II
3 ENGL 483 Advanced Creative Writing

Take two of the following:

3 ENGL 475 Creative Writing: Non-Fiction
3 ENGL 476 Creative Writing: Fiction
3 ENGL 478 Creative Writing: Poetry

Take one of the following:

3 ENGL 115 American Indian Oral Literature
3 ENGL 210 Introduction to Literature
3 ENGL 211 World Lit I
3 ENGL 212 World Lit II
3 ENGL 214 Intro to American Indian Literature
3 ENGL 221 British Literature I
3 ENGL 222 British Literature II
3 ENGL 241 American Lit I
3 ENGL 242 American Lit II
3 ENGL 248 Women in Literature
3 ENGL 256 Literature of the American West
3 ENGL 320 The Non-Western Novel
3 ENGL 406 Adolescent Literature
3 ENGL 411 Bible as Literature
3 ENGL 431 Shakespeare I
3 ENGL 432 Shakespeare II
3 ENGL 468 Contemporary Fiction
1 to 4 ENGL 490 Seminar
1 to 5 ENGL 492 Topics

Minor in Professional Writing - 18 semester hours

3 ENGL 283 Intro to Creative Writing
3 ENGL 304 Fundamentals of English Grammar
3 ENGL 379 Technical Communication
3 ENGL 401 Advanced Writing
3 CMST 455 Visual Culture

Take one of the following:

3 BADM 344 Managerial Communications
3 ENGL 426 History/Structures of English
3 ENGL 475 Creative Writing: Non-Fiction
3 ENGL 476 Creative Writing: Fiction
3 ENGL 478 Creative Writing: Poetry
3 ENGL 482 Creative Writing II
3 ENGL 483 Advanced Creative Writing
1 to 5 ENGL 491 Independent Study
3 LING 403 Introduction to Linguistics
3 MCOM 210 Basic Media Writing
3 MCOM 330 Writing for Digital Media
1 to 12 WRTG 494 Internship

2023-2024 Minor in English - 18 hours

Note: One Survey must be of I designation

Core Curriculum:

3 ENGL 211 World Lit I OR ENGL 212 World Lit II
3 ENGL 221 British Literature I OR ENGL 222 British Literature II
3 ENGL 241 American Lit I OR ENGL 242 American Lit II
3 ENGL 283 Introduction Creative Writing OR ENGL 401 Advanced Writing
3 ENGL 426 History & Structure of English

Take one of the following courses (may not duplicate from above):

3 ENGL 211 World Lit I
3 ENGL 212 World Lit II
3 ENGL 214 Introduction to American Indian Literature
3 ENGL 221 British Literature I
3 ENGL 222 British Literature II
3 ENGL 241 American Lit I
3 ENGL 242 American Lit II
3 ENGL 244 American Indians in Film and Social Media
3 ENGL 248 Women in Literature
3 ENGL 256 Literature of American West
3 ENGL 320 The Non-Western Novel
3 ENGL 406 Adolescent Literature
3 ENGL 411 Bible as Literature
3 ENGL 431 Shakespeare I
3 ENGL 432 Shakespear II
3 ENGL 468 Contemporary Fiction
1 to 4 ENGL 490 Seminar
1 to 5 ENGL 492 Topics

2023-2024 Minor in English - Teaching - 21 semester hours

Note: One Survey must be of I designation

3 ENGL 211 World Literature I OR ENGL 212 World Literature II
3 ENGL 221 British Literature I OR ENGL 222 British Literature II
3 ENGL 241 American Literature I OR ENGL 242 American Literature II
3 ENGL 304 Fundamentals of English Grammar
3 ENGL 412 Composition for the English Teacher
3 ENGL 426 History/Structures of English
3 SEED 424 7-12 Language Arts Methods

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - 19 semester hours

3 ENGL 304 - Fundamentals of English Grammar
3 ENGL 409 - Teaching English as a Second Language
3 ENGL 426 - History/Structures of English
3 LING 403 - Introduction to Linguistics
3 MFL 420 - K-12 Foreign Language Methods

Electives (choose one):

4 GER 101—Introductory German I
4 GER 102—Introductory German II
4 FREN 101—Introductory French I
4 FREN 102—Introductory French II
4 LAKL 101—Introductory Lakota I
4 LAKL 102—Introductory Lakota II
4 RUSS 101—Introductory Russian I
4 RUSS 101—Introductory Russian II
4SPAN 101—Introductory Spanish I
4 SPAN 102—Introductory Spanish II

*Current students, please refer to the DegreeWorks Dashboard in MyBHSU to confirm your major requirements.

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Find Your Career

English majors are trained for diverse careers:
» Advertising Executive
» Author
» Bookstore Manager
» Columnist
» Communications Director
» Copywriter
» Creative Writer
» Editor
» Entertainment Agent
» Entrepreneur
» Grant & Proposal Writer
» Journalist
» Librarian
» PR Specialist
» Publisher
» Sales
» Social Media Manager
» Teacher
» Technical Writer
» Translator

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

THREE PEAKS REVIEW

Open to all students at BHSU, this campus organization (formally known as English Club) provides students with the chance to run or contribute to BHSU’s literary journal. Contact Matthew.Bauman@BHSU.edu to learn how to become involved.

BELLMAN AWARDS

The Bellman Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Writing is a competition open to any student who has a passion for writing. Awards are given in three categories: Composition, Literature, and General Writing. All submissions must be work produced at BHSU during the respective academic year. To learn more visit the Bellman Awards page.

WRITING RESOURCES

BHSU is proud to offer services for students who need assistance with their writing. The Writing Center is open during the fall and spring semester. Assistance is available during every step of writing. Whether students need help with their outlines, original ideas, or simple revision, the Writing Center has it all. The goals of the Writing center are to: Enable students to compose more fluently Assist students in writing and revising their work Assist students with further development of your critical thinking skills Help students become stronger and more diverse writers Acquaint students with the conventions and expectations of academic writing Walk-ins are welcome as space allows. To make an appointment visit BHSU.edu/WritingCenter. The Writing Center is located on the first floor of the E.Y. Berry Library and is open various times Monday-Friday, and Sunday.

ENGLISH PROGRAM

Entrance Requirements

Reasons to Choose BHSU

Quick Sells

Recent English Graduates

English

English Education

Find Your Career

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

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