The English Honors Program offers an alternative way to fulfill the requirements of an English major. Open to students with a strong academic record (3.3 or better University HPA; 3.5 or better in English major), superior writing ability, and eagerness to participate in discussions and to study a subject in depth, the English Honors Program has three distinct advantages over the conventional English major: flexibility, the opportunity for seminar work, and the opportunity to work closely with faculty.
Program Requirements
Students accepted into the Program may take advantage of as many or as few of its components as they wish. The design of the Program makes it possible for a student to have a double major. The requirements for graduation with honors in English are these:
1. A minimum of thirty six credit hours of courses in English beyond the Liberal Arts and University General Education requirements; 9 of which must be in Honors courses. The only required courses in English are:
a. Introduction to Literary Studies: ENG 3100 - 3 credits
b. Three basic surveys of English and American literature ENG
3110, 3120, & 3140 9 credits.
c. one course in theory 3 credits.
d. one comparative or cross-disciplinary course 3 credits.
e. the English Honors Seminar (ENG4991) 3 - 6 credits.
f. the English Honors Essay (ENG4992) 3 credits.
g. electives in English 9 - 12 credits, mostly at the 5000-level (3 credit hours of these must be taken with an Honors Option designation).
2. At least one 4200-level interdepartmental Honors Seminar (HON4200 - 4280) as listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
Seminar Work
The heart of the program is the English Honors Seminar (ENG4991) which may be taken for three to six credits per term for a maximum of 24 credit hours. The Seminars are small in size (about ten to 15 students) and conducted as open discussions. Each student has an opportunity to make an oral report, lead a discussion, and write a substantial paper. The focus of the Seminar changes each semester.
Honors Essay
Directed by a professor of the student's choice and normally written during the senior year, the Honors Essay is considerably longer than a conventional term paper but shorter than a master's thesis. It earns three credits (ENG4992). Most of the Honors Essays are substantial studies in literature, literary theory, or some related area of English. Some Honors Essays have consisted of collections of poetry or fiction with a short introductory essay. In addition to the director of the project, a second member of the faculty is brought in at the beginning to read the student's work, offer advice, and judge the final product. The Honors Essay will be successfully completed when both the director and the second reader have approved.
Admission
Most candidates are recommended by members of the faculty, but students may nominate themselves by sending a letter and a writing sample to the Associate Chair of the English Department.
To apply for honors, print and fill out this form and turn it in to the English Department with your letter, writing sample, a copy of your current transcript (unofficial is fine), and optionally a letter of support from a faculty member.
Once you are accepted, you must either fill out a change-of-major form to change your major to English Honors or, if you have not yet declared any major, declare it as English Honors.
To declare or change a major requires three steps:
1. Make an appointment with a University Advisor (Room 1600, David Adamany Undergraduate Library / 313-577-2680). The Advisor will do a degree audit and provide you with a declaration of major form.
2. Bring the degree audit, the declaration of major form, and your transcript to the English Department Advisor. To make an appointment, call 313-577-7701. You can also set up an appointment with an English advisor by e-mail .
3. After we have opened a file for you and done our part of the paperwork, take the signed form to the College of Liberal Arts, 2226 Faculty Administration Building (FAB).
Once your major is changed or declared, you should then set up a meeting with the University Honors Office (2100 Undergraduate Library, 577-2680) as well as with an English Department advisor to establish your plan of work
For further information, contact:
Prof. Robert Aguirre
Honors Liaison
Department of English
Wayne State University
51 W. Warren
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 577-3287
r.aguirre@wayne.edu
