English

Using the four required electives in the English major, students may elect a concentration in the Literature of the African Diaspora.  This concentration includes courses in Caribbean literature, the African oral tradition and modern literary tradition, and women’s literature of the African diaspora.  Each of these courses is offered at least once every two years so that students are afforded the opportunity to complete the concentration in a timely manner after finishing their general education requirements.

Courses in the Concentration

The creative writing program is offered on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix and the St. Thomas Campus.  

Using the four required electives in the English major, students may elect a concentration in Creative Writing.  This concentration includes an introductory course in Creative Writing that offers the opportunity to experiment with poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction and drama; intermediate courses in fiction and verse writing; and an advanced course that features the development of a student portfolio of original poetry, short fiction, or short dramatic pieces or the full, edited draft of a novel or play.  Each of these courses is offered at least once every two years so that students are afforded the opportunity to complete the concentration in a timely manner after finishing their General Education requirements.  Students concentrating in Creative Writing may choose to focus on a creative project rather than a research project in HUM 497-498 /Senior Humanities Seminar, under the direction and guidance of a faculty advisor in creative writing.

Courses in the Concentration

Courses in the Concentration

A. Required Courses

B. Electives

C. Senior Seminar

TOTAL REQUIRED COURSES: 44 Credits

Students pursuing other majors at UVI may choose to pursue a minor in English.  For example, a student majoring in Business may decide to minor in English.  That decision may enhance the student’s success after graduation if he or she applies to law school, is accepted, and decides to concentrate in corporate law.  Career opportunities are often abundant for a student who minors in English because skills gained from this area of study can be easily applied to many career fields.  English minors learn to think clearly and critically, to analyse and interpret data, and to communicate effectively.  These skill sets are in great demand by graduate schools and employers today.

A minor in English consists of at least 18 credits in English at the 300 level or above, distributed as follows:

1. One writing course is required, either Introduction to Creative Writing or Advanced Writing.
2. One course in English Language is required, either Language Theory and Practice or History of the English Language.
3. Two literature survey courses are required from among the two British literature courses, three American literature courses and two Caribbean literature courses offered at UVI.
4. One major author course is required, focusing on an American, British or Caribbean major author.
5. All English Minors at UVI are required to take the one Literary Criticism course offered.

Each student choosing to earn an English Minor at UVI should carefully read the current UVI Catalog for further details and updates.  Some examples of proven career opportunities for English minors include becoming an account executive or supervisor, an advertising sales representative, an attorney, a technical or speech writer, an author, a bank officer, a court reporter, a researcher, an electronic publishing specialist, an environmental planner, an executive assistant, a fund raiser, an insurance agent, a legal assistant, a marketing coordinator, a public information officer, a real estate broker, a traffic manager. 

One writing course chosen from the following:

One course in English language, chosen from the following

Two literature survey courses, chosen from the following

One major author course, chosen from the following:

One Course in literary criticism

An English B.A. degree offers students a sound education that will develop their critical thinking ability and offer them a wide scope for strengthening their creative, academic, scholarly and journalistic writing.  A bachelor’s degree in English provides graduates with skills to suit a variety of positions in business, government, research, education and publishing, as well as in the cultural, communications and entertainment industries.  This degree often leads, for example, to careers in law, teaching, copywriting and editing or advertising and public relations.  

• English Major Brochure

Student Learning Outcome Assessment

Students graduating from the Bachelors of Arts in English Program will be competent in the following areas:

• Demonstrate experience and expertise to write effectively in a variety of modes.
• Demonstrate a deeper understanding of grammar, syntax, diction, style and other elements of written and spoken English.
• Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the social and cultural importance of literature and the literary heritage of the past.
• Demonstrate an understanding of critical standards for the evaluation of literature, based on comprehension of concepts including genre, style, the vocabulary of literary criticism, and the theorists of representative schools of criticism, both historical and contemporary.
• Exhibit skills in communicating and supporting their ideas, both in traditional ways (the writing of essays, making oral presentations), as well as by using virtual (digital) technologies.

• Bachelor of Arts in English- Course Sequence (Even number of years) revised 2025
• Bachelor of Arts in English- Course Sequence (Odd number of years) revised 2025