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A Matter of Degree
Every quarter, the Department of English features the experiences of a soon-to-graduate Ohio State University English Major or English Minor. Our Autumn Quarter 2009 interviewee is James Talbert.
Hometown:
B.A.
Major:
Minors:
B.A.
Major:
Minors:
Worthington, Ohio
Autumn 2009
International Studies/Diplomacy
English, Russian, and Legal Foundations of Society
Autumn 2009
International Studies/Diplomacy
English, Russian, and Legal Foundations of Society
I've always enjoyed literature and think a foundation in English studies and writing will help me to understand and appreciate great works I've read and those I intend to read. Another reason for my English minor is purely practical: critical thinking and analysis, not to mention excellent writing skills, are demanded by many fields and professions, and will certainly be useful to me in law school and beyond.
What have been some obstacles?
As an International Studies major, it was making the transition from scientific, social scientific, and historical writing to the sort of critical literary analysis demanded of English majors. But all of this gear-shifting has been intellectually useful and interesting.
What courses stand out as memorable?
Professor Garcha's English H590.05, the later 19th century, was excellent. I really enjoyed the in-class analysis of the readings, particularly of Middlemarch. Professor Jon Erickson's English 576.01, critical theory, was philosophically rich and provided many enlightening discussions. This course helped develop my interest in poetry.
What advice would you share about the English minor?
The English minor is efficient—you can overlap four of the five required courses for the minor with the GECs. On a more lofty level, I'd say that the beauty of the works will stay with you for a lifetime. I have recommended the English minor to a number of my friends who are majoring in political science, business, and international studies.
