If you like English classes but wonder if there’s more to it than reading and writing about literature, consider the English major specialization in Writing, Rhetoric and Literacy (WRL). Students in the WRL specialization study how people use texts to persuade, inform and create communities, and they consider how social and material contexts enable and constrain how and what people communicate. By taking introductory and advanced coursework in rhetorical theory, workplace writing, digital media composing, and research methods, WRL students become well-rounded experts in how writing works across diverse contexts.
Basic Information
- Students pursuing the English major with a WRL Specialization will complete a minimum of 12 unique courses (36 hours).
- Students must have a cumulative minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all courses in the major program and a minimum grade of C- for each individual major course. A minimum grade of C is required for English 3379.
- 27 credit hours must be at 3000+ level.
- Up to 6 credit hours may be counted towards your GE Theme requirements. These courses are indicated with §. Please consult with your advisor to get more information on how you can (and can't) overlap GE Theme requirements with major requirements.
- Not all courses are offered every term: please consult with your advisor.
Requirements for WRL Specialization
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 2201(H): British Lit: Origins to 1800
- 2220(H): Intro to Shakespeare
- 2221: Introduction to Shakespeare, Race, and Gender
- 2290: Colonial & US Literature to 1865
- 4513: Intro to Medieval Lit
- 4514: Middle English Lit
- 4515: Chaucer
- 4520.01: Shakespeare
- 4520.02: Topics in Shakespeare
- 4521: Renaissance Drama
- 4522: Renaissance Poetry
- 4523: Topics in Renaissance Lit/Culture
- 4531: Restoration & 18th c. Lit
- 4533: Early British Novel: Origins to 1830
- 4535: Topics in Restoration & 18th c. British Lit/Culture
- 4550: Topics in Colonial & Early National Lit. of the US
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 2202(H): British Lit: 1800 to Present
- 2281: Intro to African American Lit
- 2381: Intro to the Black Atlantic
- 2581: Intro to US Ethnic Literatures
- 2291: US Lit: 1865–Present
- 4540: 19th c. British Poetry
- 4542: 19th c. British Novel
- 4543: 20th c. British Fiction
- 4547: 20th c. Poetry
- 4551: Topics in 19th c. US Lit
- 4552: Topics in American Poetry
- 4553: 20th c. US Fiction
- 4563: Contemporary Lit
- 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Literatures
- 4582: Topics in African American Lit/Culture
- 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit/Culture
- 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit/Culture
- 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit/Culture
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 4577.01: Folklore I: Groups & Communities
- 4580: Topics in LGBTQ Lit/Cultures
- 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Literatures
- 4582: Topics in African American Lit/Culture
- 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit/Culture
- 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit/Culture
- 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit/Culture
- 4589: Studying the Margins: Power, Language, & Culture
- 4592: Women in Lit & Culture
- 4597.01: Disability Experience
English 3379 (Introduction to Writing, Rhetoric and Literacy) is a required course for this specialization. 3 credit hours. This course fulfills GEN Embedded Literacy: Advanced Writing and Data Analysis
3 credit hours. Select one of the following
- §3020: Writing About Sustainability
- 3304: Business & Professional Writing
- 3305: Technical Writing
- 3405: Topics in Professional Communication
- 3467S: Issues in Tutoring Writing
- 4150: Cultures of Professional Writing
- 4567S: Rhetoric & Community Service
- 4569: Digital Media & English Studies
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- §3011.01: Digital Activism
- §3031: Rhetorics of Health, Illness, and Wellness
- 4573.01: Rhetorical Theory & Criticism
- 4573.02: Rhetoric & Social Action
- 4554: English Studies and Global Human Rights
- 4555: Legal Rhetoric and Argumentation
- 4574: History & Theories of Writing
- 4591.02H: Topics in the Study of Rhetoric
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 3271: Structure of the English Language
- 4571: Studies in English Language
- 4572: Traditional Grammar & Usage
- 4584: Topics in Literacy Studies
- 4585: History of Literacy
6 credit hours. Choose two of the following:
- §3011.01: Digital Activism
- §3031.02: Social Media Rhetoric
- §3020: Writing About Sustainability
- §3022: Sustainability and Media
- §3031: Rhetorics of Health, Illness, Wellness
- 3271: Structure of English Language
- 3304: Business & Professional Writing
- 3305: Technical Writing
- 3405: Topics in Professional Communication
- 3467S: Issues & Methods in Tutoring Writing
- 4150: Culture of Professional Writing
- 4567S: Rhetoric & Community Service
- 4569: Digital Media & English
- 4571: Special Topics in English Linguistics
- 4572: Traditional Grammar & Usage
- 4573.01: Rhetorical Theory & Criticism
- 4573.02: Rhetoric & Social Action
- 4574: History & Theories of Writing
- 4584: Topics in Literacy Studies
- 4585: History of Literacy
- 4591.02H: Topic in the Study of Rhetoric
3 credit hours. Choose one course from the following list or from any of the other accordions on this page:
- 2260(H): Intro to Poetry
- 2261(H) Intro to Fiction
- 2262: Intro to Drama
- ∞2263: Intro to Film
- ∞2264: Intro to Popular Culture Studies
- 2265: Introductory Fiction Writing
- 2266: Introductory Poetry Writing
- 2267: Intro to Creative Writing
- 2268: Intro to Nonfiction Creative Writing
- ∞2269: Digital Media Composing
- 2270(H): Intro to Folklore
- 2275: Thematic Approaches to Lit
- §2276: Arts of Persuasion
- §2277: Intro to Disability Studies
- 2280(H): English Bible
- 2282: Intro to Queer Studies
- §2367.05: Writing about US Folk Exp
- 2367.07S: Literacy Narratives of Black Columbus
- 2463: Intro to Video Game Analysis
3 credit hours. Choose one course from the list below:
- § 3110: Citizenship, Justice & Diversity
- § 3264: Monsters Without and Within
- 3331: Thinking Theoretically
- §3340: Reimagining Climate Change
- §3360: Ecopoetics
- 3361: Narrative & Medicine
- 3662: Intro to Literary Publishing
- 3364: Topics in Popular Culture
- 3372: Topics in SF and/or Fantasy
- 3378: Special Topics in Film & Literature
- §3395: Literature & Leadership
- 3465: Intermediate Fiction Writing
- 3466: Intermediate Poetry Writing
- 3468: Intermediate Non-fiction Writing
- 4321: Environmental Lit, Culture & Media
- 4400: Literary Locations
- 4450: Lit and Cultures of London
- 4513: Intro to Medieval Lit
- 4514: Middle English Lit
- 4515: Chaucer
- 4520.01: Shakespeare
- 4520.02: Topics in Shakespeare
- 4521: Renaissance Drama
- 4522: Renaissance Poetry
- 4523: Topics in Renaissance Lit/Culture
- 4531: Restoration & 18th c. Lit
- 4533: Early British Novel: Origins to 1830
- 4535: Topics in 18th c. British Lit/Culture
- 4540: 19th c. British Poetry
- 4542: 19th c. British Novel
- 4543: 20th c. British Fiction
- 4547: 20th c. British Poetry
- 4550: Topics in Early Lit. of the US
- 4551: Topics in 19th-Century U.S. Lit
- 4552: Topics in American Poetry to 1915
- 4553: 20th-Century U.S. Fiction
- 4559: Intro to Narrative & Narrative Theory
- 4562: Studies in Lit & the Other Arts
- 4563: Contemporary Lit
- 4564.01: Major Author, Med & Renaissance
- 4564.02: Major Author, 18th- & 19th-c.
- 4564.03: Major Author, Am. Lit to 1900
- 4564.04: Major Author, 20th-Century Lit
- 4565: Advanced Fiction Writing
- 4566: Advanced Poetry Writing
- 4568: Advanced Non-Fiction Writing
- 4575: Topics in Literary Forms & Themes
- 4576.01: History of Critical Theory I
- 4577.01 Folklore I: Groups & Communities
- 4577.02 Folklore II: Genres, Form, Meaning
- 4577.03 Folklore III: Issues & Methods
- 4578: Topics in Film
- 4580: Topics in LGBTQ Lit & Culture
- 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Lit
- 4582: Topics in African American Lit
- 4583: Topics in World Lit
- 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit & Culture
- 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit & Culture
- 4590.01H: The Middle Ages
- 4590.02H: The Renaissance
- 4590.03H: The Long 18th century
- 4590.04H: Romanticism
- 4590.05:H The Later 19th century
- 4590.06H: The Modern Period
- 4590.07H: Literature in English after 1945
- 4590.08H: U.S. & Colonial Literature
- 4591.01H: Topics of CW
- 4592: Women in Literature & Culture
- 4595: Literature & Law
- 4597.01: Disability Experience
- 5664: Studies in Graphic Narrative
- 5710: Intro to Old English Lang & Lit
- 5720: Grad Studies in Shakespeare
- 5722: Grad Studies in Ren Poetry
- 5723: Grad Studies in Ren Lit & Culture
3 credit hours. Choose one course from the list below, or another 3000+-level course from any other accordion on this page:
- §3011.01: Digital Activism
- §3031.02: Social Media Rhetoric
- §3020: Writing About Sustainability
- § 3031: Rhetorics of Health, Illness & Wellness
- 3271: Structure of the English Language
- 3304: Business & Professional Writing
- 3305: Technical Writing
- 3405: Topics in Prof. Communication
- 33467S: Issues & Methods in Tutoring Writing
- 4150: Cultures of Professional Writing
- 4189: Capstone Internship in PW
- 4554: English Studies & Global Human Rights
- 4555: Rhetoric and Legal Argumentation
- 4567S: Rhetoric & Community Service
- 4569: Digital Media & English Studies
- 4571: Studies in the English Language
- 4572: English Grammar and Usage
- 4573.01 Rhetorical Theory & Criticism
- 4573.02 Rhetoric & Social Action
- 4574: History & Theories of Writing
- 4575: Topics in Literary Forms & Themes
- 4591.02H: Topics in the Study of Rhetoric
- 5804: Analyzing Language in Social Media
At least one of the courses above must be one of the following (which will also fulfill the Embedded Literacy-Technology requirement):
- 2269: Digital Media Composing
- 4569: Digital Media & English Studies
Honors and Research Distinction Information
English majors in the Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy Specialization in addition to fulfilling above requirements must take at least 2 courses (6 credits) from the following list of honors seminars: these courses may count towards other distribution requirements (as noted below).
- 4590.01H: The Middle Ages [pre-1800]
- 4590.02H: The Renaissance [pre-1800]
- 4590.03H: The Long 18th c. [pre-1800]
- 4590.04H: Romanticism [post-1800]
- 4590.05H: Later 19th c. [post-1800]
- 4590.06H: The Modern Period [post-1800]
- 4590.07H: Lit in English after 1945 [post-1800]
- 4590.08H: US and Colonial Lit [varies]
- 4591.01H: Topics in Study of CW [elective outside specialization]
- 4591.02H: Topics in Study of Rhetoric [varies]
Students planning to pursue research distinction in English will complete at least 4 credit hours of English 4999 (4999H for honors students), the course number assigned for work on undergraduate theses, in addition to the 36 hours required for the major. To graduate with research distinction in English, students must meet the following requirements at the time of their graduation: (a) have completed 60 graded hours at Ohio State, (b) have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (note: the GPA requirement for honors students is 3.4), and have successfully defended their thesis during an oral examination.
Information about the thesis process and requirements can be found on the Research Distinction page on the ASC advising website.
Honors students should consult the information and requirements available at the Honors Distinction page on the Honors Program website.
All English majors are encouraged to consider completing a thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor(s). Thesis projects may involve the drafting of a scholarly research paper; the production of a novel, set of short stories, or collection of poems; the analysis of narratives and/or other qualitative data collected from a particular cultural or regional community; and/or the creation of a digital media artifact. Students are encouraged to talk with members of the English faculty and their English Undergraduate Advisors, as early as possible in their undergraduate careers, if they are interested in developing a thesis project or would like more information about the thesis process and requirements.