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Brief Description

ACT’s innovative BA in English features concentrations in Language and Literature and Communication and New Media. The program of studies has been designed to be fresh, modern, and relevant to the academic and professional realities of today.

The aims of the BA are to provide students with a solid background in the subject areas of literature, linguistics, media and cultural studies; cultivate students’ analytical and creative skills for intellectual and professional purposes; enable students to explore the evolution of English studies as it intersects a variety of theoretical approaches and academic disciplines; help students become more astute readers, writers, thinkers, and communicators; challenge students to operate more effectively in multicultural, interdisciplinary environments, both as students and future professionals; and inspire confidence, open mindedness, and personal and professional success.

More specifically

Our curriculum draws on contemporary theoretical perspectives and ongoing discussions in literary and cultural theory such as gender and queer theory, post-colonialism, cultural materialism, post-structuralism, and post-modernism; there is also an emphasis on connecting theory to concrete concerns about popular cultures, techno-culture, social media, and artificial intelligence. In this way students gain an excellent background in the classics, bridged with innovative and groundbreaking contemporary courses and material and attain a plethora of skills.

Degree Requirements

In order to receive the BA degree, the student must have fulfilled all the GER and major requirements and have completer at least 121 US credit hours with an overall G.P.A. of 2.0 or better. According to NECHE Standards, students must complete at least one fourth of their undergraduate program, including advanced work in the major or concentration, at the institution awarding the degree. As a consequence, all candidates for an ±Ø³Ô´ó¹Ïdegree must have been in residence at the College during the last two semesters of full time instruction, assuming availability and equivalency of transferable courses.

Open University degree structure

The program in English is currently validated by Open University: under this scheme, 24 are out of the 40 courses required for a Bachelor’s degree are validated by Open University. Students must necessarily take the fourth year courses at ACT. Successful students will receive a Bachelor’s degree from Open University in addition to the ACT degree for a single course of studies by meeting the following common set of requirements (in addition to meeting General Education Requirements)—courses highlighted in bold are validated by Open University. For more information, check the student handbook. The OU Regulations can be found here.

To read a short description of the courses mentioned below, follow this link.

Major Requirements

• English 101: Composition I
• English 102: Composition II
• English 120: Introduction to Literature (OU)
• English 203: Advanced College English Skills
• Either English 210 Creative Writing OR a Major Elective
• English 224: Post World War II British and American Drama (OU)
• English 230: British Literature and Culture (OU)
• English 250: Advanced Writing and Professional Communication (OU)
• English 320: The Other in Literature and Media (OU)
• English Hum 246: American Literature and Culture (OU)
• Comm 327: Research Methods and Practice (OU)

Communication & New Media Concentration: Required Courses

• Comm 215: Foundations of Contemporary Media (OU)
• Comm 219: Introduction to Film Studies (OU)
• Comm 227: Media Theory (OU)
• Comm 233: Introduction to Journalism (OU)
• Comm 270: Digital Content and Storytelling (OU)
• Comm 315: Intercultural Understanding and Communication (OU)
• Comm 317: Communicating Through New Media (OU)
• Comm 345: Media Ethics in the Digital Age (OU)
• One of the following:
  
  • Marketing 200: Principles of Public Relations (OU)
  • Marketing 214: Advertising (OU)
  • SocSc 215: Studies in Media and Contemporary Society (OU)

Communication & New Media: Major Elective Courses (5 total)

Any of the following:

• English 221 Short Fiction (OU)
• English 275 Sociolinguistics: Introduction to Language and Society (OU)
• English 220 Introduction to Twentieth Century Poetry and Drama (OU)
• Comm 127 Communication, Culture and Society (OU)
• His 201 Women in Modern Times (OU)
• Soc Sc 210 Introduction to Global Studies and Human Geographies (OU)
• CS 206 Web Development (OU)
• English 292 Literature, Art and Culture in language education (OU)
• English 284 Literature through Performance (OU)
• English 350: Semiotics and Discourse Analysis: Writing for Social Change (OU)
• Hum 221 History on Film/Film on History (OU)
• Comm 217 Media in Transition (OU)
• CS 206: Web Development (OU)
• CS 306 Advanced Web Development (OU)
• English 370 Literature and Film (OU)
• English 310 Design and Evaluation of Teaching and Assessment Materials (OU)
• Mkt 324 E-Marketing (OU)
• CS 219 Video Game Design with Unity and 3ds Max (OU)
• Marketing 324: E-Marketing (OU)
• SocSc 210: Introduction to Global Studies and Human Geographies (OU)
• Pract 300 (OU)

OR any of the above Required Courses not selected OR courses in the Concentration Language and Literature.

Free Electives: Three (3)

Other Degree Requirements

• English 390 Senior Thesis I (OU)
• English 395 Senior Thesis II (OU)