English Subject Matter Programs

The English Subject Matter Option

The English Subject Matter option is designed for prospective secondary school English teachers and is a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing-approved subject matter program. Students receive a B.A. in English and a lifelong single-subject competency verification by completing the approved coursework with no grade below a “C,” maintaining a GPA of 2.99 or better, and completing an online grammar diagnostic. In compliance with state requirements, students also must complete the Subject Matter Exit Interview, the English department’s exit evaluation of single-subject competence and 20 hours of daytime Early Field Experience in schools.

To be eligible for the credential program in the College of Education, students also must pass the CBEST and complete 45 hours of classroom observation at a school site. The 20 hours of Early Field Experience required for subject matter competency double counts for this credential program requirement. Upon completion of coursework adhering to the above requirements and successful completion of the English Subject Matter Exit Interview, students are eligible to enter a traditional credential program in the College of Education. For further information about the single-subject credential in English, consult the Credential Office.

The English Subject Matter option combines a 36-unit core with a specified emphasis of 12 units in one of seven Extended Study areas. Students should consult with the Subject Matter advisor before they achieve their junior standing to review their coursework and to choose an emphasis. Transfer students also should see the Subject Matter advisor as soon as possible for academic advising. Transfer students should review the lower division GE courses required for this option.

For further information, contact:

Dorothy Clark
English Subject Matter Adviser
Email: dorothy.g.clark@csun.edu
Phone: 818-677-7225

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree

In pursuing their major students are encouraged to follow one of our Degree Road Maps, which can be found HERE.

A) CORE PROGRAM (45 units)

Lower Division Required Courses (12 units)

• ENGL 258 Major English Writers I (3)
• ENGL 259 Major English Writers II (3)
• ENGL 275 Major American Writers (3)

Select one course from the following:

• AAS 347 Asian American Politics and the Law (3)
• AFRS 161 American Political Institutions: A Black Perspective (3)
• CHS 260 Constitutional Issues and the Chicana/o (3)
• POLS 155 American Political Institutions (3)
• POLS 355 American National, State and Local Governments (3)
• POLS 403 State and Local Government (3)

Upper Division Required Courses (33 units)

A. Take all seven of the following:

• COMS 309 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
• ENGL 355 Writing About Literature (3)
• ENGL 406 Advanced Expository Writing for Teachers (3)
• ENGL 429 Literature for Adolescents (3)
• ENGL 436 Major Critical Theories (3)
• ENGL 495ESM Senior Seminar in English: Multigenre Literacy in a Global Context (3)
• TH 473/L Dramatic Performance in the Secondary Language Arts Curriculum and Lab (2/1)

B. Shakespeare (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

• ENGL 416 Shakespeare: Selected Plays (3)
• ENGL 417 Shakespeare: A Survey (3)

C. Literatures of Cultural Diversity (3 units)

Select one course from the following:

• AAS 321 Asian American Fiction (3)
• AFRS 344 Literature of the Caribbean and African Experience (3)
• AFRS 346 Contemporary Black Female Writers (3)
• AIS 314 North American Indian Literature (3)
• CHS 380 Chicana/o Literature (3)
• CHS 381 Contemporary Chicana Literature (3)
• ENGL 311 History of African-American Writing (3)
• ENGL 314 North American Indian Literature (3)
• ENGL 368 Gay Male Writers (3)
• ENGL 369 Lesbian Writers (3)
• ENGL 371 Issues in Jewish-American Writing (3)
• ENGL 431 Images of Women in Literature (3)
• ENGL 433 Women Authors (3)
• ENGL 434 19th Century Women Novelists (3)
• ENGL 487 Latina/o Literatures of the Americas (3)

D. Linguistics and Language Study (6 units)

Take the following:

• ENGL 301 Language and Linguistics (3)

Select one course from the following:

• ENGL 302 Introduction to Modern Grammar (3)
• ENGL 400 History of the English Language (3)
• ENGL 405 Language Differences and Language Change (3)

Note: If a student’s Extended Study emphasis is Linguistics and Diversity, the student must choose either ENGL 302 or 405 for this category.
ENGL 400 may not be double counted here and in the Extended Study emphasis.

Verification of Early Field Experience:
Students must supply verification of completed Early Field Experience.

Verification of Successful Basic Syntax, Grammar and Written Usage Diagnostic:
Students must successfully complete exercises assessing their mechanics and written usage skills.

B) Extended Study (12 Units)

Students must choose one of the following Extended Study emphases for broad perspective and specific focus.

1. Literature
2. Creative Writing
3. Linguistics and Diversity
4. Literatures of Diversity
5. Rhetoric and Composition
6. Communications Studies
7. Theatre
8. Popular Culture

Students should see the English Subject Matter Adviser at the earliest opportunity regarding their choice of Extended Study program.

1) Literature Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus in Literature (12 units)

Perspective and Focus in Literature (12 units)

Select 3 units from a British Age course and 3 units from an American Age course. Choose 6 units from the remaining three categories: Major Authors, Genre courses and Elective courses. Students must choose to concentrate in a particular area or blend areas.

• Choose 1 course (3 units) from British Age Courses: 
• ENGL 443 English Literature of the Middle Ages
• ENGL 449 The English Renaissance
• ENGL 452 The Early Seventeenth Century
• ENGL 456 The Age of Enlightenment
• ENGL 458 The Romantic Age
• ENGL 460 The Victorian Age
• ENGL 461 Modern British Literature
• ENGL 462 Contemporary British Literature
• ENGL 466 Major British Novelists I: 1700-1815
• ENGL 467 Major British Novelists II: 1815-1900
• ENGL 468 Major British Novelists III: 1900 to the Present
• Choose 1 course (3 units) from American Age Courses: 
• ENGL 473 American Literature: 1607-1860
• ENGL 474 American Literature: 1860-1912
• ENGL 475 American Literature: 1912-1945
• ENGL 476 Contemporary American Literature
• ENGL 477 Major American Novelists I: The Nineteenth Century
• ENGL 478 Major American Novelists II: The Twentieth Century
• Choose 2 courses (6 units) from:
  • Major Author Courses
  • ENGL 414 Chaucer
  • ENGL 420 Milton
  • ENGL 470A-Z (as appropriate) Major Author(s)
  • Genre Courses
  • ENGL 418 English Drama to 1642
  • ENGL 419 English Drama 1660-1880
  • ENGL 423 The Greek and Roman Epic in Translation
  • ENGL 424 Drama of Greece and Rome
  • ENGL 426 Drama from 1660 to Ibsen
  • ENGL 427 Drama from Ibsen to the Present
  • ENGL 428 Children's Literature
  • ENGL 430 Literature for Adolescents
  • ENGL 463A Modern Poetry
  • ENGL 463B Contemporary Poetry
  • Electives
  • ENGL 311* History of African-American Writing
  • ENGL 312 Literature and Film
  • ENGL 313 Studies in Popular Culture
  • ENGL 314* North American Indian Literature
  • ENGL 360 The English Bible as Literature
  • ENGL 363 Studies in Poetry
  • ENGL 368* Gay Male Writers
  • ENGL 369* Lesbian Writers
  • ENGL 370 Science Fiction
  • ENGL 371* Issues in Jewish-American Writing
  • ENGL 372 Eroticism in Literature
  • ENGL 396A-Z Experimental Courses in English
  • ENGL 431* Images of Women in Literature
  • ENGL 433* Women Authors
  • ENGL 434* 19th-Century Women Novelists
  • ENGL 480 Greek and Roman Literature in Translation
  • ENGL 483 European Literature: Modern Times
  • ENGL 485 Major Russian Writers
  • ENGL 486 Germanic Literature in Translation
  • ENGL 487* Latino/a Literatures of the Americas
  • ENGL 488 Major European Novelists I: Laclos to Zola
  • ENGL 489 Major European Novelists II: Proust to Camus
  • ENGL 495A-Z (excluding ENGL 495ESM) Senior Seminar in Literature
  • ENGL 496A-Z Experimental Courses in English
  • ENGL 499 Independent Study

*Because a Literatures of Cultural Diversity course is part of the core requirements, students cannot double count that class. Students must take courses not included as part of the core requirement.

2) The Creative Writing Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus in Creative Writing (12 units)

Perspective and Focus (12 units)

• All students must take:
• ENGL 208 Creative Writing (3 units)
• Select 1 course (3 units) from:
• ENGL 308 Narrative Writing
• ENGL 309 Verse Writing
• ENGL 310 Playwriting
• Select 1 course (3 units) from:
• ENGL 408 Advanced Narrative Writing
• ENGL 409 Advanced Verse Writing
• ENGL 410 Advanced Dramatic Writing
• ENGL 457 Selected Topics in Creative Writing
• Select 1 course (3 units) from:
• ENGL 464 Theories of Poetry
• ENGL 465 Theories of Fiction

3) Linguistics and Diversity Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus in Linguistics and Diversity (12 units)

Perspective and Focus (12 Units)

All students selecting the Linguistics and Diversity Extended Study will take:

• LING 417 Language Development and Acquisition (3)

Students will then select one course from each of the following three categories:

• Category I (3 units)

• ENGL 400 History of the English Language (3)**
• LING 427 Languages in Contact (3)
• LING 441 Sociolinguistics (3)
• LING 447 Bilingualism in the U.S. (3)

• Category II (3 units)

• AFRS 395 Bilingualism in the African-American Community (3)
• CHS 482 Language of the Barrio (3)
• ENGL 405 Language Differences and Language Change (3)**
• LING 250 Language(s) in California (3)

• Category III (3 units)

• COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
• LING 200 (How) Language Matters (3)
• LING 310 Language and the Law (3)
• LING 325 Language, Gender, and Identity (3)

**If not selected for the Linguistics and Language Study topic in the Core Program.

Note: Because of the recent expansion of the Linguistics and Diversity Extended Study for the English Subject Matter Option, it is now very easy for students to acquire a minor in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language).

4) The Literatures of Diversity Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus in Diverse Literatures (12 units)

Perspective and Focus (12 Units)

• Students may either focus their 12 units by choosing from one of the subject categories listed below or combine courses adding up to 12 units from any of the subject categories listed below.
• Because a Literature of Cultural Diversity course is part of the core requirements, students cannot double count that class. Students must take courses not included as part of the core requirement.

Students may choose no more than one lower division course from those listed:

• Asian American Literature

• AAS 220 Survey of Asian American Literature (3)
• AAS 321 Asian American Fiction (3)
• AAS 325A Asian American Creative Studies Workshop: Literary Arts (3)
• AAS 420 Asian American Literary Self-Representations (3)

• Pan African Studies

• AFRS 344 Literature of the Caribbean and African Experience (3)
• AFRS 345 African-American Autobiography (3)
• AFRS 346 Contemporary Black Female Writers (3)
• AFRS 447 African-American Theater (3)
• ENGL 311 History of African-American Writing (3)

• Chicana/o Studies

• CHS 132 Chicana/o Poetry (3)
• CHS 201 Survey of Mexican Literature in Translation (3)
• CHS 380 Chicana/o Literature (3)
• CHS 381 Contemporary Chicana Literature (3)
• CHS 480/F Chicana/o-Latina/o Children’s Literature in Communities (2/1)
• ENGL 487 Latina/o Literatures of the Americas (3)

• Armenian Literature

• ARMN 315 Masterpieces of Armenian Literature (3)

• Jewish-American Literature

• ENGL 371 Issues in Jewish-American Writing (3)

• Gay/Lesbian Literature

• ENGL 368 Gay Male Writers (3)
• ENGL 369 Lesbian Writers (3)

• Women’s Literature

• ENGL 431 Images of Women in Literature (3)
• ENGL 433 Women Authors (3)
• ENGL 434 19th Century Women Novelists (3)

• American Indian Literature

• ENGL 314 North American Indian Literature (3)

5) Rhetoric and Composition Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus (12 Units)

Students may choose four classes from the following list of courses. Please see the Subject Matter advisor for specific information concerning course sequencing.

• ENGL 306 Report Writing (3)
• ENGL 407 Composition and the Professions (3)
• ENGL 455 Literacy, Rhetoric and Culture (3)
• ENGL 459A-Z Selected Topics in Writing and Rhetoric (3)
• ENGL 494/IP English Intern Program (1/2)

6) The Communication Studies Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus in Communication Studies (12 units)

Perspective and Focus (12 Units)

Students should seek advisement from the Communication Studies advisor before choosing their coursework.

Select 12 units from the following courses:

• COMS 104 Literature in Performance (3)
• COMS 225/L Argumentation and Lab (2/1)
• COMS 301 Performance, Language and Cultural Studies (3)
• COMS 303 Narrative in Performance (3)
• COMS 304 Poetry in Performance (3)
• COMS 320 Communicative Functions of Language (3)
• COMS 323 Group Communication (3)
• COMS 325 Legal Argumentation (3)
• COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
• COMS 360 Communication and the Sexes (3)
• COMS 400C Directing Oral Performance (3)
• COMS 425 Theories of Argumentation and Deliberation (3)
• COMS 437 Communication for Youth Institute (3) (work with middle school students on public speaking skills)

The Theatre Extended Study

Students are required to complete both:

• The Core Program (42 units)
• Perspective and Focus in Theatre (12 units)

Perspective and Focus (12 Units)

Please see the Subject Matter advisor in Theatre for specific information concerning course sequencing and requirements for Production Participation, Independent Study and Internship in the Arts:

• TH 111 Actors and Acting (3)
• TH 315 World Drama (3)
• TH 371/L Creative Drama and Lab (2/1)
• TH 490A Production Participation (1)
• TH 599A Independent Study (1)

Popular Culture Extended Study

Perspective and Focus (12 Units)

Students must take the three core courses listed and can then choose one course from the list of electives. ENGL 421A-Z may be taken twice for credit: once as a core course and once as an elective, provided the topics are different.

• ENGL 312 Literature as Film (3)
• ENGL 313 Studies in Popular Culture (3)
• ENGL 421A-Z Selected Topics in Popular Culture (3-3)

Select one course from the following electives:

• ENGL 253 Bestselling Literature (3)
• ENGL 254 Popular Literary Genres (3)
• ENGL 315 Digital Writing (3)
• ENGL 333 Comics and Graphic Novels (3)
• ENGL 405 Language Differences and Language Change (3)
• ENGL 428 Children’s Literature (3)
• ENGL 430 Literature and the Visual Arts (3)

The Four-Year Integrated (FYI) Teacher Credential Program in English is a blended program that enables students to earn a bachelor's degree in English and a single subject teaching credential as an undergraduate.

FYI-English (incoming freshmen only)

In contrast to the traditional path to becoming a secondary school teacher, where students complete their bachelor's degree in English and then take an additional 31 units of education courses, the FYI program integrates English and education courses into a four-year plan that gives students the knowledge and skills they need in a shorter amount of time.

FYI Program highlights: 

• Work with a cohort of entering freshmen in challenging and exciting coursework.
• Observe experienced teachers in both middle school and high school beginning freshman year, allowing you to apply what you learn in your courses to the classroom.
• Complete two part-time student teaching assignments in middle school and high school settings.
• Earn a bachelor's degree in English and a preliminary single subject teaching credential in English.
• Graduate fully qualified and eligible for California teaching positions in English.

Benefits of Completing the FYI Program

 Academic Excellence

• Experienced and committed faculty who are dedicated to preparing exemplary teachers.
• Challenging classes where students can develop both strong subject matter knowledge and effective teaching skills.
• Specialized coursework that prepares students to teach in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. 

Supportive Community

• Specialized academic and professional advisement supports students throughout the program.
• Pre-designed curriculum and one-on-one advisement makes choosing courses easier and reduces the risk of taking extra unnecessary courses.

Affordability

• Financial aid and/or forgivable loans are available.
• Integrated programs typically require fewer total units than the traditional path.

Accessibility

• CSUN is conveniently located in the northern San Fernando Valley.
• Easy access to the 405, 134, and 118 freeways. 

View the University Course Catalogue

Advising

Dr. Colleen Tripp
Director, FYI/JYI Program
Department of English
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8248
(818) 677-0909
colleen.tripp@csun.edu

The Junior-Year Entry Integrated (JYI) Teacher Credential Program in English is a blended program that enable students to earn a bachelor's degree in English and a single subject teaching credential as an undergraduate.

JYI-English (all other students)

In contrast to the traditional path to becoming a secondary school teacher, where students complete their bachelor's degree in English and then take an additional 31 units of education courses, the JYI program enables students with junior-level standing to complete both their bachelor's degree in English and their preliminary single subject teaching credential in as little as two years. 

JYI Program highlights:

• Earn a bachelor's degree in English and a preliminary single subject teaching credential in English.
• Observe experienced teachers in both middle school and high school beginning junior year, allowing you to apply what you learn in your courses to the classroom.
• Complete two part-time student teaching assignments in middle school and high school settings.
• Graduate fully qualified and eligible for California teaching positions.

Benefits of Completing the JYI Program

 Academic Excellence

• Experienced and committed faculty who are dedicated to preparing exemplary teachers.
• Challenging classes where students can develop both strong subject matter knowledge and effective teaching skills.
• Specialized coursework that prepares students to teach in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. 

Supportive Community

• Specialized academic and professional advisement supports students throughout the program.
• Pre-designed curriculum and one-on-one advisement makes choosing courses easier and reduces the risk of taking extra unnecessary courses.

Affordability

• Financial aid and/or forgivable loans are available.
• Integrated programs typically require fewer total units than the traditional path.

Accessibility

• CSUN is conveniently located in the northern San Fernando Valley.
• Easy access to the 405, 134, and 118 freeways.

View the University Course Catalogue

Advising

Dr. Colleen Tripp
Director, FYI/JYI Program
Department of English
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8248
(818) 677-0909
colleen.tripp@csun.edu