Stark State College’s English degree program explores different types of writing, including creative writing, technical report writing, grant writing, scriptwriting, writing for media, writing for the web or business communications writing. Through this program, you’ll build a solid foundation for bachelor’s and graduate degrees in English.
Major code: 7202 Arts and Sciences Division English, Language, and Social Sciences Department
The catalog in force is assigned to students based on the academic year they first applied to the college, and changes only when students change their major or request the change in writing. Refer to Policy No. 3357:15-13-28.
2026-27 Catalog
Effective Summer 2026
Some courses listed within the program may require a prerequisite or co-requisite.
Pre/Co-requisites will be listed within each course hyperlink below.
Refer to Policy No. 3357:15-13-04 and 3357:15-13-05
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Freshman Experience | ||
| SSC101 | Student Success Seminar | 1 |
| Computer Applications | ||
| ITD122 | Computer Applications for Professionals | 3 |
| English Composition | ||
| ENG124 | College Composition (required) | 3 |
| ENG231 | College Composition II (required) | 3 |
| English Degree Electives | ||
| Select 21 credits from any courses from the following three concentration areas: | 21 | |
| Composition Electives: | ||
| Technical Report Writing | ||
| Writing for Media | ||
| Writing for the Web | ||
| Grant Writing | ||
| Business Communication | ||
| Scriptwriting | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Literature Electives: | ||
| British Literature: Medieval to 1785 | ||
| British Literature: 1785 to Present | ||
| Introduction to Shakespeare | ||
| American Literature: Colonial to 1865 | ||
| American Literature: 1865 to Present | ||
| Film Appreciation | ||
| Women's Literature | ||
| Major Modern Writers | ||
| Multicultural Literature | ||
| Technical Communications Electives: | ||
| Technical Editing and Layout | ||
| Technical Grammar and Style | ||
| Technical Communications Internship | ||
| Effective Speaking | ||
| Foreign Language Electives | ||
| Select 8 credits from the category: | 8 | |
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| American Sign Language III | ||
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credis minimum across two disciplines of the following: | 6 | |
| United States Government and Politics | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Human Growth and Development | ||
| Industrial/Organizational Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Basic Economics | ||
| Microeconomics | ||
| Macroeconomics | ||
| Sociology | ||
| Society and Technology | ||
| Dynamics of the Family | ||
| Diversity in American Society | ||
| Arts and Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits minimum across two discipline; no duplications between this category and the Literature category: | 6 | |
| Ethics | ||
| British Literature: Medieval to 1785 | ||
| British Literature: 1785 to Present | ||
| American Literature: Colonial to 1865 | ||
| American Literature: 1865 to Present | ||
| United States History I to 1877 | ||
| United States History II from 1877 | ||
| World Civilization to 17th Century | ||
| World Civilization from 17th Century | ||
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select one 3-hour course and one 4-hour course (1 lab course is required): | 7 | |
| Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology 1 | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology I (lab) 1 | ||
| Environmental Science (lab) | ||
| Human Biology (lab) | ||
| Climate Studies (lab) | ||
| Meteorology (lab) | ||
| Ocean Studies (lab) | ||
| General Biology I (lab) | ||
| General Biology II (lab) | ||
| Exploring Science and Technology (lab) | ||
| Introduction to Chemistry 1 | ||
| Introduction to Forensic Science (lab) | ||
| Physical Geology (lab) | ||
| Principles of Physics (lab) | ||
| College Physics I with Algebra (lab) | ||
| Astronomy (lab) | ||
| Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic | ||
| Select 3 credits of the following: | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Statistics | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Total Hours | 61 | |
- 1
Because of the strong emphasis on science in this major, applicants must have successfully completed chemistry and biology in high school. Students who did not complete the courses in high school, and those who prefer to refresh their knowledge of the material, should complete the listed pre-requisites.
Students completing this degree may be eligible to also receive a Grant Writing Career Enhancement Certificate (1203) and Professional Writing Career Enhancement Certificate (1201).
Full-time Student Advising Notes
Academic Advising
Students should make an appointment to see their advisor before registering for classes each semester. They should have prepared a completed registration form, including courses they wish to take, prior to this meeting. The Associate of Arts in English Degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours. Students should choose elective courses from the first page or receive approval from the department chair for other related electives. Students are responsible for knowing and following all pre-requisites for the courses below. Please see your academic advisor for assistance with course selection.
Course Sequence
The semester-by-semester listing below provides the normal scheduling option for full-time associate degree students who plan to finish the degree in two years.
Elective Additional Credit
Self-selection of course and not following the approved degree program could adversely affect graduation, transfer to a 4-year institution, and financial aid. Visit Transferology at transferology.com to assist in developing a plan for transferring to another college or university. Students should select Ohio Transfer 36 approved and TAG approved courses.
Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor’s degree requirements and course transferability are controlled by the institution to which the student plans to transfer.
| First Semester | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SSC101 | Student Success Seminar | 1 |
| ENG124 | College Composition (required) | 3 |
| ITD122 | Computer Applications for Professionals | 3 |
| Mathematics, Statistics and Logic Elective | 3 | |
| Arts Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Social Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENG231 | College Composition II (required) | 3 |
| Natural Sciences Elective 1 | 3-4 | |
| Arts Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| English Elective | 3 | |
| Social Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| Foreign Language Elective | 4 | |
| Natural Sciences Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Social Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| English Elective | 3 | |
| English Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| English Elective | 3 | |
| Foreign Language Elective | 4 | |
| English Elective | 3 | |
| English Elective | 3 | |
| English Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 63-64 | |
- 1
Because of the strong emphasis on science in this major, applicants must have successfully completed chemistry and biology in high school. Students who did not complete the courses in high school, and those who prefer to refresh their knowledge of the material, should complete the listed pre-requisites.
Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MTH118 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| MTH124 | Statistics | 3 |
| MTH125 | College Algebra | 4 |
Arts and Humanities Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENG233 | British Literature: Medieval to 1785 | 3 |
| ENG234 | British Literature: 1785 to Present | 3 |
| ENG236 | American Literature: Colonial to 1865 | 3 |
| ENG237 | American Literature: 1865 to Present | 3 |
| HIS121 | United States History I to 1877 | 3 |
| HIS122 | United States History II from 1877 | 3 |
| HIS221 | World Civilization to 17th Century | 3 |
| HIS222 | World Civilization from 17th Century | 3 |
| PHL122 | Ethics | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BUS122 | Basic Economics | 3 |
| BUS221 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| BUS222 | Macroeconomics | 3 |
| PSC121 | United States Government and Politics | 3 |
| PSY121 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY123 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| PSY124 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| PSY221 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| SOC121 | Sociology | 3 |
| SOC122 | Society and Technology | 3 |
| SOC123 | Dynamics of the Family | 3 |
| SOC225 | Diversity in American Society | 3 |
Natural Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO101 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| BIO121 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO126 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| BIO127 | Human Biology | 4 |
| BIO128 | Climate Studies | 3 |
| BIO129 | Meteorology | 3 |
| BIO130 | Ocean Studies | 3 |
| BIO141 | General Biology I | 4 |
| BIO142 | General Biology II | 4 |
| CHM100 | Exploring Science and Technology | 4 |
| CHM101 | Introduction to Chemistry | 4 |
| CHM105 | Introduction to Forensic Science | 3 |
| GEO141 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| PHY101 | Principles of Physics | 4 |
| PHY105 | Astronomy | 4 |
| PHY121 | College Physics I with Algebra | 4 |
English Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COM121 | Effective Speaking | 3 |
| ENG125 | Technical Editing and Layout | 3 |
| ENG126 | Technical Grammar and Style | 3 |
| ENG221 | Technical Report Writing | 3 |
| ENG227 | Writing for Media | 3 |
| ENG228 | Writing for the Web | 3 |
| ENG229 | Grant Writing | 3 |
| ENG230 | Business Communication | 3 |
| ENG232 | Scriptwriting | 3 |
| ENG233 | British Literature: Medieval to 1785 | 3 |
| ENG234 | British Literature: 1785 to Present | 3 |
| ENG235 | Introduction to Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG236 | American Literature: Colonial to 1865 | 3 |
| ENG237 | American Literature: 1865 to Present | 3 |
| ENG238 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENG239 | Film Appreciation | 3 |
| ENG240 | Women's Literature | 3 |
| ENG241 | Major Modern Writers | 3 |
| ENG243 | Multicultural Literature | 3 |
| ENG250 | Technical Communications Internship | 3 |
Foreign Language Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPN100 | Elementary Spanish I | 4 |
| SPN200 | Elementary Spanish II | 4 |
| ASL122 | American Sign Language I | 4 |
| ASL124 | American Sign Language II | 4 |
| ASL221 | American Sign Language III | 4 |
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- Analyze different audiences in various contexts through informal and formal writing.
- Demonstrate familiarity with research methods.
- Identify historical contexts and current issues in literary and/or writing studies.
- Interpret knowledge of the human condition and diverse populations from various generic texts in order to recognize perspectives and values different from our own.
- Assess the ways in which literature and language have contributed to new knowledge in the humanities and other disciplines.