Major in English, Writing, Rhetoric and Literacy Concentration

Students in the CSU Writing Center work on an assignment together. Text reads “Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy”.

Good leaders are good writers.

In the Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy concentration, students will develop writing and leadership abilities by learning skills to create meaning and incite action. Students will hone their writing expertise and enhance their understanding of the connections between writing, rhetoric, literacy, identity, and power by working with award-winning faculty in small, student-centered courses.

Learning Objectives

Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy students will complete the learning objectives set for all English majors, plus one that is specific to this concentration:

1. Critically analyze varied texts, individually and in community, informed by the methods employed in English studies.

2. Examine how texts are created and interact with local and global systems.

3. Craft written work informed by the genres and methods in English studies and adapted to audience and context.

4. Inquire into and demonstrate intellectual growth in the disciplines of English.

Plus:

5. Design and compose rhetorically persuasive and research-driven texts for digital, professional, and/or community literacy contexts.

Where can Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy take you?

Our emphasis on the theory and practice of writing prepares students to craft effective, audience-driven work. This strong foundation opens doors to careers across writing-intensive fields, including healthcare, education, marketing, law, and community engagement.

Careers in writing, rhetoric, and literacy include:

Content Writer / Content Strategist
Speechwriter
Communications Specialist / Manager
Public Relations Coordinator
Social Media Manager
Composition Instructor
Curriculum Designer
Policy Writer / Analyst
Grant & Development Associate
Community Outreach Coordinator
User Experience (UX) Writer

Effective Fall 2026

For graduation, an English major must attain a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in all Composition (CO) and English (E) courses. Students may enroll in either the standalone major or (at most) one of the concentrations under the Major in English.

Freshman
		AUCC	Credits
CO 150	College Composition (GT-CO2)	1A	3
E 150	English Studies Symposium		3
SPCM 200	Public Speaking		3
Select one course from the following:			3
E 200	Inquiry-Based Teaching and Communicating	3B
E 202	English Language Use in Society	1C
E 204	Creative Writing as Transformative Practice	3B
E 206	Language for Activist Rhetoric and Writing	3B
E 237	Introduction to Science Fiction (GT-AH2)	3B
Select one course from the following:			3
E 236	Short Fiction	3B
E 238	Contemporary Global Fiction (GT-AH2)	1C
E 240	Introduction to Poetry
E 242	Shakespeare's Afterlives (GT-AH2)	3B
E 245	World Drama (GT-AH2)	1C
E 270	Introduction to American Literature (GT-AH2)	3B
E 276	British Literature--Medieval Period to 1800 (GT-AH2)	3B
E 277	British Literature--After 1800 (GT-AH2)	3B
1B		1B	3
1C		1C	3
Biological and Physical Sciences		3A	4
Electives			5
	Total Credits		30
Sophomore

Select one course from the following:			3
CO 300	Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)	2
CO 301A	Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3)	2
CO 301B	Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)	2
CO 301C	Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)	2
CO 301D	Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3)	2
CO 302	Writing in Digital Environments (GT-CO3)	2
Select one course from the following:			3
E 200	Inquiry-Based Teaching and Communicating	3B
E 202	English Language Use in Society	1C
E 204	Creative Writing as Transformative Practice	3B
E 206	Language for Activist Rhetoric and Writing	3B
E 237	Introduction to Science Fiction (GT-AH2)	3B
Upper Division Composition/Designated Writing Elective (select one course not taken elsewhere from the list below)			3
Arts and Humanities		3B	3
Biological and Physical Sciences		3A	3
Historical Perspectives		3D	3
Social and Behavioral Sciences		3C	3
Electives			9
	Total Credits		30
Junior

CO 402	Principles of Digital Rhetoric and Design		3
Select one course from the following:			3
E 301	Framing Texts and Critical Theory in Equity	4A,4B
E 305	Principles of Writing and Rhetoric	4A,4B
E 320	Introduction to the Study of Language	4A,4B
E 341	Literary Criticism and Theory	4A,4B
Upper-Division English/Composition Electives¹			9
Second Field²			6
Electives			9
	Total Credits		30
Senior

CO 401	Writing and Style		3
E 406	Topics in Literacy		3
Select one course from the following:			3
E 465	Topics in Literature and Language	4C
E 466	Integrated English Studies Capstone	4C
Upper-Division English/Composition Electives¹			6
Second Field²			6
Electives³			9
	Total Credits		30
	Program Total Credits:		120

Upper Division Composition/Designated Writing Electives

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
CO 300	Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)	3
CO 301A	Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3)	3
CO 301B	Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)	3
CO 301C	Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)	3
CO 301D	Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3)	3
E 311C	Intermediate Creative Writing: Nonfiction	3
E 403	Writing the Environment	3
E 412C	Creative Writing Workshop: Nonfiction	3

¹: Select Upper-Division English/Composition electives in consultation with advisor.
²: The department requires majors to complete a second field. This may be met by completing the second semester of the second year of a foreign language or by completing 12 credits of upper-division courses in a coherent field of study outside of English.
³: Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program: and
For graduation, an English major must attain a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in all Composition (CO) and English (E) courses.

*Freshman*
Semester 1		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
CO 150	College Composition (GT-CO2)	X		1A	3
E 150	English Studies Symposium	X			3
1B		X		1B	3
1C			X	1C	3
Elective			X		3
	Total Credits				15
Semester 2		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
SPCM 200	Public Speaking	X			3
Select one course from the following:		X			3
E 200	Inquiry-Based Teaching and Communicating			3B
E 202	English Language Use in Society			1C
E 204	Creative Writing as Transformative Practice			3B
E 206	Language for Activist Rhetoric and Writing		X	3B
E 237	Introduction to Science Fiction (GT-AH2)			3B
Select one course from the following:		X			3
E 236	Short Fiction			3B
E 238	Contemporary Global Fiction (GT-AH2)			1C
E 240	Introduction to Poetry
E 242	Shakespeare's Afterlives (GT-AH2)			3B
E 245	World Drama (GT-AH2)			1C
E 270	Introduction to American Literature (GT-AH2)			3B
E 276	British Literature--Medieval Period to 1800 (GT-AH2)			3B
E 277	British Literature--After 1800 (GT-AH2)			3B
Biological and Physical Sciences			X	3A	4
Elective			X		2
CO 150 and AUCC 1B requirement must be completed by the end of Semester 2.		X
	Total Credits				15
*Sophomore*
Semester 3		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
Select one course from the following:		X			3
E 200	Inquiry-Based Teaching and Communicating			3B
E 202	English Language Use in Society			1C
E 204	Creative Writing as Transformative Practice			3B
E 206	Language for Activist Rhetoric and Writing			3B
E 237	Introduction to Science Fiction (GT-AH2)			3B
Arts and Humanities			X	3B	3
Biological and Physical Sciences		X		3A	3
Social and Behavioral Sciences			X	3C	3
Electives			X		3
	Total Credits				15
Semester 4		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
Select one course from the following:		X			3
CO 300	Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)			2
CO 301A	Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3)			2
CO 301B	Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)			2
CO 301C	Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)			2
CO 301D	Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3)			2
CO 302	Writing in Digital Environments (GT-CO3)			2
Upper Division Composition/Designated Writing Elective - select one course not taken elsewhere - see list on Concentration Requirements tab)		X			3
Historical Perspectives			X	3D	3
Electives			X		6
AUCC 3A, 3B, and 3C requirements must be completed by the end of Semester 4.		X
	Total Credits				15
*Junior*
Semester 5		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
CO 402	Principles of Digital Rhetoric and Design	X			3
Upper-Division English/Composition Electives		X			6
Second Field Course					3
Elective			X		3
	Total Credits				15
Semester 6		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
Select one course from the following:					3
E 301	Framing Texts and Critical Theory in Equity			4A,4B
E 305	Principles of Writing and Rhetoric		X	4A,4B
E 320	Introduction to the Study of Language			4A,4B
E 341	Literary Criticism and Theory			4A,4B
Upper-Division English/Composition Elective		X			3
Second Field Course			X		3
Electives			X		6
	Total Credits				15
*Senior*
Semester 7		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
CO 401	Writing and Style	X			3
E 406	Topics in Literacy	X			3
Select one course from the following:		X			3
E 465	Topics in Literature and Language	X		4C
E 466	Integrated English Studies Capstone			4C
Upper-Division English/Composition Elective		X			3
Elective			X		3
	Total Credits				15
Semester 8		Critical	Recommended	AUCC	Credits
Upper-Division English/Composition Elective		X			3
Second Field Courses		X			6
Electives		X			6
The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study.		X
	Total Credits				15
	Program Total Credits:				120