English Majors
Bachelor of Arts in English
The English Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley cultivates in students scholarly and creative achievement through graduate and undergraduate courses in literature, language, rhetoric and composition, creative writing, and secondary English language arts.
We promote student literacy – specifically the abilities to read, write, and think critically – as well as an appreciation for the English language.
We encourage faculty to pursue excellence in teaching, foster collegiality, contribute scholarly research, and engage in service to the university and Rio Grande Valley community.
The English degrees, as a collaboration among the Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies, the Department of Writing and Language Studies, and the Creative Writing Program in the College of Liberal Arts, support culturally responsive pedagogy and community engagement.
The English Program at UTRGV offers students an opportunity to discover more about the world they live in, to learn to appreciate the artistic works of fellow human beings, and to develop literary and language aptitudes of their own. To students who view education primarily as career training, English programs provide excellent preparation for any profession requiring a high degree of skill and comprehension in oral and written communication.
Students who want to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English can select from the following concentrations:
- Creative Writing
- English Language Arts
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy Studies
To view current and planned future course offerings for the Bachelor of Arts in English degree program, please view this link:
Bachelor of Arts in English Program Offering Distributions
Bachelor of Arts in English with Teaching Certification
UTRGV offers degree plans for undergraduate English majors who seek to become certified to teach English Language Arts & Reading for grades 4-8 or 7-12. The curriculum is designed to produce exemplary teacher-leaders prepared for professional careers. Students completing this program will graduate from UTRGV and be certified as English teachers in the state of Texas.
The UTRGV B.A. English degree plan with teacher certification requires completing the English Language Arts concentration of the English major in addition to 42 credit hours of coursework in the College of Education and P-16 Integration. This rigorous program of study includes school observations, state examinations for Texas teacher certification (TExES), and Student Teaching.
The Bachelor of Arts in English with Teacher Certification offers two concentrations:
There are deadlines each semester for application to the certification track of the English major. Eligibility requirements and the forms for application through the TK20 system are online.
English faculty are here to help support pre-service English teacher candidates in the process of becoming a teacher. For information and mentoring about English Language Arts as a specialization in the English major, please contact the following faculty:
Dr. David Bowles
david.bowles01@utrgv.edu
ELABS 229
Bachelor of Arts in English with Teaching Certification Program Offerings Distribution
For current and past course descriptions, please visit the online course catalog.
Degree plans are for the current academic year. For previous degree plans, please view the former Catalogs.