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The English Language major focuses on the detailed linguistic study of the English language as it occurs in actual use across communities and throughout history.  Graduates of the English Language major should be able to analyze the structure and use of the English language, which includes analyzing sounds, grammar, vocabulary, historical change, social and regional variation, register, standardization, and other social aspects.  From the major, students will gain detailed knowledge of the English language and language-based analytical skills.

 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

 

The major will provide a valuable set of information as well as the development of underlying language-based analytical skills for students preparing to enter professions such as law, business, and medicine; for students preparing to be editors; for English and English as a Second Language teachers; and for those preparing to be linguists, philologists, and translators (where English is one of the languages involved).

 

The following Linguistics and English Language faculty members serve as academic advisors for English Language students.  Consult the chart below to determine which faculty member is your advisor.

 

Last name	Advisor	Office location	Office phone #	E-mail address
A–C	Don Chapman	4047 JFSB	422-8738	don_chapman(at sign)byu.edu
D–F	Mark Davies	4071 JFSB	422-9168	mark_davies(at sign)byu.edu
G–J	David Eddington	4041 JFSB	422-7452	eddington(at sign)byu.edu
K–M	William Eggington	4075 JFSB	422-3483	bill_eggington(at)byu.edu
N–P	Dirk Elzinga	4043 JFSB	422-2117	dirk_elzinga(at sign)byu.edu
Q–S	Cynthia Hallen	4073 JFSB	422-2020	cynthia_hallen(at sign)byu.edu
T–Z	Dallin D. Oaks	4064B JFSB	422-6369	dallin_oaks(at sign)byu.edu

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

1.  Prerequisite Courses

         ELang 223        Introduction to the English Language (3 cr.)

         ELang 273        Empirical Methods in English Linguistics (3 cr.)

 

2.  Core Courses (each are worth 3 credits)

         ELang 322        Modern American Usage

         ELang 324        History of the English Language

         ELang 325        The Grammar of English

         ELang 326        English Semantics and Pragmatics

         ELang 327        English Phonetics and Phonology

         ELang 495        The Senior Course

 

3.Complete one from the following:                 4.Complete one of the following period courses:

        ELang 362       Discourse Analysis (3 cr.)             Elang 525          Old English (3 cr.)

        ELang 468       Varieties of English (3 cr.)             ELang 526        Middle English (3 cr.)

        Ling 550          Sociolinguistics (3 cr.)                    ELang 527        Early Modern English (3 cr.)

 

5.Complete three courses from the following (each are worth three credits):

	CHum 281	Computers and Teaching 1	ELang 524	History of the Book
	CHum 283	Computers and Print Publishing	ELang 525	Old English
	CHum 284	Computers and Internet Publishing	ELang 526	Middle English
	CHum 381	Computers and Teaching 2	ELang 527	Early Modern English
	CHum 384	Encoding and Markup	ELang 529	Structure of Modern English
	ELang 362	Discourse Analysis	ELang 535	Language and Literature
	ELang 421R	Studies in Language or Editing	Ling 485	Corpus Linguistics
	ELang 468	Varieties of English	Ling 545	Psycholinguistics
	ELang 521R	Studies in Language	Ling 550	Sociolinguistics
	ELang 522	Language Policy and Planning in English Language

 

(Note: only one CHum course may be used to fill this requirement)

 

(Note: The courses chosen to satisfy requirements three and four can not count for requirement five.)

6.  Language Expertise (12 hours)

 

Complete 12 credit hours (to a 200-level or higher) of university course work (or the equivalent) in any single language.  This may be the same language used to satisfy the GE Foreign Language option.  A language relevant to the historical development of English is recommended, namely Latin, French, German, or classical Greek.

SUGGESTED AREAS OF EMPHASIS

 

Students may choose to follow one of the following suggested areas of emphasis.

 

Area of Emphasis	Recommended Courses
Historical English Linguistics (specific preparation for graduate studies in Historical English Linguistics, Philology)	ELang 524: History of the Book ELang 525: Old English ELang 526: Middle English ELang 527: Early Modern English
Pre-professional Studies (specific preparation for professional studies such as law, business, and medicine)	ELang 524: History of the Book ELang 527: Early Modern English ELang 529: Structure of Modern English Ling 550: Sociolinguistics
TESOL (in conjunction with a TESOL minor)	ELang 468: Varieties of English ELang 529: Structure of Modern English Ling 550: Sociolinguistics CHum 281: Computers and Teaching 1
English Language Studies (specific preparation for continued studies requiring advanced English language knowledge, including TESOL, Linguistics, English)	English language period requirement ELang 468: Varieties of English ELang 529: Structure of Modern English Ling 550: Sociolinguistics
Textual Analysis (specific preparation for studies in editing and textual criticism)	English language period requirement ELang 524: History of the Book ELang 468: Varieties of English ELang 529: Structure of Modern English

English Language B.A. Program, updated July 2006