Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: English

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Brightpoint Community College
Program description

The Department of English teaches students to see their worlds with clarity and respond to them with sensitivity, through reading, writing, and critical thinking. Students gain the knowledge and skills to participate actively and conscientiously in the twenty-first-century global culture and the professional workplace. The Department fosters the deep reading of the traditional Anglophone canon as well as the literatures of diverse cultures and under-represented voices, it cultivates an appreciation of their aesthetic features and social functions, and it studies the crafts of creative and professional writing. By engaging in multiple media, learning a wide variety of rhetorical practices, and writing and editing academic and creative texts, students gain skills in critical and creative thinking increasingly recognized as essential by employers. They are prepared to participate in their historical and cultural moment, to speak with authority about the literatures of the past and present, and to produce substantial creative and professional communication of their own. Students have the option to pursue minors in creative writing or professional writing and editing. They also have the opportunity for meaningful experiential learning, whether through internships, independent studies, or pursuit of the department’s Distinguished Majors program.

Career opportunities

A recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers lists written communication skills as the single most desirable attribute any employer seeks. Similarly, Google’s Project Oxygen revealed the seven top characteristics of success at Google are all soft skills cultivated by humanities degrees including communicating and listening well, possessing insights into others, particularly those with different values and points of view, and being able to make connections across complex ideas. An undergraduate degree in English provides exactly those skills. Additionally, a degree in English is good preparation for graduate study in English, as well as other areas such as, law, education, public administration, or business. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are imperative for most careers related to non-profits, education, law and business. Gain experience in fundraising and grant writing techniques. Nonprofit and educational organizations are often funded in this manner. Part-time and summer jobs, internships, and volunteer positions are critical to gaining the experience and skills that employers seek.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Editor
  • Fundraiser  
  • High School Teacher
  • Human Resource Specialist
  • Library Technician
  • Proof Readers and Copy Markers
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Reporters and Correspondents
  • Research Assistant
  • Social Media Coordinator
  • Staff and Legislative Assistant
  • Technical Writer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Advertising Executive
  • Attorney
  • College Professor or Administrator
  • Copywriter
  • Director of Communications
  • Public Policy Specialist
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better


Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 131
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: English

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway
  • Register for SDV course
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG and MTH classes.  Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
  • Attend Tyler Orientation
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations
  • Volunteer for service learning or community service projects
  • Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU
  • Review VCU English department website for course requirements and possible connections with faculty and peers and for information about department talks and clubs
  • Explore museums, parks, festivals, and cultural events in the region
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity
  • Browse careers related to English through the career coach
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future
  • Build a LinkedIn profile
  • Use the career coach to take a career assessment
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility)
  • Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Experience Year 2
  • Take service-learning classes or volunteer to address a current issue through ConnectVA or HandsOnRVA
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU English Department
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options
  • Continue learning a foreign language, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or English-related events
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college. The English department offers three internship options.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway
  • Register for SDV course
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG and MTH classes.  Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
  • Attend Tyler Orientation
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations
  • Volunteer for service learning or community service projects
  • Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU
  • Review VCU English department website for course requirements and possible connections with faculty and peers and for information about department talks and clubs
  • Explore museums, parks, festivals, and cultural events in the region
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to English through the career coach
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future
  • Build a LinkedIn profile
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Use the career coach to take a career assessment
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility)
  • Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Take service-learning classes or volunteer to address a current issue through ConnectVA or HandsOnRVA
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU English Department
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options
  • Continue learning a foreign language, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or English-related events
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college. The English department offers three internship options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: English

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts)

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language (101-level) VCU equivalent 4 General education
CST 100 Public Speaking SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language (102-level) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Art elective Art Elective: ART 101, 102, CST 130, CST 151, MUS 121. VCU equivalent 3 General education
HIS History elective (select 1): HIS 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Science Social/behavioral science (select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211 (PSY 230 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language (201-level) VCU equivalent 3 Major
Laboratory science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 4 General education
HIS History elective (select 1): HIS 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
ENG 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
Philosophy/Religion Philosophy/Religion elective (select 1): PHI 101, 111, 220, REL 100, 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language (202-level) VCU equivalent 3 Major
Laboratory science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, BIO 102, ENV 121, CHM 101, CHM 112, PHY 101, PHY 202 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate Degree is completed) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Cultural Understanding Cultural Understanding/Civic Understanding elective (select 1): GEO 210, PLS 135, PLS 241, REL 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications or transfer elective INFO 160, 161, 162 3 Elective
Transfer elective Transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
John Tyler credits transferred to VCU 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
ENGL 301 Introduction to the English Major 3 Major
ENGL 499 Senior Seminar in English 3 Major
ENGL Linguistics, Writing, Criticism (select one course from two of the three areas; see VCU advisor for course options) 6 Major
ENGL Literature prior to 1700 (select two courses from the approved list; see VCU advisor for course options) 6 Major
ENGL Literature 1700-1945 (select two courses from the approved list; see VCU advisor for course options) 6 Major
ENGL Literature of diversity (select one course from the approved list; see VCU advisor for course options 3 Major
ENGL Select six to nine required elective/optional focus credits (see VCU advisor for course options) 6 to 9 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 12 Elective
Open electives 10 to 13 Major
Credits completed at VCU 58
Bachelor's degree total 120