Major map compass icon
2021-2022

English, Bachelor of Arts (accelerated masters degree option)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts (Piedmont Virginia Community College)
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Piedmont Virginia 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. Students 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. Students 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
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • To declare: none To graduate: 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

English, Bachelor of Arts (accelerated masters degree option)

Piedmont Virginia Community College (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
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU English Department and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a second foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or English department-related events.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college. The VCU English department offers departmental internships.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU English Department and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a second foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or English department-related events.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college. The VCU English department offers departmental internships.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

English, Bachelor of Arts (accelerated masters degree option)

Piedmont Virginia Community College (Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts)

Piedmont Virginia Community College 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
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
ENG Select 1: ENG 200-level literature ENGL 3 General education
HIS Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
HIS Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
MTH 155 Statistical Reasoning STAT 208 3 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language 101 Note: the BA degree requires EITHER completion of a foreign language through the 202 level OR six credits of literature (e.g., ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252). Students concerned about the foreign language requirement should discuss their options with their academic advisor. VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language 102 VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language 201 VCU equivalent 3 Major
Foreign Language Foreign Language 202 VCU equivalent 3 Major
ITE 119 Information Literacy INFO 160, 161, 168 3 Elective
HLT/PED Health or Physical Education elective VCU equivalent 1 Elective
Social Science Select 1: PSY 200, SOC 200, 210, PLS 135, 211, 241 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social Science Select from approved PVCC list VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Humanities Select 1: ART 101, 102; MUS 121; CST 250; PHI 100, 200; REL 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Science w/ Laboratory Select 1: BIO 101, 106, 107; CHM 101, 111; GOL 105; NAS 131; PHY 100, 201 VCU equivalent 4 General education
Science w/ Laboratory Select 1: BIO 101, 106, 107; CHM 101, 111; GOL 105; NAS 131; PHY 100, 201 VCU equivalent 4 General education
Transfer elective Transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Transfer elective Transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
PVCC credits transferred to VCU 63
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
ENGL 301 Introduction to the English Major 3 Major
ENGL 499 Senior Seminar in English 3 Major
ENGL Select one course from two of the following areas for a total of 6 credits: Linguistics, Wiritng or Criticism (See VCU advisor for course options) 6 Major
ENGL Literature prior to 1700 (select two courses from the approved list; see VCU advisor) 6 Major
ENGL Literature 1700-1945 (select two courses from the approved list; see VCU advisor) 6 Major
ENGL Literature of diversity (select one course from the approved list; see VCU advisor) 3 Major
ENGL Select six to nine required upper-level ENGL electives (see VCU advisor) 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 Major
Open electives 9 to 12 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 57
Bachelor's degree total 120