Online Bachelor's Degree BA in English Language & Literature

Explore the Vast World of Literature and Writing with an Online English Degree

Turn your love of reading and writing into a rewarding career with our online English degree. With a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature, you'll gain the communication and research skills that are prized by employers. You'll learn proven techniques to pinpoint and analyze information that helps you build support for your ideas and opinions. You'll also learn to think critically and write effectively - skills vital to any career you choose to pursue.

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See Yourself Succeed with a BA in English Language & Literature

At SNHU, our online English degree curriculum is designed to help you craft stories, present ideas, think critically and creatively, and develop a broad knowledge of literary classics. Learn how to develop, craft and present ideas and stories that help you convince, persuade and educate. Discover how to create new concepts and stories by uncovering and dissecting various viewpoints. Gain a unique perspective and understanding of the world by reading, evaluating and discussing English literature that's influenced society.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your BA in English Language and Literature online at SNHU include:

Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your undergraduate degree at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for internship and career opportunities
Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we’ll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there’s no application fee
Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 90 credits toward an undergraduate degree

Career Outlook

The BA in English Language and Literature degree opens up many career possibilities, including writing. With additional training and certification, graduates could also explore teaching as a career path. Graduates with a BA in English literature may also consider law school or become politicians, marketing communications professionals, historians, museum curators, nonprofit directors and more.

Curriculum

Our online English degree courses are taught by highly credentialed and accomplished instructors with deep insights into the industry.

Courses To Prepare You For Your Career

SNHU's bachelor's in english language and literature program includes:

General education
Degree-specific courses

General Education Program

Our programs are designed to equip you with the skills and insights you need to move forward. In recent years, employers have stressed the need for graduates with higher order skills - the skills that go beyond technical knowledge - such as:

Writing
Communication
Analysis
Problem solving

All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes. Through foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.

View Full Curriculum in the Catalog

BA in English Language & Literature

Courses May Include

ENG 350 The English Language

This course is an introduction to the following topics in English linguistics: history of English, etymology, vocabulary (morphology), phonology, dictionaries, syntax, semantics, dialects, discourse analysis, and child language acquisition. The course is designed for students who want to learn about the English language as preparation for teaching, or for becoming better writers, or for studying literature. Students will have the opportunity to research, write about, and present on a linguistic topic of individual interest such as the language of advertising or propaganda.

LIT 300 Literary Theory

This course is an introduction to the major schools of contemporary critical theory, and an examination of principal exponents of these theories. The student will become familiar with the most important features of psychoanalytic criticism, Marxism and feminism and examine the meaning of structuralism and post-structuralism. In addition, the course affords an opportunity to practice applying the theories to specific literary texts.

LIT 319 Shakespeare

Students in LIT 319 study selected Shakespearian comedies, tragedies and chronicle plays. The course also provides the students with a general overview of the Elizabethan era and the world in which Shakespeare lived and worked.

Total Credits: 120

Program Outcomes

Critical and Creative Thinking - Identify and analyze ambiguity; Interpret implicit meaning; Assess the reasoning in arguments by others; Support interpretations with textual evidence
Cultural Literacy - Differentiate between an author’s historical period and place within a literary movement; Assess and critique the influence of cultural categories of race, class, gender, and orientation; Integrate a variety of historical perspectives into analysis of contemporary issues; Articulate orally and in writing the culturally important role of literature in different historical periods
Literary Analysis - Employ critical methods and terminology to analyze literary form, genre, structure, and style; Incorporate theoretical perspectives into interpretation of texts; Demonstrate skills of literary analysis through written and oral presentations
Analytical Writing - Develop an engaging literary analysis that develops an original thesis through a logical, organized argument that emphasizes close reading of the text; Integrate critical thinking, cultural knowledge, and critical analysis with (at 300-level and higher) research and documentation of secondary sources
Collaboration - Demonstrate an ability to work with peers on collaborative projects; Utilize oral and written communication skills in a group dynamic

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Undergraduate Programs	Per Course*	Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates	$960	$320
Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)	$675	$225

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

Additional Costs
No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as well as several other accrediting bodies.