Bachelor of Arts: English Classical, Medieval, & Early Modern Literature Emphasis
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/
Constitution Course
Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Create coherent academic arguments that are built upon multi-leveled textual analysis
- Integrate close readings of primary texts
- Situate texts in cultural and/or historical contexts
- Engage in critical conversations
- Present an essay in ways that reflect a sense of professional rules and conventions
The Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in Classical, Medieval, and Early Modern Literature is recommended for students interested in a broad background in the humanities and for those interested in obtaining a firm foundation for further study in graduate school. This option within the English major involves a core of three survey courses to give students grounding in each of the three periods. Students also take one elective from each time period; a course such as “Shakespeare in Film,” “The Ancient World in Film,” or “Arthurian Legends” that allows for the study of how these literatures have been received in modern society; and a course on the linguistic backgrounds of these literatures, such as “History of English,” “Old English,” “Ancient Greek,” “Classical Latin,” or the “History and Principles of Rhetoric.” The remaining three electives can be taken in the English Department or many other departments in the college including Classics, History, Art History, Philosophy, and Geosciences.
To graduate with a major in English, students must achieve a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in the 36-hour program described below, but no credit will be given for courses in which the grade is below C-. No course may fulfill more than one requirement. At least 18 hours must be taken in the English Department at UMKC. Students complete a capstone project in their final year.
Program Requirements
UMKC Essentials
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE) | 3 | |
| Written Communication: | ||
| ENGLISH 110 | Introduction to Academic Prose | 3 |
| ENGLISH 225 | English II: Intermediate Academic Prose | 3 |
| Oral Communication (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening | ||
| Introduction to Communication | ||
| Argumentation And Debate (offered via dual credit only) | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Math Pathway (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Mathematics For Liberal Arts | ||
| Statistical Reasoning | ||
| Precalculus Algebra | ||
| Precalculus (5 credit hours) | ||
Any 200-level MATH or STAT course | ||
ACT Math Subscore of 28 or higher; or SAT Math Subscore of 660 or higher | ||
| Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS) | 3 | |
| Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV) | 3 | |
| Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Constitution Course Requirement
Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.”
Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 | ||
| Honors American Government | ||
| American Government | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:
- Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
- Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
- Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
- Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Intensive Course (300-level or above; satisfied in major requirements below): | 0 | |
| Total Credits | 0 | |
Major Requirements
Students must successfully complete the major requirements below with at least 18 of the 36 required hours taken in the Classical and Ancient Studies Program at UMKC with 12 of those hours at the 300-level or above.
One of the courses taken below must be writing intensive.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| I. Introductory Course | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following courses: | ||
| Literary Monstrosities | ||
| Popular Literature | ||
| World Literature in English | ||
| Introduction To Fiction | ||
| Introduction To Poetry | ||
| The Craft of Creative Writing | ||
| Women Writing/Women Reading | ||
| Writing Tutor Training Seminar | ||
| Science Fiction | ||
| Asian American Literature | ||
| Myth and Literature 2 | ||
| Foundations Of Ancient World Literature I 2 | ||
| Introduction to Journalism | ||
| II. Literary Surveys: | 12 | |
| Choose four of the following courses: | ||
| Myth and Literature 2 | ||
| Classical Literature In Translation 2 | ||
| British Literature I 2 | ||
| Bible As Literature 2 | ||
| Shakespeare 2 | ||
| III. Language | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following courses: | ||
| Introduction To Linguistics/Language Science | ||
| Structure Of English 2 | ||
| History Of The English Language 2 | ||
| Old English 2 | ||
| Studies in Digital Humanities 1, 2 | ||
| Studies in Rhetoric and Composition | ||
| Elementary Ancient Greek I | ||
| Elementary Ancient Greek II | ||
| Intermediate Ancient Greek I | ||
| Elementary Latin I | ||
| Elementary Latin II | ||
| Second Year Latin Readings I | ||
| IV. Electives: | 12 | |
| Choose four of the following courses: | ||
| Classical Literature In Translation 2 | ||
| Introduction to Prehistoric and Classical Archaeology | ||
| Ancient Greek and Roman Medicine 2 | ||
| British Literature I 2 | ||
| Bible As Literature 2 | ||
| Shakespeare 2 | ||
| Arthurian Legends 2 | ||
| Theory and Criticism in English Studies 2 | ||
| Classical Studies 1, 2 | ||
| Medieval Studies 1, 2 | ||
| Early Modern Studies 1, 2 | ||
| Senior Tutorial (approval by a tenure-line faculty member is required prior to enrollment ) | ||
| Senior Tutorial | ||
| Concepts of the Hero in Ancient Literature and World Cinema | ||
| V. Multidisciplinary Electives | 6 | |
| Choose two of the following courses: | ||
| Myth and Literature 2 | ||
| Foundations Of Ancient World Literature I 2 | ||
| Ancient World in Cinema 2 | ||
| Classical Literature In Translation 2 | ||
| Ancient Greek and Roman Medicine 2 | ||
| European History to 1600 | ||
| World History To 1450 | ||
| Special Studies in Antiquity and Medieval History | ||
| History of Christianity to the Middle Ages | ||
| Medieval Civilization I | ||
| Medieval Civilization II | ||
| Reformation | ||
| History of the British Isles, ca. 500 to 1500 | ||
| Tudor England, 1485-1603 | ||
| History of Britain 1603-1832 | ||
| Ancient Egypt | ||
| Ancient Rome | ||
| Late Antiquity: The Transformation of the Mediterranean World (200–600 AD) | ||
| Medieval Jewish History | ||
| Ancient Philosophy | ||
| Theatre History I | ||
| From Cave Paintings to Cathedrals | ||
| Introduction To Linguistics/Language Science 2 | ||
| American Literature I | ||
| British Literature I 2 | ||
| Bible As Literature 2 | ||
| Structure Of English 2 | ||
| Shakespeare 2 | ||
| Arthurian Legends 2 | ||
| History Of The English Language 2 | ||
| The Novel Before 1900 | ||
| Old English 2 | ||
| Theory and Criticism in English Studies | ||
| External Internship | ||
| Publication Practicum | ||
| Publication Practicum | ||
| Publication Practicum | ||
| Classical Studies 1, 2 | ||
| Medieval Studies 1, 2 | ||
| Early Modern Studies 1, 2 | ||
| Studies in Rhetoric and Composition | ||
| Studies in Genre 1, 2 | ||
| Studies in Authorship 1, 2 | ||
| Studies in Digital Humanities 1, 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
| 1 | These courses, when offered with different content, are repeatable for credit. |
| 2 | These courses, which may fit in more than one category, may only be used once towards the 36 credit hour total. |
General Electives
Students must take elective credit hours to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for their degree, including at least 36 credit hours of coursework at the 300-level or above. The minimum required by the university is 120 credit hours, of which at least 30 credit hours must be taken at UMKC, but some degree programs require more.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Electives | 51 | |
Minimum GPA: 2.0
Total Credit Hours: 120
Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements
UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years. Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”. In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.
UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).
