2024-2025 Student Catalog 
    
    Dec 10, 2024  
2024-2025 Student Catalog

English, A.A.


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Contact Information

Program Requirements

Typical Program

Degree/Certificate:   Associates in Arts
HEGIS Code:           5615
SUNY Code:            0323
Major Code:             ENGL

The Career

A degree in English can lead to a variety of career pathways. Career opportunities exist in business, communications, education, government and civic organizations for associate degree holders. For example, technical writers were projected to see an employment increase of 8% from 2018 to 2028, and the mean wage was $75,500 annually in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Crucially, Associate degree holders are potential candidates for wide variety of second majors and baccalaureate degrees in other fields, from Law to Marketing, Education to Public Relations, Medicine to Business. This program will prepare students to become good writers, critical thinkers, and well-rounded citizens; all skills which are transferable in a growing job market as well as in advanced educational settings.

The SUNY Niagara Approach

The English degree program provides students with a variety of literature and writing courses in anticipation of transfer to a four-year degree program and beyond, preparing them for transfer paths and careers in business, communication and media arts, law, publishing, the teaching of English, public relations, and any career that requires excellent communication and writing skills. The curriculum balances liberal art studies with a heavy concentration on literature, as well as in writing and editing, thus providing students with a strong foundation in the analytical  and critical thinking skills required of the 21st century citizen.

Admission

Students admitted in fall, spring and summer.

Program Goals and Objectives

  • To prepare students for a career that values interpersonal communication, critical thinking, and editing skills
  • To prepare students for transfer into baccalaureate English curricula

Program Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this program, the student will:

  • Analyze texts from a number of genres
  • Analyze texts from a variety of historical periods
  • Read texts critically and with sensitivity to the historical or cultural conditions within which they are produced
  • Produce effective critical and creative or journalistic writing in a variety of modes, employing a variety of theoretical approaches
  • Incorporate appropriate secondary sources using MLA style into analyses of texts and in support of original arguments and analyses

Program Requirements


  1. A total of at least 62-credit hours with a minimum curriculum grade-point average of 2.0. Academic Foundations courses do not count towards the degree.
  2. English/Literature:  A minimum of 24-credit hours to include:
    ENG 101 - Writing I  
    ENG 102 - Writing II & Introduction to Literature  OR
    ENG 103 - Writing for STEM  
    9-credit hours selected (by advisement) from:
    ENG 145 - Journalism I  
    ENG 146 - Journalism II  
    ENG 149 - Introduction to Linguistics I  
    ENG 205 - Creative Non-Fiction I  
    ENG 206 - Creative Non-Fiction II  
    ENG 229 - Creative Writing I  
    ENG 230 - Creative Writing II  
    9-credit hours selected from:
    LIT   ____  Literature electives
  3. Communication: A minimum of 3-credit hours selected from:
    ___  ___  Basic Communication - General Education Elective   - Oral
  4. Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning: A minimum of 3-credit hours
    ___  ___  Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning - General Education Elective   
  5. SUNY General Education Social Science Elective: A minimum of 3-credit hours selected from:
    ___  ___ Social Science - General Education Elective  
  6. Humanities or Social Science elective:  A minimum of 3-credit hours selected from:
    ___  ___  Humanities  General Education Elective OR
    ___  ___  Social Science  General Education Elective
  7. Natural Science & Scientific Reasoning Elective: A minimum of 3-credit hours to include:
    ___  ___ Natural Science & Scientific Reasoning - General Education Elective   
  8. SUNY General Education Electives:  A minimum of 9-credit hours to include:
    ___  ___  Diversity: Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice General Education   elective if LIT course does not meet DVRS (will be a Gen Ed elective if DVRS is previously met by LIT)
    SUNY General Education electives selected from two areas that have not been met: 
    ___  ___ The Arts  
    ___  ___ US History & Civic Engagement 
    ___ ___  World History & Global Awareness 
    ___  ___ World Language  
  9. Health/Physical Education Electives:  A minimum of 2-credit hours
    ___  ___  HPE/PED   electives
  10. Liberal Arts Electives:  A minimum of 9 credit hours
    ___  ___  Liberal Arts  elective
  11. Free electives:  A minimum of 3-credit hours

Typical Program


First Semester


  • 3 Cr.
  • ___  ___  Basic Communication - Oral General Education elective 3 Cr.
  • MAT  ___  Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning General Education elective  3 Cr.
  • ___   ___  SUNY General Education elective selected from ARTS, USCV, GLBL, or WLNG   3 Cr.
  • ___   ___  Health/Physical Education elective  2 Cr.

Total Credit Hours: 14


Second Semester


Total Credit Hours: 15


Third Semester


  • ENG  ___  English elective (by advisement) 3 Cr.
  • LIT     ___  Literature elective 3 Cr.
  • LIT     ___  Literature elective 3 Cr.
  • ___    ___  Natural Science & Scientific Reasoning General Education elective 3 Cr.
  • ___    ___  Liberal Arts elective 3 Cr.
  • ___    ___  Liberal Arts elective 3 Cr.

Total Credit Hours: 18


Fourth Semester


  • ENG  ___  English elective (by advisement) 3 Cr.
  • LIT    ___  Literature elective 3 Cr.
  • ___   ___  Humanities/Social Science elective 3 Cr.
  • ___   ___  Diversity: Equity Inclusion & Social Justice General Education elective if LIT course does not meet DVRS (will be a Gen Ed elective if DVRS is previously met by LIT) 3 Cr.
  • ___   ___  Social Science elective 3 Cr.

Total Credit Hours: 15


Scholarship Opportunities


There are several scholarships available to SUNY Niagara students. Scholarship deadline dates vary each semester.  For more information, please visit the scholarship webpage at www.niagaracc.suny.edu/scholarships. The SUNY Niagara Foundation/Scholarship Office is located within the Foundation Office, A-265 or by phone (716) 614-5910.

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