English BA / Communication MS
Major: English and Communication
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 226.0 - 228.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years); Two Co-op (Five years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 09.0199
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-2011
About the Program
The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most sought-after skills by prospective employers industry wide. Drexel University is committed to building this strong foundation through the Accelerated Degree option, which enables academically qualified students to earn both a bachelor's and master’s degree — graduating sooner than they would in traditional programs. Graduates of the accelerated degree enter the workforce one year sooner with the benefits of both a bachelor's degree in English and a master’s degree in communication, using the year saved to gain full-time experience and earn a salary in the field.
The BA in English focuses on three areas:
- A rich Academic Core grounded in disciplinary expertise that promotes literary exploration, sophisticated textual literacy, excellent writing, and other transferable skills;
- Applied Learning opportunities using skills in research, interpretation, analysis, and writing to solve real-world problems;
- Opportunities for Civic Engagement, connecting with community partners to promote social justice and the common good.
Drexel’s MS in Communication program requires 45.0 graduate credits, and prepares students for careers in a wide range of professional activities. The program specializes in three areas:
- public communication
- technical communication
- science and health communication
Public Communication
Public Communication has much to offer those looking to work in journalism, public relations, and nonprofit organizations. Students can choose from courses such as Strategic Social Media Communication, Event Planning, Journalism and News Writing, Public Relations Writing and Campaign Planning, and Nonprofit Communication.
Technical Communication
Technical Communication provides skills in technical writing, editing, and computer documentation, and trains students for careers in a wide range of industries from social networking to publishing to health insurance. Students choose from courses such as Technical Writing, Digital Publishing, Technical & Science Editing, and Technical Documentation & Software.
Science and Health Communication
Science and Health Communication leads to careers in medical, science, and pharmaceutical communication. Students can choose from courses such as Science Writing, Medical Journalism, Campaigns in Health & Environment, and Communicating Health and Risk in a 'Fake News' World.
In addition, the program provides a strong foundation in ethics and theoretical approaches to communication. This theoretical basis is designed to ensure that, as the field changes, students will continue to have an intellectual framework for evaluating and implementing new technology and changing media.
The program emphasizes flexibility, encouraging each student, in consultation with an academic advisor, to craft a particular course of study. Throughout the curriculum, students may use electives to increase communication skills or to further develop areas of specialization. The Master's degree requires a total of 45.0 graduate credits.
For additional information, visit the MS in Communication web page. Contact Julia May, Director of the MS in Communication Program at julia.may@drexel.edu for more information.
Admission Requirements
Already matriculated English majors may apply after completing a minimum of 90.0 credits but no more than 120.0 credits. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and maintain this GPA throughout the program.
In addition to formally applying and getting all the signatures required on the Accelerated Degree Program Admission form, applicants must provide:
- A 500-word statement of goals that explains why they want to enroll in the accelerated degree program.
- The name of a faculty reference who can speak to the applicant’s academic qualifications and preparedness for graduate studies.
For more information contact Dr. Julia May, Director of the MS in Communication Program at julia.may@drexel.edu.
Degree Requirements
CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development | 1.0 |
ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
UNIV H101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
UNIV H201 | Looking Forward: Academics and Careers | 1.0 |
Mathematics courses for a minimum of 6.0 credits | 6.0 | |
Science courses for a minimum of 6.0 credits | 6.0 | |
Social and Behavioral Science courses for a minimum of 12 credits | 12.0 | |
Humanities courses (other than ENGL or WRIT) for a minimum of 6 credits | 6.0 | |
Studies in Diversity courses for a minimum of 6 credits | 6.0 | |
International Studies courses for a minimum of 6 credits | 6.0 | |
Language requirement (2 consecutive courses, reaching at least 103) | 8.0 | |
Core Courses, Required for either Concentrations | ||
ENGL 195 | English Freshman Seminar | 3.0 |
ENGL 207 [WI] | African American Literature | 3.0 |
ENGL 301 | English Major Colloquium * | 3.0 |
ENGL 315 [WI] | Shakespeare | 3.0 |
ENGL 325 | Topics in World Literature | 3.0 |
ENGL 355 [WI] | Women and Literature | 3.0 |
ENGL 495 | Senior Project in Literature | 3.0 |
WRIT 195 | Threshold Concepts in Writing | 3.0 |
WRIT 200 | Language Puzzles and Word Games: Issues in Modern Grammar | 3.0 |
WRIT 225 [WI] | Creative Writing | 3.0 |
Concentrations (Choose 1) | 36.0 | |
A) Literary Studies Concentration (36 credits) | ||
Literature Surveys - Select 4 for a minimum of 12 credits | ||
Classical to Medieval Literature | ||
Renaissance to the Enlightenment | ||
Romanticism to Modernism | ||
Survey of World Literature | ||
Post-Colonial Literature | ||
American Literature I | ||
American Literature II | ||
British Literature I | ||
British Literature II | ||
Authors and Periods - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits | ||
Period Studies | ||
or ENGL 320 | Major Authors | |
Literary Impacts - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits | ||
Literature & Science | ||
or ENGL 323 | Literature and Other Arts | |
or ENGL 360 | Literature and Society | |
Literary Traditions - Select one for a minimum of 3 credits | ||
The Bible as Literature | ||
or ENGL 335 | Mythology | |
Literary Theory - 3 credits | ||
Literary Theory | ||
Literature Seminars - Take both for a minimum of 6 credits | ||
Seminar in English and American Literature | ||
Seminar in World Literature | ||
English Electives - minimum of 6 credits | ||
Choose any additional 2 courses (300+) in ENGL or WRIT for a minimum of 6 credits | ||
B) Writing Concentration | ||
Foundations - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits | ||
The Peer Reader in Context | ||
or WRIT 211 | Advanced Composition | |
Rhetoric and Technique - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits | ||
Argument and Rhetoric | ||
or WRIT 295 | Forms Seminar | |
Audience Awareness - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits | ||
Writing for Target Audiences | ||
or WRIT 315 | Writing for Social Change | |
Writing Practices - Select 7 additional courses for a minimum of 21 credits (at least 5 must be WRIT or ENGL courses) | ||
Introduction to Journalism | ||
Business Communication | ||
Technical Communication | ||
Grant Writing | ||
Research Project Development | ||
Playwriting I | ||
Screenwriting I | ||
The Peer Reader in Context | ||
Advanced Composition | ||
Argument and Rhetoric | ||
Story Medicine | ||
Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
Writing in Public Spaces | ||
“Mistakes Were Made”: Truth, Writing, and Responsibility | ||
Forms Seminar | ||
Writing Poetry | ||
Writing Fiction | ||
Writing Humor and Comedy | ||
Life is Beautiful | ||
Writing About the Media | ||
Literary Editing & Publication | ||
Writing and Reading the Memoir | ||
Writing for Target Audiences | ||
Writing for Social Change | ||
Writing for -- and about -- the Web | ||
Advanced Poetry Workshop | ||
Advanced Fiction Workshop | ||
Internship in Publishing | ||
Special Topics in Writing | ||
English Electives - minimum of 6 credits | ||
Choose any additional 2 courses (300+) in WRIT or ENGL for a minimum of 6 credits | ||
ELECTIVES | 52.0-54.0 | |
MS in Communication | ||
Required Courses | ||
COM 500 | Reading & Research in Communication | 3.0 |
COM 610 | Theories of Communication and Persuasion | 3.0 |
COM 698 | Managing Communication Professional Identities in a Digital Age | 3.0 |
Electives ** | 21.0 | |
Required Concentration Courses | 15.0 | |
Students must select and complete one of the following concentration options: | ||
Technical Communication | ||
Ethics for Technical, Science and Health Communication | ||
Choose four of the following: | ||
Technical Writing | ||
Document Design and Usability | ||
Digital Publishing | ||
Technical Documentation and Software | ||
Technical, Science and Health Editing | ||
Software Development | ||
Perspectives on Information Systems | ||
Science and Health Communication | ||
Ethics for Technical, Science and Health Communication | ||
Choose four of the following: | ||
Campaigns for Health and Environment | ||
Science Writing | ||
Technical, Science and Health Editing | ||
Medical Writing | ||
or COM 673 | Medical Journalism | |
Theory and Practice in Health Communication | ||
Public Communication | ||
Ethics for Professional Communication | ||
Choose four of the following: | ||
Modern Desktop Publishing | ||
Digital Publishing | ||
Strategic Social Media Communication | ||
Foundations of Public Relations | ||
Public Relations Writing *** | ||
Public Relations Planning *** | ||
Fundamentals of Journalism & Newswriting | ||
Event Planning | ||
Grant Writing | ||
Nonprofit Communications | ||
Telecommunications Regulation and Policy | ||
Investigative Journalism | ||
Total Credits | 226.0-228.0 |
* | One credit course taken three times for a total of 3.0 credits. |
** | Any appropriate graduate course offered in the University can serve as an elective if the student has sufficient background to take the course. In addition, the program offers its own elective courses including special topics (COM T680). Qualified students may also pursue independent study for elective credit in special cases. |
*** | To enroll in this class you must first earn a grade of "B" or better in COM 541 Foundations of Public Relations or get permission from the MS COM advisor to waive this requirement. |
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plan of Study
4 Year, 1 Co-Op
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 195 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV H101 | 1.0 | WRIT 200 | 3.0 | ENGL 207 | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Foreign Language Course | 4.0 | (UG) Foreign Language Course (level 103+) | 4.0 | WRIT 195 | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Math Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Math Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social/Behavioral Science Elective | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Social/Behavioral Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social/Behavioral Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Science Elective | 3.0 | ||
17 | 17 | 16 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 301 | 1.0 | (UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | ENGL 301 | 1.0 | ENGL 325 | 3.0 |
WRIT 225 | 3.0 | (UG) Authors & Periods | 3.0 | ENGL 315 | 3.0 | (UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 |
(UG) Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Diversity Studies | 3.0 | (UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | (UG) Literary Impacts | 3.0 |
(UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | (UG) International Studies Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Diversity Studies | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 |
(UG) International Studies Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Humanities Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Social/Behavioral Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||
16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 301 | 1.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 13.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
ENGL 380 | 3.0 | COM 610 | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Free Electives | 9.0 | ||||||
COM 500 | 3.0 | ||||||
16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 490 | 3.0 | ENGL 355 | 3.0 | ENGL 495 | 3.0 | Student classified as Graduate | |
UNIV H201 | 1.0 | ENGL 492 | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 9.0 | ||
(UG) Literary Traditions | 3.0 | (UG) English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | (GR) Concentration Core | 3.0 | ||
(UG) English Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | (GR) Elective | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | (GR) Concentration Core | 3.0 | Student graduates with BA degree | |||
COM 613 or 612 | 3.0 | ||||||
19 | 18 | 18 | 0 | ||||
Fifth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
COM 698 | 3.0 | (GR) Concentration Core | 3.0 | (GR) Graduate Electives | 9.0 | ||
(GR) Concentration Core | 3.0 | (GR) Graduate Electives | 6.0 | ||||
(GR) Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
9 | 9 | 9 | |||||
Total Credits 226 |
* | COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101. |
** | See degree requirements. |
5 Year, 3 Co-Op
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | COOP 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 195 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV H101 | 1.0 | WRIT 200 | 3.0 | ENGL 207 | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Foreign Language Course | 4.0 | (UG) Foreign Language Course (level 103+ or higher) | 4.0 | WRIT 195 | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Math Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Math Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social/Behavioral Science | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social/Behavioral Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Science Elective | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
17 | 17 | 19 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ENGL 301 | 1.0 | (UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | ||
WRIT 225 | 3.0 | (UG) Diversity Studies | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) International Studies Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | (UG) Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) International Studies Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | ||||
(UG) Social/Behavioral Sciences | 3.0 | ||||||
(UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
0 | 0 | 19 | 18 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ENGL 301 (2nd of 3) | 1.0 | ENGL 325 | 3.0 | ||
(GR) Grad Concentration Core | 3.0 | ENGL 315 | 3.0 | (UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Literature Survey | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 9.0 | ||||
(UG) Authors and Periods | 3.0 | (GR) Concentration Core | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Diversity Studies | 3.0 | ||||||
(UG) Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
(GR) Concentration Core | 3.0 | ||||||
0 | 3 | 19 | 18 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 301 | 1.0 | (UG) Electives | 12.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
ENGL 355 | 3.0 | COM 610 | 3.0 | (GR) Graduate Elective | 3.0 | (GR) Graduate Elective | 3.0 |
(UG) Literary Impacts | 3.0 | (GR) Grad Concentration Core | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Literary Traditions | 3.0 | ||||||
(UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
COM 500 | 3.0 | ||||||
COM 613 or 612 | 3.0 | ||||||
19 | 18 | 3 | 3 | ||||
Fifth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
ENGL 380 | 3.0 | ENGL 492 | 3.0 | ENGL 495 | 3.0 | ||
ENGL 490 | 3.0 | (UG) English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 9.0 | ||
UNIV H201 | 1.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | (GR) Graduate Electives | 6.0 | ||
(UG) English Elective (ENGL or WRIT) | 3.0 | (GR) Graduate Electives | 6.0 | ||||
(UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
COM 698 | 3.0 | ||||||
(GR) Graduate Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
19 | 18 | 18 | |||||
Total Credits 228 |