Undergraduate Program

Associate professor of English Brian Fehler, Ph.D., lectures during a presidential debate watch on campus.
Associate professor Brian Fehler, Ph.D., lectures during a presidential debate watch event on campus.

Write your own story with a BA in English from TWU.

Our undergraduate program will provide you with multiple paths toward achieving your professional and personal goals. We offer courses in face-to-face, online and hybrid formats. Our small class sizes encourage collaboration among students and instructors. In addition to traditional classroom learning, our faculty will provide you with opportunities for field trips, experiential learning, academic support and professional mentorship. As a student in our program, you also will have the option of joining one of our English honor societies.

Our English core classes lie at the foundation of our bachelor’s degree and will provide you with a broad knowledge of literature, linguistics, English studies, grammar and composition. In addition to the core, you will choose to specialize in one of three degree tracks: literature, rhetoric and writing, or 7-12 teacher certification. Each track includes its own unique set of courses, allowing you to focus on the area you are most passionate about.

We are now offering a BA-MA Accelerated Program in English with tracks in Literature and Rhetoric & Writing. Learn more>>

Hear from our students

I rave about my ESFL professors all the time. I transferred from my first university feeling completely burnt out about school, and beginning my English classes at TWU gave me a brand new mindset that I desperately needed. It’s evident that everyone in ESFL really cares about each student, and I am truly grateful. Cara Davis, BA Literature Track, Spring 2019

See what our current students are doing

Hear from our alumni

Tatyana Bryant (BA '18), current graduate student

"The training I received in writing, rhetoric and literary analysis at TWU has helped me abundantly in grad school, especially in a science-centered field. I decided to pursue my master's in learning technologies, and thanks to my training, I'm able to approach scientific 'problems' with a literary/rhetorical lens.

We see the patterns of a character in a story and how they are representative of not just the plot but of a larger issue in the world, and we follow them as they adventure through trauma, joy, sadness, love or capitalism. I see this as no different to neurons in the brain that form neural nets and shift our perception when presented with certain patterns or stimuli. Those possibilities in stories, either technical or imaginative, help to shape reader experience, while those possibilities in science can help educators shape that same experience within learning via curriculum.

My rhetorical analysis skills have thus far been the foundation in which most of my work is rooted. The skills you learn in the program are so versatile, not only on a technical level but on a philosophical and psychological level as well.

You never stop being an English major, and the professors in the TWU ESFL program helped make that happen!"

Tatyana Bryant, BA in English, 2018
Currently pursuing an MS in Learning Technologies at UNT

Degree details

Degree plans

Exit portfolio documents

Course rotation

Minors

All English majors must complete at least 18 hours in a minor field of study. Our program offers a minor in Spanish as well as a minor in journalism, which is available through a partnership with the University of North Texas. For students on the teacher certification track, courses taken in the College of Professional Education count as the minor field of study.

Foreign language requirements

Students may choose from one of the following options in order to fulfill the foreign language requirement for the degree in English. Learn more about foreign language courses offered within the program.

  • 12 hours in one foreign language
  • 6 hours each in two foreign languages
  • 9 hours in one foreign language and 3 hours in American Sign Language

Current student forms and resources

Admission requirements

Undergraduate Admission

When you apply to TWU, we will evaluate your academic achievement and preparation, as well as your standardized test scores. Admission to TWU is valid for four terms, unless you have attended another higher education institution.

Check out the links below for specific admissions information:

Questions about the admissions process? Contact the Office of Admissions Processing.

Office of Admissions
Texas Woman’s University
P.O. Box 425649
Denton, TX 76204-5649
oap@twu.edu
940-898-3076 or 1-866-809-6130 ext. 3076

Admission to the Educator Preparation Program

Teacher Certification

Application Deadlines

There are three application periods per year (Fall, Spring, and Summer). Students must have their applications in by the deadline the semester before they intend to take ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, or READ 4223 (EC-3 only).  (see schedule below).

Spring Application Deadlines*  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Summer)
  • May 1 - Deadline to apply for Summer admission
  • May 31 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement
Summer Application Deadlines  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Fall)
  • July 1 - Deadline to apply for Fall admission
  • July 31 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement
Fall Application Deadlines*  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Spring)
  • December 1 - Deadline to apply for Spring admission
  • December 21 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement

Guidelines

Please adhere to the following guidelines: 

  • We recommend preparing your application well in advance of the deadline. That way you will be able to identify and resolve any potential issues before the deadline date. 
  • If you intend to register early for ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, or READ 4223 (EC-3 only) for the Summer or Fall semesters and have met all admission requirements, it is recommended that you apply to the EPP by December 1.
  • If you apply for admission to the Educator Preparation Program while enrolled in EDUC 2003 or are taking coursework to increase your GPA to a 2.75, the Office of Educator Preparation Services will process your application. If the GPA requirement, along with all other admission requirements are met at the end of the semester, an admission decision will be made at that time.
  • No late applications will be accepted. If the deadline date falls on a weekend or a day that TWU is closed, applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on the next day that TWU is open after the deadline day.

Requirements

In addition to the general undergraduate admissions requirements, to obtain acceptance into the undergraduate Educator Preparation Program (and prior to taking ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003EDUC 3482, EDUC 4113EDUC 4243, READ 4223 (EC-3 only), and Clinical Student Teaching) students must have:

  • A cumulative GPA of 2.75 (includes all courses, whether posted to TWU transcript or used on a degree plan. Excludes developmental and repeated courses);
  • Demonstrated basic skills in reading, written communication, and mathematics by meeting the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative;
  • A minimum of 12 to 15 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area for the certification sought;
  • Completed EDUC 2003 with a C or higher;
  • Completed department application for admission to the Educator Preparation Program in Tk20;
  • Submitted a non-refundable Texas Education Agency Fee;
  • Completed a Commitment Contract acknowledging awareness and understanding of the Professional Dispositions Policy and Educators’ Code of Ethics;
  • Successfully completed a pre-admission departmental interview with an interview panel; and
  • Acknowledged and accepted admission to the Educator Preparation Program.

Please note: 

  • All accepted students must maintain the admission requirements to remain in the TWU Education Preparation Program.
  • Admission requirements are determined by Texas Education Agency policies and are subject to change without notice.
  • Students seeking Bilingual certification must meet minimum proficiency in Spanish.
  • Students seeking Deaf/Hard of Hearing certification must meet minimum proficiency in sign.

All admission decisions are based on the successful completion of the above requirements. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation may affect certification. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Texas Education Agency. Any previous or current issues of academic dishonesty, disruptive behavior, or professional dispositions infractions at TWU, another university, or another Educator Preparation Program may result in denial of admission. Any decision may be appealed by contacting the Office of Educator Preparation Services at 940-898-2829.

Contact the Office of Educator Preparation Services (OEPS) at copeadvising@twu.edu or 940-898-2829 with any questions.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Requirements

  • Candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator. [19 TAC §227.1(b)(1)]
  • Candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching. [19 TAC §227.1(b)(2)]
  • The potential ineligibility of an individual who has been convicted of an offense for issuance of a certificate. [19 TAC §227.1(d)(1)]
  • The right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation from TEA. [19 TAC §227.1(d)(3)]

Scholarships and financial aid

There are a number of scholarships designated specifically for majors within the TWU English, Rhetoric and Spanish Program. Explore our undergraduate and organizational scholarships.

To apply for financial aid, please visit the TWU Financial Aid website.

Need more information?

Contact Gage Jeter, PhD, at gjeter@twu.edu to learn more about our undergraduate program.

Current students contact englishadvising@twu.edu for an advising appointment.

Request More Information

The BA in English with a Concentration in Teacher Certification prepares educator candidates for the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) exam (State Board for Educator Certification through the Texas Education Agency). If you are a resident of another state, contact the Office of Educator Preparation Services to determine whether our program fulfills requirements to take the certification exam in your home state.

Page last updated 2:23 PM, July 19, 2024