Supporting Your Success at Every Level Graduate, Online & Professional Studies
blackboard icon SiS

Available entirely online!

Bachelor of Arts in English

Set the stage for your future and develop your aptitude for research, writing, and critical thinking with UMass Lowell's Bachelor of Arts in English.

Get more information today:

For details about how we use your information, please review our privacy policy. Unsubscribe at any time - Learn More
young adult girl studying at home
Upcoming Event: Attend our virtual Open House Oct. 16 and receive an application fee waiver. Learn more.

BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR YOUR FUTURE WITH A B.A. IN ENGLISH

UMass Lowell's bachelor of arts in English online offers a vigorous curriculum grounded in British and American literary traditions, the study of contemporary critical methods, and the regular practice of research and writing.

Your school to UMass Lowell

Transfer up to 90 College Credits

online equals day school

Online Students Receive the Same Degree and Diploma as On-Campus Students

dollar sign and diploma

Variety of Financial Aid and Scholarships Available

12-36 month calendar

Complete in as Little as 12 to 36 Months

With this affordable and flexible English literature degree program, you will develop a strong liberal arts foundation, as well as critical thinking, reading and writing skills that will serve you well in any future career or academic path you may choose.

Best Bachelors US News and World Report Award Ranked as One of the Best Online Bachelor's Programs in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report
According to studies from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers often rank skills such as critical thinking and communication — hallmarks of liberal arts training — above technical aptitude as essential for career readiness.
— Bureau of Labor Statistics, Career Outlook, "Putting Your Liberal Arts Degree to Work"

UMass Lowell's English faculty are active scholars and creative writers who conduct research and publish in a wide variety of literary and cultural traditions, including fiction; poetry and nonfiction; English, American, and world literatures; gender studies; rhetoric and composition; and literary theory, among others.

Success Story

"Being an online and transfer student at UMass Lowell has exceeded everything I ever expected. They had my back the whole way — in the financial aid department, with the transfer of my credits, the advisors, the professors, everything."

Kristin S., Bachelor of Arts in English
Kristin S.

Kristin S.

Graduates of the Bachelor of English program can pursue a variety of career paths including:

  • Advertising Account Executive
  • Author/Writer
  • Communications Manager
  • Content Strategist
  • Copywriter
  • Editor
  • High School Teacher
  • Journalist
  • Librarian
  • News Reporter
  • Paralegal
  • Proposal Manager
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Technical Writer
  • Web Content Manager
Employment of writers and authors is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
— U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2018

Transfer Credits / Credit for Prior Learning

Have you earned credits by taking courses at another accredited college or university in the past? You may be able to count those credits and courses towards your degree at UMass Lowell. Please review our transfer credit policy and email our Advising Center at Continuing_Education@uml.edu for additional details.

UMass Lowell's B.A. in English is consistently independently ranked as a top online program.

Best Online Bachelors Degree in English Award
#2 Best Value Online Bachelor's in English
Best Online Bachelors Degree in English Award
#4 Best Online College for Bachelor's in English
Best Online Bachelors Degree in English Award
#5 Best Online School for Bachelor's in English
Best Online Bachelors Degree in English Award
#15 Best Online Bachelor's in English

Curriculum Outline

- Program for students accepted prior to Fall 2015
- Number of Courses Required: 40 (120 credits)

English Major Requirements (12-18 Courses / 36-54cr)

A maximum of 18 English courses (54cr) may count toward your degree program, and a total of 66 credits must be taken outside of the English major.

Required 2000-Level Courses (3 Courses / 9cr)

Theory/Composition/Language Requirement - Choose (1 Course / 3cr)

  • ENGL.3070 History of the English Language (3cr)
  • ENGL.3080 Analysis of Modern English (3cr)
  • ENGL.3150 Old English Language and Literature (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • ENGL.3770 Theories of Rhetoric and Composition (3cr)
  • ENGL.3880 Undergraduate Seminar on the Teaching of Writing (3cr)
  • ENGL.3920 Visual Rhetoric (3cr)
  • ENGL.4290 Introduction to Literary Theory (3cr)

Major Author Course Requirement - Choose (1 Course / 3cr)

Additional major author courses are currently under development.

Capstone Course - (3cr)

Capstone Course: All students must complete one capstone course in English (3cr) Take one 4000-level English course to meet the capstone course requirement.

English Electives - Choose at least 6 (18-36cr)

A maximum of 12 courses/36 credits are allowed as English Department electives. At least 4 English Electives must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.

Students may select their English Department elective courses from any of the above English courses not already used toward the requirements above, or from any other 2000-level or higher English courses. At least one of the student's English Department courses must fulfill the English Department's Diverse Literary Traditions requirement.
  • ENGL.3140 Mystery Writing (3cr)
  • ENGL.3150 Old English Language and Literature (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • ENGL.3170 British Literature of the Twentieth Century (3cr)
  • ENGL.3200 Personal and Reflective Writing (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • ENGL.3240 Writing About Place (3cr)
  • ENGL.3250 The Rise of the Novel (3cr)
  • ENGL.3330 American Autobiography (3cr)
  • ENGL.3350 American Women Novelists (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • ENGL.3370 The Gothic Tradition in Literature (3cr)
  • ENGL.3410 Studies in Film (3cr)
  • ENGL.3490 Arthurian Literature (3cr)
  • ENGL.3530 Literature of the Seventeenth Century (3cr)
  • ENGL.3700 Contemporary American Fiction (3cr)
  • ENGL.3760 African-American Literature (3cr)
  • ENGL.3770 Theories of Rhetoric and Composition (3cr)
  • ENGL.3790 Post Colonial Literature (3cr)
  • ENGL.3830 Theatre History II: Nineteenth Century to the Present (3cr)
  • ENGL.3880 Undergraduate Seminar on the Teaching of Writing (3cr)
  • ENGL.3920 Visual Rhetoric (3cr)
  • ENGL.4010 Selected Authors (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • ENGL.4290 Introduction to Literary Theory (3cr)

The above list is partial and subject to change. Check the program website each semester for the most up-to-date list of online English course electives (courses with the ENGL.xxxx prefix).

University Core Curriculum (12 Required Courses / 36-38 credits)

Breadth of Knowledge Requirements

  • ENGL.1010 College Writing I (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • ENGL.1020 College Writing II (3cr) - Available Fall 2021!
  • MATH.---- Mathematics Perspective (MATH) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Social Sciences Perspective (SS) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Social Sciences Perspective (SS) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Social Sciences Perspective (SS) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Science with Lab Course (SCL) - 3-4cr.**
  • ----.---- Science with Lab Course (SCL)- 3-4cr.**
  • ----.---- STEM Course (STEM) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Arts & Humanities Perspective (AH) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Arts & Humanities Perspective (AH) - 3cr.
  • ----.---- Arts & Humanities Perspective (AH) - 3cr.

**Note: Some Science with Lab Perspective courses have a lab incorporated into a 3-credit course, while others require that a 1-credit lab be taken alongside a 3-credit course.

Essential Learning Outcomes

In addition to the above Breadth of Knowledge courses, you must fulfill all of the University's seven "Essential Learning Outcomes" (ELOs) as you progress through your degree program. The Essential Learning Outcomes and their abbreviations are:

  • Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA): Be a thoughtful, aware citizen of the global community.
  • Information Literacy (IL): Find, evaluate, and synthesize information effectively and persuasively.
  • Social Responsibility and Ethics (SRE): Shape the world to improve life in your community and beyond.
  • Written and Oral Communication (WOC): Express ideas to professional peers with purpose and clarity.
  • Quantitative Literacy (QL): Be skilled in the many forms and varieties of numerical analysis.
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (CTPS): Evaluate ideas and evidence rationally to produce and implement solutions.
  • Applied and Integrative Learning (AIL): Synthesize knowledge and abilities in meaningful practice.

Courses that fulfill the ELO requirement are coded with DCA, IL, SRE, WOC, QL, CTPS and AIL. TIP: Look for Breadth of Knowledge courses and courses required for your degree that offer more than one of these ELO designations, so you can conveniently complete these ELO requirements as you take your required courses.

See the list of Core Curriculum Courses currently available through Graduate, Online & Professional Studies.

For additional information on the Core Curriculum requirement, visit https://www.uml.edu/Academics/undergraduate-programs/gened/Core-Curriculum/

Foreign Language Requirement (4-5 Courses / 12-15 credits)

Choose either the World Languages Track (Option 1; 4 courses) or the World Ready Track (Option 2; 5 courses). All Bachelor of Arts in English students must declare which language requirement track they will pursue upon acceptance into the degree program by completing the Language Requirement FAHSS Form.

Option 1: World Languages Track (4 courses / 12cr)

Take 4 consecutive courses in a specific foreign language (e.g. Spanish 1 through 4 or French 1 through 4).

  • ----.---- Foreign Language Level 1 (3cr)
  • ----.---- Foreign Language Level 2 (3cr)
  • ----.---- Foreign Language Level 3 (3cr)
  • ----.---- Foreign Language Level 4 (3cr)

Option 2: World Ready Track (5 courses / 15cr)

Take 2 consecutive courses in a foreign language at a level above your current language proficiency AND take 3 "World Ready" courses, which are conducted in English and focus on the culture, civilization, philosophy, literature, history, politics of the region(s) in which the language you are studying is spoken. Approved courses will be listed with either "SPANISH" or "FRENCH" among their Core Curriculum Codes in our semester course listing. Please check with your advisor for assistance in selecting courses that will meet this requirement.

  • ----.---- Foreign Language Level 1 (3cr)
  • ----.---- Foreign Language Level 2 (3cr)
  • ----.---- World Ready Pre-Approved or Flex Course (3cr)
  • ----.---- World Ready Pre-Approved or Flex Course (3cr)
  • ----.---- World Ready Pre-Approved or Flex Course (3cr)
World Ready Pre-Approved Courses - French
  • ARHI.3230 Northern Renaissance Art (French)
  • ENGL.3411 International Cinema Studies: French New Wave Cinema (French)
  • HIST.3340 The French Revolution and Napoleon (French)
  • HIST.3380 War and Memory in Twentieth Century France (French)
  • WLFR.3760 French Cinema & Society (French)
World Ready Pre-Approved Courses - Spanish
  • ARHI.3350 Spanish Golden Age Art (Spanish)
  • HIST.2090 Colonial Latin America (Spanish)
  • HIST.2120 Modern Latin America (Spanish)
  • HIST.3490 The Cuban Revolution (Spanish)
  • PHIL.3880 Latin American Philosophy (Spanish)
  • POLI.3700 Latin American Politics (Spanish)
  • POLI.3720 Crime Security and Democracy in Latin America (Spanish)
  • SOCI.3520 Latinos in the US (Spanish)
  • WLSP.3750 Latin American and Spanish Cinema (Spanish)
  • WLSP.4045 Cervantes' Don Quijote in Translation (Spanish)
World Ready "Flex" Courses

To receive credit for World Ready Flex Courses, students must submit an Exception Form signed by the instructor by the end of the course acknowledging that the student completed substantive coursework related to their chosen language track. The following are examples of courses that have been approved as World Ready Flex courses in past semesters, however these courses were approved for specific semesters. Email your advisor for assistance when selecting World Ready Flex courses.

  • POLI.2150 African Politics (French - Fa'17)
  • ARHI.3350 Spanish Golden Age Art (Spanish)
  • HIST.3490 The Cuban Revolution (Spanish)
  • POLI.3700 Latin American Politics (Spanish)
  • POLI.3720 Crime Security and Democracy in Latin America (Spanish)
  • WLSP.3750 Latin American and Spanish Cinema (Spanish)

For additional details on the foreign language requirements, visit the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences website at https://www.uml.edu/FAHSS/Languages-Cultures/Language-Requirement.aspx.

Non-English Elective Courses and Balance of Required Credits

Students must complete at least two non-English elective courses at the 3000 or 4000 level. Additionally, all students must complete the balance of the 120 minimum credits required to earn their degree.

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

All bachelor's degree candidates are required to earn a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA), to present a minimum of 120 semester hours, to fulfill the residency requirements, to conform to the general regulations and requirements of the University, to satisfy the regulations and academic standards of the colleges which exercise jurisdiction over the degrees for which they are matriculating, to satisfy the curriculum requirements established by the departments or programs in their major, and to complete the University's Core Curriculum requirements, which are listed within the program's curriculum outline. For additional information regarding the University's general policies and procedures, transfer credit information and residency requirements; please refer to our Academic Policies & Procedures.

Course Descriptions

A workshop course that thoroughly explores the writing process from pre-writing to revision, with an emphasis on critical thinking, sound essay structure, mechanics, and academic integrity. Students will read, conduct rhetorical analyses, and practice the skills required for participation in academic discourse. Students will write expository essays throughout the semester, producing a minimum of four formal essays. 3 credits.

A workshop course that thoroughly explores the academic research writing process with an emphasis on entering into academic conversation. Building on the skills acquired in College Writing I, students will learn to write extensively with source material. Key skills addressed include finding,assessing, and integrating primary and secondary sources, and using proper documentation to ensure academic integrity. Students will produce analytical writing throughout the semester, including a minimum of four formal, researched essays. 3 credits.

Much of what we consider contemporary was born out of the modernist period, roughly 1900-1950, and was considered radical, even salacious, in its time.This course provides a sampling of modernist literature. Students will explore this period by examining exemplary texts, numerous historical and social events, and a few films. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

Students build on skills acquired in College Writing to gain English Studies discipline-speific mastery of the writing conventions, research, and citation practices used in departments of English. In addition, students practice the digital skills that will support them as they join the online learning community of the UML Department of English. 3 credits.

Presents a study of plays from the classical period to the present. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

Studies selections from the Renaissance through contemporary periods. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

This course teaches students how to sharpen their critical reading skills by learning to think about the short story in terms of its evolution over the last 200 years and by studying its literary techniques and themes. Student practice close, active reading as they examine and express their reactions to authors' works Readings may include authors such as Alexie, Alvarez, Baldwin, Bambara, Bechdel, Chekhov, Diaz, Faulkner, Gilman, Hawthorne, Hemingway, Irving, LeGuin, Lispector, Marquez, O'Connor, Poe, and Tolstoy. 3 credits. AH
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020 pre-req

This course examines literary responses to science in England and the United States from the early Nineteenth Century to the present. Readings include novels--Frankenstein, The Island of Doctor Moreau, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jurassic Park--essays, and poems. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE). 3 credits. AHE
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

Explores the genre from Poe to the present. 3 credits. AH
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020 pre-req

Presents the theory and practice of comedy from the Greeks to the present. 3 credits. LT

Studies the theory and practice of writing letters, memoranda and reports on specific business and technical problems. Registration preference for students enrolled in Business programs. 3 credits. Note: Students may not receive credit for both ENGL.2240 and ENGL.2260

Studies the theory and practice of letters, memoranda, reports and oral presentations on specific scientific and technical problems. 3 credits. Students may not receive credit for both ENGL.2240 and ENGL.2260; Students will learn about scientific and technical communication by engaging with lab reports, step-by-step instructions, technical manuals and so forth. This course gives students the opportunity to write two chapters in a technical manual by the end of the course. These chapters will include step-by-step instructions on how to fix, prepare, create, or describe a function or process related to a specific individual project.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020 pre-req

Analyzes and discusses the techniques and styles of selected professional essayists as well as the preparation of student essays. Emphasis will be placed on the writing process from prewriting through drafting and revising. English majors and minors only. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020.

This course explores film adaptation by looking at how writing can be turned into the visual and auditory forms. Through reading novels and watching their film adaptations, students learn conventions of fiction and film, and draw on this knowledge to discover the implications of adapting a written story into a movie. By asking students to think about the different ways writers and filmmakers convey meaning to their audiences, this course attempts to answer the question of why the movie is never exactly like the book. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

Designed to introduce students to understand science fiction and fantasy within the broader context of literature and literary theory. It attempts to develop and hone student's skills of critical analysis as it supplies them with the tools to contextualize their reading experience - i.e., to understand the origins and politics of the books that they read. 3 credits. AH

A course for aspiring creative writers among freshman and sophomores which offers an introduction to the craft of creative writing in its primary genres: poetry, fiction, drama, creative non-fiction (emphases will vary depending upon instructor). The focus of this course will be on learning the fundamentals of craft techniques and peer review. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020, or instructor permission

Contemporary Women Writers introduces students to American women writers of the last fifty years. We examine the historical,socio-cultural, political, and personal influences on these writers' work by studying trends and events in recent American history and themes reflected in the works. By studying contemporary women's writing in this contextualized fashion, students can appreciate larger trends in our society, the role writing plays in examining such trends, and the value of literature as an exploration of human growth and struggle. Through discussion, group collaboration, critical analysis, and by designing their own graphic organizers, students gain a breadth of knowledge in the following areas: the themes and stylistic concerns of contemporary American women writers; the key historical events that influence contemporary American women's writing; the critical reading of literary texts. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA). 3 credits. LT, AH
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020

Explores the treatment of homoeroticism and homosexual love in literature from Antiquity to the present. Emphasis is given to texts reflecting the construction of a homosexual identity and recurring motifs among gay, lesbian, and bisexual writers. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA). 3 credits.

A survey of British Literary history from the medieval through the modernist periods. 3 credits.

A survey of American Literary history from early contact between Native American populations and European colonists through contemporary American writing. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020, or English Majors

A survey course covering traditional and contemporary children's literature. Texts are selected to represent different historical periods and a diversity of authorial perspectives. Attention is given to changing views of children and childhood as reflected in selected texts. 3 credits.

An introduction to techniques of writing for the news media. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL 1010,102, 227 or 229 or 2

Studies the theory and practice of fiction. Conducted as a workshop with close analysis of student work. 3 credits.

Discusses the theory and practice of poetry. Conducted as a workshop with close analysis of student work. 3 credits.

Explores the origins and structure of the English language, tracing the ways that English has evolved from Old English through Middle English to the varieties of Modern English in England and its former colonies, including the United States. We will also examine the literary, social, and political implications of these developments, for instance the evolution of Standard English or the use of dialects. The course does not assume any knowledge of Old or Middle English. 3 credits.

A study of English syntax examining traditional, structural, and transformational grammars. Attention to issues of dialect, usage, phonology, and morphology. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

Pre-Req: ENGL.1010/102 College Writing I & II

A study of the writers, movements, and social culture of the South, from both the nineteenth- and twentieth-centuries. 3 credits. AH
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

This course is designed for students who are interested in writing their own mysteries. Part of the course time will be spent discussing and workshopping student writing with emphasis on structure, plot and character. Time also will be spent studying the work of established mystery writers. Prerequisites: ENGL.1020 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020

Students will acquire reading knowledge of the Old English Language, spending half the semester mastering grammar and vocabulary, and the second half translating texts such as The Wanderer, Dream of the Rood, and Beowulf. Attention will also be given to early medieval cultures in England. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

A study of twentieth-century British short stories, poetry, and drama. 3 credits. LT

A workshop format encourages peer criticism of individual writings and discussion of models from various texts. 3 credits.

Writers throughout time have been thoroughly grounded in place. Students in this course will read and write on a variety of topics: travel, cities, suburbs, dwelling places, nature, environmental issues, etc., in a variety of genres: creative non-fiction, essays, journalism, short stories, poetry, journals. This course will be held in a workshop format with strong emphasis on revision. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL 2270or 229or 238or 239 Pr

A study of the British novel in the eighteenth century, as it increased significantly in publication, sales, and cultural prominence. We explore the relation between formal elements (narrative, dialogue, plotting), philosophical questions (the nature of the self, the good society), and cultural and historical contexts (industrialization, middle class culture, the sexual double standard). Along with canonical authors such as Defoe, Richardson, and Austen, students will read other popular novels form the period, as well as texts such as spiritual autobiographies, criminal profiles, and advertisements. 3 credits.

A Study of autobiographical writing from Colonial America to the present. Works from the 17th to the 21st century will allow students to explore the genre of autobiography and related sub-genres, including the captivity narrative, the slave narrative, and the immigration narrative. Readings will also explore literary and political autobiographies. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE). 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

A study of selected novels by American women. Focus on the female voice within the American tradition. Treatment of such issues as domesticity, education, and authorship. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE). 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020 pre-req

This course will consider works that fall under the very broad genre known as The Gothic. As this genre is one of highly contested boundaries, we will consider how to define the Gothic, and what exactly constitutes this form. We will look at texts from both England and America, and spanning from the late 18th century to our own times. Our study will focus on the form of the novel, and the development and emergence of the gothic novel from its beginnings in England to its contemporary manifestations in the United States. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

A rigorous examination of a topic of current interests in film studies organized by particular themes, genres or filmmakers. 3 credits. AH
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020

Will examine works in modern English translation from a variety of genres (romance, history, tragedy, epic) that tell stories of the mythical King Arthur and the knights and ladies of his courtly world. The course will focus primarily on texts of the medieval and renaissance periods, but will include attention to nineteenth- and twentieth-century versions in poetry, prose, art, music and film. 3 credits.

A study of English prose and poetry of the period excluding Milton. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010, 42.102

Discusses novels and short fiction from World War II to the present. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

A study of selected works by black American writers, such as Toomer, Wright, Ellison, Walker, and Morrison. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE). 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

This course will examine the history and theories of composition and rhetoric, studying the field from its inception to more recent developments and challenges. We will also explore our own writing processes and literary practices. The course is furthermore grounded on the idea that literary practices are shaped by our culture. The course introduces practical approaches to as well as theoretical frameworks beneficial for those interested in composition studies. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Applied & Integrative Learning (AIL). 3 credits.

When the peoples of Africa, India, the Caribbean, Ireland, and Canada finally gained, to a greater and lesser extent, independence from the British during the 20th century, they found that their national, cultural, and individual identities had been radically altered by the experience of colonization. In this course, we will examine how authors have related this postcolonial condition. We will examine a diverse body of texts--poetry which eloquently describe the heroic journey out of colonialism, drama which lays bare the conflicts of assimilation, and novels which fantastically present political struggle--as we determine how postcolonial theory and literature affects and possibly redefines all literature. 3 credits. LT
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020.

A survey of theatre in its historical and social contexts from the 19th century to the present, focusing on innovations in design and technology, the advent of the director, the emergence of modern schools of acting, and the creation of new forms of theatre to suit the changing needs of a modern world. 3 credits.

Training in writing theory for direct application in peer tutoring. Discussion supplemented by experimental exercises, class presentations, reading, and writing. Meets two hours each week. Students tutor four hours each week. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL 2000,or 227,or 238,or 239

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of visual communication. Students will explore what scholars mean by terms such as visual rhetoric and visual literacy in order to think concretely about how these concepts apply to the communication practices they will engage in their academic, professional, and everyday life. Special attention will be paid to the ways in which visual representations communicate culturally-specific meanings about race, gender, class, sexuality, age, nationality, and difference. Assignments include contributions to a course blog, rhetorical analyses of visual texts, design modules, and a multimodal project. 3 credits.

A study of selected works. Authors to be announced each semester. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1020

A study of the major works of Chaucer in Middle English. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

Pre-Req: ENGL.1010/102 College Writing I & II

A study of selected histories, comedies, and tragedies. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Information Literacy (IL) and Written & Oral Communication (WOC). 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

A study of selected histories, comedies, and tragedies not covered in 42.243. Shakespeare I is not a prerequisite. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

A solid introduction to major trends in contemporary critical theory. Emphasis on producing a sample critical paper treating one or more current critical approaches to reading a literary text. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

ENGL.1010/1020 pre-req

Tuition & Fees

At UMass Lowell, we believe that students should have as much information as possible up front so they can make informed decisions before enrolling in a degree program or signing up for a course.

Tuition for all undergraduate courses offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies is the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition for all online graduate courses is also the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition is priced per credit. To calculate the tuition for a course, simply multiply the per-credit tuition by the total number of credits per course. Exception: If the total number of course contact hours is greater than the total number of credits, the per-credit tuition is instead multiplied by the total number of contact hours.

Fall 2021 Tuition

 Per Credit / Contact Hour
Undergraduate Face-to-Face Courses $340.00
Undergraduate Online Courses
(Except Undergraduate Online Business* Courses)
 $380.00
Undergraduate Online Business* Courses $385.00

*Applies to courses with the following prefixes: ACCT, BUSI, ENTR, FINA, MGMT, MKTG, MIST, POMS offered through the Manning School of Business

**Applies to courses with the following prefixes: CHEN, CIVE, EECE, ENGN, MECH, PLAS offered through the Francis College of Engineering. Applies also to MSIT courses in the Master's in Information Technology, Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity and the Graduate Certificate in Systems Models and Management.

The cost to audit a course will be charged the rates listed above.

Additional Fees
Registration Fee per Term $30.00
Late Fee for Nonpayment $50.00
Fee for Undergraduate Degree Application $60.00

Looking for Financial Assistance?

UMass Lowell offers a variety of financial aid and scholarship options.
Learn More »
hand and coin

Registration

Current students can register using SiS Self-Service. New students who have not already applied and been accepted to a program must use the Non-Degree Registration Form.

You can take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet course prerequisites. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Class size is limited. We recommend that you register early to reserve your place in class.

For more information, please visit our Registration Page.

New Students

If you have not already applied and been accepted to a program.
Register with Non-Degree Reg. Form

Current Students

If you have applied, been accepted to and are currently enrolled in a program.
Register with SIS Self-Service

Questions?

Email our Advising Center for assistance, or call 800-480-3190 to speak with an advisor.

Please Note: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented within this website, the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies reserves the right to implement new rules and regulations and to make changes of any nature in its program, calendar, locations, tuition and fees. Whenever possible, appropriate notice of such changes will be given before they become effective. In registering for courses, each student assumes full responsibility for knowledge of and compliance with the definitions, regulations, and procedures for the University as set forth in our Academic Policies & Procedures and on the main UMass Lowell website.

Career Outlook

To help you make an informed decision about continuing your education, we access real-time labor market data to provide up-to-the-minute employment information including:

  • Job postings for the occupations this program will prepare you to pursue
  • Demand for specific positions within the industry
  • Salary information (nationwide and by region)
  • Expected career growth rate over the next 10 years vs. total labor market growth rate

With this information, you'll have a clear understanding of the return on investment you can expect from this program and which skills can help you to further increase your earning power.

Information provided by Burning Glass Technologies

Applying into an Undergraduate Degree Program

Complete the Online Undergraduate Degree Application Form (preferred), or print, complete and submit the Undergraduate Degree Application .pdf form. Please note: Your application will be processed once we have received your $60 application fee. Return your completed application along with your application fee to:

University of Massachusetts Lowell
Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies
GPS Admissions
839 Merrimack Street
Lowell, MA 01854

Questions? See our helpful Step-by-Step Guide to the Application Process.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for acceptance into a bachelor's degree program offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies, students must hold a high school diploma or have passed either the GED® or HiSET®. Graduate, Online & Professional Studies operates on a rolling admissions basis and each application is reviewed when the student's file is complete. Students must be admitted to a degree or certificate program in order to be eligible for most financial aid.

Apply Now

Questions Regarding Your Undergraduate Application?

Email OCE_Admissions@uml.edu or call 978-934-2474.

For General Assistance:

Call the Advising Center at 978-934-2474 or 800-480-3190. Our academic advisors are here to help!

Already Applied?

Check the Status of Your Application
Out-of-State

Information for Out-of-State Students

International

Information for International Students

Take Your Career to New Levels with a Public, Nonprofit University and a Trusted Leader in Online Education

Apply Now Request Info

UML Links

Additional Links

Internal Resources

24x7 Online Course Support

Connect With Us

Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn

Mailing Address

University of Massachusetts Lowell
Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies

839 Merrimack Street
Lowell, MA 01854

Contact Us

Mon-Thur 8:30am-8:00pm (EST)
Fri 8:30am-5:00pm (EST)
  • Local Phone Number:
  • 1-978-934-2474
  • Toll Free Number:
  • 1-800-480-3190
Request Info
Apply Now