The English Department prepares students who have various levels of proficiency to reach an optimum level of performance in writing. The courses offered by the department enable students to qualify for graduation and to perform successfully in four-year colleges.
Writing and Literature Major
The Writing and Literature program trains students to think and write critically about literature, write journalism, and compose poems, plays, and stories.
The BMCC Writers Guild allows writers to share their work, meet fellow writers, and participate in activities and events such as invited speakers within the writing profession and open mic events. The Writers Guild also publishes a journal of literature and art.
The English Department presents the annual Working Writers series of author talks. Check the events calendar for future listings.
Each year, cash and kudos go to the top student-writers in a Writing Awards program sponsored and judged by the English department faculty. The entrants in three categories—journalism, creative writing, and academic writing—are celebrated with an afternoon of readings by the winners and keynote speeches by such notable writers as novelist Elizabeth Nunez and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist Roger Hernandez.
Children and Youth Studies Major
The Children and Youth Studies major combines courses in children’s literature with the study of psychology and child welfare, leading to a variety possible careers.
General English Requirements
All BMCC students are required to take English 101 and English 201 (or English 121 which combines both). Liberal Arts students are required to take one three-credit course beyond English 201. This requirement may be fulfilled by an English III course or by literature courses offered in the Department of Ethnic and Race Studies (African-American, Asian-American, and Latino/a literature).