The Popular Culture concentration at MSU, administered by the Department of English is designed to provide students opportunities for in-depth study of popular culture texts, trends, and topics across a range of media. The concentration includes study of critical approaches and methods of research in popular culture studies, as well as opportunities for practical experience with the Journal of Popular Culture or by engaging in scholarly conferences or public conference events that center on science fiction and fantasy, comics, gaming, and pop music. The concentration draws on the extensive resources in MSU Libraries’ Special Collections and other library collections such as detective fiction, video games, and comic art, offering students options to explore in depth the world-renowned resources available at MSU.
ENG 142 – Introduction to Popular Literary Genres is a common starting point for students interested in Popular Culture Studies.
Students who matriculated prior to Fall 2022 will find their degree requirements here.
Current requirements for the Popular Culture concentration (36-40 credits) are:
- AL 250: Career Exploration Strategies for Arts and Letters Students (1 credit)
- AL 460: Advanced Career Strategies (1 credit)
- ENG 210: Introduction to Literary Studies (3 credits)
- Writing-intensive course in close reading, with substantial attention to poetry, drama, and narrative prose, drawing broadly on texts taken from more than one century and more than one national literature.
- ENG 340*: Theory and Methods of Popular Culture Studies (3 credits, substitution for ENG 280)
- Examination of the theories and methods of studies in popular culture.
*Contact an advisor for an override into this course.
- 360 Studies in Postcolonial and Diaspora Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 362 Studies in Modern/Contemporary Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 364 Studies in 18th-/19th-Century Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 368 Studies in Medieval/Early Modern Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 413 Critical Questions in Language and Composition (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 499 Senior Thesis Research (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 350: Readings in African, African American, or African Diaspora Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 351: Readings in Chicano and Latino Literatures (3 credits)
- ENG 352: Readings in Asian or Asian American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 353: Readings in Women Writers (3 credits)
- ENG 354: Readings in Native American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 355: Readings in Sexuality and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 356: Readings in Jewish Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 360: Studies in Postcolonial and Diaspora Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 448: Seminar in Gender and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 449: Seminar in Race, Ethnicity, Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 450 Seminar in African American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 460: Seminar in Global and Postcolonial Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 466: Seminar in Literatures of the Pacific Rim (3 credits)
- ENG 482: Seminar in Feminist Literary and Cultural Theory (3 credits)
- FLM 450: Studies in Ethnic Film (3 credits)
- FLM 451: Studies in Postcolonial Cinema (3 credits)
- FLM 452: Studies in Film, Gender, and Sexuality (3 credits)
*If ENG 360, 450, or 460 is used to fulfill this requirement it may not be used to fulfill the Tier II Writing requirement.
- ENG 318: Readings in Shakespeare (3 credits)
- ENG 324: Readings in Epic (3 credits)
- ENG 368: Studies in Medieval/Early Modern Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 441: Seminar in Early American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 454: Seminar in Medieval Literature and Culture (3 credits)
- ENG 455: Seminar in Early Modern Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 457: Seminar in 18th Century British Literature (3 credits)
*If ENG 368 is used to fulfill this requirement it may not be used to fulfill the Tier II Writing requirement.
- ENG 342: Readings in Popular Literary Genres (3 credits)
- Extensive reading within a particular genre of popular literature such as science fiction, crime fiction or Gothic, with possible attention to media other than print.
- ENG 440: Seminar in Popular Culture Studies (3 credits)
- Advanced topics in theories and subjects of popular culture studies. Popular Culture’s intersection with theories of the other arts and media, politics, and identity.
a. One of the following courses:
- ENG 325: Readings in Graphic Narrative (3 credits)
- Extensive Readings of graphic narratives across genres, historical periods, and/or print cultures and national traditions
- ENG 342: Readings in Popular Literary Genres (3 credits)
- Extensive reading within a particular genre of popular literature such as science fiction, crime fiction or Gothic, with possible attention to media other than print.
- ENG 440: Seminar in Popular Culture Studies (3 credits)
- Advanced topics in theories and subjects of popular culture studies. Popular Culture’s intersection with theories of the other arts and media, politics, and identity.
*Content repeated in any of these courses must be different from content previously taken to fulfill a requirement for the degree.
b. One of the following courses approved by the advisor for the concentration or associate chairperson to ensure sufficient popular culture content:
- ENG 308 Readings in Literature for Young Adults (3 credits)
- ENG 314 Readings in North American Literatures (3 credits)
- ENG 315 Readings in British Literatures (3 credits)
- ENG 316 Readings in Irish Literature and Culture (3 credits)
- ENG 317 Readings in African and Caribbean Literatures (3 credits)
- ENG 318 Readings in Shakespeare (3 credits)
- ENG 323 Readings in Non-Fiction (3 credits)
- ENG 324 Readings in Epic (3 credits)
- ENG 326 Readings in Drama and Performance Studies (3 credits)
- ENG 328 Readings in Novel and Narrative (3 credits)
- ENG 329 Readings in Poetry and Poetics (3 credits)
- ENG 350 Readings in African, African American, or African Diaspora Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 351 Readings in Chicano and Latino Literatures (3 credits)
- ENG 352 Readings in Asian/Asian American/Asian Diaspora Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 353 Readings in Women Writers (3 credits)
- ENG 354 Readings in Native American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 355 Readings in Sexuality and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 356 Readings in Jewish Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 360 Studies in Postcolonial and Diaspora Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 362 Studies in Modern/Contemporary Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 364 Studies in 18th and 19th Century Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 368 Studies in Medieval/Early Modern Literature (W) (3 credits)
- ENG 391 Special Topics in English (3 credits)
- ENG 422 Seminar in Genre and Form (3 credits)
- ENG 426 Seminar in Drama or Performance Studies (3 credits)
- ENG 441 Seminar in Early American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 443 Seminar in 19th Century American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 445 Seminar in 20th and 21st Century American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 448 Seminar in Gender and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 449 Seminar in Race, Ethnicity, and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 450 Seminar in African American Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 452 Seminar in 20th and 21st Century British Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 454 Seminar in Medieval Literature and Culture (3 credits)
- ENG 455 Seminar in Early Modern Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 457 Seminar in 18th-Century British Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 458 Seminar in 19th-Century British Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 460 Seminar in Global and Postcolonial Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 462 Seminar in Transatlantic Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 466 Seminar in Literatures of the Pacific Rim (3 credits)
- ENG 473A Literature and Medicine (3 credits)
- ENG 473B Law and Literature (3 credits)
- ENG 478A Literature, Technology, and Representation (3 credits)
- ENG 478B Literature and Visual Culture (3 credits)
- ENG 481 Seminar in Critical and Cultural Theory (3 credits)
- ENG 482 Seminar in Feminist Literary and Cultural Theory (3 credits)
- ENG 492 Seminar in English (3 credits)
- ENG 492H Honors Seminar in English (3 credits)
a. One of the following courses:
- ENG 489H Senior Honors Independent Project (4 credits)
- ENG 490 Independent Study (4 credits)
- ENG 499 Senior Thesis Research (W) (4 credits)
b. The following course:
- ENG 493 English Internship (4 credits)
*Students must obtain approval by the advisor or associate chairperson for enrollment in any of these courses to ensure sufficient popular culture studies content.
- Additional credits in English courses as needed to meet the requirement of at least 34, but not more than 40, credits in courses in the major, including no more than 4 credits in a 100-level English course.
See the “Undergraduate Courses” page for more information and examples of specific English courses.
Alongside the requirements for the major, students must complete requirements for the University and for the College of Arts & Letters:
- Tier 1 Writing (4 credits)
- WRA 101
- Mathematics (1-2 courses, credits vary, see math website for more details)
- Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities (IAH)*:
- 1 course IAH 201-210 (4 credits)
- 1 course IAH 211 or higher (4 credits)
- Integrative Studies in Social Sciences (ISS)*:
- 1 course ISS 200-level (4 credits)
- 1 course ISS 300-level (4 credits)
- Integrative Studies in Natural Sciences (ISB/ISP):
- ISB 200-level (3 credits)
- ISP 200-level (3 credits)
- ISB or ISP lab (2 credits)
*At least one IAH/ISS course must have an international focus (I) and one must have a national focus (D) as marked on the schedule of courses.
- Foreign Language Requirement (credits variable)
- Must demonstrate Second-Year Competency through “202” level
- Certain AP credit, tested proficiency, transfer credit at the appropriate level, or MSU coursework can fulfill this requirement
- Some languages have online placements tests
- See your advisor for more information
- Cognate (15 credits)
- An additional major, minor, 2nd degree, or thematically linked courses as approved by an advisor
- Minimum 15 credits, with 3 credits at 3xx/4xx level
- Experiential Learning (3 credits)
- Internship, study abroad/away, research, service-learning
- View the Excel Network for additional information
Most students are left with room for general electives, and 120 total credits minimum are needed to graduate.
For more information about the program and/or your progress, speak with an advisor, visit Academic Programs, and review your information on student information systems.