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English

Acquire an independent mind

Ready to hone your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills? Students of English will read diverse and culturally relevant literature and media such as poems, songs, novels, plays, films, and comics. Through the study of these literary texts, students will sharpen their writing and critical thinking skills to examine the ways in which these texts engage issues relevant to our culture and society—from the environment and class to gender and race.

Studying English opens doors to endless possibilities and specialties: literary analysis, rhetoric and composition, education, creative writing, and more.

Learn about Upcoming Courses

Programs of Study

  • A
    Associate Degree
  • T
    Transfer Degree
  • C
    Credit Certificate
  • N
    Non-Credit
  • Limited Enrollment
    Limited Enrollment
  • Online Options Available
    Online Options

English for Transfer

Associate in Arts for Transfer

  • A
  • T
  • Online Options Available

Students earning the Associate in Arts in English for Transfer will read, analyze, and interpret diverse literary texts in order to craft academic arguments and literary analyses. Students will also encounter a variety of literary genres and periods, with the opportunities to examine how literature can embody cultural, intellectual, and artistic trends.

This program assists students with seamless transfer to a California State University.

Program Code

MAA648/MAA649

Units

19 units

Meet Your English Faculty

Your English faculty are committed to providing high-quality writing instruction, developing critical reading skills, supporting the literacy needs of all college programs, and preparing students for lifelong reading, writing, and learning. We are excited to welcome you, and we look forward to exploring with you the many possibilities and specialties available through the study of English.

Engagement Center

Part-Time Faculty

Why study English?

Studying English develops effective communication skills and the critical thinking capacity valued in the job market. A degree in English can lead to a career in teaching, marketing, journalism, publishing or editing, creative writing, and more. It can also be used as a springboard into graduate or law school.

What You'll Learn

  • How to think critically about and interpret literature, employing language and methods of literary analysis to construct interpretive arguments and to address the ways that literature invites multiple interpretive possibilities.
  • How to write essays of literary analysis effectively supported by integrated, interpreted, and relevant textual evidence.
  • The ability to demonstrate an understanding of how cultural history informs and is informed by literature.

Career Options

  • Author or Copy Writer
  • Journalist
  • Editor or Literary Agent
  • English Language or Literature Teacher
  • Technical, Grant or Scientific Writer
  • K-12 Teacher
  • Librarian

Spring 2024 Literature Courses

Consider enrolling in one of the fun and interactive literature courses offered in Spring 2024.

About the Class

Section 22366, Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:35 - 11 am

Consider taking British Literature II, where you will read and discuss British literature from 1800 to present day. From poetry and drama, this course will survey British literary culture over the past two centuries. 

About the Instructor

Johnina Grozav is an English Professor at Moreno Valley College and a graduate of UC Riverside and Claremont Graduate University. Her research and area of interest is British Literature with a focus in Early Modern Studies. You can often find her tutoring in the Writing and Reading Center (WRC) if she is not teaching. She loves to read in her spare time, spend time with friends and family, and considers herself a high-key coffee addict. 

More Details

  • Zero textbook cost

About the Class

Section 22852, Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:10 am - 12:35 pm

William Shakespeare is considered one of the most influential authors in the English language and still impacts popular culture today! This course surveys his plays and poetry. Ready to learn why “all the world’s a stage” or why the “course of true love never did run smooth?” Take the class and find out!

About the Instructor

Johnina Grozav is an English Professor at Moreno Valley College and a graduate of UC Riverside and Claremont Graduate University. Her research and area of interest is British Literature with a focus in Early Modern Studies. You can often find her tutoring in the Writing and Reading Center (WRC) if she is not teaching. She loves to read in her spare time, spend time with friends and family, and considers herself a high-key coffee addict. 

More Details

  • Zero textbook cost

About the Class

Section 22291, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:10 am - 12:35 pm

This class explores literatures after the Civil War and delves into the country’s diverse and contentious history, including the effects of colonization, imperialism, and slavery. Get ready to examine fictional and non-fictional works spanning movements from Reconstruction to Women’s Suffrage and Civil Rights. 

More Details

About the Class

Section 22851, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:20 - 3:45 pm

This class is a survey of African American literature from the early oral tradition to the present. We will examine African American prose, poetry, and fiction and take a look at concepts of ethnic studies in relation to the social, intellectual, and artistic trends of African American culture and contemporary literature.

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About the Class

Section 22363, Thursdays, 3:55 - 5:20 pm, Hybrid

Are you interested in working with children or just love children’s stories? Enroll in Children’s Literature and analyze the importance of multicultural and multilingual representation in children’s literature!

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About the Class

Section 22365, Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:45 - 2:10 pm

Travel the world without leaving Moreno Valley! To Mexico, in the passionate poetry of Sor Juana, the rebellious nun. To Vietnam, for the twisted love story that is a national epic. To Russia, where we’ll get lost in the snow with Tolstoy’s Master and Man. To postcolonial Africa and India, where young wives go mad. We will visit all these places and more with the literature of the world.

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English Placement

Some students may receive a District recommendation to take English 91 along with English 1A through the registration and placement process. The English faculty at MVC do not recommend students to take English 91 because studies show that you will be successful at 1A without extra coursework. You have the right to challenge your placement, and can do so online at any time.

English 1A

  • English 1A is a 4-unit English Composition class that fulfills the college writing requirement.
  • Every student has the right to enroll directly into English 1A without the extra units of English 91.
  • Expect interactive instruction and activities related to reading and writing.
  • Expect feedback from instructors.
  • Expect access to additional support such as embedded tutors, office hours, the Learning Center, and the Writing and Reading Center.

English 1A+91

  • English 1A+91 is English 1A (see description to left) and English 91, a 2-unit support course.
  • English 1A+91 are linked together; to stay enrolled in one, you must stay enrolled in both.
  • Even through English 1A+91 are two separate classes, it will feel like a single, 6-unit english 1A class taught by the same instructor for both classes.
  • English 91 provides you with additional time in the classroom for even more feedback, guidance, and support.
  • You will be placed directly into ENG-1A if: You have a high school GPA of 2.6 and above or earned EAP (Ready) or earned EAP (Conditionally Ready + ERWC with C- or higher).
  • You will be placed into ENG-1A with the option of taking English 91 if: You have a high school GPA of 1.9 to 2.59. However, the MVC English faculty recommend that you enroll directly into English 1A without 91.
  • You will be placed into ENG-1A with the requirement of taking English 91 if: You have a high school GPA under 1.9. However, you can opt out of this requirement with a simple form that is automatically approved. The form should take 2 - 3 minutes to complete.
  • You will be placed directly into ENG-1B if: You earned a 3, 4, or 5 on AP Composition & Language or you earned a 3, 4, or 5 on AP Composition & Literature.
  • If you earned a GED and/or it's been 10 or more years since you attended high school, we recommend that you choose between English 1A and English 1A+91. You can discuss your options with a counselor.

Every student has the right to enroll directly into English 1A without taking English 91. If you have been placed into English 1A+91 as a recommendation, you do not need to challenge your placement and opt into English 1A. Simply enroll in English 1A as you would other classes. If you have been placed into English 1A+91 as a requirement, follow the two steps below.

  • Step 1: Fill out the challenge/opt in form. The form should take 2-3 minutes to complete.
  • Step 2: Submit the completed form. You'll receive confirmation on your updated placement within three business days from Counseling Services.

English Placement Challenge/Opt In Form