← English (ENGL)

Easiest courses in English

Looking for a gentler semester? Start with courses where students have earned higher grades.

Highest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.

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38 courses

Historical grades cover up to five years through the selected term. Only courses with at least 100 letter grades are ranked.

A seminar for Writing Fellows exploring writing theory and teaching revision strategies across disciplines.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025

ENGL 695 is a directed creative writing course for the individually directed writing of a poetry or fiction manuscript.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 318 provides a systematic, interdisciplinary survey of second language acquisition research.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

Explores how literary texts represent, imagine, and re-imagine the environment.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The workload is light, involving only a handful of poems per week, with an easy path to high grades.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 182 is an introductory honors course taught in a discussion format with varying topics and materials.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Elizabeth Bearden, Karen Britland, Kristina Huang: Workload includes weekly reflections, extensive papers, and significant reading. Some instructors require high-quality work and deep analysis, while others have lighter reading loads with children's novels.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 178 introduces the intersection of digital technologies with literature production and reception.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Workload varies from easy with in-class work time to heavy with frequent assignments. Grading delays and unclear requirements are common complaints, though some find the projects engaging.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 408 is a Creative Writing: Fiction Workshop focused on writing literary fiction.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Ricky Fayne: The workload involves significant reading, but the difficulty is rated as low (2/5) by a reviewer who corrected an initial high rating.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

Intermediate Composition teaches persuasive writing, rhetorical analysis, and the connection between writing and speaking.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No specific workload or preparation details are provided in the available historical review.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL/GEN&WS 248 examines American literature created by and focused on women from ethnic groups.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Kay Yandell: The sole review indicates low difficulty, though it focuses on teaching quality rather than specific workload metrics.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

An introduction to literature in English written by women in various periods and places.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

Introduction to College Composition focuses on rhetorical reading, writing, and information literacy.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course involves frequent writing assignments and peer reviews. Weekly tasks build upon each other, requiring students to complete pre-class readings and engage in mandatory participation.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

A workshop focused on writing literary fiction and poetry while studying contemporary writers as models.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Students must complete all readings and homework before class to succeed in this moderately difficult course.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

An introduction to creative writing focusing on fiction and poetry workshops with model readings.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Aeron Parks, Kathryn Harlan, Phoebe Kranefuss: Grading emphasizes effort and improvement over strict difficulty, with ratings ranging from easy to moderate. Weekly critiques and discussion-based participation are central to the workload, requiring active engagement in a small class setting.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

Study of four Shakespeare plays through 1600, with the reading of several others.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Assignments are described as easy with flexible deadlines, though the workload includes multiple papers and source studies. The reading material is extensive and can be tedious, but participation is not mandatory.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Fall 2025

A variable-topic course in Asian American Literature emphasizing critical thinking, historical awareness, and multicultural participation.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The reading workload appears manageable, as one reviewer noted they could have skipped reading without penalty, though lectures provide necessary context.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Fall 2025

ENGL 169 introduces students to selected American fiction, prose, drama, and poetry from the early twentieth century to the present.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The workload is generally light, consisting mostly of readings and a few easy writing assignments. Porter Shreve’s online section requires intensive weekly discussion posts and a short story project.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2025–Spring 2026

Investigates specific topics in gender and women's studies related to gender and literature, with varying topics each semester.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

Introduction to TESOL methods, exploring contexts and materials for teaching English to speakers of other languages.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course is low-stress with relevant homework every class that is not overwhelming, and grading criteria are straightforward and clear.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 409 is a creative writing poetry workshop focused on writing literary poetry.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 245 is a Seminar in the Major focusing on critical reading, writing, and persuasive argumentation skills.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Anja Jovic-Humphrey, Yanie Fecu: Workload includes a 12-page midterm, creative project, and 12-15 page final paper, with some reviewers citing heavy weekly reading loads and tough grading.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 175 explores the depiction and valuation of other academic disciplines in British and American literature, and their intellectual influences on literary works and movements.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Workload is described as decently light, graded leniently, and assessed via papers and group presentations, though dense material requires attention.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 176 introduces the interplay of literature and film, analyzing how written works are represented and transformed in cinema.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Reviewers report the reading material as extremely convoluted and incomprehensible, while weekly assignments are described as forcing engagement despite being unhelpful.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 438 is a course focused on the study of specific topics within 18th-century literature and culture.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course is primarily discussion-based with occasional papers, rated as low difficulty.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

Introduction to Theatre and Dramatic Literature covers reading plays, attending productions, and developing critical writing and analytic skills.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Scott Campbell: Scott Campbell's section required significant reading of ten plays, yet weekly quizzes allowed summaries for full credit. Exams were online, open-note, and considered easy to score perfectly on.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 173 introduces literature reflecting the writing and experience of minority and ethnic groups, focusing on specific themes or problems.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Theresa Delgadillo: Work includes daily reading questions, a panel presentation, and essays, rated as low difficulty.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 242 explores literature from the 18th century to the present, examining how writers responded to global upheavals through poetry, drama, and the novel.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Monique Allewaert: Grades rely on five papers and participation, with manageable reading loads and accessible help outside class.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 474 is a course focused on the study of recent literature written in English, with specific topics varying by offering.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2024

Introduction to Rhetoric and Writing Studies explores Composition Rhetoric, emphasizing critical reading and writing to analyze how texts create communities and shape knowledge.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Christa Olson: The workload is described as easy, relying on group participation and turning in assignments, with a self-set grading contract reducing pressure.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Fall 2025

ENGL 314 teaches linguistic methods for analyzing and describing English syntax and morphology.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historically under Eric Raimy, the course demands substantial homework that aids exam preparation. Under Anja Wanner, it requires mandatory attendance, weekly quizzes, and a group project, with material moving quickly.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

ENGL 461 explores literature by authors reflecting the experiences of ethnic and minority groups.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course is not difficult, though the classroom dynamic may feel challenging due to the instructor's preference for specific student responses.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Fall 2025