Maryland Community Colleges
English Programs
English coursework at community colleges in this state. Composition, literature, and writing-track classes for transfer-track liberal-arts students.
8 colleges · 821 sections · 83 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
English composition is required at virtually every four-year college in Maryland for graduation, and the two-semester intro composition sequence (English I and II) is among the most-enrolled courses at Maryland CC community colleges. The 821 sections across 8 institutions this term cover composition, intro literature, technical writing, and creative writing.
The English associate is a transfer pathway — completing the first two years of an English bachelor's at community-college tuition. Direct career roles in English (technical writer, copy editor, content marketer) typically need a bachelor's and a strong portfolio. Compare colleges below for online section availability; English I and II are among the most-online-available courses across Maryland CC.
Colleges offering English
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Community College | 231 | 21 | 77 | — | — |
| Anne Arundel Community College | 199 | 20 | 88 | — | — |
| Hagerstown Community College | 89 | 12 | 29 | — | — |
| Harford Community College | 88 | 13 | 24 | — | — |
| Wor-Wic Community College | 74 | 12 | 23 | — | — |
| Carroll Community College | 53 | 7 | 21 | — | — |
| Frederick Community College | 48 | 12 | 8 | — | — |
| Allegany College of Maryland | 39 | 11 | 29 | — | — |
English Availability Snapshot
How english sections are being offered across 8 colleges in Maryland this term (821 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person459 (56%)
- online297 (36%)
- hybrid63 (8%)
- zoom2 (0%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)333
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)186
- Evening (5 PM and after)49
- Asynchronous / TBA253
Start dates
Sections begin on 17 distinct dates. 775 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 124 distinct instructors across 8 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Anne Arundel Community College1 program
General Education Requirements: 34 credits
34 creditsSee catalog for course list
English Composition: 6 credits
6 creditsArts and Humanities: 6 credits
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Biological and Physical Sciences: 7 credits
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Mathematics: 3 credits
3 credits- MAT 133Finite Mathematics1 section
- MAT 135Statistics19 sections
- ELEC XXXOr more advanced level if qualified from the list below:not offered
- MAT 137College Algebra30 sections
- MAT 145Precalculus 18 sections
- MAT 146Precalculus 22 sections
- MAT 151Accelerated Precalculus2 sections
- MAT 191Calculus and Analytic Geometry 15 sections
- MAT 192Calculus and Analytic Geometry 23 sections
- MAT 202Linear Algebra3 sections
- MAT 230Elementary Calculus (For Business and Social Sciences)5 sections
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 credits
6 credits- ELEC XXXStudents must choose one History course from the following:not offered
- HIS 111Ancient and Medieval Western Civilizations2 sections
- HIS 112Early Modern and Modern Western Civilizations1 section
- HIS 113World Civilizations to 15002 sections
- HIS 114World Civilizations Since 15002 sections
- HIS 211United States History through the Civil War5 sections
- HIS 212United States History Since the Civil War5 sections
- HIS 214African American History3 sections
Additional General Education Requirements: 6 credits
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Area of Concentration: 26 credits
26 creditsSee catalog for course list
Required courses: 12 credits
12 credits- ENG 211World Literature 12 sections
- ENG 212World Literature 2not offered
- ENG 213British Literature 11 section
- ENG 214British Literature 2not offered
- ENG 215Early American Literature: Colonial to 18651 section
- ENG 216American Literature, 1865-1945: Realism to Modernism1 section
- ENG 217Contemporary American Literature: 1945-present1 section
- ENG 220The Bible as Literaturenot offered
- ENG 221Introduction to Shakespearenot offered
- ENG 222The American Novelnot offered
- ENG 223The British Novelnot offered
- ENG 224Modern American Poetry1 section
- ENG 225African American Literature1 section
- ENG 226Ethnic American Literaturenot offered
- ENG 227Literary Nonfictionnot offered
- ENG 228Literature in English by Women1 section
- ENG 235Modern Drama1 section
- ENG 250Literature of the Chesapeake Baynot offered
- ELEC XXXFor any one course in the list above, students may substitute one course from the following:not offered
- ENG 160The Art and Science of Grammarnot offered
- ENG 161Introduction to Linguisticsnot offered
- ENG 207Writing for Professionalsnot offered
Electives: 14 credits
14 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
College of Southern Maryland1 program
First Semester
- ELEC XXXENG-1010 completed with a minimum grade of “C”not offered
Arts/humanities (3 credits)
3 creditsSee catalog for course list
Biological/physical sciences (4 credits)
4 creditsSee catalog for course list
Social/behavioral sciences (3 credits)
3 creditsSee catalog for course list
Arts/humanities (3 credits)
3 creditsSee catalog for course list
English (3 credits)
3 creditsSee catalog for course list
English literature elective (3 credits)
3 creditsSee catalog for course list
Elective (3 credits)
3 creditsSee catalog for course list
English literature elective (6 credits)
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Elective (8 credits)
8 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Common English courses
- ENG 101Academic Writing & Research 1(215 sections)
- ENGL 121College Composition(137 sections)
- ENG 102Academic Writing & Research 2(58 sections)
- ENGL 101College Writing (E)(52 sections)
- ENGL 021Aca Reading & Writing(39 sections)
- ENG 101AAcademic Writing & Research 1(30 sections)
- ENGL 102Writing Abt Literature (A,E)(26 sections)
- ENG 099Support Acad Writing/Research(24 sections)
- ENG 151Fund of English II (AH)(18 sections)
- ENG 095PWriting Strat for College Suc(16 sections)
- ENG 101PEnglish Comp for Coll Success(16 sections)
- ENGL 210Creative Writing(15 sections)
Frequently asked questions
- Will my English composition credits transfer?
- Yes — English I and English II from any Maryland CC college transfer 1:1 to every Maryland public four-year. Most also transfer to out-of-state public and private institutions, though the specific course-equivalence depends on each receiving school's catalog. English composition is among the most reliably transferable courses you can take.
- Can I major in English at a community college?
- You can complete the associate of arts with an English focus — the first two years of an English bachelor's — but the upper-division (literature theory, advanced writing seminars, capstone) only happens at a four-year. CC English faculty often teach intro literature and creative writing well, especially small workshop-style courses; serious English majors get strong preparation at the CC level.
- What jobs does an English degree qualify me for?
- With just the associate: limited direct roles — entry copywriting at small companies, administrative work, content moderation. With the bachelor's added: technical writer, content marketing, editor, communications coordinator, teacher (with certification), journalist, publishing assistant. The strongest English-major careers combine the writing skills with a domain specialty.
- Is the writing instruction at community college as good as at a four-year?
- Often yes, sometimes better. Community-college composition classes are typically smaller (20-25 students) than the large-lecture composition courses at flagship state universities, and CC English instructors are usually full-time teaching faculty (not graduate students). The instruction quality is high; the credential signaling is what differs.
Compare English programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Maryland’s english programs stack up.
Other programs in Maryland
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.