Tennessee Community Colleges
English Programs
English coursework at community colleges in this state. Composition, literature, and writing-track classes for transfer-track liberal-arts students.
12 colleges · 1803 sections · 44 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
English composition is required at virtually every four-year college in Tennessee for graduation, and the two-semester intro composition sequence (English I and II) is among the most-enrolled courses at TBR community colleges. The 1803 sections across 12 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 TBR.
Colleges offering English
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pellissippi State Community College | 262 | 21 | — | — | — |
| Motlow State Community College | 221 | 16 | 93 | — | — |
| Nashville State Community College | 190 | 12 | — | — | — |
| Columbia State Community College | 182 | 12 | 40 | — | — |
| Volunteer State Community College | 162 | 9 | 58 | — | — |
| Northeast State Community College | 151 | 12 | 21 | — | — |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | 130 | 21 | 5 | — | — |
| Chattanooga State Community College | 125 | 17 | 41 | — | — |
| Jackson State Community College | 119 | 10 | 34 | — | — |
| Walters State Community College | 111 | 17 | — | — | — |
| Dyersburg State Community College | 101 | 13 | 40 | — | — |
| Cleveland State Community College | 49 | 9 | 20 | — | — |
English Availability Snapshot
How english sections are being offered across 12 colleges in Tennessee this term (1803 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person1451 (80%)
- online346 (19%)
- zoom6 (0%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)705
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)402
- Evening (5 PM and after)110
- Asynchronous / TBA586
Start dates
Sections begin on 20 distinct dates. 1705 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 231 distinct instructors across 12 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Chattanooga State Community College2 programs
Cleveland State Community College1 program
Cleveland State Community College is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution
Detailed course requirements are not yet available for this program. View in college catalog
Source: College catalog
Columbia State Community College3 programs
Dyersburg State Community College2 programs
Jackson State Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
62 credits- COL 1030College to Career Navigation(3 cr)45 sections
- ENGL 1020English Composition II(3 cr)16 sections
- ENGL 1010English Composition I(3 cr)66 sections
- SPAN 1010Spanish I(3 cr)8 sections
- SPAN 1020Spanish II(3 cr)1 section
- COMM 2025Fundamentals of Communication(3 cr)32 sections
- SPAN 2020Intermediate Spanish II(3 cr)1 section
- SPAN 2010Intermediate Spanish I(3 cr)1 section
Source: College catalog
Motlow State Community College1 program
GENERAL EDUCATION (41 credit hours)
41 creditsSee catalog for course list
Communications (9 credit hours)
9 creditsHumanities/Fine Arts (9 credit hours)
9 credits- ELEC XXXThree of the following:not offered
- ART 1035Introduction to Art16 sections
- ART 2000Art History Survey I4 sections
- ART 2020Art History Survey II3 sections
- ENGL 2045Introduction to Literature21 sections
- ENGL 2055African American Literature5 sections
- ENGL 2130Topics in American Literature7 sections
- ENGL 2235Topics in British Literature3 sections
- ENGL 2310Early World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2320Modern World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2330Topics in World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2860Introduction to Film5 sections
- ENGL 2900Creative Writing I4 sections
- MUS 1030Introduction to Music21 sections
- MUS 1035History of Jazz2 sections
- RELS 2020Religions of the World1 section
- THEA 1030Introduction to Theatre17 sections
Social/Behavioral Sciences (6 credit hours)
6 credits- ELEC XXXTwo of the following:not offered
- AAST 2200African American Studies2 sections
- ANTH 1100Introduction to Anthropology1 section
- COMM 1010Introduction to Mass Communications5 sections
- ECON 2100Principles of Macroeconomics12 sections
- ECON 2200Principles of Microeconomics6 sections
- GEOG 1012Cultural Geography7 sections
- GEOG 2010World Regional Geography2 sections
- HPE 2340Wellness Perspectives and Lifestyles3 sections
- POLS 1010Intro to Political Science2 sections
- POLS 1030American Government10 sections
- POLS 2025State and Local Government1 section
- PSYC 1030Introduction to Psychology31 sections
- RELS 2030Religion and Society1 section
- SOCI 1010Introduction to Sociology21 sections
- SOCI 1040Social Problems5 sections
- SOCI 2010Marriage and Family1 section
History (6 credit hours)
6 credits- ELEC XXXOPTION 1 Two of the following, taken in any order:not offered
- HIST 2310Early World History7 sections
- HIST 2320Modern World History3 sections
- HIST 2350The Modern Middle East1 section
- ELEC XXXOR OPTION 2 Two of the following, taken in any order:not offered
- HIST 2010Early United States History43 sections
- HIST 2020Modern United States History11 sections
- HIST 2030Tennessee History5 sections
- HIST 2060African American History1 section
Natural Science (8 credit hours)
8 credits- ELEC XXXTwo of the following:not offered
- ASTR 1010Solar System Astronomy4 sections
- BIOL 1010Introduction to Biology9 sections
- BIOL 1110General Biology I19 sections
- BIOL 1120General Biology II3 sections
- BIOL 1510Environmental Science I2 sections
- BIOL 2010Human Anatomy and Physiology I11 sections
- BIOL 2020Human Anatomy and Physiology II9 sections
- CHEM 1010Introduction to Chemistry4 sections
- CHEM 1110General Chemistry I13 sections
- CHEM 1120General Chemistry II2 sections
- GEOL 1030Survey of Geology7 sections
- PHYS 2010Non-Calculus Physics I2 sections
- PHYS 2020Non-Calculus Physics II1 section
- PHYS 2110Calculus-Based Physics I3 sections
- PHYS 2120Calculus-Based Physics II1 section
- PSCI 1030Survey of Physical Science1 section
Mathematics (3 credit hours)
3 creditsAREA OF EMPHASIS REQUIREMENTS (19 credit hours)
19 credits- ELEC XXXTwo of the following:not offered
- ENGL 2130Topics in American Literature7 sections
- ENGL 2235Topics in British Literature3 sections
- ENGL 2310Early World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2320Modern World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2330Topics in World Literature2 sections
- ELEC XXXANDnot offered
- ELEC XXXGeneral Elective 1 sem hr crnot offered
Foreign Language (12 credit hours)
12 creditsSemester One (15 credit hours)
15 creditsSemester Two (15 credit hours)
15 creditsSemester Three (16 credit hours)
16 creditsSemester Four (14 credit hours)
14 creditsSemester One (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSemester Two (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSemester Three (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSemester Four (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Five (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSemester Six (7 credit hours)
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Seven (7 credit hours)
7 creditsSemester Eight (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSemester Nine (4 credit hours)
4 creditsSemester Ten (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSource: College catalog
Nashville State Community College2 programs
Northeast State Community College1 program
Southwest Tennessee Community College1 program
First Semester: 15 Credits
15 creditsSecond Semester: 12 Credits
12 creditsThird Semester: 16 Credits
16 creditsSee catalog for course list
Fourth Semester: 17 Credits
17 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Volunteer State Community College3 programs
Walters State Community College2 programs
Common English courses
- ENGL 1010English Composition I (online, no textbook)(886 sections)
- ENGL 1020Composition 2(267 sections)
- ENGL 0810English Support(104 sections)
- ENGL 0900Integ LS Writing and Reading(68 sections)
- ENGL 2120Modern American Literature(48 sections)
- ENGL 0815Writing Support(44 sections)
- ENGL 2045Introduction to Literature(39 sections)
- ENGL 2110Early American Literature(33 sections)
- ENGL 2310Introduction to Literature(30 sections)
- ENGL 2055African American Literature(25 sections)
- ENGL 2860Introduction to Film(24 sections)
- ENGL 0870Basic/Developmental Writing(22 sections)
Frequently asked questions
- Will my English composition credits transfer?
- Yes — English I and English II from any TBR college transfer 1:1 to every Tennessee 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 Tennessee’s english programs stack up.
English in AlabamaEnglish in GeorgiaEnglish in HawaiiEnglish in IllinoisEnglish in KentuckyEnglish in MaineEnglish in MarylandEnglish in MassachusettsEnglish in MichiganEnglish in New HampshireEnglish in New JerseyEnglish in New YorkEnglish in North CarolinaEnglish in OhioEnglish in South CarolinaEnglish in TexasEnglish in Virginia
Other programs in Tennessee
NursingBusiness AdministrationComputer ScienceAccountingEarly Childhood EducationCriminal JusticeLiberal ArtsEngineeringBiologyPsychologyWelding TechnologyAutomotive TechnologyHistoryMathematicsArt
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.