program description

the bachelor of arts in english with a concentration in literature offers students a historically grounded study of british, american, and “post-colonial” anglophone literatures. the core curriculum includes a series of two upper-division survey courses (literature in english i and ii) intended to provide students with a knowledge foundation of literary movements, figures, and forms within a transatlantic context. literature majors also take one course in linguistics, an upper-division shakespeare course, at least one course in literary theory or criticism, and at least one course in anglophone literature produced outside of britain or america.

the literature program offers a wide range of courses centered on specific authors (austen, chaucer, woolf), historical periods (“age of victorians,” “american literature 1914-1960”), genres (“detective fiction,” “post-apocalyptic science fiction,” “lyric forms”), and other special topics (“18th c. women writers,” “devils and angels”), allowing students to pursue their individual interests and pleasures in fulfilling their elective units. no matter what the subject, all courses within the major foster students’ close reading, writing, and analytical skills. literature majors can expect to hone their aptitude for writing, research, oral communication, and analytical thinking. this practical skill set prepares graduates for many career opportunities, including teaching, writing and publishing, law, information science, business and marketing, and more.