Literature Major

The Literature Major is a rigorous, critical, academic program that pairs close 
textual analysis and theoretical perspectives. Students who major in Literature will engage with a wide variety of texts in order to develop skills in close reading and textual analysis. They will also develop an understanding of literary history, genre  conventions, and modern practices in literary theory and research.

Literature majors will learn to develop, support, and articulate complex arguments about texts and to present those arguments and insights in a well-crafted, articulate, and responsive manner. The Literature Major also promotes the development of a sense of literary, cultural, and social history across multiple nations, ethnicities, and eras. 

The Literature Major is designed to enable all graduates to meet the following  outcomes: 

• demonstrate an understanding of major works of British, American, and  World literatures. 
• demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which meaning is created and  crafted in literary works. 
• develop close reading skills and an understanding of literary and rhetorical  conventions.
• produce logically developed, rhetorically coherent, thoroughly researched  papers that are both convincing and creative. 
• demonstrate literary knowledge, both theoretical and practical, necessary  to flourish in liberal arts professions and/or future graduate studies. 

Literature majors will thus be well-prepared for careers in such areas as writing, publishing, public relations, library sciences, and teaching; for graduate programs in the liberal arts; and for professional programs leading to the study of law. 

Required Courses (6 courses): 

ENG 210: Introduction to Literature
ENG 388: Shakespeare 

Four (4) courses from the following: 

ENG 231 World Literature: Landmark Texts 
ENG 232 World Literature: Literatures in Translation
ENG 241 American Literature: Beginnings to 1865
ENG 242 American Literature: 1865 to Present
ENG 251 British Literature: Beginnings to 1785
ENG 252 British Literature: 1785 to Present 

Elective Courses (6 courses): 

One (1) from each of the following topics courses: 

ENG 340 Topics in American Literature 
ENG 350 Topics in British Literature
ENG 360 Topics in Literary Theory and Criticism 

Three (3) additional courses from the following: 

ENG 205 Creative Writing: Fiction
ENG 206 Creative Writing: Poetry
ENG 220 Film Criticism
ENG 221 Screenwriting
ENG 231 World Literature: Landmark Texts
ENG 232 World Literature: Literatures in Translation
ENG 241 American Literature: Beginnings to 1865
ENG 242 American Literature: 1865 to Present
ENG 251 British Literature: Beginnings to 1785
ENG 252 British Literature: 1785 to Present
ENG 260 Balkan Literature
ENG 300 The Bible as Literature
ENG 311 Public Speaking
ENG 340 Topics in American Literature* 
ENG 350 Topics in British Literature*
ENG 360 Topics in Literary Theory and Criticism*
ENG 370 Genre and Topical Studies*
ENG 371 History, Memory, and Narrative in Contemporary Balkan Cinema
ENG 380 Major Authors*