Learn more about the English Literature and Culture BA program, including course information and how to apply.

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VARIETY AND FRESH PERSPECTIVES: From Shakespeare and the Literature of Emerging Nations to Film Theory and Environmental Literature, you'll have the freedom to choose many of your major courses from a variety of topics.

As an English major in our Literature/Culture Track, you'll design your degree around a focus that fits your interests and career goals. You'll also have room in your flexible schedule to add a minor and an internship.

Whether you plan to follow your bachelor's degree with graduate studies or a job in writing, editing, technical writing, fiction writing, or other areas, you'll find this English degree is designed to give you a competitive edge.

Choose the Focus of Your English Major

With help from your advisor, you'll choose from a wide range of classes to create your personal focus within your major. As you sharpen your writing skills and analytical abilities as an English major, you'll also be delving deeper into your focus area.

Add a Focus Such as:

  • Film Studies (see details below)
  • American Literature
  • English Literature
  • Cultural Studies

English Degree Includes Room for Minor, Internship

Along with letting you choose a focus, this English major also gives you enough room in your schedule to add both a minor and an internship—smart additions to your résumé within the credits needed for your English degree. All English majors are encouraged to consider doing an internship for credit. Your advisor can help you connect with internship sites that suit your goals.

Add New Career Directions with a Minor Such as:

  • Political Science
  • Journalism
  • Communications Media
  • Sustainability Studies
  • International Studies

Explore Your Other Interests with a Minor Such as:

  • Music
  • Religious Studies
  • Foreign Languages
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology

What You Will Study in the Literature/Culture Track

As an English major in this track, you'll study the history, meaning, symbolism, function, and aesthetics of texts of all kinds, sharpening your analytical and writing skills. The classes you pick for your focus will determine which areas you will explore more deeply.

In this track, you will:

  • Apply analytical skills and methods to a wide range of texts
  • Comprehend the significance of texts
  • Analyze the ways texts interact with audience, culture, medium, and ideology
  • Evaluate the role of theoryits methods, history, politics, and functions in textual analysis
  • Examine the ways in which questions of race, gender, sexual orientation, and identity affect interactions with both traditional and nontraditional texts

Focus on Film

By choosing this focus, you'll learn about the rich cultural and artistic history of one of the most influential art forms of the 20th century.

You'll study the meaning, function, history, and aesthetics of films of all genres and countries of origin. You'll also become familiar with the ways in which films communicate ideas about urgently significant themes such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and identity.

This focus topic will immerse you in stirring, inspiring, provocative cinematic works of imagination alongside knowledgeable and experienced faculty ready to share their expertise and hear what you have to say. You'll also gain knowledge of the newest developments in visual media.

See the guidelines for the film focus (pdf) to help you plan your classes for this focus in consultation with your academic advisor.