The English major is both rigorous and flexible, providing students foundational skills and knowledge while allowing them to pursue individual interests. Required courses are offered every semester. Courses that count toward the major cover a wide range of Hub requirements. For more details, see the University Course Bulletin.
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The following requirements apply to students who declare the English major in or after Fall 2022.
The English major requires a total of 10 courses.
All English majors must complete:
- CAS EN 101 Encounters: Reading across Time and Space
- CAS EN 220 Seminar in Literature
With the aid of their advisor, students should design a coherent major of at least eight additional courses, one of which may be numbered CAS EN 121-201, 203-215, and 221. Of the eight additional courses, at least one course numbered 300 or higher must fall in each of the following four groups.
- Literature pre-1700: CAS EN 322, 363, 364, 368, 516, 521–526, 551, 552, 561, 565, 566, 577; or courses specified as equivalent in any year.
- Literature 1700–1900: CAS EN 323, 331–334, 343, 394, 396, 527–534, 545, 553, 573, 581, 589; or courses specified as equivalent in any year.
- Power, Identity & Difference: CAS EN 326, 327, 347, 370, 371, 377, 386, 393, 396, 481, 484, 537, 572, 586, 587, 588, or any courses specified as equivalent in any year.
- Concepts and Methods: CAS EN 404, 406–490, 493–498; or courses specified as equivalent in any year.
Students may not satisfy the requirement for multiple groups with a single, overlapping course. All courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C.
Upon approval of their advisor and the director of undergraduate studies, students may elect to substitute an upper-level literature course from Classical Studies, Romance Studies, the Editorial Institute, or World Languages & Literatures for one of their eight upper-division course requirements outside of the four categories specified above.
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For Core and CGS students transferring into the Major, the following course equivalences apply:
CC 101 + CC 102 = EN 101
CC 201 + CC 202 = EN 1xx
CGS HU 103 = EN 101
CGS HU 104 = EN 1xx
Please note that only one course can count toward the Major from the group numbered EN 121-201, 203-215, and 221, so if your CGS or Core classes count toward EN 1xx, do NOT take a course from that group
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The following requirements apply to students who declared the English Major before Fall 2022:
The English major requires a total of 11 courses (4 credits each), all completed with a minimum grade of C.
All students must complete:
- CAS EN 220 Seminar in Literature
- CAS EN 221 Major Authors I
- CAS EN 322 British Literature I
- CAS EN 323 British Literature II
These courses are usually taken consecutively.
With the aid of their advisors, students should design a coherent major of seven additional English courses. At least six of these must be numbered 300 or higher. One course numbered EN 121 – 199 may count toward the seven additional courses, provided it was taken before or concurrently with EN 220. Of the seven additional courses, at least one course numbered 300 or higher must fall in each of the following four groups.
- Group 1 – American Literature before 1900:
CAS EN 327*, 471, 479, 533, 534, 545, 571, 587, 591, or courses specified as equivalent in any year. - Group 2 -Concepts and Methods of Literary Study:
Any literature course listed from CAS EN 404, EN 406 through EN 490, or from EN 493 through EN 498. - Group 3 – British or American Literature before 1800:
EN 363, 364, 521, 527, 529, 530, 566, 568, or courses specified as equivalent in any year. - Group 4- Diverse Literatures in English:
EN 326, 327*, 370, 371, 377, 572, 584, 586, 587, 588, or any courses specified as equivalent in any year.
*In Fall 2023 EN327 will satisfy the Diverse Literatures requirement for students who declared their major before Fall 2022. If you have taken EN327 in previous semesters it will still satisfy the American Literature before 1900 requirement. Please check with your graduation advisor for confirmation.
Students may not satisfy the requirement for multiple groups with a single, overlapping course.
Upon approval of their advisor and the director of undergraduate studies, students may elect to substitute one upper-level literature course from Classical Studies, Modern Languages & Comparative Literature, Romance Studies, or the Editorial Institute, for one of their seven additional course requirements outside of the four categories specified above.