NEW! "Major at Your Own Pace" in English literature
The five-year major in English literature, offered as part of the university's "BA at your Own Pace" program, is intended for students whose jobs or other commitments leave them with less free time for studying.
Students enrolled in this program are required to complete the same number of courses as students doing a regular three-year major, but they take only three courses each year and complete their studies within five years.
Note: Some of the BA requirements are changing starting in 2019-20. Students who began in this track before 2019-20 should consult with the office staff to adjust their course schedule.
Major in English Literature - Total credits required (details below):

5 first-year courses | 10 |
4 survey courses | 2 |
4 electives (6xx) | 8 |
2 seminars (4xx or 7xx) | 4 |
Total: | 30 |
Distribution of credits in the five-year track:
Year 1
- 106 Academic Writing I
- 107 Academic Writing II
- 193 Historical Background to English & American Literature
Note: A grade of 65 is required to pass courses 190, 193 and 194. A grade of 67 is required to pass 106 and 107.
Students who do not receive a passing grade in Academic Writing I (106) will not be allowed to continue to their second semester of studies in the program. Students who do not receive a passing grade in Academic Writing II (107) will not be allowed to continue to the second year.
A student who fails 106 or 107 may repeat the course once. Under university regulations, students are not allowed to take the same course more than twice. Therefore, students who fail 106 or 107 a second time will not be allowed to continue in the literature program.
Year 2
Plus
- one elective course in the 6xx-range.
Year 3
- 206 Renaissance Literature
- 254 American Literature
- 303 Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century English Literature
- 314 Shakespeare
Plus
- one elective course in the 6xx-range.
Year 4
- 206 Renaissance Literature
- 254 American Literature
- 303 Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century English Literature
- 314 Shakespeare
Plus
- one elective course in the 6xx-range.
Year 5
- One elective in the 6xx range
- Two seminars in the 4xx/7xx range.
Total credits: 30