B.A. in English with a Literature Concentration

Degree Maps and Plans of Study

“Literature is the greatest of all sources of refined pleasure, and one of the great uses of a liberal education is to enable us to enjoy that pleasure.”

            – Thomas H. Huxley, A Liberal Education 

Students in the Literature Concentration develop analytical, communicative, and writing skills that will serve them well in their other university courses and in their professional lives. The literature concentration is specifically designed to give undergraduates the broadest possible perspective of diverse literary traditions. By studying great writers, students not only learn how to analyze and write well, but also explore important questions about ethics, morality, leadership, and other issues, preparing them for decision-making. English majors learn valuable analytical and communicative skills through the reading of complex literary texts, class discussion, frequent writing assignments, and oral presentations. The study of literature also provides students with some of the basic knowledge that is key to cultural literacy: the information common to well-educated individuals of all disciplines.

English majors often go on to graduate school or careers in teaching, but many seek job opportunities in such diverse fields as publishing, management, advertising, law, journalism, public relations, technical writing, film and television media, editing, civil service, and military service. English majors share a common engagement with stimulating ideas, expressive language, and human communication.