English Literary Studies
General InformationIn an increasingly global environment where information instantaneously is shared around the world, the disciplines devoted to the human word, human communication, languages, literatures, philosophies, religions and cultures, remain vital. It is the mission of the Department of English and Humanities to prepare its students to participate in this global, information society by providing them with the critical, questioning, imaginative, and interpretive abilities they will need to succeed in college, in their careers, and in life. Majors in the Department of English and Humanities accept the invitation to intellectual adventure and self-exploration, and in so doing develop the skills and acquire the knowledge essential for understanding tomorrow's challenges.
Required Courses
Department of English and Humanities
Career Opportunities
- Pre-Professional Field
- Federal Government
- Education
- Acting
- Arts Administrator
- Museum Administrator
- Stage Manager
- Advertising
- Corporate Communications
- Executive/Management Trainee
- Market Analyst
- Publishing Writing
- Freelance Writer
- Magazine Editor
- Medical Writing
- Technical Writing
- Web Content Development
- Web Design
Objectives
Students majoring in Literary Studies will develop a comprehensive knowledge of Western and non-Western literary traditions, their cultural and historical development, and their modes of analysis. The Literary Studies major encourages students to engage texts through critical reading and to respond to texts through effective written and oral communication. As part of their coursework, students learn the research techniques of literary studies, which include the evaluation, analysis, and synthesis of scholarly sources. The major is writing-intensive, providing students with the communication skills of reading, writing, research, and interpretation that are essential for success in both graduate school and in their careers.
English majors who want to apply their skills in the workplace have the opportunity to do semester-long internships for credit. Literary Studies students regularly do internships at businesses, PR firms, newspapers, magazine publishers, social service agencies, and in local government. In consultation with a faculty member, a student may also create a semester-long independent study that is individually tailored to the student's interests and needs. The areas of expertise of our faculty range across many periods of literature, many theoretical approaches, and genres, including poetry, drama, theatre, fiction, and non-fiction.