Literary & Cultural Studies

The ENGLISH MAJOR WITH AN EMPHASIS IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES offers solid preparation in critical reading, writing, and research for students who love literature. The major serves the needs of students with various post-graduation plans, including law school, library school, and graduate school in English. This 44-credit hour major allows students the time to explore other concentrations in English, pair their major program with a second major or a minor, or pursue internship opportunities to prepare for careers in editing, law, librarianship, and more.

 

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

In the Literary & Cultural Studies concentration, students explore literature across time and place—studying works before and after 1800, as well as multicultural and non-Western texts. From science fiction to graphic novels, film, and women in literature, our faculty’s diverse expertise helps students  connect their reading to the world around them. In addition to honing their research, writing, and analytical skills, literary studies students frequently build their portfolio by completing  internships in the library, law offices, student affairs, and other settings where they can apply their skills.

 

WHAT CAREERS CAN I PURSUE?

Many (but not all) students in the literary and cultural studies emphasis are preparing for graduate or professional school in fields including law, library science, English literature, film, college student services, and a broad range of humanities fields. Students will learn how to navigate the complexities of the job market in our senior level Career Development course, where they will explore career options and hone materials for their next step. Our alumni have pursued careers as attorneys, librarians, faculty at community and four-year colleges and universities, editors and writers, college admissions counselors, professional staff at non-profit human services agencies, financial analysts, digital marketing specialists, among many others.