Some English majors know early on that they would like to pursue advanced degrees. Admission to master's degree and Ph.D. programs has become increasingly competitive in recent years. A concentration in literary theory and history will help prepare you for that competition and for the rigors of graduate study.

For this concentration, you should take at least one additional criticism or theory courses, one additional pre-1900 course and write an honors thesis in the fall semester of your senior year. You may also request admission to English 200, the graduate-level course in modernism, which is offered every fall. Finally, we advise students planning to pursue higher degrees to study a foreign language. Consult your advisors about studies in German, Italian, French, Spanish, Latin, and Greek.