Bachelor of Arts in English - Literature

Students of SU English engage with important questions about the human condition, especially where issues of race, gender, ethnicity, identity, and class are concerned. Moreover, the faculty of English all champion values of diversity, empathy, and integrity as we educate our students with a view to their lifelong journey as people who understand the value of human expression. SU English emphasizes innovative thinking, which prepares students not only for the workplace of today, but the workplace of tomorrow, graduate school, and life-long-learning. Following Salisbury University’s mission and values, SU English strives to empower students with intellectual curiosity, critical and analytical thinking, exceptionally-crafted writing and rhetorical skills, and appreciation of linguistic diversity. The Literature Track Opportunities to major or minor in literature Introductory and advanced courses in fiction, poetry and drama as genres, including workshops Study abroad possibilities, which have included past Spring Break trips to Ghana, Iceland, and London Foundational British, American, and African-American literature survey courses from the beginning to the present American literature courses that provide intensive studies in the following periods: Colonial, Transcendentalism, Naturalism, Harlem Renaissance, Southern, Modern, Contemporary British Literature courses ranging from Romantic to Medieval literature, with period and genre courses covering the entire span of centuries of great works Opportunity for the comprehensive study of a range of ethnic and global literatures, including the Native American, Latino/a, African-American, South Asian, and African traditions Exploration of the human condition as it relates to the phenomena of gender and sexuality, manifest in major works of literature from the Classics to the contemporary Courses on foundational works by masters of English literature like Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton Examination of the literary tradition extending back into the Middle Ages, giving one an understanding of the history of the English language from its beginnings among the Anglo-Saxons New special topics courses that are often introduced by faculty: an ever-growing curriculum Courses that develop research, writing, and critical thinking skills and an understanding of diversity required of the global job market Courses that prepare students for graduate study and a range of professions, including but not limited to, journalism, publishing, editing, law, business, education, non-profit management, lobbying, government, and social justice advocacy The opportunity to study a range of texts from antiquity through the Renaissance to the present, and thus understand patterns of literary and cultural influence that spread across wide spans of time Historical approaches to studies of literature that help students understand how language shapes and creates culture, all of which help students think more creatively about how to use language to shape and create the world Opportunities to meet published creative writers and well-known critics through the Writers-on-the-Shore readings series