English Major Guide

The major’s program of study encourages an accumulation of skills as the means to many kinds of futures.

Some majors proceed to graduate study in English or other advanced literary or humanist studies; others go on to careers in medicine, law, freelance writing, teaching, publishing, social work, or business. Some English majors concentrate their electives on biology, psychology, or economics, in preparation for law or medicine or other careers for which the English major can supply essential skills in textual analysis, logic, cultural history, and persuasive argumentation. Other English majors choose to be double majors, combining English for example with Psychology, Biology, or Art History (although double majors must plan carefully to complete their degrees in four years). The major in English at Cornell prepares students for a wide range of intellectual and professional pursuits, and does so by combining innovative and traditional fields and approaches.

Many students supplement their formal coursework in English by attending public lectures and poetry readings sponsored by the department or by writing for campus literary magazines (visit Activities). Occasionally, visiting writers will be included in coursework, so students have the opportunity to interact with an author whose work they have been exploring (visit the department Events page).

There are no prerequisites for admission to the English major.

Prospective majors or double majors are encouraged to declare as early as possible.

Visit the Planning a Program of Study section below for course advice for first-year and sophomore prospective majors. 

We welcome students to consult with the DUS as they consider the major! Meetings with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) can be scheduled by contacting the Undergraduate Program Coordinator (Aurora Ricardo, ar2368@cornell.edu).

How to Apply: Declare the English Major

1. Submit a Declaration of English Major form. Contact the Undergraduate Program Coordinator (Aurora Ricardo, ar2368@cornell.edu) with questions.
2. The Undergraduate Coordinator will contact students to schedule a meeting with the DUS to approve the form. At this meeting, the DUS will discuss students’ academic interests and experiences, offer advice about the requirements and benefits of the major, and suggest prospective major advisors.
3. The major advisor will approve the form and be available for consultation and advice. Students should meet with their major advisors each semester to discuss course selections and progress towards fulfilling the major requirements.
4. The new major will appear in Student Center.

Ten full-semester courses, at least two of these at the 4000-level, including the following categories (a course may be used to fulfill a maximum of two categories):

• Two courses on literatures in English before 1800; two courses on literatures in English after 1800.
• One course on literatures in English of the Global South, i.e., African, African Diaspora, Asian Diaspora, South Asian, or Caribbean literature.
• Two courses on literatures in English of the Americas, including at least one course on American Indian or Indigenous, African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Latinx literature.
• Three courses must be related in topic, theme, time period, genre, or approach to form a “concentration.” Students may develop a concentration in consultation with their advisor during the final year based on the courses that form a cluster in their studies.

Notes on course credits

• All cross-listed courses qualify for the major, even if the student is not enrolled in the ENGL section.
• A minimum grade of C is required for a course to qualify for the major (no S/U grades).
• Courses must be 3 credits or higher to count toward the major unless otherwise noted.
• The requirement categories which a course can satisfy are designated in the course description.
• First-Year Writing Seminars,  ENGL 2800 - Creative Writing and  ENGL 2880 - Expository Writing may not be applied toward the major.
• ENGL 4930 - Honors Essay Tutorial I and  ENGL 4940 - Honors Essay Tutorial II may be applied toward the required ten full-semester courses but may not be used to satisfy other categories of requirements.
• A maximum of three non-ENGL courses 2000-level or above from other departments on subjects related to literary study, even if focused on literatures not originally in English, may be applied toward the required ten full-semester courses and the concentration with the approval of the major advisor. To qualify toward the other requirement categories, a course must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).
• Transfer and study abroad courses may be applied toward the required ten full-semester courses and the other requirement categories with the approval of the DUS. No more than two non-Cornell courses per semester may be applied to the major.

Few students know from the moment they decide to major in English exactly what they wish to study. Moreover, it is natural for interests to change over time. The requirements of the English major are designed to provide a flexible framework for increasing skills in literary analysis, research, and writing; the span of studies is as important as following particular connections. Within that framework, the concentration and the Honors Program provide two further ways to shape the pursuit of the major.

English majors are expected to discuss their overall program of study with their major advisor each semester. The effort of creating or discovering a coherent pattern in the courses selected is itself a valuable part of a literary education, and the department expects students to choose courses with an eye to breadth and variety as well as focus and coherence.

First-Year Writing Seminars

As part of the university-wide First-Year Writing Seminars program administered by the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines, the department offers a wide range of courses in literature, film, and media; nature, the environment, and climate change; culture, politics, and identity; and in community engagement—connecting students with local community partners. Students may apply any of these courses to their first-year writing seminar requirement. Detailed course descriptions may be found in the first-year writing seminar program listings, available through the Knight Institute in July for the fall semester and in November for the spring semester.

First-year students interested in majoring in English are encouraged to enroll in a section of ENGL 1270 - FWS: Writing About Literature.

Survey Courses

The department recommends that prospective English majors begin with at least one survey course.  ENGL 2010 - Literatures in English I: From Old English to the New World provides a survey of pre-1800 British and American writers.  ENGL 2020 - Literature in English II: 1750 to the Present broadens to include literatures of the Caribbean and Africa from the late 18th-century until the present. Several other 2000-level courses are offered each semester which provide introductions to important aspects of literature, culture, and theory also covered in more advanced courses. These introductory courses concentrate on the skills basic to the English major and to other academic work—analytical reading and articulate writing. 

Creative Writing Courses

Students interested in developing their skills as writers can participate in workshop courses in expository and creative writing. Due to the writing-intensive nature of these courses, the department discourages enrollment in more than one writing course per semester.

ENGL 2800 - Creative Writing, and  ENGL 2880 - Expository Writing are also suitable preparations for the major, and are open to students who have completed their first-year writing seminar requirement. Although these introductory courses do not qualify for major credit, ENGL 2800 is a prerequisite for the 3000-level creative writing courses, which do qualify.

An expository writing course can, with permission of the Knight Institute, be substituted for a FWS course. Creative writing courses do not count for First-Year Writing Seminar credit.

English majors fill out the Junior Fall form by the end of the first semester of their junior year. Students meet with their major advisor to complete the form, making sure they are on track to meet all requirements of the major by their expected graduation date.

Second-semester sophomores who have done superior work in English are encouraged to seek admission to the departmental program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in English. Completing the English major with honors allows students to independently study a topic they choose and to write a researched, critical paper of at least 50 pages.

Honors Program Guide

As an English major, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities for study abroad. For information about studying abroad as an Arts & Sciences student visit the Arts & Sciences Study Abroad website.

A number of English majors study at a foreign institution, usually during their junior year. Some spend a single semester away from campus, others an entire year. The Office of Global Learning has information on a variety of programs at universities around the world. Some English majors study abroad in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, while some choose other locations. As long as students continue to meet all College and department requirements or can complete them upon returning to Cornell, the English major can easily accommodate study abroad.

Pre-Application Considerations

Students are welcome to confer with the DUS in advance of going abroad as well as after their return. The first conference includes a review of catalogue descriptions of courses the student expects to take while abroad (along with a few alternatives). The second a presentation of syllabi, transcripts, or equivalent documentation of coursework and successful completion of the classes actually taken abroad. To schedule a meeting with the DUS, contact the Undergraduate Coordinator (Aurora Ricardo, ar2368@cornell.edu).

The Study Abroad Office requires DUS approval on the Study Abroad Application, as well as on the Approval of Study Abroad Credit Form for major credit after the completion of the study abroad program.

Students planning to study abroad in their junior year who wish to complete the Honors program should make arrangements with the Director of Honors in English before leaving campus.

Credit Considerations

Credit for literature courses taken abroad can in most cases be applied to the 40-hour minimum for the major, the concentration and pre-1800 requirements. Requests to apply credit for study abroad to the English major cannot be granted by the student's major advisor (see How to Obtain Transfer Credit section for more information). Credits earned abroad are also subject to the restrictions detailed under "Notes on course credits" in the major requirements section.

Students intending to pursue graduate work in English should investigate the requirements of schools offering programs to which they think they might apply. Faculty advisors and the DUS are available for consultation. Majors considering a Ph.D. in English should give special attention to language preparation in planning their undergraduate study; most graduate programs require reading knowledge of at least one foreign language (usually French or German), and sometimes two or more. Some programs require knowledge of Latin. A broad program of undergraduate study in English is advisable since most graduate programs in English require students to demonstrate a wide knowledge of the major authors and periods of British and American literature. Grounding in literary theory and some exposure to the critical tradition is also highly desirable.

Visit the Department of Literatures in English Undergraduate Study webpage.
Contact the Undergraduate Coordinator (Aurora Ricardo, ar2368@cornell.edu).