Admission to the Program

Formal admission to the major requires a grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) and departmental approval. 

University Requirements

• A total of 120 credit hours 
• 6 credit hours of college writing 
• 3 credit hours of college mathematics or the equivalent by examination 

General Education Requirements

• A total of ten courses, consisting of one foundation course and one second-level course in an approved sequence from each of the five curricular areas 
• No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in the same discipline 

Major Requirements

• 42 credit hours with grades of C or better, with at least 21 credit hours at the 300 level or above 

Course Requirements

• LIT-105 The Literary Imagination 1:1 (3) 

or 

LIT-120 Interpreting Literature 1:1 (3) 

• LIT-480 Senior Project in Literature (3) 
• LIT-498 Senior Seminar on the Value of Literature (3) 
• Three survey courses from the following with at least one of LIT-210 or LIT-220: 

LIT-150 Third World Literature 3:1 (3) 

LIT-210 Survey of American Literature I (3) 

LIT-211 Survey of American Literature II (3) 

LIT-220 Survey of British Literature I (3) 

LIT-221 Survey of British Literature II (3) 

LIT-225 The African Writer 1:2 (3) 

LIT-235 African-American Literature 2:2 (3) 

LIT-240 Asian American Literature 2:2 (3) 

LIT-252 Survey of Literary Theory (3) 

• Four courses in literature written before 1900, of which at least two must be in literature written before 1800 
• One of the following: 

LIT-215 Writers in Print/in Person 1:2 

creative writing course 

300-level cinema course 

• Three additional courses offered or approved by the Department of Literature 

University Honors Program

All University Honors students must complete at least 12 credit hours of advanced-level (300-level and above) Honors courses including a 3 to 6 credit hour Honors Senior Capstone Project. Students may graduate with University Honors in the major if they complete at least 12 advanced-level Honors courses including the Senior Capstone Project in the department. Each department has three levels of University Honors requirements: Level I Options (100-200-level Honors classes); Level II Options (300-level and above Honors classes); and Level III Options (Honors Senior Capstone). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding departmental options. For more information, go to www.american.edu/academic.depts/honors/ . 

Combined B.A. and M.A. in Literature

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs. Undergraduate students may complete up to 3 credits for every 9 credits required for the graduate degree that may be applied to the requirements for both degree programs. The department that oversees the graduate program the student enters will determine if the courses the undergraduate student completes will satisfy master’s degree requirements. Bachelor’s/master’s students must complete at least 18 in-residence credit hours at the graduate level after the bachelor’s degree is earned and maintain continuous, sequential enrollment in the two programs. 

This program enables students to complete both the B.A. and the M.A. in Literature. 

Requirements

• Undergraduate literature majors ordinarily apply at the end of their junior year, but they should consult with the M.A. program director prior to applying. Admission decisions follow the procedures used to evaluate graduate applicants to the M.A. in Literature. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. Students will be admitted formally to M.A. status only if they have completed all requirements for the B.A. in Literature with at least an overall 3.00 grade point average and a 3.20 grade point average in literature courses. 
• All requirements for the B.A. in Literature 

Undergraduate students may apply up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate-level course work in literature to satisfy the requirements of both degrees. 

• All requirements for the M.A. in Literature, including a minimum of 18 credit hours completed in residence in graduate status after the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Students must finish the master’s degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master’s program.