Literary Studies Major

Analyzing literature will hone your skills in recognizing repeating themes, tropes, and images. It will teach you how to prioritize (which of these elements matter and why?) and interpret (if this matters to the text, what can be learned from it?). Unlike other art forms in which your view is from the outside, in literature your eye is the narrative’s “I” and you learn what it is like to see from the perspective of someone other than yourself. Through reading historic, American, and international literatures you will also learn historical, social and cultural contexts. 

This versatile major includes a comprehensive core of literary study as well as opportunities to pursue individual interests. We require a total of 36 credits, many of which can be taken in flexible sequences: this means LIT lends itself well to students pursuing double majors, and is a very attainable major for students taking semester or year abroad programs.

We encourage interdisciplinarity and accept up to 12 credits of complementary courses from other Goucher programs or study abroad. 

16 credits of your LIT credits must be taken at the 300 or 400 level.

Up to 2 credits of 100 level LIT may count towards the major.

Creative Writing majors may wish to pursue the 20 credit LIT minor.

Secondary Education majors should take the core, as all our majors do.  They should take at least 30 credits with a LIT prefix.

What to Expect

200 level LIT courses provide context, breadth and specific skills (nb LIT 200  and LIT 215  are required for most upper-level courses so take them early in your major).

300 level LIT courses engage in deeply focused literary criticism and require an extended research essay.

400 level LIT courses engage in sophisticated analysis that can extend widely across our discipline as well as beyond.