The Literature and Language Department offers courses in British, American and world literature; humanities; linguistics and the English language, including English as a second language (ESL); and world languages. The department offers a major and a minor in English.

Literature courses provide opportunities to study literature’s historical development, theories and methods of literature, poetry, women authors, ethnic literature, criticism, and literature for children. Classes are reading and writing intensive, and instructors emphasize active learning and critical thinking.

Humanities courses reflect an older notion of literary study. Literature in the ancient world was not clearly distinguished as a separate discipline from philosophy or history or the arts. The term “humanities” has come from that ancient tradition, before knowledge was divided into separate academic departments. Humanities courses bring together the thought, art, literature and learning of the past in order to study texts in their historical and cultural settings.

Linguistics is the study of the history and structure of language and its links to society, culture and individual life. Because language is central to being human, an understanding of language teaches people important things about their own nature. Linguists examine both the historical and theoretical aspects of language and its actual use in day-to-day situations.

Traditionally, a liberal arts education has always included the study of at least one world language. Mastering another language provides a valuable, even an essential, communication tool that enables one to function effectively, whether for business or pleasure, in an internationalized community. At the same time, it also teaches new ways of perceiving and organizing reality.

Policy for Gaining Credit for Prior Learning in World Languages

The Literature and Language Department does not give credit for prior learning in world languages.