Department Requirements
Bowdoin students are required to declare their major in the spring of their sophomore year. In April the English department hosts an informational meeting for new majors.
The English Department does not have any one specific course, or set of specific courses, that all majors/minors must take. Instead, majors and minors make their choices from a wide variety of courses at the first-year seminar, 100-, 200-, and 300-level. Each year, the English Department offers a reasonable number of courses at each of these levels. Typically, we offer more than five first-year seminars, four 100-level courses, and three or four 300-level seminars a year. The rest of our courses are at the 200-level. Because our majors must take three courses in British Literature written before 1800, each semester we offer three or four courses that will satisfy this requirement (these may be at the 200- or 300-level).
The Major in English and American Literature
The major requires a minimum of ten courses.
Each student must take one first-year seminar (English 10-29) or introductory course (English 104-106), either of which will serve as a prerequisite to further study in the major.
At least three of the ten courses must be chosen from offerings in British and Irish literature before 1800; these courses include and are limited to the following: English 200, 201, 202, 210, 211, 212, 220, 221, 222, 223, 230, 231, 232, 250, and 300-level seminars explicitly identified as counting toward this requirement. Only one of these three courses may be a Shakespeare drama course.
One of the ten courses must be chosen from offerings in literature of the Americas; these courses include and are limited to the following: English 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 285, 286, 287, and 300-level seminars explicitly identified as counting toward this requirement. Each student must also take at least one advanced seminar (any English 300-level course).
Students may, when appropriate, count an advanced seminar toward this requirement as well as to one of the requirements listed above.
The remaining courses may be selected from the foregoing and/or English 10-29 (first-year seminars); 61-65 (Creative Writing); 104-106, 240-289; 300-399; 291-292 (independent study); 401-402 (advanced independent study/Honors). Not more than three of these courses may come from the department's roster of first-year seminars and 100-level courses; not more than one creative writing course will count toward the major. One upper-level course in film studies may be counted toward the major; courses in expository writing, journalism, and communication are not eligible for major credit.
Credit toward the major for advanced literature courses in another language, provided that the works are read in that language, and other exceptions to the requirements, must be arranged with the chair. Majors who are candidates for Honors must write an Honors essay and take an oral examination in the spring of their senior year.
The Minor in English and American Literature
The minor requires five courses in the department, including one first-year seminar (English 10-29) or introductory course (English 104-106) and at least three courses numbered 200 or above.
No more than one creative writing course may count toward the minor, and no courses in expository writing, film, journalism, or communication will count.
The Major in English and Theater
The interdisciplinary major in English and Theater focuses on the dramatic arts, broadly constructed, with a significant focus on the critical study of drama and literature. In the past, self-designed majors have explored the works of a specific playwright, or pursued performance studies while researching the literature of a specific culture.
This major allows the interested student of English and Theater to blend introductory and advanced course work in both fields, while maintaining some degree of flexibility in the focus of their work. Honors theses in English and Theater would be listed as honors in English and Theater, rather than in either field individually. Students completing an honors project would be guided by faculty in both fields. Students who decide to take this major will be encouraged to work with advisors in both fields. Students wishing to study abroad will be allowed to count three courses in approved off-campus programs such as CBB, BADA, or elsewhere toward the requirements for the major.
Course requirements for the English/Theater major:
1. An English first-year seminar or 100-level course, preferably English 106; three 100-level Theater courses from the following: 101, 102, 103, 120, 130, or 140.
2. One course from English 210, 211, or 212; one course from English 223 or 230; one course from Theater 220, 240, 250, or 270.
3. One course in modern drama, either English 262, or its equivalent in another department, such as French 315.
4. One 300-level course in Theater, and one 300-level English seminar.
5. One elective in English and one elective in Theater or Dance at the 200-level or higher.
A student completing an interdisciplinary major in English and Theater would not be allowed to also declare a minor in either English or Theater, or a major in English. They would be able to complete a minor in Dance, as long as courses are not "double-dipped' to create the minor.
Off-Campus Study
The English encourages its students to study abroad for a part of their junior year, particularly in programs that allow them to supplement the department's course offerings. Typical destinations for junior majors include schools in England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. With the help of department advisors, students should choose their study abroad programs carefully from the many options available in order to integrate their learning at Bowdoin and beyond.
One new option is the CBB (Colby, Bates, Bowdoin) Program in Modern and Contemporary British Literature and Culture. The program consists of three courses in literature and one in contemporary British history. Although this program is ideal for majors wishing to do advanced work, it is also suitable for students with some training in literature, history, art history, women's studies, or lesbian and gay studies. Interdisciplinary literature courses give students the opportunity to read across genres and disciplines (literature, art, and film), to conduct independent research in London and nearby archives, and to take advantage of the many cultural events in London: readings, lectures, performances, theater, film, and gallery exhibits. For more information, contact the Off-Campus Study office at Bowdoin.
For a copy of the English's guidelines regarding study-away courses (and other extra-departmental courses), please contact the department coordinator.