BA American Literature and Culture

The American Literature and Culture major is great for students with an enthusiasm for imaginative literature, a desire to become a more proficient and intelligent reader and writer, a conviction that a deeper, broader understanding of culture is important. Apart from the inherent rewards of studying literature, a degree in American Literature and Culture offers intensive training in skills essential in the modern job market, training that is rarely offered by other fields of study. The major also aspires to nurture the kinds of thoughtfulness essential for an intelligent, diverse, and harmonious society, a society that appreciates traditions without following them blindly. The reading and the writing in the major develops the ability to think critically and creatively, and to express ideas clearly and forcefully, provides a detailed knowledge of several cultural traditions, offers exposure to many related areas of study (including history, psychology, philosophy, linguistics, sociology, art history, and religious studies), and prepares students for graduate and professional work in a wide variety of fields.interest in American literature and culture.