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Literatures in English Major

Welcome to the Literatures in English undergraduate page.  Here you will find the major and minor requirements, contact information, career planning and study abroad resources and quarterly-updated information like:

  • Literatures in English major checklist
  • Student and department event announcements
  • Quarterly course information and highlights

You will also find the Faculty Advisor for the Literatures in English major, which changes annually.   Your faculty advisor will be available to assist you with such issues as academic progress, research opportunities and career paths within your field.

 

Ameeth Vijay

2023-2024 Faculty Advisor 
Ameeth Vijay

Major Requirements

Note

Students that entered UCSD prior to Fall 2017 are allowed to either follow their existing requirements or switch to the new 2017 major requirements. Please contact our advising staff for details (VAC).
Literatures in English major checklist
  1. Six lower-division courses:
    1. LTEN 21, 22, 23, 25, and 26
    2. One of the following: LTEN 27, 28, or 29
  2. Eight upper-division courses from literatures in English offerings, including a course from each of the following four a–d categories:
    1. British Literature before 1660
    2. British Literature after 1660
    3. US Literature before 1860
    4. US Literature after 1860
  3. One upper-division course in the history of criticism or in literary/cultural theory and methods from among the following: LTTH 110; LTTH 115; or LTCS 100.
  4. Three upper-division courses in comparative breadth, comprised of the following:
    1. One course in Literatures of the Americas (LTAM)
    2. One course in Literatures of Europe (LTEU)
    3. One elective course from Literatures of Africa (LTAF), Literatures of the Americas (LTAM), Literatures of East Asia (LTEA), Literatures of Europe (LTEU) or Literatures of the World (LTWL)
  5. Secondary Language & Literature: Students will satisfy this requirement by completing the lower-division course sequence in a language other than English, through a designated terminal lower-division course.
    1. Intensive Language Track:  Students will also be able to choose to complete an intensive track, which will be noted on the their transcript.  Students who would like to earn this notation will complete the lower-division language sequence, as well as two upper-division literature courses in the language.  Students who would like to pursue the intensive track should consult with an advisor to see how that path will affect their upper division requirements.

Minor Requirements

Seven LTEN courses, at least five of which must be upper-division.  Lower division courses that may be applied to the minor: LTEN 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29.  Upper division "LTEN-equivalent" courses (which vary on a quarterly basis, see "Course Information" below) may also be applied to the minor.  All courses for the minor must be taken for a letter grade.  You can declare a Literatures in English minor (LT36) on TritonLink, using the Major/Minor Tool.

Course Information

  • Course Offerings, where you will find
    • Annual course offerings
    • Detailed course descriptions for each quarter
    • A quarterly summary of specific course that meet Literatures in English major requirements
      • British Literature before 1660 ("A" requirement)
      • British Literature after 1660 ("B" requirement)
      • U.S. Literature before 1860 ("C" requirement)
      • U.S. Literature after 1860 ("D" requirement)
      • Any courses that are considered "LTEN-equivalent" for that particular quarter.  These can be applied to your major as upper division LTEN electives.

Tips for Transfer Students

Before you transfer...

  • Check Assist, the official source for articulation and student transfer information. You will see how your lower division courses will transfer to UCSD. 
  • This major does have a foreign language requirement, so students are highly recommended to start taking courses in their chosen language as early as possible.
  • We are happy to assist any students who are planning to transfer to UCSD.  If you would like guidance prior to transferring, please email us at litprospective@ucsd.edu or call us at 858-534-3210.

After you transfer...

  • Please check your transfer record on TritonLink . Are all the courses you took listed? Are the UC San Diego equivalent courses listed beside the courses you took? If you took a course and it does not appear on your TritonLink record, please contact the Admission's Office for corrections. 
  • If you took a course that does not appear on Assist and you think it is equivalent to one of our courses, you can file an undergraduate student petition with the Literature Department for review. We will be happy to go over that process with you if you have any questions.
  • Once you've received all possible UCSD credit for your transferred coursework, you are ready to make an academic plan.  Our Academic Advisors are happy to help you with this during our walk-in advising hours.
    • YOU SHOULD BE ENROLLED IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE IN YOUR FIRST QUARTER AT UCSD.  If you need assistance determining which course is appropriate, please call us at 858-534-3210.
    • After transferring coursework and filing undergraduate petitions, many transfer students find that they still have lower division requirements to fulfill.  It is highly recommended that you substitute upper division courses for these requirements, and our Academic Advisors have lists of pre-approved courses for this purpose.

Study Abroad for Your Major

English Literature majors are highly recommended to study abroad!  Aside from being an amazing experience, study abroad coursework can be applied to your major requirements (and actually decrease your time to graduation, if planned right)!  English Literature majors may apply up to 5 upper division courses from study abroad to their major requirements, and English Literature minors may apply up to 3 upper division courses to their minor.  Learn more about study abroad opportunities:

Careers in Literature

Students who major in Literature pursue a wide array of career paths.  UCSD and the Department of Literature have many resources to aid you in your career exploration and development:


Alumni Highlight:


English Literature Alumni - Kim Stanley Robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson, ’74, Ph.D. ’82

Literatures in English

Kim Stanley Robinson is a renowned science fiction author, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. He has penned more than 20 books, including the bestselling Mars trilogy and the critically acclaimed Fifty Degrees Below, Forty Signs of Rain, The Years of Rice and Salt, and Antarctica. According to a 2013 article in the New Yorker, he is "generally acknowledged as one of the greatest living science-fiction writers." He was honored by UC San Diego in 2005 for Professional Achievement and by Muir College as a 2011 Environmental Fellow.


Alumni Highlight:


English Literature Alumni - Alan Russell

Alan Russell, ’78

English & American Literature

Bestselling author of ten mystery novels, including Burning ManShameMultiple WoundsThe Hotel Detective, and Political Suicide, Alan Russell’s books have been nominated for most of the major awards in crime fiction, including a Lefty award for best comedic mystery, a USA Today Critics’ Choice Award, two San Diego Book Awards for best mystery novel, and the Odin Award for Lifetime Achievement from the San Diego Writers/Editor Guild. Alan served as editor of The Guardian newspaper while a student at UCSD and returned to UC San Diego in 2014 to give the Warren College commencement keynote speech. He lives with his wife and children in Encinitas, California.


Alumni Highlight:


English Literature Alumni - Kathryn Frengs

Kathryn Frengs, ’01

Literatures in English (and Political Science)

Global Marketing Communications Lead, Firewood Marketing at Google

Kathryn Frengs started her professional life as an Intern in The Clinton White House, was Staff Assistant and Field Rep to U.S. Congresswoman Jane Harman, and has worked, among other places, at Apple, in Paris and in the U.K.


Alumni Highlight:


English Literature Alumni - Carol Becker

Carol Becker, Ph.D. ’76

English & American Literature

Carol Becker is Dean of Faculty and Professor of the Arts at Columbia University School of the Arts and a member of the Global Agenda Council on the Role of Art in Society for the World Economic Forum. With research interests that range from feminist theory, American cultural history, the education of artists, art and social responsibility, to South African art and politics, she has published numerous articles and books on cultural criticism. She was honored by UC San Diego as the 1999 Outstanding Alumna and was recognized during the 50th Anniversary Year in 2010.


Alumni Highlight:


English Literature Alumni - Adriana Cara

Adriana Cara, ’92

English & American Literature

Founding Attorney, Cara & Garland, APLC, one of the few female- and minority-owned law practices in San Diego County. In a June 2015 profile story in the San Diego Union Tribune, Cara confided that reading literature is an essential part of who she is and has served her well since her days at UC San Diego, providing an enjoyable escape during her stressful law school days and a solid foundation for developing persuasive legal arguments as an attorney.

Undergrad Advising

Current students must use the VAC (valid student PID required) or in-person advising. We cannot advise students via email or over the phone (to preserve student privacy standards).

Virtual Advising Center

We will respond to questions Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm.

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In-Person Advising

Walk-in advising is currently unavailable, but we will post updated hours/locations here (once available again). Please use the VAC.

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