Students of literature should read works from the broadest possible range of historical periods, from the ancient world to our own contemporaries in the twenty-first century.
To encourage this range we make a rough division of courses into two groups: those that focus mostly in literature from before 1900 and those that focus mostly on literature from after 1900. This is the current list of classes in each category. Not every class falls neatly into one category or the other, and some straddle the year 1900. If you have any questions, get in touch with your adviser. And as you plan your classes remember only two 200-level classes can count toward the major.
Pre-1900 Courses
These classes are focused predominantly on writers or movements from the ancient world, through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Eighteenth Century, the Romantic period, and the Victorian period, as well as American literature from the Colonial era, the Early Republic, and the nineteenth century.
- 350:206, Shakespeare for 21st Century
- 350:215, Literary Masterpieces
- 350:216, Literary Masterpieces
- 350:225, Love Stories Medieval to Modern
- 350:231, Art of Satire
- 350:232, The Gothic
- 350:233, Whose English?
- 350:262, Reading Medieval Literature
- 350:263, Reading Early Modern Literature
- 350:264, Reading 18th-Century Literature
- 350:265, Reading 19th-Century Literature
- 350:311, 17th-Century Literature
- 350:315, Early Renaissance Literature
- 350:316, Late Renaissance Literature
- 350:317, English Pre-Romantics
- 350:318, 18th-Century Biography & Autobiography
- 350:319, Shakespeare: Early Works
- 350:320, Shakespeare: Late Works
- 350:322, Survey of English Literature after 1700
- 350:323, English Drama to 1642
- 350:324, English Drama to 1642
- 350:325, Early 18th-Century Literature
- 350:326, Late 18th-Century Literature
- 350:329, Early Romantic Period
- 350:330, Late Romantic Period
- 350:333, Early Victorian Period
- 350:334, Late Victorian Period
- 350:343, The Bible as Literature I
- 350:344, The Bible as Literature II
- 350:347, Trojan War: Epic to Novel
- 350:349, The English Novel to 1800
- 350:350, The English Novel after 1800
- 350:365, World Drama to 1900
- 350:367, Restoration Literature
- 350:368, Restoration & 18th-Century Drama
- 350:371, Milton
- 350:373, Chaucer
- 350:378, Middle English Literature
- 350:380, European Renaissance & English Literature
- 350:382, Topics in Medieval Literature
- 350:383, Topics in Early Modern Literature
- 350:384, Topics in 18th-Century Literature
- 350:385, Topics in 19th-Century Literature
- 352:395, African American Literature to 1900
- 350:390, Women in Medieval Literature
- 350:405, Seminar in Early Victorian Literature
- 350:406, Seminar in Late Victorian Literature
- 350:411, Development of English Language
- 350:415, Seminar in Renaissance Literature
- 350:419, Authors before 1900
- 350:425, Literature of the Age of Ideas
- 350:429, European Novel to 1900
- 350:431, World Novel to 1900
- 350:436, Classical Heritage: English Literature
- 350:440, Seminar in Medieval Literature
- 350:479, Seminar in Major Brit Authors I
- 352:213, American Literature of 19th Century before 1865
- 352:214, American Literature of 19th Century since 1865
- 352:250, Literature of the American Revolution
- 352:260, Reading Early American Literature
- 352:261, Reading 19th-Century American Literature
- 352:325, Survey of American Literature to 1860
- 352:361, American Authors of 19th Century
- 352:363, Novel in America to 1950
- 352:382, Topics in Early American Literature
- 352:383, Topics in 19th-Century American Literature
- 352:401, American Literature to 1900 I
- 352:402, American Literature to 1900 II
- 352:415, Seminar in 19th-Century American Literature
Post-1900 Classes
- 350:205, Fiction into Film
- 350:230, Comics & Graphic Novels
- 350:245, Reading Film
- 350:266, Reading Modern Literature
- 350:339, Major Writers of the 20th Century
- 350:340, Major Writers of the 20th Century
- 350:342, Modern English Poetry
- 350:345, Modern Drama
- 350:346, Modern Drama
- 350:353, Modern & Contemporary English Novel
- 350:354, Modern & Contemporary English Novel
- 350:363, Special Topics in Film
- 350:364, Special Topics in Film
- 350:374, Joyce
- 350:377, Science Fiction
- 350:379, Computers & Literature
- 350:386, Topics in Modern Literature
- 350:395, Nuclear War & Literature
- 350:416, Seminar in Modern Brit Literature
- 350:420, Authors since 1900
- 350:430, European Novel after 1900
- 350:432, World Novel in 20th & 21st Century
- 350:447, Modern British Fiction
- 350:448, Modern British Fiction
- 350:467, Recent Trends in British Drama
- 350:480, Seminar in Major British Authors II
- 352:207, Writers at Newark I
- 352:208, Writers at Newark II
- 352:211, Contemporary American Literature
- 352:212, Contemporary American Literature
- 352:262, Reading Modern American Literature
- 352:326, Survey of American Literature after 1860
- 352:343, American Literature of the 20th Century
- 352:344, American Literature of the 20th Century
- 352:348, Representations of Race to 1950
- 352:349, Representations of Race since 1950
- 352:350, Vietnam War & American Literature
- 352:362, Modern American Authors
- 352:364, Novel in America since 1950
- 352:376, Modern American Poetry
- 352:384, Topics in Modern American Literature
- 352:396, African American Literature after 1900
- 352:408, Perspectives on American Modernity
- 352:416, Seminar in 20th-Century American Literature
- 352:420, Recent Trends in American Fiction
See the Schedule of Classes for the current offerings and the Course Catalog for descriptions.
Some “Topics” classes may also satisfy these requirements, and new courses are being added to the list every semester. These are not always reflected in Degree Navigator. If you have any questions, ask your English adviser.