Our courses are organized by categories. Students begin with Gateway courses that survey the broad history of British and American literature. They proceed by taking at least one course in each of 4 groups organized by the primary approaches to literary study: courses in Genre and Aesthetics, courses that focus on History and Literary History, courses that examine Culture through literary objects, and courses that study the work of a Single Author. Two of the courses students select from these groups must focus on literature written before 1800. Students may take additional electives from any of the four groups, as well as from 300-level Writing or Creative Writing courses. Students conclude their major with a required Senior Seminar course.