English

The Department of English offers one secondary field for non-concentrators. It is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate every kind of interest in this broad field.

Students are free to explore the field by selecting a variety of courses; or they may focus on a genre or mode (such as poetry, drama) or a period (Medieval, Postcolonial) or any other aspect of the larger field. See the list of sample tracks available on the department website, which suggests ways that individual students might organize their course selections around a guiding rubric, if they choose to do so.

Requirements: 6 half-courses

1. English 10a: Major British Writers I

   In addition to the benefits of studying English literature from the earlier centuries, this course offers a common learning experience for all secondary field students—and indeed all English concentrators.

2. Undergraduate Seminar

   At least one seminar is required, which could be a 90-level departmental seminar, a Sophomore Seminar (Eng 97), or a Freshman Seminar taught by a member of the English faculty. Another option would be a small lecture course (100-level) with fewer than 25 students, but if you wish to pursue this option, you must confirm it with the Coordinator for the Secondary Field or the Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Note: creative writing courses do not count as seminars, even though they have small enrollments.) Students may take more than one seminar.

3. American Literature

   Any course in American literature from the department's range of offerings will fulfill the requirement. A seminar in American literature can “double count” for these two requirements (although students must still take a total of six courses). A basic American survey course, English 17, is offered every year. In addition, a number of American literature courses are offered at the 90-level or 100-level every year, and the American content is signalled in the title and/or the course description. Most cases are unambiguous. If you are unsure, please consult the Coordinator for the Secondary Field or the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

4. Three electives

Three more courses in English and/or American literature complete the requirements. They may include literature courses offered through other departments but taught by English Department faculty.

Other Information

The six courses may be taken in any sequence, but for a number of reasons it makes sense to take Eng. 10a early on. With the exception of Freshman Seminars, each course must be taken for a letter grade, with a minimum threshold of C-minus. There are restrictions on summer school and study-abroad credits, which the departmental advisers can clarify. No more than two creative writing courses may count toward the total of six.

Ordinarily, courses taught in other departments and programs will not count for the secondary field. Exceptions require the approval of the Coordinator for the Secondary Field or the DUS, and must be courses on literature that are taught by a faculty member in the English Department.

Only one course from Harvard Summer School or study abroad that is not taught by a faculty member in the English Department at Harvard may count for the secondary field.

Advising Resources and Expectations

Students pursuing a secondary field are urged to seek out members of the English Department faculty for advice on their specific course choices. For general information about the department, its faculty, and courses, visit the departmental website: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~english/.

For more information on the secondary field and for advising, please speak to either the Coordinator for the Secondary Field, Melissa Gerber (617-495-8443; mgerber@fas.harvard.edu), or the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Daniel Donoghue (617-495-2505; dgd@wjh.harvard.edu).