An Overview of Cornell’s English Program

As renowned author George R.R. Martin once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.” The sentiment behind this quote has led me to become an English major at one of the most prestigious universities in the nation, Cornell University.

 The major is offered at the school’s College of Arts and Sciences, and it must be declared by the end of your sophomore year or the beginning of your junior year. Yet, what is the English program like at Cornell? Keep reading to find an overview of Cornell’s English program. 

Major Intro and Admission

For the English major at Cornell, there are no prerequisite courses needed in order to apply. Anyone is welcome to apply to be an English major, which is unlike some other STEM majors at Cornell where prerequisite courses and grades are necessary. However, there are many courses one may want to take to get a basic understanding of the English curriculum. Courses such as ENGL 2010 and 2020, which survey British literature, while ENGL 2030 and 2040 survey English literature are great introductory courses to the major. In addition, freshmen may want to take First-year Writing Seminars (FWS) in English departments in order to gauge interest in certain topics under the English umbrella. For me, I took two English FWS’ in my first year at Cornell, both of which helped me develop my interest as an English major and also my concentration. Once deciding to take on the major, all that needs to be done is to fill out a form and send it to the head of the English department, Kate McCullough. 

Major Requirements

The English Major at Cornell is a total of 40 credit hours, which is equivalent to 10 classes. Of these 10 classes, the requirements are as follows[1]: 

● 12 credits (normally 3 courses) must be from courses in which 50% or more of the material consists of literature originally written in English before 1800 (such courses are indicated in the English course listings);

● 8 credits (2 courses) must be at the 4000 level or above;

● 12 credits (3 courses) must form an intellectually coherent "concentration.”

The only classes that cannot be counted towards the English major, despite being in the same department, as ENGL 2800/2810 and ENGL 2880/2890, the Creative Writing and Expository Writing courses. 

As for the concentrations, these are the ones available: 

Medieval literature; Renaissance literature; eighteenth-century literature; Romanticism; British literature 1890-1900; American literature before Modernism; twentieth-century British and American literature; American ethnic and regional literature; African-American literature; post-colonial and Anglophone literature; minority, indigenous, and third-world Studies; literary theory; philosophic approaches to literature; historicizing and political approaches to literature; Queer, feminist, gender and sexuality studies; literature, film, and media studies; expository writing; creative writing; cultural studies; poetry; narrative; drama; epic; history of the English language.1

At Cornell, my concentration within the English major is feminism, gender, and sexuality studies. What garnered my interest in this field were the FWS’ I took, as they revolved around women and their portrayals in literature across many different genres. As a woman myself, I took particular interest in this sphere of study, taking courses such as Feminist Theory and Decadent Literature to complete this part of my major requirements.

[1] https://english.cornell.edu/english-major-guide 

Major Timeline

Planning out all ten courses may seem overwhelming, but it is one of the more manageable majors at Cornell. By the end of your sophomore year, you may have even taken some English major courses without realizing it! Still, if by the beginning of junior year you haven’t taken any, you can follow this guide for support: 

Junior Year Fall

- Concentration Course 

- Pre-1800s Course 

- Any other English course

Junior Year Spring  

- Concentration Course 

- Pre-1800s Course 

- Any other English course

Senior Year Fall 

- Pre-1800s Course 

- 4000-level Course

Senior Year Spring 

- Concentration Course

- 4000-level Course

With this timeline, you will be taking around 8-12 English credits each semester, with plenty of extra time to either double major, minor, or just take random courses you’re interested in (especially since most students take 15-18 credits per semester). Good luck! 

Is English for You?

Is reading and analyzing literature right for you? Do books feel like a different life, every time you read one? Then majoring in English may be the right course for you. PathIvy can help lead you to the right steps to take to accomplish this goal, contact us today. 

Written by Victoria Harris, PathIvy Team