I might be a bit biased, but I think the English Department at Tufts is one of, if not the, best departments at Tufts. The courses are varied and unique, the professors are accomplished and kind, and the major is flexible and customizable to your interests. Whether you’re a prospective English major or just want to take an English class for fun, in this post, I will explain how the English major works, give you some course recommendations, and tell you a little bit about why I believe the English Department is the best Department at Tufts.
Breaking Down the Major:
The English major, like I mentioned above, is fairly flexible, and you can really make it your own. If you are more interested in American lit, you can take more American than British lit. If you’re a writer, you can take mostly creative writing courses, for example. Here are the core requirements for the major:
One Survey Course
The survey course gives students the ability to survey an extensive period in literary history. Each course provides a great foundational knowledge in multiple eras and parts of the world. The survey courses offered are: Black World Literature, Heroes, Lovers, and Demons: British Literature from Beowulf to the Eighteenth Century, Crisis and Critique: British Literature from 1780 to 1950, and Dissent & Democracy: American Literature to 1900.
2 Non-Survey Courses: Anglophone Lit Pre-1860
You are also required to take two non-survey courses (none of the ones listed above) that are classified as Anglophone lit published before 1860. Some courses that count for this requirement include: Shakespeare, Epic Strain, Milton, Romantic Literature & Culture I: 1789-1810, and many others.
2 Non-Survey Courses: Anglophone Lit Post-1860
You are also required to take two non-survey courses that are classified as Anglophone lit published after 1860. Some courses that count include: Saul Bellow & Friends, American Fiction 1900-1950, Postmodernism and Film, James Joyce’s Ulysses, and many more.
5 Other Courses of Your Choice
For the rest of the major, the courses you take are pretty much up to you! This is why I say the major is super customizable. If you want to take literary theory courses, mostly British lit, or only contemporary courses, you can! This is also great for students who are more creative writing-oriented, as you can take up to five creative writing courses (so all of your additional courses could be creative writing, if you want). The only other constraints are that you can only take a max of two introductory creative writing courses, and up to four transfer credits.
Favorite Classes:
I’ve genuinely enjoyed all of the courses I’ve taken in the English Department at Tufts, but here are a few of my favorites!
- Frankenstein’s Sisters: Austen and Shelley
- Of Microscopes and Monsters: Science and Literature
- Contemporary Multi-Ethnic Literature
- Short Fiction
- Creative Writing: Fiction
And here are a few courses that I would love to take:
- Jane Austen: Novels and Film
- Modernizing the Mind
- How Films Think
- The Booker Prize and the Contemporary Novel in English
- American Gothic
Here is a link to more courses offered if you’re interested: https://as.tufts.edu/english/current-students/undergraduate-programs/ba-english/approved-courses-majors
Senior Thesis in English
You also have the option to write a thesis in English during your senior year. It is not required, but it is a great way to culminate your time as an English major at Tufts, if you so choose. You can either write a critical, creative, or hybrid thesis. The critical thesis is essentially like a long analysis paper. The creative thesis can take pretty much whatever shape you would like. You could write a collection of poems, or a short novella, for example. You can also do a hybrid of the two, with a mix of critical and creative elements. I will be writing a critical senior thesis this year on Gothic elements in nineteenth-century women’s fiction!
Why I Love the Major/the Department:
As you’ve hopefully gleaned from this blog, English at Tufts is whatever you make of it. The courses are compelling and varied, and the professors are absolutely wonderful. I was pretty sure I wanted to be an English major coming into Tufts, but it was the professors here who fully convinced me. They were so welcoming, kind, encouraging, and willing to talk to me about just about anything. They are some of the most wonderful people that I’ve had the pleasure of learning from. I’ve also found that the types of students in English classes at Tufts, whether they’re majors or just looking to fulfill a distribution requirement, are thoughtful and engaged, and class discussions often leave me feeling completely mind blown. English at Tufts is a special part of this community, and I sincerely hope that if you decide to come to Tufts, you will take at least one English class!
If you’d like to learn more about the English Department, here is a link to their website: https://as.tufts.edu/english/
If you want to learn more about life as an English major or just about English things happening on and around campus, follow the Tufts English Society on Instagram!: https://www.instagram.com/tuftsenglishsociety/