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    Mar 28, 2024  
American University Catalog 2022-2023 
    
American University Catalog 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Literature (BA)


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Offered by the Department of Literature , College of Arts and Sciences .

Admission to the Program


Formal admission to the major requires a grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) and departmental approval.

University Requirements


AU Core Requirements


For additional information, see AU Core Curriculum .

Major Requirements


  • 42 credit hours with grades of C or better, with at least 21 credit hours at or above 300-level
  • Specializations: Cinema Studies, Creative Writing, Literary Studies, Transcultural Studies

Course Requirements


Core (12 credit hours)


Specialization (24 credit hours)


Complete one of the following specializations:

Cinema Studies


Additional (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

Film or Interdisciplinary Topics (6 credit hours)

  • 6 credit hours of additional 300- or 400-level courses in film or interdisciplinary topics
Electives (6 credit hours)

  • 6 credit hours of additional 300- or 400-level LIT  courses approved by the major advisor  

Creative Writing


Literary Studies


Survey (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following if not taken to fulfill Core: Survey:

Electives (9 credit hours)

  • 9 credit hours of LIT  courses approved by the major advisor

Transcultural Studies


World Literature (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Electives (9 credit hours)

  • 9 credit hours of LIT  courses approved by the major advisor

Combined Literature (BA) and Literature, Culture, and Technology (MA)


American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Admission to a Combined Bachelor’s / Master’s Program  and Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees  for more information.

In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for combined bachelor’s/master’s programs:

  • Undergraduate literature majors should consult with the MA program director prior to applying. Admission decisions follow the procedures used to evaluate graduate applicants to the Literature, Culture, and Technology (MA) . The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. Students will be admitted formally to MA status only if they have completed all requirements for the Literature (BA) with at least an overall 3.00 grade point average and a 3.20 grade point average in literature courses.

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