Lang’s General Degree Requirements
In addition to the requirements outlined here, Lang has specific requirements, including a minimum number of credits in liberal arts courses as well as college residency requirements. All students should read Lang’s General Degree Requirements and consult with both their Student Success advisor and their Departmental Faculty Advisor each semester to ensure that they are on track to graduate.
Degree Works
To be sure their Degree Works account reflects the information in this worksheet, students should forward any approved exemptions from the following requirements to their Student Success advisor.
Bachelor’s-Master’s Program
Undergraduates in the BA-MA program can earn up to 18 credits (depending on the master's program) in New School master's courses and apply those graduate credits to both their BA and their MA. Submission of the Bachelor’s-Master’s
application is required (members of the direct-entry cohort do not have to submit an application but do have to declare the Bachelor's-Master's combination they wish to pursue). Students should consult their Departmental Faculty Advisor and their
Student Success advisor if they are pursuing a BA/MA, including those offered in Literary Studies:
- Literary Studies (BA) - Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism (MA)
- Literary Studies (BA) - Liberal Studies (MA)
Requirements for the BA in Literary Studies with a concentration in Literature
As of fall 2020, students declaring the major in Literary Studies with a concentration in Literature must take 12 courses, outlined as follows. Students interested in Journalism are encouraged to consider majoring in Journalism + Design.
Students majoring in Literary Studies must earn a grade of C or higher in all courses. (Note that sequenced Writing workshops required for the Writing Concentration have a higher requirement. Consult the Departmental Faculty Advisor if you are taking Writing
workshops.) A minimum GPA of 3.0 is expected for all students intending to declare a major in Literary Studies (slightly lower GPAs can be accepted if the student receives an A in the Introductory course connected to their area, or both Introductory courses if the student is mixing and matching areas).
Declare your major by following the process outlined in Declaring a Major. Students who declared the major in Literary Studies before fall 2020 but wish to follow the fall 2020 curriculum can consult their Student Success advisor about submitting a Change of Catalog Year request.
Only specific courses satisfy the major requirements, including electives. See the university course catalog for fall 2023 Literature courses that fulfill these requirements. Courses should be chosen carefully in consultation with your Student Success advisor and with the Departmental Faculty Advisor and Literary Studies Co-Chair Carolyn Vellenga Berman, who can advise on the Literature concentration. Read the Overview of the Literature Concentration (PDF) and track your progress using the program worksheet (below).
Literature students develop a distinctive critical-analytical voice and firm grounding in literary theory and history and their vocabularies. Many of the faculty teaching literature are also creative writers and understand approaches to the study of literature
from the perspectives of practitioner, scholar, and critic. Although many students in literature classes are themselves creative writers, writing for the Literature concentration almost always takes the form of critical essays or research papers.
Learn more about the Literature program.
Faculty members in Literary Studies regard critical and theoretical writing as a process that is as creative as writing poetry, fiction, and drama. Students are encouraged to begin with 2000-level courses in Literature (LLSL) and Writing (LLSW) as they
consider one of these two concentrations. Two required Literary Introductions courses (The Invention of Literature, offered every fall, and Literary Reinvention, offered every spring), focusing on texts from the classic to the contemporary, enable
students to build a solid foundation in literary studies and provide them with a common language and literary experience as they proceed to more advanced study. Literary Studies students can also apply to continue their writing and literature coursework
abroad beginning in their sophomore year, in Paris, London, Rome, or Verona.
In their junior or senior year, all students are required to take an intensive single-text course in which both critics and practitioners of writing explore the nuances of a major work, as well as a Reading for Writers course, combining the reading of
great works with creative writing.
Literature Concentration Requirements
The major in Literary Studies with a concentration in Literature requires 12 courses to be completed as set forth below.
Introductory courses
All Literary Studies students (in either the Writing or Literature concentration) take the following core courses. Students are advised to pay close attention to prerequisites included in course descriptions and to meet with the Departmental Faculty advisor.
- 2 Literary Introductions courses, preferably but not necessarily taken in sequence:
- The Invention of Literature. Either LLST 2003/2004 (Lecture and Discussion) or LLST 2007 (Seminar—no discussion; offered in spring only) satisfies this requirement. (3-4 credits)
- Literary Reinvention. Either LLST 2005/2006 (Lecture and Discussion) or LLST 2008 (Seminar—no discussion; offered in fall only) satisfies this requirement. (3-4 credits)
NOTE: Literary Introductions courses are co/prerequisites for all 3000-level Literary Studies courses, unless the requirement is waived by the Departmental Faculty Advisor.
Other required courses:1) LLST single author course (3-4 credits)
- 1 LLSL course in poetry (3-4 credits)
- 1 LLST-RFW Reading for Writers course, open to juniors and seniors who have taken at least two workshops (3-4 credits). Choose from:
- LLST 3016 Reading for Writers: Nonfiction
- LLST 3025 Reading for Writers: Poetry
- LLST 3006 Reading for Writers: Fiction
Senior Capstone:
- Choose one of the following, by advisement (3-4 credits). Read the Senior Capstone Guidelines for details and important deadlines.
- Approved Individual Independent Senior Project (offered in the spring and fall semesters)
- Senior Seminar (only offered in the spring semester)
Total credits: 36-48