Literature Schools and Programs in The United States

Literature Studies in The United States

Literature as a university subject is the study of poetry, fiction, drama and other texts, and increasingly of film and other media, through close reading, analysis and writing. Claremont McKenna College describes it as a humanistic discipline that emphasises close observation and analysis, imaginative response, thinking in a broad intellectual and historical context, and the skills of speech and writing. In the United States the subject is taught in departments with different names: English, Comparative Literature, departments for individual languages, and in some universities a department simply called Literature.

How the degree is organised

Undergraduate study leads to a bachelor's degree, which according to EducationUSA is usually completed in four years of full-time study. US undergraduate education is based on the liberal arts and sciences, so students take classes in a wide variety of subjects in addition to their major, and the degree is awarded after a specified number of credits in the major field. Literature is one of those majors, normally leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA).

The structure of the major depends on the department. The Department of Literature at the University of California San Diego has four majors, with a focus on Literary Arts, Literature in English, Literature in Spanish or World Literature and Culture, and eleven minors. At Claremont McKenna College the major consists of a two-course survey of British literature, a course in the history of literary criticism, a course in American literature and four electives. The Department of English at the University of Washington offers a BA in English with a Language and Literature option or a Creative Writing option. Comparative literature programmes work across languages: at Fordham University, majors take upper-division courses in a non-English language and finish with a final paper or creative project.

Literature can also be combined with another field. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Literature section offers a concentration, a minor, a full or double major and a joint major that combines at least eight subjects in literature with at least six in a science or engineering field.

At graduate level, EducationUSA describes the master's as a two-year degree providing additional specialisation and the doctorate as a five- to eight-year programme. Binghamton University offers an MA/PhD in Comparative Literature. The University of Washington lists an MA/PhD in English and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and UC San Diego also has PhD and MFA programmes.

Admission and language

EducationUSA states that undergraduate applicants generally must have completed high school and be at least 17 years old, and that US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. A literature degree involves a large amount of reading and essay writing in English. Applications for a September start are typically due between November and January, so the search should begin 12 to 18 months before the academic year.

To study on an F student visa, students must first be accepted by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

Where to study literature in the United States

The schools listed on this page are spread across the country, with the largest group in New York, where Columbia University, New York University and Fordham University are located. Harvard University and MIT are in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the University of Washington and Seattle Central College are in Seattle; and Spelman College and the Georgia Institute of Technology are in Atlanta. The list includes research universities such as the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, The University of Chicago and Yale University in New Haven, and liberal arts colleges such as Claremont McKenna College, Wellesley College and Middlebury College. It also includes community colleges and several college-preparatory boarding schools, such as Mercersburg Academy and The Storm King School, where literature is part of the secondary school curriculum. Teaching is in English, except for courses on literature in other languages.

Recognition of the qualification

US higher education is not centrally organised: institutions are accredited at national or regional level by independent accrediting bodies. Students who plan to continue studying or to teach in another country should check how a US bachelor's or master's degree is recognised there before enrolling.

Careers

A literature degree does not lead to one single occupation. Claremont McKenna College states that the skills of the major translate most directly into careers in law, government, business, advertising, journalism, education and entertainment. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), writers and authors typically need a bachelor's degree in English or a related field; the occupation had 140,300 jobs in 2025 and employment is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035. For university teaching, the BLS states that postsecondary teachers typically must have a PhD or other doctoral degree in their field, although a master's degree may be enough at some community colleges.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a literature degree take in the United States?

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. A master's adds about two years, and a doctorate takes five to eight years according to EducationUSA.

Is literature the same as an English degree?

Not always. Many universities teach literature within an English department, while others have separate Literature or Comparative Literature departments that also work with texts in other languages. The requirements of each major show the difference.

Do I need a PhD to teach literature at a university?

Usually. According to the BLS, postsecondary teachers typically must have a PhD or other doctoral degree, although a master's degree may be enough for some positions at community colleges.