Letters

The Original Multidisciplinary Major

In 1937 the School of Letters was organized in the College of Arts and Sciences to “provide guidance and systematic programs of instruction for students whose chief interest lies in the fields of ancient and modern language and literature, and closely allied subjects.”

"The Open Book" by Juan Gris
(courtesy of The Athenaeum)

Today the Letters program offers students a carefully supervised and coordinated curriculum in the humanities leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Letters.

The program’s original purpose was to instill a deeper appreciation of the major movements of Western civilization. By studying the important and characteristic achievements of the human mind from Greco-Roman antiquity to the modern era, students come to understand and appreciate the ideas and principles that form the basis of their own culture. This purpose has been expanded to include the study of other, non-western civilizations and cultures. 

The Letters degree is interdisciplinary, and the curriculum is flexible enough to accommodate most students' interests. Majors take courses in the areas of

• History (History and the History of Science),
• Literature (Classics, English, Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics),
• and Philosophy (Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies)

In addition, the major requires students to take supporting courses in an ancient language, a modern language, and the appreciation of the fine arts. The program is based upon the assumption that cultivated intelligence, good judgment, and artistic expression in speech and writing are desirable in and for themselves. 

The Letters major provides an excellent preparation for advanced study in professional and graduate schools. Many Letters graduates have chosen to continue their studies in such fields as medicine, law, business, government, education, and religious ministry.

• What Can I Do With A Degree in Classics or Letters?
• Letters and Pre-Med

A candidate for graduation with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Letters must achieve a combined retention grade point average of 3.00 or better, computed on the basis of the last 90 hours. Students who meet all requirements of this program with the exception of the minimum grade average requirement may be graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. 

The Thinker

In addition to fulfilling the general requirements of the University and the College of Arts and Sciences, students must complete 36 semester hours of major credit courses in each of three areas: history (which may include History of Science), literature (which includes work in Classics, English, and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics) , and philosophy (which may also include work in specified courses in Political Science and Religious Studies, and Native American Studies). Letters courses (i.e., those designated LTRS), depending on their content, may count in any of the areas. Students must earn a minimum of nine hours credit in each area, and 27 of their 36 total hours must be earned in upper-division courses. Students must also complete supporting courses in one ancient and one modern language either at the secondary or collegiate level. They must complete at least two intermediate-level courses in one of the languages and at least one intermediate-level course in the other. A supporting course in the history or appreciation of one of the fine arts is also required. 

Letters majors may fulfill the capstone requirement in the Letters capstone courses or they may take the capstone in one of the participating departments including Classics, History, English or Philosophy.