Freshman Seminars
The Department of English offers every semester freshman
seminars that explore literature from a variety of perspectives.
Current offerings include Literature and Science, American Traditions,
Literature and Justice, Literature and the Invention of Love. These
seminars are small group experiences designed and led by senior
professors in the department. They introduce incoming students to
literature as a unique source for analyzing the complexity of the human
situation. The moral, philosophical, psychological, historical, and
theological contexts in which literature comes to life are central to
these seminars. They appeal to students who are still uncertain about
the direction of their studies and to those who already lean toward
majoring in English. We believe that these seminars provide an ideal
introduction to the interdisciplinary concerns that occupy literary
studies today. Freshman seminars count toward the major. They are not,
however, required for the major.