English and World Literature

Engage deeply with literatures from around the globe and study the intersection of storytelling and social justice across cultures, time periods, and genres

A Pitzer student asks his professor a question during class

About Our English and World Literature Program

  • Become an engaged reader and writer of literature by studying a diverse canon of works.
  • Gain skills in writing and critical thinking essential for work in a wide variety of academic areas.
  • Pursue careers in fields from law to journalism, or go on to graduate study in a diverse array of literary fields.
  • Dive into your interests by pursuing one of three tracks for your major: literature, creative writing, or narrative arts for social justice.

At a Glance

Degree Awarded

  • Bachelor of Arts

Field Group

English and World Literature

Program Type

Area of Study

English and World Literature & Our Values

Pitzer’s core values are woven throughout all of our academic programs. Learn how our English and World Literature program addresses intercultural understanding.

Intercultural Understanding

Our English and World Literature program will broaden your literary horizon and deepen your understanding.  

3 Focus Areas

We look beyond the European tradition, requiring all majors to study texts not just from the English and American canons, but from many other English-speaking cultures around the globe.

Pitzer Voices

Professor of English and World Literature Sumangala Bhattacharya created an immigration law clinic that lets participants study the history and power dynamics of the American immigration system while helping clients at her immigration law firm.

Read More about Professor Bhattacharya's Clinic
portrait of Aru Warrier
“The history of immigration, current affairs, and law are all brought together to empower students in their education to assist others, which has been a humbling experience. This class style has been one of the most effective tools to examine the implications of policies and act collectively to instill change and has defined my first-year experience at Pitzer.”

Aru Warrier '25

she/her

Economics and Comparative Politics major

Get Involved

portrait of student Lily Borak on the Pitzer Mounds

Fulbright Grants

Lily Borak ’21, English and World Literature minor, received a Fulbright to research how interactive theater has helped people in Nepal process traumatic events, such as the 2015 earthquake. She also examined how the art form has engaged with ongoing social issues such as gender discrimination.

View Recent Pitzer Fulbright Awardees
portrait of student Christine Leung in front of the Pitzer Green Wall

Fellowships

Christine Leung ’19, an English and World Literature major, won an NYU–Shanghai Writing and Speaking Fellowship. During her fellowship, she worked to provide academic support and enrichment to the school’s multicultural student body. 

Visit the Office of Fellowships

English and World Literature Program Details

View Course Catalog

Literature Track Requirements

  • ENGL 001 PZ – Introduction to Literary Theory (or equivalent)
  • Area Distribution Courses – Take all of the following:
    • One course in British literature before 1780 (ENGL 010A PZ – Survey of British Literature Before 1780 strongly recommended)
    • One course in British literature after 1780 (ENGL 010B PZ – Survey of British Literature After 1780 strongly recommended)
    • One course in American Literature before 1865 (ENGL 011A PZ – Survey of American Literature Before 1865 strongly recommended)
    • One course in American Literature after 1865 (ENGL 011B PZ – Survey of American Literature After 1865 strongly recommended)
    • One course in World Literature (ENGL 016 PZ – Intro to World Lit: Texts on the Move or ENGL 093 PZ - World Literature in an Oceanic Context strongly recommended)
  • Electives: Take four elective courses in English and/or World Literature, of which two may be creative writing courses.

Learn More

Visit the English and World Literature Field Group page for more information and resources. 

English and World Literature Field Group

Creative Writing Track Requirements

  • ENGL 001 PZ – Introduction to Literary Theory
  • Creative Writing Courses – Take all of the following:
    • One introductory course in creative writing (ENGL 030 PZ – Introduction to Creative Writing strongly recommended)
    • Three creative writing electives, one in a genre outside your primary focus
    • ENGL 130 PZ – Advanced Projects in Creative Writing (normally taken in spring semester of your senior year)
  • Literature Courses – Take all of the following:
    • One course in British literature
    • One course in American literature
    • One course in world literature
    • One elective course in literature

Connect with your Faculty Advisor

The creative writing track is highly student-driven, and courses should be selected in conjunction with your faculty advisor. To learn more about your field group's faculty, visit the English and World Literature field group page

Field Group Page

Narrative Arts for Social Justice Track Requirements

Course Requirements

  • ENGL 001 PZ – Introduction to Literary Theory
  • Narrative Arts for Social Justice courses – Take at least one of the following courses:
    • ENGL 002 PZ – Narrative Arts for Social Justice
    • ENGL 015 PZ – Epic Worlds
    • ENGL 120 PZ – Ecopoetry Workshop
    • ENGL 128 PZ – Writing the Body
    • ENGL 181 PZ – Decolonial Futures/Postcolonial Now
  • Elective Requirements – Take the following elective courses, distributed as follows:
    • Four literature or creative writing classes (we strongly recommend taking at least one creative writing course)
    • Four classes selected from at least three different humanities and fine arts disciplines (may include English)

Senior Capstone Intern Experience

All students in the narrative arts for social justice track are required to apply their narrative arts research in a hands-on internship. At the end of your internship, you'll be invited to participate in an annual capstone afternoon tea where you'll present your experience and explain what you learned from it. You'll also submit a one to two paragraph description of the way you fulfilled your intern experience requirement to your faculty advisor.

Examples of senior capstone internship experiences include:

  • Taking a humanities class that centers community engagement practices
  • Selecting a Jumpstart tutoring opportunity in which the narrative arts are applied to construct lessons
  • Creating a multilingual library of children's books that may be distributed to community partners

The combined major option should reflect a coherent combination of English and World Literature with another subject. As such, it should consist of at least seven courses in English and World Literature, including a capstone project, thesis, or independent study in your senior year that brings together the constituent fields of your combined major.

English and World Literature Combined Major Requirements

  • ENGL 001 PZ – Introduction to Literary Theory
  • Literature Courses – Take all of the following:
    • One course in British literature
    • One course in American literature
    • One course in world literature
  • Two elective literature or creative writing courses
  • Senior thesis, project, or independent study in which the constituent courses of the major are interrelated

Minor Requirements

A minor in English and World Literature requires the satisfactory completion of six graded courses:

  • ENGL 001 PZ – Introduction to Literary Theory
  • One course in British literature
  • One course in American literature
  • One course in world literature
  • Two elective courses in literature or creative writing

English and World Literature Faculty

portrait of Brett armendinger

Brent Armendinger

  • Professor of English & World Literature/Creative Writing
  • English & World Literature Field Group
portrait of sumangala bhattacharya

Sumangala Bhattacharya

  • Professor of English and World Literature
  • English and World Literature Field Group
  • First-Year Seminar Director
Laura Harri

Laura Harris

  • Professor of English and World Literature and Africana Studies
  • Africana Studies Field Group
Professor Amanda Louise Johnson

Amanda Louise Johnson

  • Assistant Professor of English & World Literature
  • English and World Literature Field Group
Professor Amanda Lagji

Amanda Lagji

  • Associate Professor of English and World Literature
  • English and World Literature Field Group

Contact Us

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