Letters

Major in Letters

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.”

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

A Bachelor of Arts in Letters is an interdisciplinary degree with a flexible curriculum 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)
Philosophy (Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies)

In addition, the major requires students to take supporting courses in ancient languages, modern languages, and an 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 excellent preparation for advanced study in a variety of academic disciplines (e.g., history, literature, philosophy), as well as law, medicine, and religious ministry. It also prepares graduates for a variety of careers.

Letters Degree Majors

Letters: Standard

A student pursuing the Letters: Standard degree must achieve a combined retention grade point average of 3.00 or better, computed on the basis of the last 90 hours.

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.

Students registering earlier than 2021 or those in need of fulfilling a capstone requirement may do so through an approved Classics or Letters course or may choose a capstone course from a different department such as History, English, or Philosophy.

VIEW THE CURRENT MAJOR CHECKSHEET FOR LETTERS: STANDARD (PDF)

Letters: Constitutional Studies

Letters students may pursue a concentration in Letters: Constitutional Studies, under the supervision of the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage. The requirements for this concentration are the same as the traditional Letters degree, which includes 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 include work in specified courses in Political Science and Religious Studies, and Native American Studies). However, 15 of the required 36 hours will cover material pertaining to the development, content, and influence of the United States Constitution and Law. Courses must fall under the categories of Ancient Foundations of Law, Liberty, and Justice; The Philosophical Background of American Constitutionalism; The American Founding; and The Constitutional Legacy in Modern America. Courses taken outside of the Classics and Letters department must be approved by the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage.

VIEW THE CURRENT MAJOR CHECKSHEET FOR LETTERS: CONSTITUTIONAL STUDIES (PDF)

Letters Degree Minors

Constitutional Studies

Students pursuing a minor in Letters: Constitutional Studies must fulfill 15 hours of coursework in subjects pertaining to the development, content, and influence of the United States Constitution and Law. Courses must fall under the categories of Ancient Foundations of Law, Liberty, and Justice; The Philosophical Background of American Constitutionalism; The American Founding; and The Constitutional Legacy in Modern America. Courses taken outside of the Classics and Letters department must be approved by the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage.

VIEW THE CURRENT MINOR CHECKSHEET FOR CONSTITUTIONAL STUDIES (PDF)