Literature courses are often designed to allow students to read a group of authors from a specific era. American Literature is often broken into sections such as colonial literature,19th century novels, modern American authors and contemporary literature. English majors who want to study Shakespeare may be required to take early and modern American literature courses, but they are then also free to anchor the rest of their work in 16th and 17th century British literature. At Cornell, the English Department believes that choosing a coherent group of courses is a fundamental aspect of the education of an English major.
At Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, English is a popular major. The college is the home of the prestigious Kenyon Review, an international literary magazine. Kenyon English majors choose either an academic track with a focus on literature or a creative writing track, which substitutes some of the literature elective courses with creative writing courses in fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Tracks or concentrations are common for English majors, but they still leave students with the freedom to focus on literature that interests them most.
The New Critics, a group of post-World War I scholars, had a profound effect on the study of literature from the 1930s through the '80s. The influential group insisted that a work of literature stood on its own. They believed the author's biography and history surrounding a piece of literature was irrelevant. The New Critics also narrowly defined the cannon of American literature, and for generations, English majors read only the authors the group defined as important. Today, the study of literature is more inclusive, and many regional writers and groups whose work shared common concerns and themes receive far more attention. While it may not be required, it is helpful for English majors concentrating on Colonial American literature to take history courses on that particular era.
English majors are often required to study a foreign language, a requirement that strengthens grammar and reinforces an appreciation of the intricacies of language overall. During the latter part of the 20th century, many schools did away with science and math requirements for English majors, or they offered courses such as "Physics for Poets," which focused more on ideas rather than hard science. Today, many colleges have reinstated basic science requirements that enrich the study of English by arming students with a broader spectrum of references to bring to the analysis of literature.