Each semester, the Department of English offers freshman seminars that explore the art, business, and meaning of literature from a variety of ethical, aesthetic, and political perspectives. Frequent offerings include “Friendship,” “The Literary Life,” “Detective Fiction,” “Science Fiction Literature and Film,” “Literature and Post-Adolescence,” and “Literature, Spirituality, and Religion.” These seminars are small-group experiences, featuring sections of 15 students or fewer, designed and led by experienced English professors. They introduce incoming students to literature as a rare resource for expressing and 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. Beginning with classes taken in the Fall of 2018, one 100-level freshman seminar may be counted toward the elective requirements for the English major.

To see a list of current Freshman Seminars, see our Courses page.