Swarthmore's English Department aims to teach literature energetically and imaginatively, and to inspire students to read deeply, think and argue cogently, and write convincingly. The Department offers courses in English literature, American literature, Native American literature, Anglophone literature, Asian and Asian American literatures, gay and lesbian literatures, drama, film, creative writing, critical theory, and journalism. The departmental curriculum includes the intensive study of works of major writers, major periods of literary history, and the development of literary types. It also provides experience in a variety of critical approaches to literature and dramatic art and explores certain theoretical considerations implicit in literary study, such as the problematics of canon formation and the impact of gender on the creation and reception of literary works. In our courses we hope to nurture imaginative reading, insightful analysis, cogent argument, and compelling prose.

Learn more on the English Literature Department website and in the College Catalog.