Major Requirements

The structure of the major in English and Textual Studies (ETS) is different from those at most other colleges and universities. Traditionally, an English major curriculum includes an established canon of literary works in chronological order and emphasizes famous authors, well-known titles, and historical periods. Our curriculum, by contrast, focuses on problems of reading and interpretation. The ETS major is designed to enhance your ability to read and interpret works of all sorts contextually as well as closely, and to emphasize the strong connections between reading and writing so that you can articulate your understanding effectively. Though our curriculum is grounded in literary criticism--the ongoing study of the dynamic relation between literature and culture throughout history--it does not make literature its only object of study. Critical reading must find its object--its text--in a number of places. So while our courses study well-known literature from the past and present, we pay as much attention to neglected literary works; to film and other products of a media-oriented society; to historical documents and non-fictive forms that also make an issue of interpretation; and to the critical theories, cultural discourses, and social institutions that influence acts of reading and writing.

Declaring ETS as Your Major...an invitation from Professor Claudia Klaver, Director of Undergraduate Studies:

To declare ETS as your major, you need to meet with, Cindy Linden, ETS Coordinator. To make an appointment, stop by 401 Hall of Languages or phone or e-mail our Undergraduate Studies Coordinator, Daphne Stowe (443-2173, dstowe@syr.edu). When you meet, you'll go over your major requirements, help you put together a first semester schedule, assign you to a faculty advisor, and subscribe you to the ETSMAJOR listserv. During your first semester as an ETS major, you will need to confer with your advisor and have your Registration Worksheet signed by him or her in order to be cleared to register. After this first semester, you may bring your filled-out form directly to Daphne Stowe in 401 HL. You are then encouraged to seek advice at any time from your initial advisor or any other faculty member. Although I'll be happy to consult with you about anything connected with your major, I also urge you to talk frequently with the professors in your courses and establish an informal advising relationship with one or more of them. Such an advisor can become an important resource on a variety of topics. You might need a sounding board for your long-range academic and career goals; or, if you're experiencing academic problems, you might want to discuss whether to drop a class or what university resources are available to help you. Later on, a professor who knows you and your work can write recommendations for graduate school or job applications. Your major can be thought of as a set of opportunities that your own initiative will lead you to explore. Because it's the nature of the ETS curriculum to evolve along with the interests of students and faculty, your course options will be varied and changing, and each will offer a unique intellectual challenge. Some courses may include special features, such as film screenings, interactive computer applications, or a field trip to New York's Lower East Side. You can also gain useful career-enhancing experience through the SU Internship Program (SUIP), and one of the most enriching options is to study in London through the Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA). Opportunities, in short, are abundant. If you seize them, your ETS major will be only the beginning of a lifelong intellectual venture. I wish you well.