Undergraduate Program Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about studying English at Columbia
Updated September 1, 2026

THE INTRODUCTION TO THE MAJOR

All English majors, minors and concentrators are required to take ENGL2000/2001: Approaches to Literary Study (formerly ENGL3001/3011: Literary Texts and Critical Methods). This hybrid lecture/seminar course serves as preparation for more advanced courses in the department. Though it is not a prerequisite for most courses, students are encouraged to take it as early as possible. 

LECTURES

1000-level: These “gateway” courses are ideal for students who are toward the beginning of their English journey (as well as non-majors), although they are open to all. 1000-level courses do not have prerequisites and do not offer discussion sections.

2000-level: The majority of English lectures will be offered in this tier and are intended primarily for majors and minors, though they are open to all. 2000-level lectures may have prerequisites and may offer sections. 

Note: A small number of lecture courses will continue to be offered at the 4000 level.  Such numbering typically means that a course is cross-listed with other departments or institutes, and does not necessarily indicate that the course involves more reading or writing than a 2000-level lecture.  

SEMINARS 

3000-level:  These are smaller courses in specialized topics, with admission and prerequisites at the instructor’s discretion. 3000-level seminars typically include class participation as part of the assessed work of the course but do not require a long (15+ pp) research paper.

4000-level: These are the most advanced seminars offered to undergraduates. As with the 3000-level seminars, admission and prerequisites are at instructor’s discretion, with preference given to senior English majors. Reading assignments typically include secondary material, and writing assignments typically include a long final research paper or project.

Major Worksheets by Declaration Date

Fulfillment of the English major requires the completion of at least TEN courses in the Department of English and Comparative Literature with a grade of C- or higher. 

The English major at Columbia provides students with breadth and depth. Breadth: the major’s distribution requirements ensure that majors learn about literature written in different genres, reflecting multiple cultures, and produced in a wide range of times and places. Depth: the low number of required courses creates room for majors to study a particular area, and the capstone experience, particularly the senior essay seminar, enables students to focus on specific interests and topics. 


The only required course for the major is ENGL2000/2001: Approaches to Literary Study, which introduces students to foundational concepts and skills and to a wide range of department faculty. We urge students to take this course early, preferably in the first or second year at Columbia, but students in any year may enroll. Note also that “Approaches to Literary Study” is a prerequisite for the Senior Essay Research Seminar. While “Approaches” counts as one of the ten courses needed for the major, it does not fulfill any distribution requirements.

You may count two courses taken outside the Department of English and Comparative Literature towards your English major (for details, see the “Options and Restrictions” section). Note that those two outside courses will not satisfy distribution requirements. Those distribution requirements are:

 

CHRONOLOGY DISTRIBUTION (A1, A2, A3)

Courses counting towards the major must cover the following chronological distributions:

  • A1: At least two courses dealing primarily with literature from before 1700 (Restriction: only one course on Shakespeare may be used towards this requirement.)
  • A2: At least one course dealing primarily with literature from 1700 to 1900
  • A3: At least one course dealing primarily with literature from 1900 to the present 
     

GENRE DISTRIBUTION (B, C, D)

Majors must take at least one course covering each of the following three genres: 

  • B: Poetry
  • C: Prose fiction/Narrative
  • D: Drama/Film/New Media
     

GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE DISTRIBUTION (E, F, G, H)

Majors must take at least one course covering each of the following four categories: 

  • E: Ethnicity/Race 
  • F: British/ Irish 
  • G: American
  • H: Comparative/Global

CAPSTONE (K)

All majors must fulfill a capstone requirement. This can be done by taking a 4000-level seminar in the English department, or by taking the year-long Senior Essay Research Seminar (ENGL 3795), or by independently writing and submitting a senior essay.

NOTES:

  • A single course may fulfill more than one distribution requirement.  For example, a single course in medieval poetry would fulfill three requirements:  the period distribution "pre-1700", the genre distribution "poetry", and the geographical distribution "British/ Irish." The total number of required courses remains ten. While a single course can cover multiple distribution requirements, no course can be used to cover more than one genre or geographical category.
  • Up to two Barnard English courses can count identically to Columbia English courses; please check with the DUS to determine which distribution requirements each Barnard course fulfills. Additional Barnard coursework must be approved by the DUS. 
  • Students from the TCD dual-degree program have a different set of requirements: any seven literature courses. Two of those seven literature courses may be in a related department, while the remainder must be English.


Course Distribution Lists for the current term are available on the website and can be found in hard copy in the department office. An archive of past courses and the distribution requirements they fulfill can also be found at the bottom of the same Course Listings webpage. For any courses not listed, including those taken at Barnard or at other institutions, consult the DUS. 

Undergraduates matriculating in Fall 2023 or later will have the option of minoring in English (this will replace the concentration for those matriculating in 2024 or later). The English Minor will consist of ENGL2000 (Approaches to Literary Study) plus four additional Columbia English courses (carrying the designation ENGL or CLEN), in any area. Credit for transfer courses, summer courses, and Barnard courses should be determined in consultation with the DUS. 

Fulfillment of the English concentration requires the completion of at least EIGHT courses in the Department of English and Comparative Literature, with a grade of C- or higher. 

One of the eight courses used to fulfill the English concentration must be the introductory course ENCL2000/2001: Approaches to Literary Study (or its predecessor, ENGL3001/3011: Literary Texts, Critical Methods.)

Of the remaining seven courses, two may be taken outside the English and Comparative Literature Department (please consult the “Options and Restrictions” section). Courses taken within the department, however, must satisfy the following distribution requirements: 
 

PERIOD DISTRIBUTION

Two courses dealing primarily with literature from before 1800
Restriction: only one course in Shakespeare may be used toward this requirement
 

GENRE DISTRIBUTION

One course in two of the following categories (two total): poetry, prose fiction/narrative, drama/film/new media
 

GEOGRAPHY DISTRIBUTION

One course in two of the following literatures (two total): British/ Irish, American, Global/Comparative

 

NOTE:

A single course may fulfill more than one distribution requirement.  For example, a single lecture in medieval poetry would fulfill the following three requirements:  the period distribution "pre-1700", the genre distribution "poetry", and the geographical distribution "British/ Irish." This does not, however, reduce the total number of required courses.

Course Distribution Lists for the current term are available on the website and can be found in hard copy in the department office. An archive of past courses, and the distribution requirements they fulfill, can also be found on the same Course Listings webpage. For any courses not listed, including those taken at other institutions, please consult the DUS. 

Courses that DO NOT count toward the major/concentration:

  • Core classes such as University Writing (ENGL C1010 or F1010), Lit Hum, and AHUM 1399/1400.
  • Courses taken Pass/Fail, or receiving a grade lower than a C-; note, however, that the first course taken in the department can be taken P/F, and can count toward the major or concentration, so long as it is not Approaches to Literary Study. 

Courses that DO count toward the major/concentration:

  • English Department courses used to satisfy the Global Core requirement
  • BARNARD ENGLISH COURSES: Up to two Barnard English courses can count identically to Columbia English courses, in terms of credit toward the major/minor/concentration; additional Barnard coursework must be approved by the DUS. Contact the DUS to determine which distribution requirements a Barnard course might fulfill.
  • Up to two courses offered through Creative Writing, comparative literature (these will have course numbers beginning with CL), and foreign language departments (if they are upper-level courses concentrating on literature, rather than language proficiency). Important: courses taken outside English do not fulfill any distribution requirements; note, however, that Comparative Literature courses with the designation CLEN are in fact English Department courses; there is, therefore, no limit to how many can be taken, and they do fulfill distribution requirements
  • Up to two summer classes
  • The Senior Essay, or an independent study course (although there is no limit to the number of independent studies you can take in the department, only one of these can count toward the major or concentration). NB: the senior essay involves two one-semester courses but for the purposes of the English major counts as only one course.
  • Transfer and Study Abroad credits (in consultation with the DUS)