COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts Honours in English Literature at Trent University is a 20.0-credit degree designed to provide advanced training in literary analysis, critical thinking, and academic writing. The program requires students to complete a structured sequence of ENGL credits that build from foundational to advanced study. All students take a 1.0 ENGL credit at the 1000 level to establish core skills in reading and interpretation, followed by a 1.0 ENGL credit at the 4000 level, which serves as a capstone or advanced seminar experience. The majority of the degree consists of 6.0 to 8.0 ENGL credits at the 2000 level or higher, depending on whether the student is in the joint-major or single-major stream. Within these upper-year courses, students must also complete at least 1.0 credit from Category A and at least 0.5 credit from Category B, ensuring exposure to a variety of literary approaches, genres, and critical frameworks. The program emphasizes close reading, analytical writing, and discussion-based learning in small seminar settings, allowing students to engage deeply with texts and ideas. In addition to program requirements, students must meet university-wide graduation requirements, including Indigenous studies coursework. Overall, the degree prepares students for careers in writing, education, publishing, media, communications, and further academic study in literature and the humanities.