Courses taken must satisfy the following distribution requirements:

  1. Students must choose at least one course in four of the following five categories:
    1. Medieval Studies
    2. Early Modern Studies
    3. Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Studies; Colonial Studies
    4. Nineteenth-Century Studies
    5. Twentieth-Century Studies
  2. Students must choose at least one course in theory or method, defined for these purposes as courses focused on texts in literary and critical theory and philosophy, rather than literary texts. This category would include courses in rhetoric, film theory, gender studies, critical race/ethnic studies, the history of the book, genre theory, cultural studies, etc. that satisfy the above stipulation.
  3. Students must choose at least one course whose central study is of a literary tradition outside of the major Anglophone national literatures, English and American, or one that constitutes an alternative tradition or emerging area of study within them. This category would include courses in African-American literature, African diaspora literature, Asian-American literaure, Latino/a literature, writing by women, ethnic studies, global Anglophone literature, gay and lesbian writing, popular culture, working-class literature, etc.
  4. Students must choose at least one course in American literature.

Students may satisfy two distribution requirements with a single course if that course is designated as satisfying requirements in more than one category.

All students are strongly encouraged to have significant course experience in each of these fundamental literary modes: poetry, drama, and narrative.

Appropriate courses in film taught by the Rutgers Graduate English program may satisfy distribution requirements within categories A4 and A5. 

Final judgment on the distribution requirements satisfied by any given course rests with the Graduate Director and Associate Director.

Students' selection of courses should be made in consultation with their advisers. Fulfillment of distribution requirements will be recorded in the student's file. Students are free to take more than fourteen courses (tuition waivers cover extra courses).