The Literature Major is ideal for those who love to read and write. In lively conversations with fellow students and dedicated professors, you will analyze and discuss the forms of artistic expression that matter most to you: stories and poems, fiction and nonfiction, novels and material culture, plays and films. We offer courses on everything from graphic novels to popular and YA fiction. Our classes will challenge and amaze you, even as you become a better writer and thinker.

Recent data show that employers want graduates who communicate effectively, possess critical thinking and analytical skills, and think creatively about projects. An English Literature major makes you flexible: over a lifetime, the average American holds ten different jobs and three careers.

Literature majors are therefore poised to excel in a changing job market. As a recent article states, if companies "want to create the next iPhone or Uber" their employees should "start reading great Literature." Our Literature majors graduate and secure jobs in a wide range of professional fields, including law, marketing, management, publishing, medicine, journalism, teaching, and library science. English Literature majors also prosper in nonprofits, tech companies, and start-ups.

Program Highlights

• 36-credit hour major with flexible curriculum, making it easy to major or double major.
• Excellent preparation for diverse careers in an ever-changing job market.
• Nationally recognized faculty who provide individualized feedback on your writing and creative work. Professors James Bromley and Michele Navakas just received fellowships from Folger Library and the National Endowment for the Humanities, respectively.
• Exciting and engaging courses in fiction, poetry, drama, and film that span cultural traditions, authors, and periods, from the classic to the cutting-edge, including many small, seminar-style special topics courses. We think you should love what you read—and read what you love!
• Connections with Pre-Law and Education programs.
• Beyond Bachelor Hall, Gutsche, and Lit Unplugged speaker series on post-graduation careers.

Opportunities for Majors

• Study abroad in the Literary London Program and Paris Cultural Capital.
• Publish your work in Inklings or Happy Captive Magazine (Miami’s student literary and art magazines), or Segue (the online literary journal of Miami University-Middletown).
• Attend lectures and readings by prominent and emerging researchers, scholars, and writers.
• Participate in special Miami University Humanities Center seminars.
• Conduct independent research with the supervision of Literature faculty.
• Develop a senior Literature Honors project on a topic that interests you (and prepares you for graduate study).
• Participate in Internship Opportunities in Literary London program and in film production. Literature Apprenticeships are offered in publicity.
• Complete graduate coursework and graduate with an MA in Literature, as part of the BA/MA Program in Literature.

After Graduation

Miami Literature majors have enjoyed substantial career success. Our students find that the coursework and academic rigor of a BA in Literature prepares them for a number of career paths. Many graduates join the workforce right away and go into fields like teaching and publishing; editing and writing; film and social media; publicity and marketing; consulting and management; and library science and law.

Some students go on to pursue graduate degrees in the humanities, while others enter professional schools in fields like law, medicine, library science, and business. A number of recent literature graduates have placed into top ten law schools (Columbia, University of Pennsylvania) as well as prestigious English graduate schools (Johns Hopkins, Brown, Stanford).

As you explore your path after graduation, be sure to consult with many resources, including your professors, and resources like Miami’s Center for Career Exploration and Success and Internship and Job Resources for Literature.