Specialist in English Literature

Does reading through the English course offerings in the calendar leave you feeling as though you want to take as many classes as possible? The Specialist program is ideal for students who want to focus their undergraduate work primarily in English literature. The Specialist provides an unparalleled opportunity for in-depth and more advanced work in literary studies, while also giving students the room they need to broaden their understanding of the field and explore their interests as widely as possible. The Specialist offers superb preparation for graduate work in English literature; it is also an excellent foundation for a variety of career paths.

Here is a route map for navigating the Specialist program (you can expand the map by right-clicking or option-clicking and choosing "View Image"):

Requirements for the Specialist Program   

12.0 credits in English are required, of which at least 3.0 must be at the C-level and 1.5 at the D-level. They should be selected as follows: 

1. ENGA01H3 What Is Literature?
2. ENGA02H3 Critical Writing about Literature 
3. ENGB27H3 Charting Literary History I ​
4. ENGB28H3 Charting Literary History II 
5. ENGC15H3 Introduction to Literary Theory & Criticism
6. 1.5 credits from English courses whose content is pre-1900 
7. 0.5 credit in Canadian literature ​
8. 7.5 additional credits in English 

For more details on program requirements, visit the UTSC Calendar. Questions about program requirements should be directed to the Program Supervisor, Professor Karina Vernon (english-program-supervisor@utsc.utoronto.ca). 

Interested in learning more about how our courses are structured and how you might develop your own path through your Specialist program in English? Visit our Routes and Threads page. 

For students who began their English program before 2018, the following requirements still apply. Please see our main Curriculum Changes page for further details about the 2018 curriculum updates.

Pre-2018 Specialist Requirements

12.0 credits in English are required, of which at least 3.0 must be at the C-level and 1.5 at the D-level. They should be selected as follows: 

1. ENGB03H3 Critical Thinking About Narrative (retired; if you haven't completed this course you must now take ENGA01H3)
2. ENGB04H3 Critical Thinking About Poetry (now called "How to Read a Poem")
3. ENGB05H3 Critical Writing about Literature (now ENGA02H3)
4. ENGB27H3 Charting Literary History I ​
5. ENGB28H3 Charting Literary History II 
6. 2.0 credits from English courses whose content is pre-1900 
7. 0.5 credit in Canadian literature ​
8. 7.5 additional credits in English