Undergraduate Programmes in English

The pure major in English offers students an in-depth, expansive study of literature: courses cover a diverse range of texts from across the world, thinking through classic and unusual questions and themes.

Students are expected to take 12 courses to earn their major in English. Of these, the course break-up is as follows:

2 Gateways
Forms of Literature
Introduction to Literary Theory

4 Survey Courses
Early British Literature
Indian Literatures
Literature in the Age of Empire
Postcolonial Literature

6 Electives:
1 Critical Thinking Seminar*
1 1000/2000-level courses**
3 3000-level courses
1 1000/2000/3000-level elective

Up to 3 cross-listed courses from another department can count towards the major.

*The Critical Thinking Seminar is a mandatory requirement for batches from the incoming Undergraduate Batch of 2023. Previous batches can count a CTS towards their requirements, but they are not required to do so. Instead, they can fulfill their requirements by taking another 1000/2000-level elective.

**English majors can take a maximum of ONE approved language course in an approved language (Sanskrit, Persian, Greek, Latin, Old English) instead of one of their required 1000/2000-level electives.

Ideally, an English major’s timetable—solely with regard to their English requirements (excluding any FC, CT and CC requirements)—should look like this:

Semester 1	Semester 2	Semester 3	Semester 4	Semester 5	Semester 6
	Forms of Literature	Literary Theory   Early British Literature	Literature in the Age of Empire Indian            Literatures	Postcolonial Literatures
		6 electives, distributed as per the student’s preference

While sticking to this timetable is encouraged for the sake of better management and smooth completion of an English degree, Ashoka’s flexible academic structure ensures alternate organizations. Ultimately, it is up to the students how they wish to engineer their academic years.

The overall credit requirement to graduate with an English major is 100 credits. These come from the English courses, FCs, ICT, CCs, and other courses.

The minor in English offers a thorough grounding in core literature courses, while granting students the opportunity to pursue fields of their own interest.

To complete a minor in English, a student must do 6 courses:

2 Gateways
Forms of Literature
Introduction to Literary Theory

2 of 4 Survey Courses
Early British Literature
Indian Literatures
Literature in the Age of Empire
Postcolonial Literature

2 Electives:
1 1000/2000-level elective
1 3000-level elective

Up to 2 cross-listed courses from another department can count towards the minor.

Postcolonial Literatures, although a 3000-level survey course, will not count towards fulfilling the three 3000-level elective requirements.

The English department at Ashoka offers three interdisciplinary majors: English and Creative Writing, English and Media Studies, and English and Performing Arts. Students are required to take 16 courses across both the disciplines to earn their interdisciplinary major. Along with their discipline specific courses, students need to take their required FCs, ICT, CCs and other courses to fulfill their overall credit requirement of 116 credits to graduate with an interdisciplinary major.

English and Creative Writing Programme English and Media Studies Programme English and Performing Arts Programme

The concentration in English is for students who are invested in exploring limited, but varied, English courses.

To complete a concentration in English, a student must do 4 courses:

1 of 2 Gateway Courses: Forms of Literature or Introduction to Literary Theory

Any 3 English courses

These 3 courses can include one of the other gateways, any of the survey courses, and the electives. However, students can only take 3000-level electives if they have taken Introduction to Literary Theory.

Up to 1 cross-listed course from another department can count towards the concentration.

English Department Handbook (6.12.2022)