Concentration requirements are intended to balance creative and critical concerns.
By the time they graduate, concentrators should possess critical acumen, attain fluency in writing in general and within one or more genres as well. The department also wants our concentrators to learn something about an art: to gain a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in developing their craft and sensibility as artists.
Concentrators must take four workshop courses from among LITR 100, 110, 210, 310, 610, 1010, 1110, 1150, 1310 and 1510. At the discretion of the concentration advisor, workshop credit may also be given for Playwriting workshops given by the departments of Africana Studies and Theatre and Performance Studies; credit may also be given for 1000-level writing courses given through the English Department.
Concentrators must also take six literature courses*, including: a course in literary theory or history of literary criticism; two courses that cover reading and research in literary arts created before the 20th century (these must cover two distinct time periods); and one course that covers literary arts created after the 19th century.
*By literature courses, the department means courses where the primary readings for the course are works of literature.
To establish your Literary Arts concentration, you'll need to visit the Registrars website, where you can complete the concentration filing process online.
To learn more about the concentration and before you file your concentration forms online, we recommend that you make an appointment by email with Gale Nelson.
Literary Arts concentrators who wish to complete their concentration with Honors in Creative Writing must include two 1000-level workshops or independent studies among their courses and must, in addition, complete a thesis. The thesis is a substantial body of work that reflects the student’s achievement during his/her years in the Department: a collection of stories or poems, a novel, a play, screenplay, a literary translation, a cross-disciplinary project or an extended electronic/mixed media project. Students may complete a thesis by taking either LITR 1510 (an independent study) or by taking LITR 1410 (the Honors workshop).
Upon acceptance into the Literary Production honors track, students may apply for up to $500 in production costs support, provided through the generosity of the Levin-Hokin Endowment. Please contact writing@brown.edu to ask how to apply. While the department will not provide funding for the purchase of equipment, software or meals/beverages nor will it provide payment to cast, crew or artists, it will provide support for many other expenses, such as properties, materials and costumes.
Students wishing to complete Honors in Cross-Disciplinary writing must take either two special topics workshops, one special topics plus one genre workshop, or one workshop in each of two different genres.
Applications to the Honors Program are due between the first day of the fall semester and 20 September (or the first Monday thereafter if the 20th falls on a weekend). Applications are considered annually. In order to apply, candidates must have taken OR be taking a workshop in the respective genre at the 1000-level (the workshop may be LITR 1010, 1110 or 1150; LITR 1310 also makes one eligible). Candidates may apply in more than one genre (if eligible), but will do ONE thesis (with the thesis advisor’s consent, a thesis may cross the boundaries of genre).
Theses are typically completed in the senior year, and are due on 13 April (Samuel Beckett’s birthday) or the Monday thereafter when the 13th falls on a weekend). If a concentrator is to complete course work in December, the thesis may be completed by the previous 13 April, by the end of December, or by the following 13 April (the date selected must be agreed upon by the thesis advisor). Most students complete the thesis through an honors independent study or through an honors workshop.
No; but you must complete a thesis to be considered for honors.
All concentrators must complete at least one course through the Literary Arts program in the senior year. In many cases, this will be a literature seminar or a workshop. This course constitutes the capstone experience in Literary Arts.
We’ve found that about a third of the Literary Arts concentrators complete two concentrations. The “other” concentrations have been spread widely throughout the college – there’s no particular pattern to this. If you have two strong interests, and feel that you can comfortably undertake two concentrations while also having a rich and diverse educational experience, we recommend that you consider this.
During the registration period, we make ten slots available to concentrators in LITR 210 sections. By registering during that period, concentrators are thereby not required to submit writing samples for these intermediate writing sections. Certain literature courses offered though Literary Arts may also allow concentrators to register without instructor permission (override) during the registration period.
Before you've declared a registration, we recommend that you take part in the registration process, seeking access to LITR 100 and LITR 110 introductory-level workshops. Then, when the semester begins, take part in the lotteries for LITR 100, LITR 110 and LITR 210. If you have a writing sample that would be relevant, you should also submit that writing sample to each of the 1000-level workshops in which you have an interest. Apply to any workshop that is of interest, as the more sections to which you apply, the greater likelihood that your work and background will be a good match with the goals and focus of the workshop instructor. Even the most talented writers will be turned away from some workshops — the key is to cast your net widely.
Once you've declared a concentration in LITR, we recommend that you seek a spot in LITR 210 during the registration period that takes place the semester prior to the semester when the course is offered. At the start of the semester and if you have a writing sample that would be relevant, you should also submit a writing sample to each 1000-level workshop in which you have an interest. Again, apply widely to increase your chances of making a suitable match.
The undergraduate program in Literary Arts at Brown is designed to allow student writers to
develop their skills in one or more genres, while deepening their understanding of the craft of
writing. Concentration requirements are intended to balance creative and critical concerns.