English - Literature Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
Offered by: English (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Program credit weight: 54
Program Description
Entry to Honours is by application, normally after two terms in a Departmental program, including at least 18 credits of English. The Faculty of Arts requires that all students admitted to Honours programs complete a second program minor in addition to their Honours program.
Admission to the Honours program is limited to a small number of students with excellent records. The minimum CGPA for application to the Honours program is 3.30. Students with a CGPA lower than 3.3 and at or above 3.0 (but with the requisite 3.5 program GPA) may consult the Director of the Honours program for special permission to apply. Students with a program GPA lower than 3.5 and at or above 3.3 (but with the requisite CGPA of 3.3) may also consult the Director of the Honours program for special permission to apply. In neither instance is admission guaranteed. After admission into the Honours program, the student is required to maintain a CGPA at a level set by the Faculty for graduation with Honours and a program GPA at the level set by the Department.
The Honours program in English requires 54 credits. Students intending to apply for Honours should plan to complete as many of the specific requirements of their option as possible within the first two years. With the written approval of an adviser, up to 9 credits may be taken outside the Department. All Honours students must complete at least 6 of their complementary credits at the 500 level. Ideally, 500-level seminars chosen will be relevant to the area of the student's independent study in the Honours Essay course (ENGL 491D1 Honours Essay./ENGL 491D2 Honours Essay.), taken without exception in the final year of the program. The Honours Essay is first planned in consultation with a supervisor at the time of application to the Honours program; it is then guided and evaluated by that supervisor during the completion of ENGL 491 Honours Essay.. Graduation with Honours requires 54 credits of English, a minimum mark of B+ on the Honours Essay, a minimum CGPA of 3.00, and a minimum program GPA of 3.50. Graduation with First Class Honours requires a mark of A on the Honours Essay, a minimum CGPA of 3.50, and a minimum program GPA of 3.70.
Degree Requirements — B.A. students
To be eligible for a B.A. degree, a student must fulfil all Faculty and program requirements as indicated in Degree Requirements for the Faculty of Arts.
We recommend that students consult an Arts OASIS advisor for degree planning.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Required Courses (18 credits)
ENGL 202 Departmental Survey of English Literature 1., ENGL 203 Departmental Survey of English Literature 2. and ENGL 311 Poetics. are normally taken in the first two terms of the program. ENGL 360 Literary Criticism. is normally taken in the second year of the program.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 202 | Departmental Survey of English Literature 1. | 3 |
Departmental Survey of English Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of English literature before 1750 for students registered in English programs. | ||
| ENGL 203 | Departmental Survey of English Literature 2. | 3 |
Departmental Survey of English Literature 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of English literature after 1750 for students registered in English programs. | ||
| ENGL 311 | Poetics. | 3 |
Poetics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discussion and application of basic critical tools for analysis of literature. Study of such features of poetry and prose fiction as prosody, diction, voice, tone, imagery, figurative language, point of view, narrative form, and character. | ||
| ENGL 360 | Literary Criticism. | 3 |
Literary Criticism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of literary criticism. | ||
| ENGL 491D1 | Honours Essay. | 3 |
Honours Essay. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Supervised research essay on an approved topic. | ||
| ENGL 491D2 | Honours Essay. | 3 |
Honours Essay. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Supervised research essay on an approved topic. | ||
Complementary Courses (36 credits)
36 credits selected as described below. At least 6 of the 36 credits must be at the 500 level. A maximum of 9 credits may be from another department with the signed permission of the program adviser. At least 3 of the 36 credits must be devoted to a course on a Major Author, and 3 must be devoted to a course on Canadian Literature, as indicated under the rubrics dedicated to these offerings in each year’s list of Complementary Courses on the Department of English website (http://www.mcgill.ca/english). A maximum of 9 of the 36 credits are allowed at the 200 level, none in the final year of the program.
Note on Topics Courses: The Department of English offers courses which change topic from academic year to academic year. Depending on the topic in a specific year, these courses may count toward different program requirements. At the time they register for a topics course, students should confirm with their program adviser the program requirement it fulfils for that academic year.
Theory
3 credits from a list of courses on Theory:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 317 | Theory of English Studies 1. | 3 |
Theory of English Studies 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Philosophical approaches. | ||
| ENGL 318 | Theory of English Studies 2. | 3 |
Theory of English Studies 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Socio-Historical approaches. | ||
| ENGL 319 | Theory of English Studies 3. | 3 |
Theory of English Studies 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Cultural theory now. | ||
| ENGL 322 | Theories of the Text. | 3 |
Theories of the Text. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course focusing on textuality (as opposed to, say, intentionality and interpretation) and on how specific effects are made - how texts work and produce meaning, including rhetoric and form. | ||
| ENGL 346 | Materiality and Sociology of Text. | 3 |
Materiality and Sociology of Text. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Writing, printing, distribution, marketing, and placement within canon-making institutions; the influence of material forms of production and transmission on the creation and reception of literature, film, and theatre. | ||
| ENGL 352 | Theories of Difference. | 3 |
Theories of Difference. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to a selection of theories that have influenced thinking about difference across the humanities and social sciences, including gender, sexuality, race, class and hierarchical structures, language, religion, ethnicity, and personal identity. | ||
Areas of English Literature
6 credits, 3 credits each from two of the following areas: Backgrounds of English Literature, Old English, Medieval, Renaissance.
Backgrounds of English Literature
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 347 | Great Writings of Europe 1. | 3 |
Great Writings of Europe 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of selected texts that significantly enhance understanding of English literature. | ||
| ENGL 348 | Great Writings of Europe 2. | 3 |
Great Writings of Europe 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of selected texts that significantly enhance understanding of English literature. | ||
| ENGL 349 | English Literature and Folklore 1. | 3 |
English Literature and Folklore 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of representative texts from Beowulf to the late Renaissance period in relation to their background in folk tradition. A focus on the origin and development of folklore motifs. | ||
| ENGL 447 | Crosscurrents/English Literature and European Literature 1. | 3 |
Crosscurrents/English Literature and European Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Comparative study of English and European literature. Topic varies by year. | ||
Old English
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 342 | Introduction to Old English. | 3 |
Introduction to Old English. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to grammar and basic vocabulary in Old English. | ||
| ENGL 452 | Studies in Old English. | 3 |
Studies in Old English. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of an aspect of Old English Literature which presupposes a grounding in the language. | ||
| ENGL 553 | Old English Literature. | 3 |
Old English Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A seminar on Old English. Topic varies by year. | ||
Medieval
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 337 | Theme or Genre in Medieval Literature. | 3 |
Theme or Genre in Medieval Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular theme or genre of significance to the development of medieval literature. | ||
| ENGL 349 | English Literature and Folklore 1. | 3 |
English Literature and Folklore 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of representative texts from Beowulf to the late Renaissance period in relation to their background in folk tradition. A focus on the origin and development of folklore motifs. | ||
| ENGL 356 | Middle English. | 3 |
Middle English. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works in Middle English. | ||
| ENGL 357 | Chaucer . | 3 |
Chaucer . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the works of Chaucer. | ||
| ENGL 456 | Middle English. | 3 |
Middle English. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works in Middle English. | ||
| ENGL 500 | Middle English. | 3 |
Middle English. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works in Middle English. | ||
Renaissance
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 305 | Renaissance English Literature 1. | 3 |
Renaissance English Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of major non-dramatic works of the earlier Renaissance in England. | ||
| ENGL 307 | Renaissance English Literature 2. | 3 |
Renaissance English Literature 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of major non-dramatic works of the later Renaissance in England. | ||
| ENGL 308 | English Renaissance Drama 1. | 3 |
English Renaissance Drama 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of some major authors and issues in English Renaissance Drama. | ||
| ENGL 315 | Shakespeare. | 3 |
Shakespeare. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the major works of Shakespeare. | ||
| ENGL 316 | Milton. | 3 |
Milton. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the works of Milton. | ||
| ENGL 400 | Earlier English Renaissance. | 3 |
Earlier English Renaissance. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of earlier English Renaissance works. | ||
| ENGL 401 | Studies in the 17th Century. | 3 |
Studies in the 17th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 17th century works. | ||
| ENGL 416 | Studies in Shakespeare. | 3 |
Studies in Shakespeare. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the works of Shakespeare. | ||
| ENGL 501 | 16th Century. | 3 |
16th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A seminar on 16th century literature. Topic varies by year. | ||
| ENGL 516 | Shakespeare. | 3 |
Shakespeare. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A seminar on the works of Shakespeare. | ||
Areas of English Literature
6 credits, 3 credits each from two of the following areas: Restoration, 18th Century, Romantic, Victorian, 19th Century American.
Restoration
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 302 | Restoration and 18th C. English Literature 1. | 3 |
Restoration and 18th C. English Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the major writers of the late 17th and earlier 18th centuries. | ||
| ENGL 303 | 3 | |
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
| ENGL 310 | Restoration and 18th Century Drama. | 3 |
Restoration and 18th Century Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works of Restoration and 18th century drama. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
18th Century
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 301 | Earlier 18th Century Novel. | 3 |
Earlier 18th Century Novel. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of the English novel to c. 1750. | ||
| ENGL 302 | Restoration and 18th C. English Literature 1. | 3 |
Restoration and 18th C. English Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the major writers of the late 17th and earlier 18th centuries. | ||
| ENGL 303 | 3 | |
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
| ENGL 304 | Later Eighteenth Century Novel. | 3 |
Later Eighteenth Century Novel. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of later 18th century novels. | ||
| ENGL 310 | Restoration and 18th Century Drama. | 3 |
Restoration and 18th Century Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works of Restoration and 18th century drama. | ||
| ENGL 403 | Studies in the 18th Century. | 3 |
Studies in the 18th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 18th century works. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
| ENGL 503 | 18th Century. | 3 |
18th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A seminar on 18th century literature. Topic varies by year. | ||
Romantic
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 331 | Literature Romantic Period 1. | 3 |
Literature Romantic Period 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of representative literature of the earlier Romantic period. | ||
| ENGL 332 | Literature Romantic Period 2. | 3 |
Literature Romantic Period 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of representative literature of the later Romantic period. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
Victorian
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 329 | English Novel: 19th Century 1. | 3 |
English Novel: 19th Century 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of representative novelists of the earlier 19th century. | ||
| ENGL 330 | English Novel: 19th Century 2. | 3 |
English Novel: 19th Century 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of representative novelists of the later 19th century. | ||
| ENGL 334 | Victorian Poetry. | 3 |
Victorian Poetry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the major Victorian poets. | ||
| ENGL 404 | Studies in 19th Century Literature 1. | 3 |
Studies in 19th Century Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 19th century works. | ||
| ENGL 405 | Studies in 19th Century Literature 2. | 3 |
Studies in 19th Century Literature 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 19th century works. | ||
| ENGL 423 | Studies in 19th Century Literature. | 3 |
Studies in 19th Century Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of literary works of the 19th century. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
| ENGL 504 | 19th Century. | 3 |
19th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A seminar on 19th century literature. Topic varies by year. | ||
19th Century American
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 326 | 19th Century American Prose. | 3 |
19th Century American Prose. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of some of the major prose writers of the 19th Century. | ||
| ENGL 422 | Studies in 19th Century American Literature. | 3 |
Studies in 19th Century American Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of literary works of the 19th century. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
Areas of English Literature
6 credits, 3 credits each from two of the following areas: Early 20th Century, Modernist, Post-modernist, Contemporary.
Early 20th Century
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 327 | Canadian Prose Fiction 1. | 3 |
Canadian Prose Fiction 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Canadian prose fiction in English, from 19th century historical romance and realist fiction to the emergence of the modernist novel in the decades following the Second World War. | ||
| ENGL 328 | Development of Canadian Poetry 1. | 3 |
Development of Canadian Poetry 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Canadian poetry in English from the 18th century to the end of the Second World War. | ||
| ENGL 361 | Poetry of the 20th Century 1. | 3 |
Poetry of the 20th Century 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A critical survey of major British and North American poetry, c. 1890 - 1940. | ||
| ENGL 414 | Studies in 20th Century Literature 1. | 3 |
Studies in 20th Century Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of works of literature of the 20th century. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
Modernist
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 327 | Canadian Prose Fiction 1. | 3 |
Canadian Prose Fiction 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Canadian prose fiction in English, from 19th century historical romance and realist fiction to the emergence of the modernist novel in the decades following the Second World War. | ||
| ENGL 328 | Development of Canadian Poetry 1. | 3 |
Development of Canadian Poetry 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Canadian poetry in English from the 18th century to the end of the Second World War. | ||
| ENGL 335 | The 20th Century Novel 1. | 3 |
The 20th Century Novel 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The Novel from the last years of the 19th century to World War II. | ||
| ENGL 361 | Poetry of the 20th Century 1. | 3 |
Poetry of the 20th Century 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A critical survey of major British and North American poetry, c. 1890 - 1940. | ||
| ENGL 414 | Studies in 20th Century Literature 1. | 3 |
Studies in 20th Century Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of works of literature of the 20th century. | ||
| ENGL 418 | A Major Modernist Writer. | 3 |
A Major Modernist Writer. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Intensive study of a writer important for Modernism, such as James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
Post-modernist
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 320 | Postcolonial Literature. | 3 |
Postcolonial Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of postcolonial literature. | ||
| ENGL 333 | Development of Canadian Poetry 2. | 3 |
Development of Canadian Poetry 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Canadian poetry in English from the end of the Second World War to the present. | ||
| ENGL 443 | Contemporary Women's Fiction. | 3 |
Contemporary Women's Fiction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a theme or author in contemporary women's fiction. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
Contemporary
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 320 | Postcolonial Literature. | 3 |
Postcolonial Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of postcolonial literature. | ||
| ENGL 333 | Development of Canadian Poetry 2. | 3 |
Development of Canadian Poetry 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Canadian poetry in English from the end of the Second World War to the present. | ||
| ENGL 336 | The 20th Century Novel 2. | 3 |
The 20th Century Novel 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 20th century novels. | ||
| ENGL 362 | 3 | |
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
| ENGL 407 | The 20th Century. | 3 |
The 20th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 20th century works. | ||
| ENGL 408 | The 20th Century. | 3 |
The 20th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 20th century works. | ||
| ENGL 419 | Studies in 20th Century Literature. | 3 |
Studies in 20th Century Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of works of literature of the 20th century. | ||
| ENGL 421 | African Literature. | 3 |
African Literature. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of African literature. | ||
| ENGL 443 | Contemporary Women's Fiction. | 3 |
Contemporary Women's Fiction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a theme or author in contemporary women's fiction. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
Literature Stream Offerings
6 credits from among English Department Literature stream offerings.
Department Offerings
9 credits from among other Department offerings (ENGL courses).