English Department

Related Majors

Interdisciplinary Majors

The Reed student has the advantage of other academic choices. A double major is possible, and there are four interdisciplinary majors which combine the field of English with a compatible field of study:

• American Studies
• Comparative Literature
• History-Literature
• Literature-Theatre

If you chose to pursue an established interdisciplinary major, your program of study is guided by a Standing Committee drawn from the departmental staff concerned.

To supplement these established interdisciplinary majors, special ad hoc programs that link two disciplines can be arranged if they meet with faculty approval. The student's academic record, the validity of the program, and the student's potential to complete the proposed program successfully are the essential factors considered by the advisors and departments. The English Department will consider proposals for special ad hoc programs that specifically address the question of why the proposed course of study cannot be done under departmental auspices. In addition, the Department requires (1) that such proposals identify two advisers, one from each of the departments involved, each of whom has explicitly committed to supervising the thesis for the proposed interdisciplinary program and (2) that both departments approve the thesis proposal (including a thesis topic and a general approach to combining disciplines).

Interdisciplinary programs generally require taking a Qual from each participating discipline or a single special qualifying examination prepared by the two departments. Your thesis work will be supervised by the Interdisciplinary Committee. Your committee will specify guidelines and due dates, and schedule your oral examination. A Committee may ask the student to follow the Division of Literature and Languages guidelines or may develop independent guidelines.