John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

 

English majors read, discuss, and write about literature, film, popular culture and the law from a variety of perspectives. In doing so, they build skills in critical reading and analysis, verbal presentation, argumentation, and persuasive writing. In John Jay’s unique English curriculum, students acquire a comprehensive and varied foundation in literary study, and then choose either an optional concentration in Literature and the Law or pursue the field of Literature in greater depth. The major prepares students for a variety of careers and graduate work in law, public policy, business, education, writing, and government.

Some details:
Part 1: Critical Skills
Part 2: Historical Perspectives
Part 3: Critical Methods
Part 4: Literature and the Law
Part 5: Electives
Part 6: Major Seminar

Credits required: 36

Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201 and one general education Literature course: LIT 230, LIT 231, LIT 232, LIT 233

Coordinator: Professor Allison Pease (212.237.8565, apease@jjay.cuny.edu)

Honors Option: To receive Honors in Literature, a student must take both the Literature Seminar and an Independent Study that includes a research project, maintaining a GPA of 3.5 within the major. To receive Honors in Literature and the Law, a student must take both the Literature and the Law Seminar and an Independent Study that includes a research project, maintaining a GPA of 3.5 within the major.

PART 1. CRITICAL SKILLS

Subtotal: 3 credits

Literature 260 Introduction to Literary Study

PART 2. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Subtotal: 12 credits

Select four
Literature 370 Topics in Ancient Literature
Literature 371 Topics in Medieval Literature
Literature 372 Topics in Early Modern Literature
Literature 373 Topics in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Literature
Literature 374 Topics in Nineteenth-Century Literature
Literature 375 Topics in Twentieth-Century Literature

PART 3. CRITICAL METHODS

Subtotal: 3 credits

Literature 300 Text and Context

PART 4. LITERATURE AND THE LAW

Subtotal: 3 credits

Literature 305 Foundations of Literature and Law

PART 5. ELECTIVES

Subtotal: 12 credits

Choose any four literature courses (LIT); if concentrating in Literature and the Law, choose at least two of the courses identified with asterisks.

Literaure 203 New York City in Literature
Literature 212 Literature of the African World
Literature 219 The Words as Weapon*
Literature 223/Africana Studies 223 African-American Literature
Literature 284 Film and Society
Literature 290 Special Topics
Literature 309 Contemporary Fiction
Literature 311 Literature and Ethics*
Literature 313 Shakespeare
Literature 314 Shakespeare and Justice*
Literature 315 American Literature and the Law*
Literature 316 Gender and Identity in Literary Traditions
Literature 319 Law and Justice in European Medieval Literature*
Literature 323 The Crime Film*
Literature 327 Crime and Punishment in Literature
Literature 330 Alfred Hitchcock
Literature 332 Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee
Literature 342 Perspectives on Literature and Human Rights*
Literature 344 Caribbean Literature and Culture
Literature 346 Cultures in Conflict
Literature 360 Mythology in Literature
Literature 340/Africana Studies 340 The African American Experience in America: Comparative Racial Perspectives

Courses with an asterisk (*) identify courses that can be counted toward the LIT and the LAW concentration. The list of elective courses above is illustrative and not exhaustive. Students should consult the current course schedule for offerings in Literature (LIT).

PART 6. MAJOR SEMINAR

Subtotal: 3 credits

Choose one (if concentrating in Literature and Law, choose Literature and the Law Seminar)
Literature 400 Senior Seminar in Literature
Literature 405 Senior Seminar in Literature and the Law

Total: 36 credits