Race, Ethnicity, and Literature Concentration

Want to learn about literature, history, and culture through a framework of race, diaspora, and postcolonial studies? Consider joining the Race, Ethnicity, and Literature (REL) program to understand a variety of cultures, confront a fractured world, and work towards a more inclusive future.

REL Program Information Sheet (PDF)

The Race, Ethnicity, and Literature (REL) concentration/minor gives you the opportunity to encounter the literary expressions of diverse communities, including your own. If you are interested in learning more about African American, Asian American, Native American, and Latinx literature, then this is the concentration/minor for you. In addition to learning about diverse literatures and cultures, REL courses also teach literature in diverse ways so that you can take courses on everything from Race in Shakespeare to Latinx literature.

The program also offers:

• Focused coursework exploring Race, Ethnicity, and Literature
• Opportunities for advanced research, offering career and graduate study preparation
• Dedicated advising from the REL Director

Concentration and Minor

The REL concentration enables English majors to add the focal area of REL to their major. English courses in the REL concentration may also count toward the English Major (BA).

The REL minor requires the same set of courses and is for students majoring in other fields.

‹Admission to the Program

Undergraduate students can declare the REL minor or concentration by completing the Undergraduate Program Add/Change Form in DocuSign. Students then consult with the program director to plan a course of study.

‹Course Requirements for Concentration and Minor

The Race, Ethnicity, and Literature program requires 6 courses (18 credits):

• UP TO TWO "INTRODUCTORY" COURSES (See "Capstone")
  • ENGL 135: American Stories
  • ENGL 182G: Race and Ethnicity in Twentieth-Century U.S. Literature
  • ENGL 202: Six American Authors
  • ENGL 221L: Introduction to Asian-American Writing
  • ENGL 223: Latino/Latina/Latinx Literature
  • ENGL 235: African-American Literature
     
• FOUR "CORE" COURSES
  • ENGL 344: Boston Dreams, Boston Nightmares
  • ENGL 348:  Native American Literature
  • ENGL 350L:  Asian-American Literary Voices
  • ENGL 351:  Early African-American Literature
  • ENGL 352L:  Harlem Renaissance
  • ENGL 353:  Multiethnic American Literature
  • ENGL 354:  Race in American Literature
  • ENGL 355:  African-American Poetry
  • ENGL 356:  The African-American Novel
  • ENGL 357:  African-American Women Writers
  • ENGL 358: Critical Race Studies in Literature
  • ENGL 380: Special Topics: Race and Shakespeare (forthcoming)
  • ENGL 401: Race and Medieval Literature (forthcoming)
  • ENGL 411: Postcolonial Literary Studies
  • ENGL 430: Literature of the Atlantic
  • ENGL 488: Literatures of the Middle East
  • Literature courses offered by other departments may be allowed with approval of the REL Director.
     
• ONE "CAPSTONE"

  Students should consider taking a capstone course or completing an Honors Thesis in Race, Ethnicity, and Literature. This advanced work enables students to build a record of success for applications to graduate school, careers in teaching, or working with diverse populations.      

  A capstone or thesis counts as the sixth course in the program; these students take only one "Introductory" course.

• OTHER REQUIREMENTS
  • Students must receive a minimum grade of C minus in these courses to count towards the program.
  • Courses cannot be taken as pass/fail if they are to count towards the program.
  • Five courses must be completed in residence at UMass Boston.
  • One course can be transferred in with permission of the English Undergraduate Program Director.

Contact Information

‹Program Director: Professor Susan Tan
Wheatley Hall, 6th floor
[email protected]

• Completed UMass Boston online admission application
• Application fee: $60
• An official high school record, leaving certificate and/or graduation examination results or their notarized copies. All documents in foreign languages must be translated by a certified professional. Records must be sent directly from the institution to be considered official.
• Academic recommendation letter (from a school-based counselor and/or teacher)
• 500-word essay
• Test scores

If you seek admission to UMass Boston as an international student, we strongly encourage you to apply online by submitting either the UMass Boston Web Application or the Common Application

Please be sure to send us your application and all required materials by the posted international application deadline.

If you experience any technical problems with the application, please email us immediately at [email protected].