BA English Language and Literature at University of Chicago

Programme overview

The undergraduate program in English Language and Literature provides students with the opportunity to study works of literature and other expressive media. Courses address fundamental questions about topics such as the status of literature within culture, literary history, the achievements of a major author, the defining characteristics of a genre, the politics of interpretation, the formal subtleties of individual works, and the methods of literary scholarship and research.

Faculty: The College | Department: English Language and Literature | Study mode: full-time | Intake: Autumn | Location: Chicago, IL, United States

What you will study

There are two tracks through the English Major. The Standard Track requires 12 courses, one of which may be taken outside the English Department.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to the College, not to the major (university-level requirement): first-year applicants apply through the Common Application or Apply Coalition with the UChicago supplement essays and submit the secondary school report and transcript, two teacher evaluations and a mid-year report; testing follows the University's No Harm Testing Policy. Majors are declared after enrolment and must satisfy the College general education Core plus the major requirements listed in the catalogue.

USD 75,960 a year (2026-27). College tuition for the 2026-27 academic year (cost of attendance table); excludes student services fee, U-Pass fee, class fee, housing, food and books. Source

First-year admission is offered for entrance in the Autumn Quarter only (except prospective students-at-large).

First-year application plans (as published for the 2025-26 cycle): Early Decision I and Early Action deadline 3 November 2025; Early Decision II and Regular Decision deadline 5 January 2026. Applications are accepted through the Common Application and Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir. An application fee or automatic fee waiver is required, SAT/ACT scores are covered by the No Harm Testing Policy.

Apply through the official page: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/application/

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