FD-LA: Literature and Arts
NOTE: Students who started taking classes at Northwestern in Spring 2023 or earlier should refer to the Area VI: Literature and Fine Arts page. The information below pertains to students who start at Northwestern after Spring 2023.
By taking courses in literature and art, students come to understand and appreciate the achievements of the creative imagination in a range of artistic forms and media. These include printed and oral literature, theater, music, the visual arts, and film and digital media. Students learn to describe, value, and critique such works; to identify and query the ideas and perspectives they represent; and to consider them as an array of aesthetic practices through which human beings have attempted to explore and transform their worlds. As students encounter the power of literature and art to imagine the breadth of human experience, they come to grasp the role of the arts in the evolution of human ways of knowing, being, feeling and expressing. At the same time, students examine the historical, cultural, and social contexts in which creative works are produced, which they at once reflect and contest. In recognizing the many ways in which texts and artistic works create meaning, and by paying attention to the factors that influence such processes, students gain exposure to the descriptive vocabularies, theoretical approaches, and reading practices common to criticism on literature and the arts. What is more, they develop essential skills in critical thinking and cultural analysis that will make them more conscientious readers of texts, images, and objects of all kinds.
learning objectives
Courses in Literature and Arts are designed to achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Observe the forms, genres, and styles of literary and artistic expression through practices of close reading and analysis
- Gain awareness of the social, political, cultural, and historical factors influencing artistic expression, the relations between the artist and the public, and the potential of creative art to challenge or to affirm social and cultural norms
- Appreciate how literature and the arts reveal the differences and diversity, as well as the continuity and unity, of human cultures
- Produce acts of persuasive interpretation, analysis, and commentary on literature and art, both spoken and written
- By emulating the subtleties of literature and art, students develop their writing skills and sharpen their powers of interpretation, critique, and aesthetic perception
Choosing courses
This list includes a wide range of literature courses as well as courses in music and in the visual arts. Students with good skills in certain languages other than English can satisfy the requirement by taking advanced courses taught in various languages.
Approved Courses
| Subject | Number | Title |
| ART | 272-0 | Critical Methods for Contemporary Art |
| ART | 372-0 | Seminar |
| ART_HIST | 220-0 | Introduction to African Art (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 222-0 | Introduction to Art of the African Diaspora (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 225-0 | Introduction to Medieval Art (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| ART_HIST | 232-0 | Introduction to the History of Architecture: 1400 to Present (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 235-0 | Introduction to Latin American Art (or may be applied ot FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 240-0 | Introduction to Asian Art (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 250-0 | Introduction to Early Modern European Art (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| ART_HIST | 255-0 | Introduction to Modernism (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 320-1 | Medieval Art Byzantine (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| ART_HIST | 330-1 | Early Modern European Art 1400-1500 (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| ART_HIST | 340-1 | Baroque Art: Italy & Spain 1600-1800 (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 342-0 | Eighteenth-Century European Art (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 350-1 | 19th Century Art 1: 1789-1848 (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 350-2 | 19th Century Art 2: 1848-1914 (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 360-1 | 20th Century Art 1 (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ART_HIST | 375-0 | Media Theory (with HUM 225-0) |
| ART_HIST | 386-0 | Art of Africa (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ASIAN_AM | 247-0 | Asian Americans and Popular Culture1 |
| ASIAN_AM | 275-0 | Introduction to Asian American Literature (with ENGLISH 275-0)1 |
| ASIAN_AM | 276-0 | Topics in Asian American Literature (with ENGLISH 276-0)1 |
| ASIAN_LC | 200-0 | Introductory Topics in Chinese Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 221-0 | Introduction to Premodern Japanese Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 222-0 | Introduction to Modern Japanese Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 223-0 | Introduction to Contemporary Japanese Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 224-0 | Introduction to Japanese Film, Media, and Visual Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 240-0 | Introductory Topics in Korean Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 260-0 | Introductory Topics in South Asian Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 261-0 | South Asian Popular Cultures |
| ASIAN_LC | 265-0 | South Asian Cinemas |
| ASIAN_LC | 290-0 | Introductory Topics in Asian Languages and Cultures |
| ASIAN_LC | 300-0 | Advanced Topics in Chinese Literature and Culture2 |
| ASIAN_LC | 321-0 | Advanced Topics in Premodern Japanese Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 322-0 | Advanced Topics in Modern Contemporary Japanese Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 340-0 | Advanced Topics in Korean Literature and Culture |
| ASIAN_LC | 360-0 | Advanced Topics in South Asian Languages and Cultures |
| ASIAN_LC | 370-0 | Literary Cultures in South Asia |
| ASIAN_LC | 373-0 | Religious and Textural Traditions in South Asia (or may be applied to FD-EET) |
| ASIAN_LC | 375-0 | South Asian Societies2 |
| ASIAN_LC | 390-0 | Advanced Topics in Asian Languages and Cultures2 |
| ASIAN_LC | 391-0 | Religious and Textual Traditions in Asia |
| ASIAN_LC | 392-0 | Advanced Studies in Asian Film, Media, and Visual Culture2 |
| ASIAN_LC | 393-0 | Asian Environmental Humanities2 |
| BLK_ST | 210-0 | Survey of African American Literature1 |
| BLK_ST | 211-0 | Literatures of the Black World |
| BLK_ST | 236-0 | Introduction to African-American Studies (or may be applied to FD-SBS)1 |
| BLK_ST | 315-0 | Religion in the Black Atlantic (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| BLK_ST | 350-0 | Theorizing Blackness1 |
| BLK_ST | 360-0 | Major Authors1 |
| CLASSICS | 211-0 | Greek History and Culture (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| CLASSICS | 245-0 | Classics and the Cinema |
| CLASSICS | 250-0 | Literatures of the Ancient World |
| CLASSICS | 260-0 | Classical Mythology (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| CLASSICS | 310-0 | Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| CLASSICS | 340-0 | Greek and Roman Drama |
| CLASSICS | 350-0 | Greek and Latin Literature |
| CLASSICS | 380-0 | Classical Reception Studies (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| COMP_LIT | 200-0 | Introduction to Literary Theory |
| COMP_LIT | 201-0 | Reading World Literature |
| COMP_LIT | 202-0 | Interpreting Culture |
| COMP_LIT | 211-0 | Readings in Genre |
| COMP_LIT | 270-0 | Literatures in Translation |
| COMP_LIT | 301-0 | Studies in World Literature |
| COMP_LIT | 303-0 | Movements and Periods |
| COMP_LIT | 307-0 | Studies in Gender, Sexuality & Representation |
| COMP_LIT | 312-0 | Major Authors and Texts |
| ENGLISH | 200-0 | Literary Histories |
| ENGLISH | 210-1 | British Literary Traditions |
| ENGLISH | 210-2 | British Literary Traditions |
| ENGLISH | 211-0 | Introduction to Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 212-0 | Introduction to Drama |
| ENGLISH | 213-0 | Introduction to Fiction |
| ENGLISH | 214-0 | Introduction to Film and Its Literatures |
| ENGLISH | 215-0 | Topics in Literature, Film, and Media |
| ENGLISH | 220-0 | The Bible as Literature (or may be applied to FD-EET) |
| ENGLISH | 234-0 | Introduction to Shakespeare |
| ENGLISH | 266-0 | Introduction to African American Literature1 |
| ENGLISH | 267-0 | Topics in African American Literature1 |
| ENGLISH | 270-1 | American Literary Traditions |
| ENGLISH | 270-2 | American Literary Traditions |
| ENGLISH | 273-0 | Introduction to 20th-Century American Literature |
| ENGLISH | 274-0 | Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Literatures1 |
| ENGLISH | 275-0 | Introduction to Asian American Literature (with ASIAN_AM 275-0)1 |
| ENGLISH | 276-0 | Topics in Asian American Literature (with ASIAN_AM 276-0)1 |
| ENGLISH | 277-0 | Introduction to Latinx Literature (with LATINO 277-0 and SPANISH 277-0)1 |
| ENGLISH | 280-0 | Introduction to Postcolonial Literature2 |
| ENGLISH | 281-0 | Topics in Postcolonial Comparative Literatures2 |
| ENGLISH | 283-0 | Introduction to Literature and the Environment |
| ENGLISH | 284-0 | Topics in Literature and the Environment |
| ENGLISH | 285-0 | Topics in Literature and Culture |
| ENGLISH | 300-0 | Seminar in Reading and Interpretation |
| ENGLISH | 302-0 | History of the English Language (or may be applied to FD-HS) |
| ENGLISH | 310-0 | Studies in Literary Genres |
| ENGLISH | 311-0 | Studies in Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 312-0 | Studies in Drama |
| ENGLISH | 313-0 | Studies in Fiction |
| ENGLISH | 322-0 | Medieval Drama |
| ENGLISH | 323-1 | Medieval Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 324-0 | Studies in Medieval Literature |
| ENGLISH | 331-0 | Renaissance Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 332-0 | Renaissance Drama |
| ENGLISH | 338-0 | Studies in Renaissance Literature |
| ENGLISH | 339-0 | Studies in Shakespeare |
| ENGLISH | 340-0 | Studies in 18th-Century Literature |
| ENGLISH | 344-0 | 18th-Century Fiction |
| ENGLISH | 351-0 | Romantic Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 353-0 | Studies in Romantic Literature |
| ENGLISH | 357-0 | 19th-Century British Fiction |
| ENGLISH | 359-0 | Studies in 19th-Century Literature |
| ENGLISH | 361-0 | 20th and 21st Century Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 365-0 | Studies in Postcolonial Literature2 |
| ENGLISH | 366-0 | Studies in African American Literature1 |
| ENGLISH | 368-0 | Studies in 20th- and 21st-Century Literature |
| ENGLISH | 369-0 | Studies in African Literature2 |
| ENGLISH | 371-0 | American Novel |
| ENGLISH | 372-0 | American Poetry |
| ENGLISH | 374-0 | Studies in Native American and Indigenous Literatures1 |
| ENGLISH | 375-0 | Studies in Asian American Literature1 |
| ENGLISH | 377-0 | Topics in Latinx Literature1 |
| ENGLISH | 378-0 | Studies in American Literature |
| ENGLISH | 381-0 | Literature & Medicine |
| ENGLISH | 383-0 | Special Topics in Theory |
| ENGLISH | 385-0 | Studies in Literature and Culture |
| ENGLISH | 386-0 | Studies in Literature and Film |
| ENGLISH | 388-0 | Studies in Literature and Ethics (or FD-EET) |
| ENGLISH | 397-0 | Research Seminar for Literature Majors |
| FRENCH | 210-0 | Reading Literatures in French |
| FRENCH | 211-0 | Reading Cultures in French2 |
| FRENCH | 271-0 | Introducing the Novel2 |
| FRENCH | 272-0 | Introducing Theatre |
| FRENCH | 273-0 | Introducing Poetry |
| FRENCH | 277-0 | French Existentialism (or FD-EET) |
| FRENCH | 371-0 | Giants, Cannibals, and Critique |
| FRENCH | 375-0 | French Film |
| FRENCH | 386-0 | Gender and Writing2 |
| FRENCH | 395-0 | Advanced Studies in Culture and Thought2 |
| GNDR_ST | 361-0 | Gender, Sexuality, and Literature |
| GERMAN | 211-0 | German Culture Through Film |
| GERMAN | 221-1 | Introduction to Literature: 1800-1900 |
| GERMAN | 221-2 | Introduction to German Literature: 1900-1945 |
| GERMAN | 221-3 | Introduction to Literature: 1945-today |
| GERMAN | 223-0 | Austrian Literature |
| GERMAN | 232-0 | The Theme of Faust Through the Ages (or may be applied to FD-EET) |
| GERMAN | 234-1 | Jews and Germans: An Intercultural History I (or may be applied to FD-EET)2 |
| GERMAN | 234-2 | Jews and Germans: An Intercultural History II2 |
| GERMAN | 244-0 | Analyzing Freud |
| GERMAN | 245-0 | Special Topics in German Literature and Culture (taught in German) |
| GERMAN | 246-0 | Special Topics in German Literature and Culture (taught in English) |
| GERMAN | 266-0 | Introduction to Yiddish Culture: Images of the Shtetl (with JWSH_ST 266-0) |
| GERMAN | 321-1 | Reason, Revolution, and Despair: 1800-1900 |
| GERMAN | 321-2 | Myth and Modernity: 1900-1945 |
| GERMAN | 321-3 | Recoveries and Transitions: 1945-present |
| GERMAN | 327-0 | German Expressionism |
| GERMAN | 328-0 | Prague: City of Cultures, City of Conflict (with SLAVIC 328-0)2 |
| GERMAN | 331-0 | Shattered Worlds: Representation after the Shoa |
| GERMAN | 333-0 | Literature of a Divided Nation |
| GERMAN | 334-0 | Writers and Their Critics |
| GERMAN | 345-0 | Topics in German Literature and Culture (taught in German) |
| GERMAN | 346-0 | Topics in German Literature and Culture (taught in English) |
| GREEK | 301-0 | Readings in Greek Literature |
| HIND_URD | 320-0 | Topics Hindi-Urdu Literature |
| HUM | 210-0 | Humanities in the World I |
| HUM | 225-0 | Media Theory (with ART_HIST 375-0) |
| HUM | 325-6 | Humanities in the Digital Age |
| HUM | 370-6 | Special Topics in the Humanities |
| ITALIAN | 251-0 | Introduction to Italian Cinema2 |
| ITALIAN | 275-0 | Dante's Divine Comedy |
| JWSH_ST | 266-0 | Introduction to Yiddish Culture: Images of the Shtetl (with GERMAN 266-0) |
| JWSH_ST | 279-0 | Modern Jewish Literature |
| LATIN | 310-0 | Readings in Latin Literature |
| LATINO | 230-0 | Latine Feminist Sexualities1 |
| LATINO | 232-0 | Queer and Trans Latino Studies1 |
| LATINO | 277-0 | Introduction to Latinx Literature (with ENGLISH 277-0 and SPANISH 277-0)1 |
| LATINO | 393-0 | Topics in Latina and Latino Text and Representation |
| PHIL | 280-0 | Introduction to the Philosophy of Art |
| PORT | 210-0 | Icons, Legends & Myths in Brazil |
| RELIGION | 301-0 | Hindu Epics: Mahābhārata |
| RELIGION | 319-0 | Topics in Buddhism (or may be applied to FD-EET) |
| RELIGION | 374-0 | Contemporary Religious Thought (or may be applied to FD-EET) |
| SLAVIC | 210-1 | Introductin to Russian Literature |
| SLAVIC | 210-2 | Introduction to Russian Literature |
| SLAVIC | 211-2 | 20th-Century Russian Literature |
| SLAVIC | 218-0 | Introduction to Polish Literature2 |
| SLAVIC | 261-0 | Heart of Europe: Poland in the Twentieth Century |
| SLAVIC | 310-0 | Tolstoy |
| SLAVIC | 328-0 | Prague: City of Cultures, City of Conflict (with GERMAN 328-0)2 |
| SLAVIC | 367-1 | Russian Film |
| SPANISH | 204-0 | Advanced Spanish II: Artivism in Times of Political Change2 |
| SPANISH | 231-0 | New Latin American Narrative2 |
| SPANISH | 250-0 | Literature in Spain Before 1700 |
| SPANISH | 251-0 | Literature in Spain Since 1700 |
| SPANISH | 260-0 | Literature in Latin America Before 18882 |
| SPANISH | 261-0 | Literature in Latin America Since 18882 |
| SPANISH | 277-0 | Introduction to Latinx Literature (with ENGLISH 277-0 and LATINO 277-0)1 |
| SPANISH | 335-0 | Modern Fiction in Spain |
| SPANISH | 345-0 | Reading the 'Boom' |
| SPANISH | 362-0 | Citizenship and Urban Violence in Latin America2 |
| SPANISH | 395-0 | Topics in Latin American, Latina and Latino, and/or Iberian Cultures |
1 Also Overlay 1: U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
2 Also Overlay 2: Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
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