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American Literature and Culture Graduate Certificate

  • Get Started

    No Application Required

  • Format

    Online and On Campus Options

  • Tuition

    $12,880

  • Total Courses

    4

Memorial to the Massachusetts 54th

Deepen your understanding of American literary works and cultural themes.

You’ll gain knowledge of the American literary form and tradition informed by political, cultural, and historical contexts.

What You'll Learn

Through this liberal arts graduate certificate, you will gain knowledge of the American literary form and tradition informed by political, cultural, and historical contexts.

  • Enhanced understanding of American narrative art forms–such as poetry, literature, and film–through exploration of a range of authors, genres, and historical periods.
  • Sharpened facility in narrative interpretation, critical analysis, and ability to lead discussion around American literary and cultural artifacts.
  • Expanded knowledge of the American experience and exposure to focused subject areas, such as the poetry of Emily Dickinson, the twentieth-century century American novel, and the literary works of the Civil War.

Our Community at a Glance

Going back to school doesn’t have to mean putting your life on hold. We’ve designed our courses, certificates, and degrees to give you the flexibility to pace your studies to fit your schedule.

  • 60%

    Applied Certificate to ALM degree

  • 70%

    Employed Full Time

  • 1/3

    Took Certificate Course for Personal Interest

  • 96%

    Would Recommend the Certificate

student sitting at table in Smith Center

Certificate Courses

The liberal arts graduate certificate in American Literature and Culture requires 4 courses or 16 credits.

Choose from the following course groups, using the certificate course search:

  • Humanities course group (choose any two courses from this group)
  • Social sciences course group (choose any two courses from this group)

Search For Courses

You can browse courses by term — fall, spring, or summer — in the DCE Course Search & Registration platform.

Upcoming Term: Summer 2024

Summer course registration is open through June 20. Learn more about how to register

Fall 2024 courses and registration details will be live in June.

Earning Your Certificate

To meet the requirements for the certificate, you must:

  • Complete 16 certificate credits at the graduate level.
    • This can be accomplished by completing three 4-credit certificate courses and two 2-credit certificate courses, or four 4-credit certificate courses for graduate credit.
  • Earn at least a B grade in each course.
  • Complete the courses within three years.

Learn more about pursuing a certificate and the process of requesting your certificate.

Cost

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

Our Tuition (2023–24 rate) $3,220 per course
Average Tuition of Peer Institutions $5,476 per course
Average Total Cost $12,880