There are many ways for you to begin a serious engagement with literature, philosophy, history, art, and critical thinking at Washington University. One of the best is to enroll in the Text & Traditions program. In “T&T,” students explore the texts and intellectual traditions upon which modern culture has been built – from ancient Mediterranean thought to the modern novel. The goal of the program is to provide a serious foundation in the humanities, a foundation in content and in methods of inquiry. Join us on a semester-long journey through the classics.

In the first semester, those enrolled in the T&T program usually take two courses: "Classical to Renaissance Literature" and "Early Political Thought." (Students who miss that fall pairing in their first semester can easily enroll in it in a subsequent semester.) These courses provide the foundation for other courses in the program: courses in Modern Political Thought, Literary Modernities in Europe and America, Literary Modernities in East Asia, The Intellectual History of Sex and Gender, etc.

Earning the Text & Traditions Minor

If you continue past the first semester–the "classical" semester–you can easily complete a minor in Text & Traditions by choosing three more T&T classes. You can take these at any time during the pursuit of an undergraduate degree, and every course in the program meets an Arts & Sciences distribution requirement.

For each of the Ampersand Programs you wish to rank in your top four choices, you will need to complete a separate statement of interest (no more than 500 words) answering a program specific question. Look for the program specific questions on the program webpage.