Many English majors can avoid Bard

If William Shakespeare were alive, he might revise his line fromHamlet to read, "Something is rotten in the state of Englisheducation."

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni did a survey andfound only 15 of the nation's top 70 universities require Englishmajors take a course on Shakespeare, whose birthday is Monday.

The report lists the University of Chicago and Northwestern amongthose that do not require such a course. The University of Illinoisat Urbana-Champaign does require it. "A degree in English withoutShakespeare is like an M.D. without a course in anatomy," the reportdeclares.

But that's not to say the Bard isn't taught at those schools: Thehome page for U. of C.'s English department features his picture,and students must take courses on British literature and onliterature written before 1700. NU requires a course in pre-1798lit. NU English department officials could not immediately bereached for comment.