The GRE Literature in English Test is a standardized test administered by the Educational Testing Service. It is intended to evaluate applicants seeking admission to a graduate program in English Studies. The test surveys a wide range of topics related to literature in English, but the focus is on works long accepted as part of the canon.
Because of canonical focus and other reasons, some graduate programs do not require the test for applicants, as they are interested in accepting students who wish to do research in areas that are not as prominently evaluated by the subject test, such as women or minority writers, or literary theory. Included in the group of programs not requiring the test are some of the most prestigious, although other prominent programs continue to require it. One argument for continuing to require the test is that there are often numerous applicants to a given program with very high qualifications; the subject test offers admissions committees one more factor in measuring student competency.
Nevertheless, while there is no longer broad consensus that everyone in English studies must be familiar with the same set of literary works, few would argue that knowledge of traditionally canonized texts could limit a student's ability to pursue English studies. Furthermore, most programs, even those most engaged in the decentering of the traditional canon, still require broad coverage of areas, and the test may help reveal a student's overall coverage.