Studies in World Literatures Major

The Studies in World Literatures major allows you to explore literature, film, and other forms of cultural expression across linguistic, national, geographic, and disciplinary boundaries. Located in the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, the program is guided by the idea that human narrative is a universal phenomenon of shared themes, forms, and movements in ways that are also unique to the cultures that produce them.

As a Studies in World Literatures (STWL) major, you will explore the human experience through reading, analyzing, and comparing texts of varying national and cultural literary traditions. These texts can be literary (written and oral narrative), visual (film, architecture, visual arts), or performative (drama, ASL literature). You will discover how world narrative traditions transcend cultural and disciplinary boundaries, as you explore the relationship between narrative and other areas of study, such as religious studies, history, political science, and environmental studies.

Majors study one of the languages offered by the department's programs (Arabic, Chinese Studies, Deaf Studies and Sign Languages, French and Francophone Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, or Russian Studies) at the 301 level or above and take at least 10 additional courses. These 10 major courses will provide you with a broad theoretical basis for the study of world literature, film, and other narrative forms of human expression. Within the major, you will also define a sub-focus and, by the end of senior year, produce a written, visual, or performative capstone project. Study abroad or study away is highly encouraged for STWL majors.

Requirements

The Studies in World Literatures (STWL) major emphasizes points of connection among two or more narrative traditions. Thus, you should select courses from a variety of cultural traditions, genres, and narrative forms. You may count up to two approved courses from a department other than World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures toward the STWL major.

Studies in World Literature (STWL) majors take a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14 approved courses. As part of the 10-course minimum, STWL majors take:

• two STWL designated courses (or another departmental course listed as comparative);
• five approved courses on the intermediate or advanced level distributed as follows: two courses in the category of survey/theme; two courses in the category of genre/author; one course on the theory or philosophy of literature or narrative traditions. Some of these courses may be fulfilled by the STWL designated/comparative courses.
•  three approved electives (includes Montserrat) in an area of interest. These areas of interest include a focus on a particular cultural narrative tradition or thematic focus, e.g., gender studies, environmental studies, or genre;
• a capstone project completed within a course or in a tutorial.