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What is Literature?
Literature is the study of representation, ideas, language, and culture. As
such, it is a source of knowledge and pleasure, as well as a field of study.
Literary texts are social documents in artistic form which speak to us as much
about historical issues as about aesthetic matters. Literature students learn to
think critically and to understand the role that texts play in a given society,
past or present.
The Literature Department at UCSD All literature courses at UCSD are offered by a single Department of Literature. The department brings together teachers, writers, scholars, and students of several different languages and literatures. Here, they are united by the nature of the studies they pursue. This lends a comparative aspect to both the under- graduate and graduate programs, which lead to the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees. All literature majors study a secondary literature -- that is, a literature taught and written in a language other than the language of the primary concentration -- and complete upper-division course work of the second literature in the original language. Courses are offered not only in the literatures themselves but in the theoretical aspects of literature and -- often in cooperation with other departments -- on the relationship of literature to other disciplines such as philosophy, history, sociology, psychology, communication, and linguistics, as well as visual arts, theater, and music. Careers A major in Literature opens many career possibilities. Education is a primary option, but specialization in Literature (English, Spanish, etc.) and Writing also serves as excellent preparation for graduate and professional programs. A degree in Literature provides a strong background for the LSAT and law school. Medical schools seek out students who are prepared not only in the sciences, but also in the humanities and writing. The business world seeks college-trained English majors, and international corporations actively recruit students with a specialty in French, German, Italian, Russian, or Spanish. Literature majors find careers in advertising, book editing and publishing, journalism, communications, mass media, and other professions where writers and editors are in demand. The knowledge of a second language and culture provides literature majors with a decided career advantage. Interested in a Major in Literature? There are ten undergraduate majors available to students within the Department of Literature: Literature/Cultural Studies; Literatures in English, French, German, and Italian; Russian Literature; Literatures in Spanish; Literatures of the World; Literature/Writing; and the Composite Major in Literature. Requirements vary from program to program. Worksheets defining major requirements (summarized below) are available on the Literature web site or in the Undergraduate Office. Literatures in English (Checklist)
Literatures in French (Checklist)
Literatures in German (Checklist)
Twelve upper-division courses (nine from Literatures in German offerings; at
least one in the secondary literature; and Literature electives) Literatures in Italian (Checklist) Twelve upper-division courses (nine from Literatures in Italian offerings; at least one in the secondary literature; and Literature electives) Literatures in Italian (Checklist) Twelve upper-division courses (nine from Literatures in Italian offerings; at least one in the secondary literature; and Literature electives) Russian Literature (Checklist) Thirteen upper-division courses (twelve from Russian Literature offerings; one in the secondary literature) Spanish and Latin American Literature (Checklist)
Literatures of the World (Checklist)
Literature/Writing (Checklist)
The Composite Major in Literature (Additional Information) Eight upper-division courses in each of two literatures of concentration: one must be in a language/literature other than English; both concentrations, however, can be in non-English literatures; thus, a student can choose English and French, for example, or Russian and Spanish, French and German, Italian and English. Secondary Literature Requirement All students majoring in literature study both a primary and a secondary literature. The secondary literature is, by definition, written and taught in a language different from that of the primary literature. The range of secondary literatures includes American Sign Language (ASL), Classical Greek, Hebrew, and Latin; French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish, and for those with a foreign literature concentration, English. Please consult the Literature Department for specific course requirements appropriate to each Literature major. Declaring a Major in Literature See the staff in the Literature Undergraduate Office to declare any of the majors in literature or to change your major to Literature. Department approval is required. When a student officially declares a Literature Major, the department staff will answer questions about the major, provide a checklist of requirements, and process the declaration/change of major form. The Minor in Literature The minor requires seven Literature courses. Available minors include Literatures in English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Literatures of the World, and Literature/Writing. Depending on the particular concentration, either four or five of the courses taken must be at the upper-division level. Declaring a Minor in Literature Minors are College-regulated, so the first step in declaring a minor in Literature is a visit to the appropriate College Academic Advising office. Literature undergraduate staff will help students complete the minor petition form, which then needs approval by the appropriate Literature Department faculty advisor. Finally, the form is signed by the Literature Department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies and forwarded to the student’s College by the undergraduate staff. Minors are recorded on ISIS (the Integrated Student Information System) and Tritonlink. Honors Program The department offers a special program of advanced study for outstanding Literature Majors with senior-class status. Please refer to the General Catalog or see the department for information about participation in the honors program, including the petitioning process for students who do not meet the regular eligibility standards. A Note to Transfer Students Most community colleges and other institutions offer courses applicable to UCSD major requirements. Information is available, on the Internet at ASSIST.org and through UCSD Admissions West, about transfer courses that can be used to fulfill requirements and prerequisites at UCSD. Literature faculty and staff advisors can review transfer courses and their applicability to majors and minors. ...and perhaps most important of all If you have decided to major or minor in one of our Literature concentrations or are considering the possibility, please be in contact with the department. The faculty advisors are knowledgeable and have been appointed to help you, and we are all here to address your questions and needs. Please visit us at our web site, http://literature.ucsd.edu, email us at litug@ucsd.edu, call us at (858) 534-3210, or stop by the undergraduate office on the first floor of the Literature building, LIT 110. You will be most welcome. Literature Department Chair: Professor Don Wayne Director of Undergraduate Studies: Robert Cancel Student Affairs Coordinator: Open |