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Nov 22, 2024
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2015-2016 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Literature Major
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Major Requirements
The major in Literature requires a minimum of 9 courses, distributed as follows:
1. Core Courses (3 courses)
2. Creative Writing (1 course)
One creative writing course selected from:
Note:
With the exception of the single-author requirement, no course may be counted toward more than one requirement.
Senior Thesis in Literature
The senior thesis is a general education requirement and the capstone experience of a student’s undergraduate education. Students must complete a senior thesis in at least one of their majors under supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major, unless granted a special exception.
Literature majors should select a thesis advisor as early as possible in the spring of their junior year, or earlier if they will be abroad that semester. Students choosing a creative writing thesis are required to provide their prospective advisors with a writing sample in their chosen genre.
The senior thesis and the research course may not be counted as courses in the major. Literature majors writing a 2-semester thesis must take a grade of P (in progress) in the first semester so that the 2 semesters’ work can be graded at the end.
Special Options for Majors
Dual Major
The dual major in Literature requires a minimum of 7 courses, distributed as follows:
1. Core Courses (2 courses)
2. Creative Writing (1 course)
One creative writing course selected from:
Notes:
- With the exception of the single-author requirement, no course may be counted toward more than one requirement.
- Dual majors are also encouraged to write a senior thesis in literature. For further information, see Senior Thesis in Literature above.
- Note the restrictions on honors in the major for students with a dual major under Honors in Literature below. For further information on dual majors and the requirements for the other discipline of the dual major, check the appropriate sections of this catalog.
Honors in Literature
To be eligible for departmental honors in literature, students majoring in literature, including students with a dual major, must:
- Earn at least a 10.50 GPA in all literature courses
- Write a thesis in literature
- Receive a grade of A- (11.00) or better for the thesis.
Departmental honors are conferred by vote of the department.
Students with a dual major including literature who wish to be considered for honors in literature will only receive honors if they:
- Have completed all requirements for a full major in literature and are granted honors, or
- Qualify and receive honors in both disciplines of their dual major. See Academic Honors at Graduation for details.
Study Abroad
All CMC students are encouraged to consider study abroad during the junior year. Students planning to study literature abroad should consult with the chair of the Literature department to determine which off-campus courses will be accepted by the department. Consult the chair of the Literature department for further information.
General Education Requirements for Humanities Majors
For the general education requirement in the social sciences and the humanities, CMC students majoring in a field of the humanities must take designated courses in 3 of the 4 fields of the social sciences (economics, government, history, and psychology), and in 3 of the 4 fields of the humanities (literature, philosophy, religious studies, and literature in a foreign language). Majors with a dual or double major in either the humanities or the social sciences will be required to take an additional course in those categories.
Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes for the Literature Program
Literature Department learning goals and outcomes have been formulated in the context of CMC’s college-wide student learning outcomes and are available from the department chair.
Learning Goals
The Learning Goals of the literature program are:
- To enhance students’ knowledge of the history of literature
- To enhance students’ technical understanding of how literature works
- To enhance students’ abilities to engage in perceptive reading and critical thinking
- To enhance students’ understanding of the cultural roles of literature and rhetoric
- To enhance students’ skills in writing and research
Student Learning Outcomes
The Student Learning Outcomes for the literature program are:
- Students will demonstrate mastery of the basic conceptual vocabulary used in the study of literature-i.e. the ability to define and use terms appropriate to literary genres, literary techniques, rhetorical figures, and critical theory.
- Students will demonstrate a clear understanding of the standard periodizations of English literature and some of the major authors and works in each period.
- Students will be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge of at least one major author’s work.
- Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyze a poem in terms of its meter, structure, argument, imagery, tone, and other stylistic features.
- Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyze a narrative (in a play, film, short story, or novel) in terms of its plot, characters, ethical concerns, themes, and structure.
- Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to write clear and cogent prose.
- Students will be able to demonstrate familiarity with various forms of research, including use of the library, the internet, and databases.
- Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to give a considered and coherent rationale for the study of literature and its place among the humanities.
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