Interdisciplinary Program in Literary Studies
G = Objectives
The Interdisciplinary Program in Literary
Studies offers uniquely flexible M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. It aims
to equip its graduates with knowledge, skills, and insights that
are both wide-ranging and individualized, according to the specific
needs and interests of the individual student.
The program seeks also to ensure that each
graduate student is rooted in one traditional literary area (French,
German, Hebrew, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Latin American, or
comparative Literature), but with special emphasis placed on the
interdisciplinary, comparative perspective.
IPLS students conduct roughly one third of their course work in other areas (such as English and American literature, history, womenís studies, music, politics, fine arts, philosophy, Near Eastern and Judaic studies, sociology, theater arts). An advisory board includes a member from each of these departments and programs.
The degree will be in Interdisciplinary Literary
Studies.
The program also offers an M.A. in Translation or a Certificate in Translation.
G = How To Be Admitted to the Graduate Program
The general requirements for
admission to the Graduate School, given in an earlier section
of this Bulletin, apply to candidates for admission to
the Interdisciplinary Program in Literary
Studies. Candidates
should have a bachelorís degree in American, English, French,
German, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, or Russian literature/language,
and an advanced level of proficiency in at least one foreign language
upon entry. Candidates are required to submit a sample of their
critical writing not to exceed 35 pages. The 35-page maximum may
consist of a single critical essay or two shorter essays of approximately
equal length.
Students who apply for the M.A. degree translation program or the certificate program in translation must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. Students accepted into the program may attend on a full- or part-time basis. Acceptance into either program is based on an undergraduate study of literature and foreign languages and on submission of samples of previous translation work. Applicants should provide a statement of purpose and evidence of strong competence in both English and the language of proficiency. The deadline for the application to the translation program is July 8.
S = Committee
Stephen Dowden (German)
German modernism. Romanticism. The Novel:
Kafka, Bernhard, Thomas Mann, Broch, Musil, Goethe. Austrian literature.
Eberhard Frey (German)
Eighteenth-, 19th- and 20th-century German
literature. German and general stylistics.
Dian Fox (Spanish)
Spanish 16th- and 17th-century drama, prose,
and poetry. Cervantes.
Stephen J. Gendzier (French)
Enlightenment. Diderot. French-English 18th-century
crosscurrents.
Jane Hale (French)
Twentieth-century French fiction and drama.
Beckett. Queneau. Literature and painting. Francophone literatures.
Erica Harth (French)
Seventeenth- and 18th-century French prose.
Cultural studies and comparative literature. Feminism and gender
studies.
Edward Kaplan (French)
French romanticism. Michelet. Hugo. Modern
French poetry and theory. Baudelaire. JabËs. Bonnefoy. Religion
and literature. Translation.
Richard Lansing (Italian)
Dante. Italian and European Renaissance courtly
tradition. Modern Italian literature. Literary theory and criticism.
James Mandrell (Spanish)
Modern Spanish literature. Don Juan. Picaresque
and historical novel. Genre and gender. Film.
Robin Feuer Miller (Russian)
Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Nineteenth-century
Russian literature and comparative literature. The Novel. Reader-response
criticism.
Alan Mintz (Hebrew)
Hebrew literature. Modern Jewish culture.
Holocaust literature. Cultural criticism.
Angela MarÌa PÈrez (Spanish)
Colonial Latin American literature. Film
and literature. Cultural studies. Race and gender.
Michael Randall (French)
French Renaissance. Middle Ages literature.
Philosophy. Politics.
H. Jay Siskin (French)
Foreign language pedagogy. French and Francophone
culture. French and Romance linguistics.
Robert Szulkin (Russian)
Nineteenth- and 20th-century Russian literature.
Soviet literature.
Luis Yglesias (Spanish)
Traditional, modern, and contemporary poetry.
Native American literature. Folklore and myth.
The following faculty members are available
for advice in interdisciplinary matters:
Pam Allara (Fine Arts)
Rudolf Binion (History)
Thomas Doherty (American Studies, Film)
Erica Harth (Womenís Studies)
Arthur Holmberg (Theater Arts)
Mark Hulliung (Politics)
Robert Marshall (Music)
Alan Mintz (Near Eastern & Judaic Studies)
Paul Morrison (English)
George Ross (Sociology)
Ibrahim Sundiata (African & Afro-American Studies)
David Wong (Philosophy)
G = Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts
A. Two
years of full-time study in residence. Students are required to
take a four course load per semester.
B. Completion of either a thesis (a scholarly paper of between 50 and 80 pages), or a substantial revision and expansion of two seminar papers. Such written work will be read by the studentís principal advisor and at least one other faculty member. The student need not be in residence at the time of writing the thesis.
G = Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Translation
A. One
year of full-time study in residence, without any unresolved incompletes.
B. Two
seminars in the theory and practice of translation.
C. One
semester course in the theory of literary criticism.
D. Two
semester courses in the literature of the target language.
E. One
semester course in texts and sight translation. This may be an
independent study course.
F. One
elective course in the studentís specialization.
G. A major translation project consisting of a translation of a collection of poems or short stories, a novel or drama, or a non-literary text of a critical, scientific, legal, medical, or commercial nature of suitable length. The translation should be accompanied by an introduction locating the work within its appropriate context and identifying the procedures and techniques employed in resolving translation difficulties.
G = Requirements for the Certificate in Translation
The requirements for the certificate in translation are the same as those for the M.A. in translation with the exception that no major translation project is required.
G = Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Program of Study
Required courses for Ph.D. students include
an introduction to critical methods and all IPLS seminars, when
applicable. The latter are offered annually with variable topics
(LS 200b Movements, Genres, and Major Figures).
The principal national literature will demand
the candidateís most systematic scrutiny since he or she
will focus special attention on its literary tradition. From
the perspective of finding academic employment it is crucial that
the candidate be fully competent in that literature and its language.
This means that the student must be well versed in major figures,
works, and movements, with a specialistís knowledge of
at least one period.
Interdisciplinary course work should support
and enrich the studentís critical perspective. For example,
a student interested in German romanticism would naturally gravitate
toward course work in Rousseau, in Idealist philosophy, in Beethoven
and Wagner, in 19th-century French and German history, and so
forth. The details of an individual program of study will be
worked out with the advisors.
Residence Requirement
Three years beyond the undergraduate degree
are the minimum for the Ph.D. Those who arrive with an M.A. already
completed will be credited with one year toward residency. A year
in residence normally comprises eight courses, four each semester
(usually fewer for TAs). At least one, and no more than three,
of these courses should be in fields outside the major literature.
Tutorials (301-307) serve to fill gaps in knowledge where no suitable
100-level course is available. The course load of eight per year
is subject to variation. Teaching assistants reduce their course
load in proportion to their teaching load.
Language Requirement
Near native mastery of the studentís
principal foreign language; and reading competency in two supporting
languages.
Qualifying and General Examination
The qualifying examination is a comprehensive
written and oral exam taken at the beginning of the studentís
third semester. The examining committee will write a letter to
the student either giving or denying permission to proceed in
the program. Only those students whose first year record is complete
and satisfactory will be permitted to present themselves for examination.
The student may not postpone them.
The Ph.D. general examination occurs in the
studentís third year of study. It occurs twice each year,
either in October or in May, and is individually prepared and
scheduled for each student. These examinations are based on the
programís prescribed reading lists, available in Shiffman
108. Careful consultation with advisors is essential in preparation
for the exam, which consists of three written sections and an
oral exam.
The first session (three hours) is an examination
of the depth and breadth of the studentís primary national
literature.
The second session (three hours) focuses
on a period to be selected by the student and must emphasize interdisciplinary
perspectives in the approach to that period.
The third session (three hours) is dedicated
to literary or theoretical works of the studentís choosing
(though not from the period examined in the second session). Normally
two substantial texts (novels, plays, poetry cycles, or other
major works) are expected. Again, the student is expected to
bring interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise to bear.
The oral examination (1-2 hours) begins with
the candidateís analysis (ca. 30 minutes) of a text chosen
by the committee and given to the student 24 hours in advance
of the exam. A discussion of the presentation and some of the
written exam will ensue. At the end of the oral exam, the student
will be asked to leave the room so that the committee can consider
the exam as a whole. The student will be called back in to be
informed whether or not the performance has been satisfactory,
or whether he or she must re-take a portion of the exam. The
chair of the examining committee will also write a final letter
to the candidate, evaluating the exam as a whole. One copy of
this report will be kept on file in the IPLS office.
Dissertation and Defense
Within one year of the general examination,
the student becomes ABD (all but dissertation) by completing all
coursework, satisfying the residency requirement, language requirement,
and dissertation prospectus. The prospectus is a ca. 5-20 page
document and is to be submitted to the studentís dissertation
committee (the principal advisor and at least two other faculty
members) for approval and will be signed by the IPLS chair. The
prospectus reviews previous research into the proposed topic,
defines objectives and the critical methods to be used. It also
justifies the dissertation by clarifying the nature of its contribution
to the field. A bibliography, both primary and secondary is required.
The prospectus will become a part of the
studentís file. When it is complete and the other conditions
have been met, the chair will recommend the student to the Graduate
School for Admission to Candidacy. It is a Graduate School policy
that at least one semester must elapse before a degree can be
awarded. Students cannot receive funding if the prospectus has
not been approved by the beginning of the fourth year of residence.
It is Graduate School policy that the dissertation must be completed
within eight years from the start of graduate study (seven years
for those who enter with an M.A. in hand).
The dissertation is customarily between 200
and 300 pages, though no length is set as a requirement. Consult
the Graduate School for specific guidelines for preparation.
When the principal advisor is satisfied, the manuscript must be
read by at least two other faculty members whom the IPLS chairman
has approved. As soon as all readers have been approved and that
approval has been certified by the Graduate School, an oral defense
will be scheduled. Two copies of the finished manuscript will
be available for inspection at the IPLS office at least two weeks
in advance of the defense. The time and place of the defense
will be publicly announced.
The defense is an oral examination. The
dissertation committee and at least one faculty member from outside
IPLS will discuss with the student the thesis and related topics.
The fourth committee member may be a specialist from outside
the university. The defense usually lasts about two hours, and
at its conclusion the candidate will be informed that the dissertation
has or has not been accepted, that it does or does not require
revisions before final approval. Two corrected copies of the
dissertation must be deposited with the Graduate School office
for the University Library, which is the final step in the dissertation
process.
Teaching
Teaching is normally expected of every IPLS
student in the Ph.D. program. It is an intrinsic component of
the educational process, parallel to academic work, and it is
the bread and butter of any career in language and literature.
Naturally it can be a source of financial aid to the student.
In most cases students begin teaching in the second year of residence.
The programís pedagogy course (LS 222b Applied Linguistics:
Language Teaching Methodology) is a required course and should
be taken in the first year. Students entering with an M.A. in
hand and previous teaching experience may teach in the first semester,
but may be required to take LS 222b.
The normal teaching load is two courses per year, which may include a USEM writing section (University Seminars in the Humanities). However, each language has variable needs, and students in some areas may have fewer opportunities for the maximum load.
S = Courses of Instruction
G = (200 and above) Primarily for Graduate Students
LS 200b Movements, Genres, and Major Figures: Modernism
Explores continental European modernism, especially from the perspective of formal innovation, gender, mass culture, and canon formation. Readings include Proust, Benjamin, Broch, Beckett, Yourcenar, Thomas Mann, Kafka, Gombrowicz, Bruno Schulz, Musil, and Céline. Usually offered every third year. Will be offered in the spring of 1998.
Mr. Dowden
LS 201a History and Theory of Criticism: The Development of Modern Critical Theories
Usually offered every year.
Mr. Lansing
LS 202b Fiction: Theory and Practice
Usually offered in even years.
Staff
LS 204a Theory and Practice of Literary Translation
Usually offered in even years.
Staff
LS 204b Theory and Practice of Literary Translation
Continuation of JPLS 204a. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
LS 209a Modern Phenomena
Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
LS 215a Poetry, Criticism, and Modernity: Baudelaire and His Contemporaries
Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the fall of 1990.
Mr. Kaplan
LS 217a Russian Prose Forms and the European Tradition
Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the fall of 1990.
Ms. Miller
LS 218b Topics in Genre and Gender
Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Mandrell
LS 219b Postromantic and Postmodern Fictions and Theory
Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the spring of 1996.
Mr. Kaplan
LS 220a Modes of Narrative: Epic and Romance
Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the spring of 1997.
Mr. Lansing
LS 221b Renaissance Literature: Divine and Literary Creation
Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the spring of 1996.
Mr. Randall
LS 222b Applied Linguistics: Language Teaching Methodology
Usually offered every year.
Ms. Concha
LS 223a Rebellion Against Romanticism: Baudelaire, Flaubert, Nietzsche
European Romanticism contained its own internal dialectic, resistance against idealizations in the realms of literature, philosophy, and politics. We study literary and critical works by Baudelaire, Flaubert, and Nietzsche concerning art, religion, personal ethics, and politics. The case of Richard Wagner provides one basis of comparison, as well as the theories of Walter Benjamin and Paul de Man. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Kaplan
LS 223b Boundaries of Domesticity in Early Modern Europe
Explores literary and cultural representations of women in early modern Europe in relation to the changing map of the public and private. We will examine how the map came to be drawn and its changing boundaries. Usually offered every third year. Will be offered in the fall of 1997.
Ms. Harth
L =
LS 301-308a and b Readings in Area Studies: Tutorials
Usually offered every year.
LS 301a and b Readings in Comparative Texts
Mr. Yglesias and Staff
LS 302a and b Readings in French Texts
Mr. Kaplan and Staff
LS 303a and b Readings in German Texts
Mr. Dowden and Staff
LS 304a and b Readings in Russian Texts
Mr. Szulkin and Staff
LS 305a and b Readings in Spanish Texts
Ms. Fox and Staff
LS 307a and b Readings in Latin-American Texts
Mr. Yglesias and Staff
LS 308a and b Readings in Italian Texts
Mr. Lansing and Staff
L =
LS 312-318a and b Directed Translation
Open to qualified students. Usually offered every year.
Staff
LS 312a and b French Translation
Ms. Hale and Staff
LS 313a and b German Translation
Mr. Dowden and Staff
LS 314a and b Russian Translation
Mr. Szulkin and Staff
LS 315a and b Spanish Translation
Ms. Fox and Staff
LS 317a and b Latin-American Translation
Mr. Yglesias and Staff
LS 318a and b Italian Translation
Mr. Lansing and Staff
L =
LS 351-358a and b Directed Research
Open to advanced graduate students with the consent of the instructor and the chair of the IPLS Program. Usually offered every year.
Staff
LS 351a and b Comparative Literature
Mr. Yglesias and Staff
LS 352a and b French
Mr. Kaplan and Staff
LS 353a and b German
Mr. Dowden and Staff
LS 354a and b Russian
Mr. Szulkin and Staff
LS 355a and b Spanish
Ms. Fox and Staff
LS 357a and b Latin-American
Mr. Yglesias and Staff
LS 358a and b Italian
Mr. Lansing and Staff
L =
LS 400d Dissertation Research
Usually offered every year.
Staff