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Romance Languages
and Literatures
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Elissa Weaver, Wb 205D, 702-8481
B.A. Advisers: James Lawler (French), Wb 214, 702-8485; Mario Santana (Spanish),
Wb 217, 702-8476; Vincenzo Binetti (Italian), Wb 115, 702-8491
Department Administrative Assistant: Aileen Mandel, Wb 205C, 702-8481
Department Secretary: Rebekah Everest, Wb 205B, 702-8481
The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures offers programs of study
leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in French, Italian, or Spanish literature,
or in some combination of the foregoing, which may include Portuguese. Portuguese
offerings include a two-year language sequence in addition to selected literature
courses. The B.A. programs are designed to give students a knowledge of
the literature within their area of concentration and to develop their ability
to read, write, and speak one or more of the Romance languages.
Program of Study
Students with advanced standing are encouraged to take special topic courses
at the 200- and 300-level. Some of these courses require permission of the
instructor.
Program Requirements
Students interested in any of the following degree programs are required
to speak with the appropriate B.A. adviser.
B.A. Degree Program in Any Single Literature. The programs in French
and Spanish languages and literatures consist of ten courses beyond French
or Spanish 203. The introductory sequence in the history of the literature
is required (French 207-208-209/210 or Spanish 207-208-209). Also required
are the following courses: French 211, French 214, Spanish 211, and Spanish
225, all of which stress different approaches to language and literature
and focus on a limited number of representative works. In addition to these
requirements, students must take five courses in the literature of specialization.
These courses are aimed at developing a broad knowledge of the field and,
through the close study of major works, a proficiency in the critical techniques
appropriate to their interpretation. All concentrators write a B.A. paper,
which must be completed and turned in to the department no later than three
weeks before the College graduation deadline. Students should select a faculty
supervisor for the paper as early as possible during the autumn quarter
of their senior year. During the winter quarter they should register for
French, Italian, or Spanish 215 with the faculty member chosen to direct
the writing of the B.A. paper. French, Italian, or Spanish 215 will not
count as one of the literature courses required for the concentration.
The program in Italian language and literature, like that in French and
Spanish, consists of ten courses beyond Italian 203; however, it differs
in certain respects. Of the ten courses, only three are specifically required:
Italian 213 (Stilistica, which is an introduction to textual analysis),
and Italian 216, 217 (both of which are literature surveys). As in the case
of French and Spanish, students will write a B.A. paper.
B.A. Paper. The B.A. paper normally is a research paper of a minimum
of twenty pages and includes a bibliography; it is written in the language
of specialization. By the beginning of their senior year students must submit
a writing sample in the language of their concentration (or in the case
of equal emphasis on two literatures, in both). If the department deems
the language proficiency inadequate, there may be additional requirements
to ensure that the B.A. paper can be successfully written in the language
of concentration.
Summary of Requirements:
Single Language
Concentration: 2 French 202-203
French 2 French 207 and 208 (literature survey)
1 French 209 or 210 (literature survey)
5 literature courses (217 or above)
1 French 211 (advanced French language)
1 French 214 (stylistics)
__-___ French 215 (B.A. paper)
12
Concentration: 2 Span 202-203
Spanish 3 Span 207-208-209 (literature survey)
5 literature courses
1 Span 211 (advanced Spanish language)
1 Span 225 (B.A. Seminar)
- Span 215 (B.A. paper)
12
Concentration: 3 Ital 201-202-203
Italian 7 literature courses
1 Ital 213 (stylistics)
2 Ital 216-217 (literature survey)
- Ital 215 (B.A. paper)
13
B.A. Degree Program in More than One Literature. The programs in more
than one Romance literature consist of twelve courses. They are designed
to accommodate the needs and interests of students who would like either
to broaden their literary experience or to specialize in a particular period
or genre. Linguistic competence in at least one Romance language is assumed.
Students must write a B.A. paper under the guidance of a faculty adviser,
as is the case in the B.A. program in a single literature. The following
programs require completion of French, Italian, or Spanish 203, or the placement
or accreditation equivalent of the languages selected, with the addition
of two or three courses for each language studied.
Summary of Requirements:
More than One Literature
Program with equal emphasis on two literatures
Concentration 6 Two introductory sequences in two different literatures*
6 literature courses equally divided between the same two literatures**
- B.A. paper
12
* Six courses if French or Spanish are used; five courses if Italian is
used as one of the two sequences.
** Seven courses if Italian is used as one of the two introductory sequences.
Program with greater emphasis on one literature
3 introductory sequence in one Romance literature
6 courses in same literature
3 courses in a second Romance literature
- B.A. paper
12
Program with emphasis on a particular period or genre
3 introductory sequence in one Romance literature
3 courses in same literature in a certain period or genre
6 courses in the same period or genre, at least three of which should be
in a second Romance literature
- B.A. paper
12
Honors. Students whose overall grade point average is 3.0 or better
and who have an average in their major of 3.5 or better may petition the
department at the end of their junior year or the beginning of the autumn
quarter senior year to be admitted to the honors program. In addition to
the regular B.A. requirements, candidates for special honors will take an
oral examination on a special reading list that is a reduced version of
the M.A. list.
Joint B.A./M.A. Degree. The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
has a combined B.A./M.A. program for students with an exceptional background
in the language and culture of the discipline. The program has been designed
to ensure that the traditional breadth of the B.A. degree and the expertise
of the M.A. degree are maintained. Since all requirements for both degrees
must be fulfilled, an extra quarter is sometimes necessary to complete the
program. Students may petition for admission to the B.A./M.A. program at
the beginning of their third year. Graduate registration is required during
the three quarters before receipt of the degree to meet the M.A. residence
requirement.
Summary of Requirements for B.A./M.A. Degree in French, Italian, and Spanish:
1. Introductory literature sequence (French and Spanish only)
2. Six 300-level literature courses (nine in Italian)
3. B.A. paper (required enrollment in French, Italian, or Spanish 215)
4. M.A. tutorials and seminars (French 311, 312, 314, 358; Italian 311,
313, 316, 317; Spanish 311, 325)
5. Comprehensive examination
Faculty
HUGO ACHUGAR, Tinker Visiting Professor, Department of Romance Languages
& Literatures
VINCENZO BINETTI, Assistant Professor, Department of Romance Languages &
Literatures and the College
PAOLO A. CHERCHI, Professor, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
and the College
RENé DE COSTA, Professor, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures,
Center for Latin American Studies, and the College
PETER F. DEMBOWSKI, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Department
of Romance Languages & Literatures, Committee on Medieval Studies, and
the College
PHILIPPE DESAN, Professor, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
and the College; Associate Dean, Division of the Humanities; Master, Humanities
Collegiate Division
NADINE O'CONNOR DIVITO, Senior Lecturer, Department of Romance Languages
& Literatures and the College; Director, Romance Languages & Literatures
Language Programs
CLAUDINE FRANK, Assistant Professor, Department of Romance Languages &
Literatures and the College
MARC FUMAROLI, Lurcy Visiting Professor, Department of Romance Languages
& Literatures
GEORGE HALEY, Professor Emeritus, Department of Romance Languages &
Literatures and the College
JAMES R. LAWLER, Edward Carson Waller Distinguished Service Professor, Department
of Romance Languages & Literatures and the College
FRANçOISE MELTZER, Professor, Departments of Romance Languages &
Literatures and Comparative Literature and the College
ROBERT J. MORRISSEY, Associate Professor, Department of Romance Languages
& Literatures, Committee on General Studies in the Humanities, and the
College
LARRY NORMAN, Assistant Professor, Department of Romance Languages &
Literatures and the College
MARIO SANTANA, Assistant Professor, Department of Romance Languages &
Literatures, Center for Latin American Studies, and the College
ELISSA WEAVER, Professor, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
and the College; Chairman, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
REBECCA WEST, Professor, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
and the College
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