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Four Year Plan |
AIS: Literature (B.A.)
Concentration: Creative Writing.
About the Major
The Literature program at Ramapo College deals with literature as an aesthetic endeavor, cultural critique, and personal search. It is concerned, of course, with critical thinking and the reading and writing skills that are the hallmark of an educated person. The program seeks a balance between survey and seminar, American and world literature; between levels, genre, period, and themes; between reading, criticism, and creative writing.
The development of reading, writing, and critical skills are central to the mission of the Literature Major. It emphasizes the interdisciplinary and multicultural dimensions of literature and life. It seeks to fire the imagination while pragmatically preparing students for the careers they pursue immediately after college and for graduate education when this is their preference.
The Literature program is regularly evaluated by professors from across the nation. It consistently receives strong endorsement.
The Major prepares its students for the working world, but also for the deeper life of the mind. Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that "A nobler want of [humanity] is served by […] the love of Beauty." The major prepares students to be thoughtful, informed citizens who understand the necessity of engaging the imagination through the contemplation of art and beauty. The program includes an impressive number of courses from world literature, from classical to contemporary periods, from short story to epic poetry
One of the distinctive features of the Literature program is the opportunity it offers for student creativity. For course credit, students edit the college literary magazine Trillium, and have several courses to choose from in Creative Writing. Students have an opportunity to join the Literature Club, and Ramapo College is also the home of the Omega Omega Chapter of the national English Honor Society. The faculty advisor to the yearbook, The Arch, has often been a member of the Literature faculty, thus offering students an opportunity to contribute to another college publication.
A Literature major offers many career choices for the talented student. The capacity to think, speak, and write well distinguishes the educated person and is advantageous in all professions. Publishing, journalism, and teaching are obvious possibilities for a literature major. Writing, theater, and television are further considerations. Literature graduates do well in business, government, and science where these endeavors require an articulate and creative expression of their philosophy and purpose. Literature provides training for law, diplomacy, and public relations. At least a third of Literature Majors enroll for teacher education.
Literature is part and parcel of the College mission, at the very heart of its focus on liberal arts and interdisciplinarity, on multiculturalism, and global connection. The Literature program is one of the most attractive majors at Ramapo College. Literature takes in the entire world and enables the student to encounter the complexity and cultural richness of the global village. It fosters the development of an enlightened and critical citizen of the world.
The major is offered by the School of American and International Studies and leads to a B.A. degree.
The Literature Program also offers a Literature Minor and a Concentration in Creative Writing. Please visit #literature/ to learn more about the major, minor, and concentration.
Requirements of the Major and Concentration
- Transfer students who have 48 or more credits accepted at the time of transfer are waived from the courses marked with a [W] below. Waivers only apply to General Education Requirements NOT School Core or Major Requirements.
- Double counting between General Education, School Core, and Major may be possible. Check with your advisor to see if any apply.
Subject & Course # | Title & Course Description |
---|---|
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS | |
ENGL 180 | COLLEGE ENGLISH |
AIID 201 | [W] READINGS IN HUMANITIES |
SELECT ONE | |
BADM 115 | [W] PERSPECTIVES OF BUSINESS AND SOCIETY OR |
SOSC 101 | [W] SOCIAL ISSUES |
SELECT ONE | [W] GE-HISTORY CATEGORY: HIST 101-110 |
SELECT ONE | GE-SCIENCE WITH EXPERIENTIAL COMPONENT CATEGORY |
SELECT ONE | GE-MATHEMATICS CATEGORY: MATH 101-121 |
SELECT ONE | GE-INTERCULTURAL NORTH AMERICA CATEGORY |
SELECT ONE | GE-INTERNATIONAL ISSUES CATEGORY |
SELECT ONE | [W] GE-TOPICS SOCIAL SCIENCE CATEGORY |
SCHOOL OF AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS | |
AIID 101 | [W] FIRST YEAR TOPICS: LIBERAL STUDIES |
FOUNDATIONS I AND FOUNDATIONS II AND INTERMEDIATE I OR PROFICIENCY TEST (SEE AIS WORLD LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT) |
|
LITERATURE MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | |
LITR 101 | INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE |
LITR 240 (was 203) | SURVEY OF BRITISH LITERATURE I |
LITR 201 (was 215) | READINGS IN POETRY |
Five Category Courses 200/300 level - selected from the following categories (three must be at 300 level) | |
One literature course in drama - selected from the following: | |
LITR 244 (was 208) | SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS |
LITR 272 (was 212) | MODERN EUROPEAN DRAMA |
LITR 268 (was 254) | SURVEY OF GREEK DRAMA |
LITR 264 | SURVEY OF DRAMA |
LITR 224 (was 287) | AMERICAN DRAMA |
One literature course in international literature - selected from the following: | |
LITR 272 (was 212) | MODERN EUROPEAN DRAMA |
LITR 265 (was 219) | HEBREW BIBLE |
LITR 266 (was 220) | CHRISTIAN BIBLE |
LITR 270 (was 223) | SURVEY OF CONTINENTAL LITERATURE |
LITR 277 (was 228) | SURVEY OF AFRICAN LITERATURE |
LITR 260 (was 244) | WORLD MYTHOLOGY |
LITR 273 (was 253) | MODERN NOVEL IN FRANCE |
LITR 268 (was 254) | SURVEY OF GREEK DRAMA |
LITR 276 (was 255) | LITERATURE OF THE AMERICAS |
LITR 274 (was 258) | RUSSIAN LITERTURE AND CULTURE |
LITR 264 | SURVEY OF DRAMA |
LITR 275 (was 268) | SURVEY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE |
LITR 252 (was 281) | MODERN IRELAND: THE LITERARY EXPERIENCE |
LITR 363 (was 310) | INTERNATIONAL 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY NOVEL |
LITR 310 (was 315) | EXISTENTIALISM |
LITR 378 (was 320) | BLACK ODYSSEY |
LITR 372 (was 328) | SPANISH RENAISSANCE LITERATURE |
LITR 376 (was 330) | BRAZILIAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE |
LITR 362 (was 338) | INTERNATIONAL 19TH CENTURY NOVEL |
LITR 366 (was 348) | LITERATURE OF HOLOCAUST |
LITR 312 (was 351) | COMPARATIVE FEMINIST THEORIES |
LITR 370 (was 357) | CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE |
LITR 368 (was 363) | ITALIAN RENAISSANCE STUDY |
One course in literature written before 1800 | |
LITR 244 (was 208) | SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS |
LITR 248 (was 213) | LITERATURE OF ENLIGHTENMENT |
LITR 265 (was 219) | HEBREW BIBLE |
LITR 266 (was 220) | CHRISTIAN BIBLE |
LITR 228 (was 242) | COLONIAL AMERICAN LITERATURE |
LITR 260 (was 244) | WORLD MYTHOLOGY |
LITR 268 (was 254) | SURVEY OF GREEK DRAMA |
LITR 372 (was 328) | SPANISH RENAISSANCE LITERATURE |
LITR 342 (was 337) | AGE OF CHAUCER |
LITR 340 | BRITISH MEDIEVAL LITERATURE |
LITR 368 (was 363) | ITALIAN RENAISSANCE STUDY |
One course in theory and process of language – selected from the following: | |
LITR 280 (was 216) | INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING: FICTION AND POETRY |
LITR 284 (was 222) | CREATIVE NON FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP |
LITR 282 (was 229) | FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP |
LITR 202 (was 233) | MAGAZINE WORKSHOP |
LITR 283(was 236) | POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP |
LITR 306 (was 301) | LITERARY THEORY AND CRITICISM |
LITR 302 (was 314) | GRAMMAR: THEORY AND PEDAGOGY |
LITR 304 (was 344) | HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE |
LITR 312 (was 351) | COMPARATIVE FEMINIST THEORIES |
One course in major authors - selected from the following: | |
LITR 319 | MAJOR AUTHORS: |
Two elective courses in literature – selected with a literature advisor. | |
Literature Capstone course | |
LITR 414 | LITERATURE SEMINAR OR |
directed readings and research | |
CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION (The creative Writing concentration is only available to those majoring in Literature.) |
|
Choose 3 of the following: | |
LITR 280 (was 216) | INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING: FICTION AND POETRY |
LITR 282 (was 229) | FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP |
LITR 283(was 236) | POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP |
LITR 210 (was 239) | LITERATURE AND FILM |
Note: any creative writing course offered in Communication Arts can substitute for one of these courses. | |
Creative writing capstone requirement: | |
LITR 381 (was 395) | CREATIVE WRITING CAPSTONE |
With careful planning, students can complete the Literature Major and the Creative Writing Concentration with 12 courses. Any one of the creative writing courses can fulfill a Literature Major’s “Theory and Process of Language” requirement. All Literature Majors must take 2 literature electives. Taking two creative writing courses for these electives facilitates faster completion of the major and concentration. Finally, the Creative Writing Capstone would be a student’s 12th course. | |
Please consult your literature advisor. |
Note: A 2.0 GPA in the major is required for graduation.
Requirements of the Minor
Subject & Course # | Title & Course Description |
---|---|
Required Courses: |
|
LITR 101 | INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE |
200 Level Requirements: |
|
LITR 240 (was 203) | SURVEY OF BRITISH LITERATURE I |
LITR 201 (was 215) | READINGS IN POETRY |
One literature course in drama | |
One literature course in International Literature | |
300 Level Requirements: | |
One elective course |
Note: A school core is NOT required for completion of the minor. Minors are open to students regardless of school affiliation.