Literature B.A.

Information and Policies

Introduction

The Literature Department at UC Santa Cruz fosters innovative and comparative approaches to reading and interpretation in courses in a variety of languages that encompass traditional literary history, cross-cultural inquiry, current theoretical debates, and new media.

Literature prepares us to understand and explore how we think, feel, and see the world; what we are and what we want to be, for ourselves and in relation to others. Literature is crucial for freedom and its manyfold expressions, as seen in multiple fields for which the exploration and critical analysis of effective and transformational thought, feeling, and communication is key. Professional fields for which the study of literature is advantageous include careers in the teaching sector at its multiple levels, from primary school to college; the new technologies sector, such as game design and discourse and data analysis; governmental and non-profit work such as in municipalities, public service, and foundations; publishing and journalism; publicity and marketing in the old and new media contexts, and many more.

The Literature Department faculty requires that all literature majors have basic proficiency in a second language. Proficiency in more than one language enhances understanding of one's own culture and can be the access point to other literatures and cultures. Graduate programs in literature and other humanities disciplines generally require competence in at least one language other than English.

Program Learning Outcomes

Following is a summary of the program learning outcomes for the Literature B.A.:

Students who complete the literature major should emerge with the following knowledge and skills:

1. A capacity for critical analysis of texts that is attentive to:
   • the formal structures, genres, and rhetorical strategies of different kinds of writing, public discourse, and media;
   • the historical and social contexts of such texts;
   • the role cultural and linguistic differences play in the interpretation of texts read in translation and in a language not one's own.
2. Effective written communication that demonstrates the following abilities:
   • to evaluate multiple interpretations of texts;
   • to write effective argumentative prose;
   • to situate texts in relation to a critical/theoretical tradition;
   • to design and initiate a substantive independent project of research or creative activity.
3. Experience reading a variety of texts:
   • from a breadth of world cultures and traditions;
   • from different historical periods, including the pre-modern;
   • originally written in languages other than English.

4. The ability to clearly conceptualize and formulate a research problem or issue

• historically, by understanding the trajectory of the problem thus conceived;

• theoretically, by considering alternative approaches to the problem and their implications and relevance for the proposed analysis'

• conceptually, by meta critically interrogating the central concepts involved in the formulation of the problem (i.e. their origins, implications, premises, limitations, etc.).

Academic Advising for the Program

Staff advisors are available by appointment; advising appointments may be made through the Navigate app, or online at Navigate Slug Success. Students are encouraged to consult with an advisor once per quarter.

Transfer students should also consult the section Transfer Information and Policy.

Questions about the literature program can be directed to litdept@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-4778, or by visiting the Literature Department office in Humanities 1, room 303.

Getting Started in the Major: Frosh

All students considering a literature major or minor should consult with staff and/or faculty advisors at the Literature Department office as early as possible, and declare the major or minor before the end of their sophomore year. Transfer students are urged to declare their major or minor during their first quarter at UC Santa Cruz, and should also consult the section Transfer Information and Policy.

Transfer Information and Policy

Transfer Admission Screening Policy

Students planning to apply to UC Santa Cruz in this major are not required to complete specific major preparation courses for consideration of admission to UC Santa Cruz.

Students transferring from California community colleges may use an articulated equivalent of LIT 1 to satisfy the LIT 1 course requirement. Students transferring from other colleges may petition to use an introduction to literature course to satisfy the LIT 1 course requirement. Another literature course may be applied toward the LIT 60/LIT 61 or the LIT 80/LIT 81 course requirement. LIT 61W, Writing and Research Methods, is a course designed for transfer and any other students who feel the need for strengthening fundamental writing, interpretation, and basic research skills.

Transfer students planning to major in literature are strongly recommended to complete the equivalent of one year of college-level study of a language other than English before entering UC Santa Cruz.

Transfer students planning to major in literature with a language literature concentration are strongly recommended to have completed two years of college-level language study (or have comparable ability) to allow for a two-year graduation.

Getting Started in the Major: Transfer Students

Transfer students may declare the literature major or minor after completing LIT 1 or its transfer equivalent, and are urged to declare the major during their first quarter at UC Santa Cruz.

For information about declaring the literature major or minor, please see the section How to Declare a Major.

A student may receive credit toward the lower-division requirements of the major or minor for up to two courses taken at other institutions.

Students who attend another campus of the University of California may petition to apply a maximum of three upper-division courses toward the literature major, or two upper-division courses toward the literature minor.

Students may not use upper-division coursework taken at non-UC colleges or universities to satisfy upper-division literature major or minor credit.

Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process

Major Qualification

Students must complete LIT 1 or its transfer equivalent in order to declare the literature major.

Transfer students should also consult the section Transfer Information and Policy.

Appeal Process

Students notified that they are not eligible to declare the literature major may appeal this decision by submitting a letter to the department chair within 15 working days from the date of notification. Within 15 working days of receipt of the student's appeal, the department will notify the student and their college of its decision regarding the appeal.

How to Declare a Major

Students must complete LIT 1 or its transfer equivalent in order to declare the literature major. In order to declare the major, students meet with a department advisor to complete an Academic Planning Form and Declaration of Major/Minor petition. All students considering a major should consult with a department advisor as early as possible to make an academic plan.

Students who have not completed LIT 1 or its transfer equivalent and who are approaching the campus declaration deadline (their sixth quarter, for students admitted as frosh) may petition to declare the literature major. The petition will be approved or denied, or the student will be provided with conditions (completion of LIT 1 or its equivalent with a grade of C or better) that must be resolved within one additional quarter of enrollment.

Letter Grade Policy

Students in all concentrations, including both the intensive and non-intensive options, must take at least seven courses counting toward the upper-division requirements for a letter grade. The Comprehensive Requirement must be taken for a letter grade.

Course Substitution Policy

Students may substitute up to four upper-division courses. A maximum of three combined courses may come from another University of California campus and/or a UC Education Abroad Program. A maximum of one course may come from another UC Santa Cruz department. Courses taken at other four-year institutions will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

In order to petition for a course from another department to substitute for a literature elective, students should submit a current course syllabus to the literature undergraduate program coordinator by email (litdept@ucsc.edu). Courses accepted from other departments may not be used to satisfy the literature distribution requirements.

Study Abroad

A variety of study abroad opportunities are available and can be discovered through the campus office of Global Engagement. Multiple UC providers are featured, including UCSC’s summer Global Seminars, UC’s Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), as well as programs run by other UC campuses. (Non-UC run programs are also a possibility). This means hundreds of opportunities are available for students to choose from. Students who participate in any of these programs may petition to apply up to three 5 credit or greater upper-division courses (in literature or a related discipline) toward the literature major, or two 5-credit or greater upper-division courses (in literature or a related field) toward the literature minor. UCSC Global Seminars are considered UCSC courses (currently, one literature offering is available and doesn’t require petition).

Honors

Honors in the literature major are awarded to graduating seniors who have earned a 3.70 to 3.89 grade-point average in their upper-division literature courses. Highest honors in the literature major are awarded to graduating seniors who have earned a 3.90 or higher grade-point average in their upper-division literature courses. Honors are not awarded in the minor.

Language Proficiency and Exam Options

Students of all three concentrations must demonstrate Level 3 reading proficiency in a non-English language in one of the following ways:

• Pass a literature language proficiency exam
• Take a Language Placement Assessment and place into level 4 or higher
• Complete one of the following courses:

Literature Language Proficiency Exams are administered by the Literature Department. These exams assess reading proficiency and are applicable only to this requirement and enrollment in upper-division language literature courses. Exams are offered in several languages, including those which are otherwise not offered at UC Santa Cruz. Contact litdept@ucsc.edu for more information.

Language Placement Assessments are administered by the Languages and Applied Linguistics Department. These assessments determine both reading and writing proficiency, and allow enrollment in different levels of languages depending on the outcome of the assessment. Some languages require an assessment to be taken regardless of prior history with the language. See the Language Placement Assessment website for more information.

Students pursuing the intensive option are encouraged to study a language through Level 6. At UCSC, languages taught through level 6 are Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.

Creative Writing Courses

Any qualified student may take creative writing courses for credit toward graduation. Only students accepted into the creative writing concentration, however, may use Literature/Creative Writing courses LIT 179A, LIT 179B, LIT 190V, LIT 190W, and LIT 195C to satisfy major requirements.

Senior Survey

Three quarters before anticipated graduation, all literature majors will receive a Senior Survey. The purpose of the survey is for students to self-assess progress toward graduation and the satisfaction of all major requirements. A department advisor will review the survey and meet with the student to discuss any pending requirements.

Credit for Repeated Courses

Courses that vary significantly in material or methodology from one presentation to the next may be repeated for credit and are so designated in the course description in the UC Santa Cruz General Catalog.

Individual Study Credit for the Major

Students may apply a maximum of two of the following courses–LIT 195 (Senior Essay), LIT 198 (Group Tutorial), and/or LIT 199 (Tutorial)–for satisfaction of literature major requirements. LIT 195 may be used only once for satisfaction of literature major requirements.

Intensive Literature Major Option

Students in each concentration may elect to pursue an intensive option. The intensive option is especially useful for students who plan to apply to graduate programs in literature and other humanities disciplines, or for students going into international and multilingual professional schools; those programs typically require students to do academic work in at least two languages.

The intensive option for each concentration requires students to take two additional upper-division electives in a second-language literature. For students in the General or Creative Writing concentration, these would be two non-English literature courses. For students in the Language Literature concentration, these may be additional courses in the language of concentration or courses in a different language, including English. See the Intensive Option section of each concentration for more details.

General Literature Concentration

Course Requirements

The general literature concentration of the Literature major requires: (1) basic proficiency in a second language; and (2) 12 courses in literature.

• Basic language proficiency: One year (three quarters or equivalent) of college-level study of a non-English language or demonstrated reading ability at this level.
• The 12 required courses must include two lower-division and 10 upper-division courses.

Lower-Division Requirements

Lower-division courses are introductions to critical reading and writing. Students should complete their lower-division coursework before beginning upper-division work.

Language Proficiency

Students must demonstrate Level 3 reading proficiency in a non-English language. Information on how to satisfy this requirement, as well as exam options, are in the Language Proficiency and Exam Options section of the Information and Policies.

Plus the following course:

Plus one of the following options:

• One course from the LIT 60 or LIT 61-series, or
• One course from the LIT 80 or LIT 81-series

Upper-Division Requirements

The General Literature major consists of 10 upper-division courses; two required courses, seven electives, and the comprehensive requirement. Students pursuing the intensive option will take two additional upper-division electives, for a total of 12 courses. See the Intensive Option section below.

Take the following courses:

Plus the Comprehensive Requirement

The comprehensive requirement is satisfied by one senior seminar (LIT 190 series) or a senior thesis (LIT 195A or 195B). See the Comprehensive Requirement section below for more details.

Upper-Division Literature Electives

Students take seven 5-credit upper-division literature electives numbered 109-189. Independent studies and internships may also count toward this requirement with department approval. Among these seven courses, students fulfill the Distribution Requirements specified below. One course may fulfill more than one requirement.

Upper-division courses provide detailed treatment of literary and theoretical problems, themes, and periods. Students are strongly encouraged to take courses across chronological periods and national boundaries, and to balance small seminars with lecture courses.

A list of annual course offerings indicating distribution codes for each course is available in the department office and on the Literature Department website.

Distribution Requirements

Students should consult the Distribution Requirements Course List to find courses which satisfy one or more of the following requirements:

• Two courses on literature written before 1750
• One course on Non-Western literature or literature from a global perspective
• One course on poetry and poetics

General Literature Intensive Option

Students wishing to complete the intensive option of the general Literature B.A. must take two additional upper-division electives, for a total of nine electives. These two courses must be in non-English literature, and may be chosen from any of the following:

• Ancient Literature (courses in the LIT 181 series)
• French Literature (courses in the LIT 182 series)
• German Literature (courses in the LIT 183 series)
• Greek Literature (courses in the LIT 184 series)
• Italian Literature (courses in the LIT 185 series)
• Latin Literature (courses in the LIT 186 series)
• Spanish/Latin American/Latino Literatures (courses in the LIT 188-LIT 189 series, LIT 190X)

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. Literature majors must satisfy the disciplinary communication requirement by passing:

Comprehensive Requirement

Students must successfully complete LIT 101 before taking any comprehensive requirement.

Seniors must select one of the following options to satisfy the campus exit requirement:

Senior Seminar

Students take one senior seminar. These are courses in the LIT 190 series. Several senior seminars are offered each quarter; extensive writing is required in all seminars.

Senior Thesis

Students who wish to propose a senior thesis (30–40 pages) must apply to a Literature Department faculty sponsor at least two quarters before the projected date of graduation. The application must include a proposed subject, a brief outline, a bibliography, and a sample of previous written work. Only those students who have received written permission from a faculty supervisor may complete a thesis to satisfy the senior exit requirement. Students enroll in one of the following courses:

Planners

The tables below are for informational purposes and do not reflect all university, general education, and credit requirements. See Undergraduate Graduation Requirements for more information.

Four-Year Major Planner

Courses required for the major fulfill the TA General Education requirement. Other GE requirements may be fulfilled depending on the choice of electives. The MF, SI and SR requirements are never fulfilled.

Transfer Student Planner #1 (for transfer students who have completed literature's lower-division and one-year language requirement at the time of transfer)

Transfer Student Planner #2 (for transfer students who have completed no literature requirements or language coursework at the time of transfer, but have completed most general education requirements)

Language Literature Concentration

The language literature concentration examines literature within the frameworks of particular languages or national and regional traditions, and requires that texts be read in the original language. Enrollment in upper-division language literature courses normally requires completion of two years of college-level language coursework, or the equivalent.

Course Requirements

The language literature concentration of the literature major requires: (1) completion of two years of college-level language coursework, or the equivalent; and (2) 12 courses in literature.

• The 12 required courses must include two lower-division and 10 upper-division courses.

Lower-Division Requirements

Lower-division courses are introductions to critical reading and writing. Students should complete their lower-division coursework before beginning upper-division work.

Language Proficiency

Students must demonstrate Level 3 reading proficiency in a non-English language. Information on how to satisfy this requirement, as well as exam options, are in the Language Proficiency and Exam Options section of the Information and Policies.

Students pursuing the language literature concentration are encouraged to study a language through Level 6. At UCSC, languages taught through level 6 are Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.

Take the following course

Plus one of the following options:

• One course from the LIT 60 or LIT 61-series, or
• One course from the LIT 80 or LIT 81-series

Upper-Division Requirements

The Language Literature concentration consists of 10 upper-division courses; two required courses, seven electives, and the comprehensive requirement. Students pursuing the intensive option will take two additional upper-division electives, for a total of 12 courses. See the Intensive Option section below.

Take the following courses:

Plus the Comprehensive Requirement

The comprehensive requirement is satisfied by one senior seminar (LIT 190 series) or a senior thesis (LIT 195A or 195B). See the Comprehensive Requirement section below for more details.

Upper-Division Literature Electives

Students take seven 5-credit upper-division literature electives numbered 109-189. Independent studies and internships may also count toward this requirement with department approval. Among these seven courses, students fulfill the Distribution Requirements and Language Literature Requirements specified below. One course may fulfill more than one requirement.

Upper-division courses provide detailed treatment of literary and theoretical problems, themes, and periods. Students are strongly encouraged to take courses across chronological periods and national boundaries, and to balance small seminars with lecture courses.

A list of annual course offerings indicating distribution codes for each course is available in the department office and on the Literature Department website.

Distribution Requirements

Students should consult the Distribution Requirements Course List to find courses which satisfy one or more of the following requirements:

• Two courses on literature written before 1750
• One course on Non-Western literature or literature from a global perspective
• One course on poetry and poetics

Language Requirements

Language Literature Concentration students take five literature courses in their chosen language of concentration. These courses can overlap with one or more of the Distribution Requirements above. The course options below correspond to the languages of concentration:

Ancient Literature (courses in the LIT 181, LIT 184, and 186 series)

The study of the literature, languages, and cultural practices of ancient civilizations. Students take a minimum of three literature courses in the language they are using to satisfy the language requirement with the remaining two courses in another ancient language or languages. LIT 181 courses should be taken by students studying Arabic. LIT 184 courses should be taken by students studying Greek. LIT 186 courses should be taken by students studying Latin.

French Literature (courses in the LIT 182 series)

The study of French and Francophone literatures, languages, and cultural practices of France, Africa, and the Caribbean.

German Literature (courses in the LIT 183 series)

The study of the literature, language, and cultural practices of the German-speaking areas of central Europe including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Greek Literature (courses in the LIT 184 series)

The study of the literature, languages, and cultural practices of ancient Greece.

Italian Literature (courses in the LIT 185 series)

The study of Italian literature, language, and cultural practices from the Middle Ages to the present.

Latin Literature (courses in the LIT 186 series)

The study of the literature, languages, and cultural practices of ancient Rome.

Spanish/Latin American/Latino Literatures (courses in the LIT 188-LIT 189 series, LIT 190X)

The study of literatures, language, and cultural practices of Spain, Latin America, and Latino populations in the United States.

Language Literature Intensive Option

Students wishing to complete the intensive option for the Language Literature concentration must take two additional upper-division electives, for a total of nine electives. Though these courses may be in the language of concentration, students are highly encouraged to pursue additional electives outside the language of concentration, including English.

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. Literature majors must satisfy the disciplinary communication requirement by passing:

Comprehensive Requirement

Students must successfully complete LIT 101 before taking any comprehensive requirement.

Seniors must select one of the following options to satisfy the campus exit requirement:

Senior Seminar

Students take one senior seminar. These are courses in the LIT 190 series. Several senior seminars are offered each quarter; extensive writing is required in all seminars.

Senior Thesis

Students who wish to propose a senior thesis (30–40 pages) must apply to a Literature Department faculty sponsor at least two quarters before the projected date of graduation. The application must include a proposed subject, a brief outline, a bibliography, and a sample of previous written work. Only those students who have received written permission from the faculty supervisor may complete a thesis to satisfy the senior exit requirement. Students enroll in one of the following courses:

Planners

The tables below are for informational purposes and do not reflect all university, general education, and credit requirements. See Undergraduate Graduation Requirements for more information.

Four-Year Major Planner

Courses required for the major fulfill the TA general education requirement. Other requirements may be fulfilled depending on the choice of electives. The MF, SI and SR requirements are never fulfilled.

*WRIT 2 should be taken in or before spring quarter of the second year.

Transfer Student Planner #1 (for transfer students who have completed literature's lower-division, most general education requirements, and one year of language coursework at the time of transfer)

Transfer Student Planner #2 (for transfer students who have completed literature's lower-division requirements and two years of language coursework at the time of transfer)

Creative Writing Concentration

The Literature Department offers a sequence of creative writing workshops from introductory through advanced levels. Admission to the creative writing concentration is selective. Interested students are required to take one lower-division creative writing workshop at UC Santa Cruz (LIT 90, LIT 90X, LIT 91A or LIT 91B) before applying to the concentration; however, students are strongly encouraged to complete two lower-division workshops (at least one at UCSC) before applying. To apply for admission to the creative writing concentration, students should submit a completed application form (available at the Literature Department office and on the Literature Department website). Once accepted into the concentration, students are required to declare (or redeclare) the major in literature, with a concentration in creative writing.

In addition to the distribution requirements required for all literature majors, students in the creative writing concentration must complete four of their eight upper-division literature courses in creative writing, including a senior project seminar.

Course Requirements

Lower-Division Requirements

Lower-division courses are introductions to critical reading and writing. Students should complete their lower-division coursework before beginning upper-division work.

Language Proficiency

Students must demonstrate Level 3 reading proficiency in a non-English language. Information on how to satisfy this requirement, as well as exam options, are in the Language Proficiency and Exam Options section of the Information and Policies.

Plus the following course:

Plus one of the following options:

• One course from the LIT 60 or LIT 61-series, or
• One course from the LIT 80 or LIT 81-series

Plus at least one of the following

Upper-Division Requirements

The Creative Writing concentration consists of10 upper-division courses; two required courses, seven electives, and the comprehensive requirement. Students pursuing the intensive option will take two additional upper-division electives, for a total of 12 courses. See the Intensive Option section below.

Take the following courses:

Plus the Comprehensive requirement

The comprehensive requirement is satisfied by one creative project senior seminar (LIT 190V or LIT 190W) or a senior essay (LIT 195C). LIT 190V is strongly encouraged for students in the fiction/prose track, and LIT 190W is strongly encouraged for students in the poetry track. See the Comprehensive Requirement section below for more details.

Upper-Division Literature Electives

Students take seven 5-credit upper-division literature electives numbered 109-189. Independent studies and internships may also count toward this requirement with department approval. Among these seven courses, students fulfill the Distribution Requirements and Advanced Creative Writing Workshops Requirement specified below. One course may fulfill more than one requirement.

Upper-division courses provide detailed treatment of literary and theoretical problems, themes, and periods. Students are strongly encouraged to take courses across chronological periods and national boundaries, and to balance small seminars with lecture courses.

A list of annual course offerings indicating distribution codes for each course is available in the department office and on the Literature Department website.

Distribution Requirements

Students should consult the Distribution Requirements Course List to find courses which satisfy one or more of the following requirements:

• Two courses on literature written before 1750
• One course on Non-Western literature or literature from a global perspective
• One course on poetry and poetics

Advanced Creative Writing Workshop Requirements

Creative Writing students take any three courses from the LIT 179 series. Though students may take any combination of these courses, fiction/prose students are encouraged to take at least one LIT 179A course, and poetry students are encouraged to take at least one LIT 179B course. Courses may be repeated.

Creative Writing Intensive Option

Students wishing to complete the intensive option of the [General or Creative Writing] concentration must take two additional upper-division electives, for a total of nine electives. These two courses must be in non-English literature, and may be chosen from any of the following:

• Ancient Literature (courses in the LIT 181 series)
• French Literature (courses in the LIT 182 series)
• German Literature (courses in the LIT 183 series)
• Greek Literature (courses in the LIT 184 series)
• Italian Literature (courses in the LIT 185 series)
• Latin Literature (courses in the LIT 186 series)
• Spanish/Latin American/Latino Literatures (courses in the LIT 188-LIT 189 series, LIT 190X)

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. Literature majors must satisfy the disciplinary communication requirement by passing:

Comprehensive Requirement

Students must successfully complete LIT 101 before taking any comprehensive requirement.

Seniors must select one of the following options to satisfy the campus exit requirement:

Senior Seminar

Students take one senior seminar from the following options. Extensive writing is required in all seminars. Creative writing senior seminars are offered only during spring quarter.

Senior Essay

Students who wish to propose a creative writing senior essay (30–40 pages) must apply to a Literature Department faculty sponsor at least two quarters before the projected date of graduation. The application must include a proposed subject, a brief outline, a bibliography, and a sample of previous written work. Only those students who have received written permission from a faculty supervisor may complete a senior essay to satisfy the senior exit requirement.

Planners

The tables below are for informational purposes and do not reflect all university, general education, and credit requirements. See Undergraduate Graduation Requirements for more information.

Four-Year Major Planner

*Not required for the major, but strongly recommended before applying for admission to the Creative Writing concentration.

Courses required for the major fulfill the TA general education requirement. Other requirements may be fulfilled depending on the choice of electives. The MF, SI and SR requirements are never fulfilled.

Transfer Student Planner #1 (for transfer students who have completed literature's lower-division and one-year language requirements, and one creative writing course, at the time of transfer)

Transfer Student Planner #2 (for transfer students who have completed no literature requirements, language coursework, or creative writing course at the time of transfer, but have completed general education requirements)

*Not required for the major, but strongly recommended before applying for admission to the Creative Writing concentration.