About the Program
Immerse yourself in the rich traditions of international literature and channel your passion for cultural touchstones like film and graphic novels. Transform your passion for literature and other cultural texts into a rewarding, hands-on education. With Literary Studies, you’ll explore a wide array of texts across vast eras, geographies and literary movements, all while honing your writing, critical thinking and analytical skills. This program equips you for publishing, media, and writing careers while providing you with a strong foundation for further studies in law, education, or cultural studies.
The Polytechnic Approach
Study modern dramas, classic mythologies or epics across time. Prepare for your career through service or activity courses that apply your knowledge in the field. Analyze literature and other texts through collaborative projects, engage with diverse media, and create your own interpretations through writing and research. This hands-on learning fosters a deeper connection to the material and prepares you for various creative and analytical careers.
Career Outcomes
Courses
The Literary Studies program aims to equip you with the skills necessary for lifelong learning, leadership, and career readiness. Courses in linguistics and writing will enhance your communication and problem-solving abilities, giving you the confidence to pursue analytical or executive roles in business, non-profit organizations, and education. With a curriculum that includes both Western and non-Western perspectives, you will be well-prepared for leadership and decision-making in diverse cultural settings. By engaging with literary and cultural texts, you will develop critical thinking skills that are applicable in a variety of professional contexts.
Scholarships and Contests
The Lillian Wilds Scholarship
The Lillian Wilds Scholarship honors Professor Lillian Wilds (1926-1985) and provides $1500 support to full-time English and Modern Languages majors in the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. Applicants must be involved in Shakespeare. Professor Wilds was a deeply admired teacher who was especially noted for her work as a major proponent of using performance approaches in literature classrooms to explore Shakespeare's plays and Renaissance drama in general. The extraordinary quality of her work was recognized when she was selected as Cal Poly Pomona's Outstanding Professor and its nominee for the 1982-1983 CSU Outstanding Professor award. Shortly after her death, the Lillian Wilds Scholarship was established with funds donated by her husband, Lee Wilds, and by colleagues and students who wanted to honor her pioneering work. Since its inception, her son Daniel Wilds and his wife, Linda, have generously made further contributions to the endowment.
Professor, English medieval literature Recipient of the 2014 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
Alison Baker
“I teach literature. More than that, I teach reading — reading for depth and understanding, reading for appreciation and enjoyment, reading that provides a way to take in the world and decide thoughtfully what, if anything, to do with it. Not only has this helped my students become readers, but also helped them become teachers of reading."