COLLEGE OF LETTERS

Professors: Herbert Arnold (German Studies), Wilfrido Corral (Romance Languages and Literatures), Stephen Crites (Philosophy), Oliver Holmes (History), Joyce Lowrie (Romance Languages and Literatures), Jan Miel (Romance Languages and Literatures), Howard Needler (Letters) (Director), Franklin Reeve (Letters), Joseph Rouse (Philosophy), Paul Schwaber (Letters; Sabbatical /Leave 1995-96), Richard Vann (History), Carl Viggiani (Romance Languages and Literatures)

Associate Professors: Lydia Goehr (Philosophy; Leave, 1995-96; Sabbatical, 1996-97), Laurie Nussdorfer (History), Hope Weissman (Letters; Sabbatical, spring 1996)

Assistant Professor: Cecilia Miller (History)

The College of Letters is an interdisciplinary major program for the study of Western literature, history, and philosophy. The core of the program is a series of five colloquia designed to acquaint students with works of literature, history, and philosophy in the ancient world, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the 17th and 18th centuries, the 19th century, and the 20th century. In addition to these wide-ranging colloquia, students take more specialized seminars and independent work in tutorials. In all these contexts, much emphasis is put on developing writing and speaking skills, but our general goal is cultivation of "the educated imagination."

To enter the College of Letters, a student must have acquired the status of a sophomore and must have completed at least two years of work or its equivalent in French or Spanish or three semesters of work in German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, or Greek. In order to perfect his or her knowledge of the modern language studied, the student is required to spend a semester abroad in a country where the language is spoken. This period is the second semester of the sophomore year for someone studying French, German, Spanish, or Hebrew in the Wesleyan programs in Paris, Regenburg, Madrid, or Jerusalem. Students studying classics (at the American School in Rome) or Italian also go abroad during the second semester of their sophomore year. Individual arrangements may be made for students wishing to pursue Russian.

The purpose of this semester abroad is not merely to improve language proficiency but also to enhance the understanding of a foreign culture and to give the student a new perspective on his or her own culture. Native tutors supervise the work abroad, usually with the cooperation of Wesleyan faculty or other American faculty members on leave.

During each of five semesters spent in the College of Letters, the student participates in a colloquium organized around the study of a period in Western culture. The student also elects literary (2), history (1), and philosophy (1) seminars as well as two credits for independent study in order to make up the equivalent of at least eleven course credits. Work must be taken in history and philosophy, and at least one of the literary seminars must be in the language in which the student is most proficient. The College of Letters does not give letter grades for individual courses, nor does it administer examinations at the end of its courses. Tutors write detailed evaluations of the student's work at the end of each semester, which are kept on record and discussed with each student upon request.

The student must complete three colloquia in order to be eligible for the Junior Comprehensive Examination, which is based largely on the material studied in the colloquia but also draws on other work done in the College to that point. The examination, which has written and oral components, is given in early May by two examiners from other universities. This examination is intended to encourage the student to integrate the work done up until that time. Citations of high honors, honors, and creditable are awarded. However, students may choose an ungraded option: pass/fail. During the senior year each student is required to complete a thesis or honors project or produce a creative project, under the guidance of a tutor. These may be essays on critical, historical, or philosophical subjects as well as fiction or poetry. Such theses may also qualify as honors theses.

The academic standards of the College of Letters are reflected in the fact that in the past its graduates have consistently entered the best graduate and professional schools, including schools of law, medicine, and business administration, as well as communications and the liberal arts. They often have won national fellowships and scholarships on the basis of evaluations of the work done in the College.

The College of Letters attempts to integrate the social and intellectual lives of the students and faculty by inviting guest lecturers and providing opportunities for students and faculty to meet such guests on informal social occasions. There are also informal social gatherings on a regular basis. The structure of the College of Letters and the smallness of all its classes bring about a close rapport between tutors and students and a lively and continuing dialogue between students of different classes.

TOTAL COLLEGE OF LETTERS REQUIREMENTS (exclusive of semester abroad):

* Five colloquia

* One literary seminar in the foreign language in which the student is most proficient.

* Five additional credits from seminars and independent study, of which at least one must be for a senior essay or two for a senior thesis and of which some must come from work in history, philosophy, and literature.

A College of Letters student spends the second semester of his or her sophomore year in Europe, and this requires intermediate-level work in a European language. It is expected that students entering the college as sophomores will be ready for the intermediate level of study (or its equivalent) in French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Russian. That normally means French 215, German 211 or 214, Spanish 112, Italian 113, or Russian 112. (Students can also go to Rome for Latin and Greek studies.) They should therefore take the Wesleyan language placement test and enroll in the appropriate language classes during their first year.

First-year students interested in the College of Letters are also advised to elect courses from the First Year Initiative program or in literature, history, or philosophy.