Overview
Are you looking to explore an idea, a theme, or a project you are passionate about? Want to delve deeper into a topic that fascinates you? Investigate a different aspect of a literary work, film, photograph, or painting? Provide new insights into important cultural, aesthetic, literary, or theoretical problems? Do you love to pose questions and search for answers? Are you a good writer? Would you like to explore strategies of writing up your findings and conclusions? Then you should definitely consider research in MLC.
Research in MLC helps you:
broaden your intellectual horizons
explore the unknown in more than one language
deepen your knowledge of writers, artists, and their works
read texts closely
think analytically
find, evaluate, and deploy evidence in support of well-reasoned arguments
understand and apply theoretical constructs
argue incisively
write creatively and persuasively
develop problem solving skills
What research opportunities are there in MLC?
For our students, research begins in the classroom. All upper-level courses in Modern Languages and Cultures introduce undergraduates to scholarly research and prepare them to carry out deeper, more extensive, independent projects. In addition, the Research Seminar (CLT 389) course that forms the core for students majoring in all programs in MLC focuses on critical theories, methods of analysis, different intellectual points of view, expository writing, and research. One important goal of this course is learning to brainstorm a topic, focus on a thesis, draft a cogent argument, and compose a final research paper. Students whose research papers are exceptionally well done are invited to present their work at the annual MLC Undergraduate Research Conference.
After completing the MLC Major Seminar, majors with strong records of scholarship, as well as linguistic and cultural skills, may be invited by their program faculty to pursue an Honors Thesis their senior year.
Additionally, students who are majors and minors may pursue research opportunities with MLC faculty.
Further opportunities for academic research exist through the Certificate in Literary Translation Studies. In this program, undergraduates may combine their skills in other languages and cultures, and in linguistics, with their interest in creative writing in English. Upon successful completion of the Certificate, students will have gathered a portfolio of their work in translation courses and a final project.
For more information from the College Office of Undergraduate Research, click here.