PhD in Romance Studies in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The Romance Studies program brings together professors from various departments including Romance Studies, Comparative Literature, English, History, Linguistics, Modern Languages, and the Africana Studies and Research Center. This interdisciplinary initiative focuses on Romance languages and their literary traditions. Participants specialize in one primary literary area (French, Italian, or Spanish literature) while optionally minoring in one or two additional fields from any discipline. The curriculum provides comprehensive course offerings in French, Hispanic, and Italian literary studies. The program embraces contemporary theoretical perspectives on literature, as evidenced by Diacritics, a journal edited and published by the department's faculty and students since 1971. Each student selects a primary national literature focus, developing expertise in its historical development, cultural context, and achieving fluency in the language. The program emphasizes essential research skills including bibliography, linguistics, and literary analysis for academic careers. While additional language study beyond the primary focus is encouraged, it's only mandatory when research demands specific linguistic proficiency, as determined by the student's advisory committee.