MASTER OF ARTS IN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE MAJOR IN LITERATURE
Program Overview
The Master of Arts in Language and Literature courses are geared toward research and advanced knowledge and skills in literary scholarship and cultural studies enriched by interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary perspectives; and innovative, integrative, and interrogative teaching of literature and language at the tertiary level.
Curriculum
Course Requirements
| Basic Courses | 9 units |
| Major Courses | 12 units |
| Cognates | 6 units |
| Electives | 12 units |
| Thesis | 6 units |
| Total | 45 units |
Basic Courses
LIT620M or ENG535M Foundation of Language Education
LIT521M Research in Language and Literature
LIT500M or ENG503M Statistical Methods
Major Courses
| LIT660M | Literary Theory |
| LIT711M | Literary Masterpieces |
| LIT730M | Literary History of the Philippines |
| LIT611M | The Teaching of Literature |
Cognates
| LIT612M or ENG631M | Psychology of Language Learning |
| LIT601M | Preparation of Instructional Materials |
Thesis
| LIT851M (onwards) | Thesis Writing |
Electives
Depending on the thesis topic or field of specialization, a student chooses four elective courses in any of the following topics: genre studies, creative writing, literary history and movements, continental and comparative literature, Philippine literature, theory and criticism, language teaching, translation, and cultural studies. Sample courses include: Creative Nonfiction Techniques, The Southeast Asian Novel, Introduction to Performance Studies, Popular Literature, Gender, Sexuality & Literature, Postcolonial Studies, and Literature Seminar. They must take at least one Elective directly related to their Thesis.
Course Description
BASIC COURSES
Foundations of Language Education (LIT620M/ENG535M)
3 units
A study of the theories and methodologies of linguistic science and their implications to language teaching and learning.
Research in Language and Literature (LIT521M)
3 units
An introduction to non-statistical research methods useful in the study of language and literature.
Statistical Methods (LIT500M)
3 units
A course on the use of statistical method in language and literature research; requires an elementary knowledge of statistics.
MAJOR COURSES
Literary Theory (LIT660M)
3 units
A study of theories, principles, and techniques of literary criticism, from antiquity to the later twentieth century emphasis on major schools criticism Such as Romanticism New Criticism, Formalism, Structuralism, Marxism, Feminist Criticism, and Post-structuralism.
Literary History of the Philippines (LIT730M)
3 units
A reading course in the history of Philippine literature in the various vernacular and foreign languages, with emphasis on major authors, theme, movements periods.
The Teaching of Literature (LIT611M)
3 units
A course on advanced approaches in literature at the secondary and tertiary levels, with emphasis on the differences between teaching language and teaching literary appreciation.
Literary Masterpieces (LIT711M)
3 units
A reading course on literary masterpieces, with emphasis on works that have significantly changed the course of literary history in Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, and the States; a brief survey of major literary movements and themes will be given at the start of the course.
COGNATE COURSES
Preparation of Instructional Materials (LIT601M)
3 units
A study of the principles of materials preparation with practice in the development and use of instructional materials.
Psychology of Language Learning (LIT612M/ENG631M)
3 units
A study of the phenomenon of language learning, including biological mechanism of speech organs, models of language acquisition, first and second language learning, bilingualism and linguistic ontogeny.
ELECTIVES
12 units
Depending on the thesis topic or field of specialization, a student chooses four elective courses (may include CLA cognate course).
SAMPLE ELECTIVES
Popular Literature LIT762M
A study of the history of popular literature and the theoretical approaches to its study; reading of representative works in English and Filipino.
Fiction Writing Techniques LIT691M
An in-depth study of the fundamentals of prose fiction beyond the undergraduate level; includes frequent writing exercises in the elements of description, characterization, dialogue, narrative viewpoint, the writing of short fiction, and peer analysis of these exercises.
Literature and Environment LIT345M
This three-unit interdisciplinary course introduces students to the evolving nature of literature and environment studies.
Gender, Sexuality and Literature LIT763M
A study of literature from the optic lens of genders and sexualities. Includes a survey of feminist and antihomophobic discourse/theories; an examination of the representations of the female and the homosexual subject in literature; and an interrogation of the identity politics of the writers/texts.
Performance Studies LIT769M
This course takes up performance both as object of study and as a mode of critical inquiry in the humanities and social sciences. It explores various understandings of performance, performance studies, and performance research, with a special attention to practices of performance in the Philippines.
Postcolonial Studies LIT771M
This course examines the rise [of] and ongoing conversation on Postcolonial Studies. The course explores how the main theoretical movements and debates intersect [and engage with] important questions and issues of nationalism and nationhood, transnationalism, cosmopolitanism and globalization, migration and diaspora, gender and sexuality, class, race and ethnicity.
The Culture Concept LIT781M
Culture is one of the most contested concepts across the disciplines and foundational to Cultural Studies. This course acquaints the students with classical, anthropological, sociological, and literary definitions of culture.
Literature Seminar LIT800M
Special topics in interdisciplinary studies, such as Literature and Psychoanalysis, Literature and Marxism, Literature and Linguistics, and Literature and Historiography.
THESIS
Thesis (LIT851M onwards)
6 units
The application of the skills and knowledge gained in course work to some problem of language or literature teaching, or language/literature program administration.
FACULTY MEMBERS AND AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Mesandel V. Arguelles, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Contemporary Poetry; Contemporary Art; Conceptual Writing; Translation Studies
Genevieve L. Asenjo, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Creative Writing: Poetry and Fiction; Regional Literature (Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a); Ecocriticism
Anne Richie G. Balgos, PhD Applied Linguistics, De La Salle University
Educational Theatre; Drama Pedagogy; Applied Linguistics; Language and Literature Teaching
David Jonathan Y. Bayot, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Theory and Criticism; Philippine Kritika; Translation Studies; Art Studies; Literary Research; Critical Writing
Ronald Baytan, PhD English Studies (Creative Writing), University of the Philippines-Diliman
Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction and Poetry; LGBTQI Studies; Philippine Literature in English; Philippine Cinema
Ernesto V. Carandang II, DFA Creative Writing, De La Salle University
Creative Writing: Fiction, Poetry & Creative Nonfiction; Drama and Theatre Production; Arts Management; Philippine Arts and Heritage (focusing on Music, Architecture, Sacred Arts, Furniture, and Food)
Jerome Visperas Cleofas, PhD Sociology, De La Salle University
Family, Health and Population Dynamics; Environmental Studies
Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr., Professor Emeritus, PhD Communication Studies (Film), University of Iowa
Media Studies; Philippine Cinema; Creative Writing: Screenwriting; Film Directing; Film Archiving
Noelle Leslie dela Cruz, PhD Philosophy, De La Salle University
Philosophy of Literature; Poetry and Philosophy; Science Fiction and Philosophy; Existential Phenomenology; Feminist Philosophy
Johann Vladimir Espiritu, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Queer Studies; Music and Popular Culture; Creative Writing: Fiction
Marjorie Evasco-Pernia, Professor Emeritus, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Creative Writing: Poetry and Nonfiction; Pathography; Cebuano Literature; Literary Translation; Ekphrasis; Women’s Literature; Ecocriticism
Jazmin B. Llana, PhD Performance Studies, University of Wales
Performance Studies; Philippine Drama; Theater and Theater Studies; Bikol Literature; Performance Research
Shirley O. Lua, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Philippine Critical Tradition; Film & Media Criticism; Diaspora Studies; Chinese-Philippine Literature; Literary and Cultural Research; Heritage Studies
Clarissa V. Militante, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Narrative Studies; Philippine Novel; Creative Writing: Fiction; Journalism
Carlos M. Piocos, III, PhD Comparative Literature, University of Hong Kong
Critical Theory; Migration and Diaspora Studies; Mobility Studies; Postcolonial Studies; Creative Writing: Poetry; Southeast Asian Studies; Cultural Research
Dinah Roma, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Diaspora Studies; Travel Writing/Theory; Creative Writing: Poetry; Southeast Asian Literary Studies
Anne Frances N. Sangil, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Popular Culture; Film Studies; Philippine Cinema
Antonette Talaue-Arogo, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Theory and Criticism; Postcolonialism and Cosmopolitanism; Decoloniality; Gender Studies
John Iremil E. Teodoro, PhD Literature, De La Salle University
Visayan Literature; Creative Writing: Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Nonfiction; Environmental Writing; Archipelagic Studies; Translations; Philippine Gay Culture
Jose Victor Torres, PhD History, University of Santo Tomas
Philippine History; Philippine Theater; Creative Writing: Drama; Heritage Studies