New MA program promotes a more interconnected world
THE DEPARTMENT OF Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Ottawa has unveiled their master of arts (MA) program in world literatures and cultures, set to begin in September 2012 as the first of its kind in Canada.
“What modern languages and literatures departments do is they teach languages as well as literatures,” said professor Agatha Schwartz, chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. “In this master’s program, it is not about increasing your linguistic skills, [but instead] it explores the nature of how cultural identities are constructed.”
Schwartz and professor Rebecca Margolis, the program coordinator for the MA, designed the one-year interdisciplinary program to give students the knowledge needed in public- and private-sector occupations where many identities and cultures interact.
“Other than literature, which is only one aspect of the program’s focus, there are many other areas that we explore as well, such as film, media, sociolinguistics, diasporas, minorities, and gender studies,” said Schwartz.
The program acknowledges a shift from traditional graduate programs focused on individual subject areas to programs centred around two or more topics.
“We have created a lot of new programs certainly in the last 10 years,” said Frans de Bruyn, vice-dean of graduate studies in the Faculty of Arts. “Programs that try to conceptualize knowledge or lines of inquiry and research, and [are] completely [redefined] in ways that respond to changing demands of students and changing social concerns. So you get these interesting combinations that I would never have encountered when I was a graduate student.”
Schwartz said the program will give students the skills they need to work within a multicultural workplace.
“There are skills that are increasingly required in today’s globalized world,” said Schwartz. “Being able to focus on intercultural institutions, communication, intercultural contact, [and] dealing with clientele that comes from different cultural backgrounds [is important]. The career choices will be quite wide.”
The new graduate program will combine the expertise of over 40 regular professors from both the arts and social sciences faculties.
“Students can choose from a rather extensive list [of professors]. We really have people from a lot of different disciplines putting forward their expertise,” said Schwartz.
This allows students to consider diverse areas of study, like Welsh literature or transnational experiences of Latin American immigrants in Canada.
The degree is designed for students who hold an undergraduate degree related to interconnecting cultures, such as languages, translation, and communication. The bilingualism of the program requires students to have knowledge of both official languages.
“A major degree in any of the languages, linguistics, communications, film studies, intercultural studies, international studies, translation, or other disciplines will be considered for application. The other [requirement] is proficiency in English or in French,” said Schwartz.
Both Schwartz and de Bruyn are excited to bring a diverse group of students together for the program.
“The purpose of this program is to address cultural diversity. We look forward to having a class that will be really diverse,” said Schwartz. “If that is what we achieve, then we have reached the goals of the program.”
—Christopher Radojewski
