Literature, Culture, and Tradition

BAAS Concentration in Literature, Culture, and Tradition
BAAS Concentration in Literature, Culture, and Tradition

About the concentration in Literature, Culture, and Tradition

The humanities and social sciences help us to understand cultures through historical and contemporary lenses. In the Literature, Culture and Tradition concentration, you study and analyze the worldviews of different cultures, exploring cultural change and continuity over time and place. Through historical, literary, and cultural analysis of sources and artifacts, you develop research skills and learn to evaluate complex cultures and scenarios. You also apply the same analytical approaches to gain critical insights into current world challenges.

The concentration in Literature, Culture, and Tradition prepares you to:

  • Understand significant historical themes and issues from the ancient world to the present, with an emphasis on encounters and exchanges among different cultures
  • Interpret key literary and historical texts, from the perspectives of gender, religion, politics, and economics
  • Combine perspectives from multiple disciplines, including religious studies, history, economics, cultural anthropology, sociology, literary studies, and politics
  • Explore the diverse history of religion from ancient societies to the present and how it informs contemporary cultures, politics, and societies

Courses

Students in the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree will choose a concentration to tailor their undergraduate education to specific personal and professional goals. Courses within each concentration may be taken in any order, unless prerequisites are specified.

Students must complete foundational courses for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree. In addition, students in this concentration focus their studies by completing a total of 12 courses (12 c.u.*):

  • 4 courses in 2 of the course blocks listed below (a total of 8 courses)
  • 4 additional courses with input from an academic advisor

Course options

Classics course block

Creative Writing course block

Digital Culture course block

English Literature course block

Global and Regional Studies course block

Music Studies course block

Religion and Culture course block

Social Difference, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

*This course may not be offered every academic year. Check the course page or our course guide to see when upcoming terms are added.

Courses are subject to change.

*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.

Certificates related to Literature, Culture, and Tradition

See your advisor to explore earning the following certificates along with your degree. Note that these certificates are not earned automatically upon completing your degree; your advisor will help ensure that your academic plan meets the requirements of your preferred certificate

Careers related to Literature, Culture, and Tradition

The analytical and communications skills gained in the Literature, Culture and Tradition concentration are essential in any communications-related profession and in many business settings. Career options include:

  • Copywriter
  • Journalist
  • Pre-law
  • Public relations professional
  • Communications officer
  • Editor
  • Publisher
  • Technical writer
  • Educator and librarian
  • Grant writer