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Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History

Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem da Unicamp

About
The Program
Faculty
Professors
Student´s Area

Literary Theory and History

The Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History, currently with a score of 7 in the Capes evaluation, began in 1977. It was officially established in 1980, only with a Master’s course and then with its Doctorate degree program in 1987. From its inception the program was aimed at the formation of literature researchers in a wide and multidisciplinary design, which has enabled it to attract for over more than three decades, students from all over Brazil and abroad (with significant demand from Hispanic-American students and, more recently, students from other continents).

The program maintains a close link with the discussions and guidelines of the Department of Literary Theory (DTL), which deliberates on matters of common interest through regular meetings. The Graduate Studies subcommittee consists of a coordinator and two members elected for two-year terms. In 2000, the Graduate Studies Guidelines were approved and its most significant change has been the intensification of curricular flexibility, giving students greater freedom in the choice of subjects, according to the specific objectives of each individual project.

Therefore, every course that integrates the catalog is classified as part of the Common Domain, eliminating the old distinction between mandatory and elective. The Specific Domain, aiming at giving space curriculum space for the realization of Orientation Seminars coordinated by appointed advisors or professors, allows the student to concentrate on studies directly linked to their research topic, collaborating with their training and the development of their project.

The program’s major areas are:

  1. Theory and Literary Criticism
  2. Literary History and Historiography.

The research topics for each major area are:

Major area 1 – Theory and Literary Criticism:

  • Critical and theoretical Literature studies
  • Comparative and interdisciplinary Literature studies

Major area 2 – Literary History and Historiography:

  • Literature history and poetics up to the  18th century;
  • Romanticism and its developments;
  • History and poetics of modernity.

The number of courses to attend for both the Master’s and the Doctorate degree programs are the same: 3 from the Common Domain and 2 from the Specific Domain.

Regarding the possibility of direct PhD, the master’s student is granted the right to request its approval by the Graduate Studies Subcommittee, as long as they have been nominated by their examining board. The final decision regarding the request is issued by the Department.

All program faculty have research projects and all existing research topics are contemplated.

Several developed projects have collective dynamics and have repercussions on inter-institutional initiatives. For example: a) the international cooperation project “The transatlantic circulation of printed materials through the globalization of culture in the nineteenth century”, from 2011, by Professor Márcia Abreu; b) Procad / Casadinho (CAPES / CNPq) agreement, started in 2011 with the Federal University of Santa Catarina, with the coordination, at Unicamp’s side, by Professor Marcos Siscar; c) the thematic project Memória(s) e pequenas percepções (Memories and Small Perceptions), funded by FAPESP, started in 2010, with the participation of Professor Suzi Frankl Sperber.

The infrastructure offered by Unicamp for training and research, thanks to the efforts of the Dean’s Office and the Institute’s Director, but also thanks to the very high uptake of resources provided by funding agencies (FAPESP, CNPq, CAPES, FINEP, etc.) it is certainly one of the best in the country. These features include a comprehensive and updated library, and advanced equipment in computer laboratories, a cultural documentation center, the Alexandre Eulalio Center (CEDAE), and an Academic Data Sector.

The program currently has 28 professors, 22 of them are permanent and 7 are collaborators. All of the permanent professors work in the undergraduate and graduate courses.

Of the 28 professors that take part in the Program, 22 of them have a post doctorate degree. It is thus a highly qualified and balanced faculty whose members are always seeking to update their knowledge and keep up with the current research in the field. Many of the professors that take part in the Program hold Productivity Scholarships from CNPq. All of the professors are accredited in the program.

 In 2015, the Program has trained 80 doctors and 67 masters, of which 26 doctors and 19 masters come from external institutions. The profile of graduate students is diverse because the program supports graduate students from different backgrounds (Language Arts, History, Social Studies, Literary Studies) and has received doctoral students from all regions of Brazil and from abroad (in 2015, France and from China). That same year, the program received a total of 84 grants from various funding agencies (CAPES, CNPq, FAPESP).

In the context of policies to promote training and student production, the program takes part in the Ongoing Thesis Seminar (SETA) and the SETA Proceedings (journal kept by the Institute, duly updated and with online access)

The Institute’s Journal “Sínteses” (Synthesis) is intended to publish articles containing the results of research conducted in the Graduate Programs, and also the teacher training program (PED), which in 2015 had 17 scholars and 3 volunteers from the program.

 We must also emphasize the program’s policy of encouraging post-doctoral research: in 2015, the program had the participation of 32 collaborating researchers.

The general and specific objectives of the program meet the general regulations of the the Graduate courses at Unicamp (resolution of CONSU A – 808/2008 of 25/03 2008), and the course of program aims at developing the following scientific and professional skills:

  • Teaching in primary and higher education, ability to work in higher education in public or private institutions as professor in several areas of literary theory, history and historiography of literature, canonical literature, comparative literature, Portuguese language, and foreign languages.
  • Competence in literary criticism with the ability to perform tests and long winded studies, reviews, critical journalism, consulting work in the area, discussions of aesthetic, literary and historiographical ideas, creative skills in the literary writing field.
  • Aptitude for editorial work.
  • Suitability for the correct use of scientific collections, archives and bibliographies of the area and to conduct current research that permanently ensures the connection between learning and teaching.

The Program

Committee

Committee - Director and Department representatives

Marcio Orlando Seligmann Silva

Marcos Aparecido Lopes

Jefferson Cano

Student representative

Graduate Program Technical Assistant

Cláudio Pereira Platero

Staff (cpgiel@iel.unicamp.br)

Rosemeire Aparecida de Almeida Marcelino

Miguel Leonel dos Santos

Raiça Fernanda Zocal Fernandez

Program Profile

Focus Areas and Lines of Research

Area: Literary Theory and Criticism

Lines:
Comparative and Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature: This line of research includes the relationships between literary theory and other areas of knowledge, such as philosophy, sociology and anthropology. It also addresses new objects of literary theory, namely, cinema, music, comic books, etc.
– Theoretical and Critical Studies of Literature: This line of research focuses on the literary theory trends and movements in the contemporary world.

Area: Literary History and Historiography

Lines:
– History of Literature and Poetry up to the 18th Century: This line of research studies the literary and poetry works written before the 18th Century, including vernacular works.
– History and Poetry of Modern Times: This line of research encompasses the literary works of the 20th Century in Brazil, Europe and in the Americas.
 – The Romanticism and its Unfoldings: This line of research investigates the rise, consolidation and influences of Romanticism, both in Europe and in the Americas.

DESCRIPTION

The Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History is intended to train researchers to enhance their critical thinking and investigation skills related to literature.
Based on these priority goals, its purpose is to effectively qualify and educate professors to teach undergratuate students, by aligning the professors’ skills with the spirit of research.

ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION

The master’s and doctoral programs in Literary Theory and History were awarded grade 7 in CAPES evaluation in the three-year period 2010/2012, and were recognized by MEC ordinance 524, of April 29, 2008.

Completion: 

The master’s degree program in Literary Theory and History must be completed within the minimum and maximum time limits of 12 and 36 months, respectively. The doctoral program in Literary Theory and History must be completed within the minimum and maximum time limits of 12 and 54 months, respectively. In the case of scholarship students, the maximum period will be reduced in accordance with the commitments made with the supporting agencies (CAPES, CNPq, FAPESP).

_ MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM IN LITERARY THEORY AND HISTORY 

The master’s degree program activities are divided into two basic components in addition to the Dissertation:
I) Common Component – the student must complete at least 24 credits in disciplines.
II) Required Component – the student must complete at least 16 credits in disciplines related to the line of research of his/her Dissertation.
For the Common Component, which comprises different disciplines identified with the LT acronym and related to the areas of research which are fundamental to the literary studies, the student may choose, upon the advisor’s approval, the disciplines the student is mostly interested in both for his/her own development and for the Dissertation.
For the Required Component, the student will choose, always upon the advisor’s approval, the LT discipline series – Guidance Seminars in …, according to the line of research of his/her project.
No disciplines have any prerequisites or parallel requirements. In addition, there are no compulsory sequences, series per area, modality or field. The syllabus and the bibliography of the disciplines will be provided by the professor.
Disciplines offered by other IEL Graduate Programs, external to IEL or external to Unicamp, may be attended by the student, always at the advisor’s discretion, and those disciplines may be validaded upon SCPG-THL’s approval, provided that they do not exceed the limit of 1/3 (one third) of the total credits of the course (i.e. credits of the Common Component plus the credits of the Required Component).   Only the disciplines attended after a student has enrolled in the program will be duly validated.

Specific Rules 

The specific rules applicable to the master’s degree program in Literary Theory and History are as follows:

Requirements for Obtaining the Master’s Degree 

Credits 

The student must complete, after his/her registration in the master’s degree program, 40 credits in activities, among which as a minimum:
– 24 credits in disciplines of the Common Component (03 disciplines);
– 16 credits in disciplines of the Required Component (02 disciplines);
Be approved in the Qualification Exam for the master’s degree program;
Have his/her master’s thesis approved.
All the other requirements and mechanisms associated with the master’s degree program are governed by Unicamp’s General Rules of the Graduate Program Courses and by the Rules governing the Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History of IEL.

Guidance 

Every regular student of the master´s degree program, upon his/her first enrollment, will have an advisor for the thesis who is part of the staff of the Literary Theory Department. The advisor must submit his/her own document confirming if he/she accepted the advisee.  In case of change of advisor (either temporary or permanent), the SCPG-THL must be immediately informed both of the termination and the new appointment. No student will remain in the program without an advisor.
The advisor, in agreement with the student, is responsible for defining the topic and providing guidance for the development of the thesis.
The advisee must complete all assignments and research activities as determined by the advisor. At the advisor’s discretion, the advisee may be asked to do supplementary activities as deemed necessary by the advisor for his/her academic background such as courses (regardless of obtaining credits), taking part in lectures, seminars, etc. Whenever requested by the advisor, the student must immediately report to IEL/Unicamp.

Qualification Exam 

The Qualification Exam will consist of an assessment of a partial or full version of the work in progress.
The Dissertation Qualification Exam will be taken before a Board of Examiners comprising (3) three professors, one of whom must be the candidate’s advisor. The exam must be taken after the successful completion of the Common Component and within, at least, 03 months before the date scheduled for the Dissertation defense.

Dissertation Defense

The candidate must defend his/her thesis in a public session, before the Board of Examiners and according to Unicamp’s General Rules of the Graduate Program Courses and to the Rules governing the Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History IEL.

_ DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN LITERARY THEORY AND HISTORY

The doctoral program activities are divided into two basic components in addition to the dissertation:

I) Common Component – the student must complete at least 24 credits in disciplines.
II) Required Component – the student must complete at least 16 credits in disciplines related to the line of research of his/her dissertation.
For the Common Component, which comprises different disciplines identified with the LT acronym and related to the areas of research which are fundamental to the literary studies, the student may choose, upon the advisor’s approval, the disciplines he/she is mostly interested in both for his/her own development and for the dissertation.
For the Required Component, the student will choose, always upon the advisor’s approval, the LT discipline series – Guidance Seminars in …, according to the line of research of his/her project.
No disciplines have any prerequisite or parallel requirements. In addition, there are no compulsory sequences, series per area, modality or field. The syllabus and the bibliography of the disciplines will be provided by the professor.
Disciplines offered by other IEL Graduate Programs, external to IEL or external to Unicamp, may be attended by the student, always at the advisor’s discretion, and those disciplines may be validated upon SCPG-THL’s approval, provided that they do not exceed the limit of 1/3 (one third) of the total credits of the course (i.e. credits of the common component plus the credits of the Required Component).   Only the disciplines attended after the students has enrolled in the program will be duly validated.

 Specific Rules 

The specific rules applicable to the doctoral degree program in Literary Theory and History are as follows:

Requirements for Obtaining the doctoral degree 

Credits 

Successfully complete at least 40 credits in planned activities, distributed as follows:
– 24 credits in disciplines of the Common Component after his/her registration in the doctoral program;
– 16 credits in disciplines of the Required Component after his/her registration in the doctoral program;
Be approved in the Qualification Exam for the doctoral program;
Have his/her master’s thesis approved.
All the other requirements and mechanisms associated with the doctoral program are governed by Unicamp’s General Rules of the Graduate Program Courses and by the Rules governing the Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History of IEL.

Guidance 

Every regular student of the doctoral program, upon his/her first enrollment, will have an advisor for the dissertation who is part of the staff of the Literary Theory Department. The advisor must submit his/her own document confirming if he/she accepted the advisee.  In case of change of advisor (either temporary or permanent), the SCPG-THL must be immediately informed both of the termination and the new appointment. No student will remain in the program without an advisor.
The advisor, in agreement with the student, is responsible for defining the topic and providing guidance for the development of the dissertation.
The advisee must complete all assignments and research activities as determined by the advisor. At the advisor’s discretion, the advisee may be asked to do supplementary activities as deemed necessary by the advisor for his/her academic background such as courses (regardless of obtaining credits), taking part in lectures, seminars, etc. Whenever requested by the advisor, the student must report to IEL/Unicamp.

Qualification Exam

The Qualification Exam will consist of an assessment of a partial or full version of the work in progress.
The Dissertation Qualification Exam will be taken before a Board of Examiners comprising (3) three professors, one of whom must be the candidate’s advisor. The exam must be taken after the successful completion of the Common Component and within, at least, 03 months before the date scheduled for the dissertation defense.

Dissertation Defense 

The candidate must defend his/her dissertation in a public session, on a date scheduled by SCPG-THL, upon the advisor’s request, and according to Unicamp’s General Rules of the Graduate Program Courses and to the Rules governing this Graduate Program in particular.

LT001 – Comparative Literature

LT002 – Literature and Society

LT003 – Literary History

LT004 – Research Seminars I

LT006 – Topics in Literary Theory I

LT007 – Directed Study in Literary Theory I

LT008 – Directed Study in Literary Theory II

LT017 – Topics in Literary Movements

LT019 – Topics in Poetry

LT025 – Narrative Topics

LT044 – Topics in Reviews

LT061 – Great Author in Foreign Language I

LT062 – Great Author in Foreign Language II

LT063 – Topics in Author in Foreign Language

LT064 – Topics in Author in Portuguese Language

LT101 – Comparative Literature II

LT102 – Literature and Society II

LT103 – Problems of Literary History

LT104 – Research Seminars II

LT106 – Topics in Literary Theory II

LT111 – Advanced Seminars on Literary Movements

LT115 – Literary History II

LT121 – Advanced Seminars on Author in Foreign Language

LT130 – Great Author in Portuguese Language I

LT132 – Great Author in Portuguese Language II

LT133 – Advanced Seminars on Author in Portuguese Language

LT140 – Criticism I

LT141 – Advanced Seminars on Criticism

LT142 – Criticism II

LT154 – Advanced Seminars on Literature

LT160 – Literature and Other Esthetic Codes

LT211 – Topics in Nonfictional Prose

LT212 – Topics in Literature and History

LT213 – Topics in Literature and Geography

LT214 – Topics in Literature and Aesthetics

LT215 – Topics in Literature and Philosophy

LT216 – Topics in Literature and Anthropology

LT217 – Topics in Literature and Press

LT218 – Topics in Literature and Law

LT219 – Topics in Brazilian Literature

LT220 – Topics in Foreign Literatures

LT221 – Topics in Comparative Literature

LT222 – Topics in Theater

LT223 – Topics in Literature and Psychoanalysis

LT224 – Topics in Literature and Other Aesthetic Codes

LT225 – Topics in Literature, Culture and Media

LT226 – Topics in Literary Movements

LT700 – Orientation Seminars on Literary Theory and Criticism I

LT701 – Orientation Seminars on Literary Theory and Criticism II

LT800 – Orientation Seminars on Literary History and Historiography I

LT801 – Orientation Seminars on Literary History and Historiography II

MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM IN LITERARY THEORY AND HISTORY 

Admission 

The candidates who meet the following requirements will be admitted as regular students:
1. Hold a higher education diploma;
2. Master at least two relevant foreign languages for the bibliography of the area of interest, among the following: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish;
3 Have enough time to devote to the studies and to the writing of the Dissertation;
4. Be approved in the selection process conducted by the SCPG-THL Department;
The application form for the admission process must be accessed at https://www.iel.unicamp.br/pos-graduacao/pos-graduacao-em-teoria-e-historia-literaria/processo-seletivo-teoria-e-historia-literaria/. Candidates who will complete their undergraduate program by December 31 of the same year are also entitled to apply as long as they provide proper evidence of their course completion upon their enrollment.

Selection 

The candidate must submit a research project of no more than 10 pages (bibliography included) and justify his/her interest in one or more topics of research of the professors participating in the program or in one of the projects developed by the professors. The general purpose of assessing the students applying for the master’s degree program is to determine their ability to raise questions related to literature and/or to reflect on a literary issue or object, among the areas encompassed by the program.
Registration period and steps: every year, SCPG-THL will publish a detailed calendar with information about the admission process.

Foreign Language Skills 

The candidate must be able to demonstrate his/her mastery in two foreign languages by taking foreign language proficiency tests.

_ DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN LITERARY THEORY AND HISTORY

Admission 

To enroll in the course, the candidate must fulfill the following requirements:
a) hold a higher education diploma and, preferably a master´s degree;
b) demonstrate his/her mastery in 02 (two) foreign languages, among the following: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, by taking the proficiency tests which will determined whether or not the candidate will proceed to the next step of the admission process. In case of failure, the candidate will be automatically eliminated;
c) have enough time to devote to the studies and to the development of the doctoral dissertation;
d) be approved in the selection process conducted by the SCPG-THL Department;
The application form for the admission process can be accessed at https://www.iel.unicamp.br/pos-graduacao/pos-graduacao-em-teoria-e-historia-literaria/processo-seletivo-teoria-e-historia-literaria/.

Selection 

The candidate must submit a research project of no more than 15 pages (bibliography included) and justify his/her interest in one or more topics of research of the professors participating in the program.
Candidates to the doctoral program are expected to demonstrate reasonable mastery of the bibliography related to the topic of his/her project.
The general purpose of assessing the candidates applying for the doctoral program is to determine his/her ability to conduct relevant discussions over the fields of knowledge encompassed by the program.
Registration period and steps: every year, SCPG-THL will publish a detailed calendar with information about the admission process.

Foreign Language Skills 

The candidate must be able to demonstrate his/her mastery in two foreign languages by taking foreign language proficiency tests.

Faculty

Collaborating Researcher/Professor

Procedures for Collaborating Researcher / Professor

According to the  CONSU-A Resolutions 06/06 and 06/08, the following documents must be submitted for the admission process into the Departments:

I) Collaborating Researcher (Postdoctoral)

Admission

a) Letter of the person interested addressed to the Professor, requesting guidance as Collaborating Professor in the Department (the period extends from 1 to 2 years);
b) Acceptance letter by the responsible Professor addressed to the Department Head, requesting approval by the Department Council;
c) Curriculum Vitae describing the academic activities developed in a Higher Education Institution up to the date of the request;
d) Copy of the Individual Taxpayer’s Document Number (CPF);
e) Copy of the ID Document No. (RG);
Note: Driver’s License will not be accepted.
f) Plan of the activities to be developed in the period;
g) Adhesion agreement (3 copies duly completed and signed);
h) Copy of the marriage or birth certificate;
i) Copy of a proof of residence.

Renewal

a) Letter requesting extension of term for an additional period of one or two years as of the day after the contract expires;
b) Advisor’s acceptance letter;
c) Report of the activities developed during the period that is ending;
d) New research plan for the next period;
e) Adhesion agreement (3 copies duly completed and signed).

Termination

a) Final report with the advisor’s opinion;
b) Return of the professional identification badge.

The proposals must be submitted to the Department Administrative Office (c/o Emerson Gianni) at deptos@iel.unicamp.br. Further information can be obtained at the e-mail address above or at 19-3521-1512 or 3521-1511.

Note: Admission as Collaborating Researcher (Postdoctoral) in the Literary Theory Department

1) In order to organize the submission and assessment of the proposals, the months of March and August of each year have been established as the registration periods. The results of the process will be announced up to the end of May and up to the end of October, respectively.  The program for the proposals approved in March will start in August of the same year; the program for the proposals approved in August will start in March of the following year.

2) No proposals will be accepted from candidates who have completed the Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History at IEL. The proposals submitted by students currently participating in the higher education public system may, at the Literary Theory Department discretion, be assessed and accepted if they are of interest to the institution.

3) The dates and restrictions above do not apply to the funding modalities PDS (Senior postdoctoral) and Postdoctoral connected to a Theme Project. The Senior Postdoctoral modality refers to the situation of a researcher with a stable relationship with a higher education and research institution, who finished his/her Ph.D. at least 5 years ago.

II) Collaborating Professor

Admission

a) Letter addressed to the Department Head manifesting his/her interest in continuing in the Department performing activities related to lecturing, researching and extension activities (for the period of 02 years);
b) Plan of the activities to be developed in the period;
c) Adhesion agreement (3 copies duly completed and signed).

Renewal

a) Previous report;
b) New Plan describing activities to be developed in 02 (two) years;
c) New Adhesion agreement (3 copies duly completed and signed).

Student´s Area

Foreign Students

The Graduate Program in Literary Theory and History accepts both Brazilian and foreign students, regardless of their nationality.

Foreign candidates to the master’s degree and doctoral programs must follow the regular admission process, whose invitation for application is posted on an annual basis at the Admission Process link.

Foreign students already enrolled in the graduate program courses in their own countries may be accepted as special students in the disciplines offered by the program, provided that they are duly authorized by the responsible professor.

In order to prepare for your trip and learn about the University’s enrollment procedures, applicants both to the master’s degree and doctoral programs interested in completing the disciplines in the program must carefully read the Academic Board instruction at http://www.dac.unicamp.br/portal/pos/estudante_estrangeiro

The University also offers, in some of the cases, Portuguese courses for foreigners. You can find information about enrollment in these courses at: http://www.cel.unicamp.br/

Scholarships

The Literary Theory and History Graduate Program Commission is responsible for granting CAPES and CNPq scholarships for the master’s degree and doctoral programs. FAPESP grants its own scholarships for master’s degree and doctoral programs directly to the students and advisors upon proper application within the deadlines it establishes.

In addition to the rules established by each supporting agency, the CPPG-Literary Theory and History grants scholarships based on the following criteria:

1. number of openings (‘quotas’) in the Master’s degree and doctoral programs offered on a yearly basis by Capes and CNPq;
2. ranking of students in the admission process.

A candidate’s approval in the admission process will not imply that he/she will be granted the scholarship.

Granting a scholarship does not bind the student to an employment relationship with the beneficiary, even if the student provides services associated with the scholarship granted.

The maximum periods for granting the scholarships are defined under CPPG-THL 02/2016 Resolution.

The scholar’s obligations are described below:

– complete and update his/her data in the CNPq-LATTES and SIPEX data system every semester;
– meet the demands of the supporting agencies (as established in the Grant/Acceptance Term signed by the scholars);
– be on schedule with the assignments and demands of the Graduate Program;
– display achievement higher or equal to the minimum level required according to the Program Rules;
– complete all the disciplines of the Graduate Program (failing is not allowed).

For detailed information about these scholarships (standards and procedures), students must refer to the websites of the supporting agencies:

ww.capes.gov.br

www.cnpq.br

www.fapesp.br

Address

Rua Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, no 571 CEP 13083-859 – Campinas – SP – Brasil

Phone

+55 (19) 3521-1507

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