Studies & Degrees in Sociology of Literature

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Do you have a strong interest in literature, particularly in the way it is able to influence and impact societal norms and customs?  Have you considered pursuing a degree that addresses this topic in depth—a graduate program that would enable you to take a closer look at some of these trends?  If so, you may be an ideal candidate for the Master of Arts degree program in Sociology of Literature.  To give you a clearer idea with regard to the specifics of this popular program, below we have provided a brief overview of the Master of Arts degree in Sociology of Literature, including a brief course description and an outline detailing some of the typical coursework and topics this degree program typically includes.
 
Master of Arts Degree in Sociology of Literature:  Course Overview
 
Since the beginning of time, literature has played a vital role in society, influencing and even predicting the way societies behave and interact, not merely in the time in which a particular literary work was penned, but often decades and even centuries thereafter.  This relationship between societies and important literary works is the major emphasis of the Master of Arts Degree in Sociology of Literature.
 
The Master of Arts degree in Sociology and Literature is a two to three-year graduate level program open to any student who possesses at least a bachelor degree in the same or similar field.  It is designed for students who wish to thoroughly explore the connection between Sociology and Literature and the way each affects the other based on past examples.  Students will explore works of literature that:
 

• Predict future trends, often with no notable causal link
• Influence societies both now and in the future
• Define and explain cultural identity
• Celebrate or denigrate a particular ideological or political point of view
• Reflect the religious and ideological restrictions of a given society

 
Anyone with a passion for literature and its ability to reflect, predict and influence socio-historical trends will thoroughly enjoy and most likely excel in this program. 
 
Graduates who earn a Master of Arts degree in Sociology of Literature can pursue career positions in any number of fields, particularly those in the literary discipline, working as writers, researchers and offering critiques on literature and other scholarly works.
 
Master of Arts Degree in Sociology of Literature:  Coursework
 
The Master of Arts Degree in Sociology of Literature explores a number of significant topics and key concepts, reflected in modules such as:
 

• The Impact of Society on Literature—the manner in which the ideological and religious points of view of a given society affected the literature of a particular era.
• The Impact of Literature on Society—a historical reflection on specific literary works that somehow shaped or changed a society over the course of time, either for better or worse.
• Literature and Symbolism
• Literature as a Means of Communication
• Literature and National Identity
• Literature and the Spirit of an Age
• Literature and Causal Factors
• Evaluating Literary Texts
• And more…

 
The final assignment for students pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Sociology of Literature is the presentation and defense of a Master’s thesis, usually on a topic chosen by the student that was first approved by the faculty of the program.