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The College of Arts & Sciences
The Department of Romance Studies gives voice to the literatures and cultures of those parts of the world where French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish are or have been spoken. The undergraduate and graduate programs offer students a broad range of opportunities for language acquisition, as well as the chance to become sophisticated interpreters of cultures and deliver intellectual engagement across linguistic and textual boundaries.
The competitive fellowships send PhD students abroad for up to 12 months to build on their language proficiency, engage with other cultures and complete significant dissertation research on global cultures and societies.
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A doctoral candidate in romance studies Sarena Tien studies representations of female friendship in literature and film from French-speaking Africa and Asia.
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Rachel Bean, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor in the Department of Astronomy and senior associate dean for math and science, has been named interim A&S dean.
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The professorships are possible because of generous gifts from alumni, parents and friends.
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A “new wave” of Latin American writers are making the science fiction genre their own. Previously dominated by foreign works the genre is opening up to regional authors such as Cornell Professor Edmundo Paz Soldán, and Assistant Professor Liliana Colanzi, of Bolivia.
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“Helping students realize their greatest potential is at the core of our mission in the College of Arts & Sciences."
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A&S faculty members will delve into questions ranging from quantum computing to foreign policy development and from heritage forensics to effects of climate change.
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This summer, 101 students in the College of Arts and Sciences will take part in groundbreaking research on campus with 61 faculty as part of the Nexus Scholars Program.
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Recent graduates reflect on their experiences and studies at Cornell:
"Thanks to my Arts & Sciences education, I am a fluent reader, writer and scholar in four different languages... I wrote my honors theses on Italian and German works of literature, and I spent a summer conducting anthropological research on Quilombola communities in Brazil. The ability to think critically and express myself in several languages has contributed to my analytical skills, professional development and provided me with an international perspective."
- Ariana Croese, '22
The Department of Romance Studies offers three majors and four minors for undergraduate students, along with coursework in Polish. Explore the links below for detailed information each program:
The Department of Romance Studies strives to create an atmosphere of intense intellectual engagement across linguistic and textual boundaries.