Department Chair
Amber Day, Ph.D.
Literary and Cultural Studies
Develop the skills you need to engage with a variety of media, cultures, and methodologies.
At a Glance
What You’ll Explore:
- Big questions about culture, technology, identity, ethics, power, creativity, and what it means to be human
- Literature, philosophy, film, music, art, media, popular culture, and other cultural forms from different times, places, and perspectives
- How stories, ideas, images, technologies, and cultural practices shape how we understand ourselves and the world around us
What You’ll Do:
- Analyze and interpret everything from poetry and philosophy to film, hip-hop, AI, art, and social media
- Question assumptions, compare perspectives, and develop your own ideas about complex questions
- Read, write, watch, listen, discuss, research, and create across disciplines and media
Where You’ll Go:
- Careers in publishing, film production, education, law, diversity and inclusion, and nonprofit administration
- Top graduate schools to further your career preparation
Program Highlights
91È«ÄÜ´óÉñ Literary and Cultural Studies program will foster your ability to critically interpret and creatively express diverse forms, including literature, music, and visual arts. Our curriculum emphasizes multicultural contexts and cultural literacy, opening your mind to new ideas and developing your skills to succeed in today’s complex, global society.
You’ll engage in creative expression through language, performance studies, creative writing, and other forms — empowering you to become an agent of change whose actions shape our world. You’ll also hone your communication skills across various media, creating a portfolio of your work for your capstone project.
Sample Courses
Our curriculum consists of engaging coursework that’s designed to prepare you for your future career. Just a few sample courses include:
Introduction to Cultural Studies
LCS 270
Critical and Cultural Theory
LCS 490
Career and Portfolio Workshop
LCS 491
Studies in Fiction
LCS 221
Introduction to World Music
LCS 280
Studies in Narrative
LCS 356
Studies in Nonfiction
LCS 360
The Image of Business in Literature
LCS 461
Where Our Students Go
Our graduates go on to major corporations and prestigious graduate programs, including:
- Bank of America
- Boston University
- Pearson
- Penguin Random House
- Target
- WGBH Boston
- Columbia University Teacher’s College
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Bryant Literary Review
Bryant Literary Review receives an average of 350 poems and short stories annually and selects 25 poems and 8-10 fiction or nonfiction pieces for its yearly digital publication.
Internships
Gain practical experience and grow your confidence through our many internship opportunities.
International Learning
Expand your horizons and immerse yourself in another culture through one of our study abroad programs.
Service Learning
Discover how to tackle society’s greatest challenges and put your ideas into action to benefit our community.
Student Research
Engage your analytical mindset by collaborating with faculty on original research in the lab and field.
Learn by Doing
Lessons from a textbook can only take you so far. That’s why experiential learning is at the core of your Bryant experience. You’ll engage in hands-on projects and opportunities beginning your very first year — building skills in critical thinking, learning how to adapt to challenges, and fostering your determination to succeed.
Find Your Minor
By complementing your College of Humanities and Social Sciences major with a business minor, you’ll learn how to assess problems from different perspectives and find creative solutions to today’s biggest challenges. Our interdisciplinary approach is a strength that leads to extraordinary career outcomes and lifetime earnings.