The study of literature is the humanistic discipline that seeks to understand certain aesthetic achievements through the interpretation and analysis of works of oral, written, and dramatic art. It requires a sound knowledge of literary languages, styles, genres, and themes; a familiarity with the history of literary movements and ideas; and an awareness of the range of critical and theoretical approaches to literary works. Moreover, students of literature must acquire and develop the critical skills necessary to analyze and interpret literary texts.

The goals of the Specialization in French Literature are:

1. To provide students with a broad knowledge of French and Francophone literatures and of their general relationship to other literatures, together with a specialized knowledge of a particular literary period, genre, or movement.
2. To provide students with a sound historical basis for the study of literature and introduce them to the insights that other disciplines can bring to an understanding of the relationships between literature and the society for which it was written.
3. To introduce students to a variety of theoretical approaches to literature, such as semiotic, thematic, feminist, narratological, philological, sociological, and phenomenological approaches.
4. To develop in students the linguistic and analytical skills that will enable them to read literary texts with full understanding and to develop the critical skills that will enable them to interpret works of literature with insight and perception.
5. To teach students the techniques of literary research and to develop the skills required to communicate the results of their research to others in the classroom, at professional meetings, and in publications.