Modern Thought and Literature

The Program in Modern Thought and Literature (MTL) is an interdisciplinary humanities graduate program advancing the study of critical issues in the modern world. Since 1971, MTL students have helped to redefine the cutting edge of many interdisciplinary fields and to reshape how disciplinary scholarship is understood and practiced.

The program trains students to understand the histories and methods of traditional academic disciplines, test their assumptions, and examine how interdisciplinary methods can reshape objects of study. MTL graduates emerge as leaders in fields such as American studies, ethnic studies, film studies, social and cultural studies, women's studies, English, and comparative literature.

Academic Programs and Interdisciplinary Training

Modern Thought and Literature offers specialized graduate pathways designed for students whose research questions require a rigorous, multi-disciplinary approach:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): An interdisciplinary program combining coursework in literary and cultural studies with coursework in at least one other discipline or field. It is designed for students who plan to teach and write in literature departments or in interdisciplinary programs in the humanities, cultural studies, and humanistic social sciences, or for those intending to formulate cultural policy.

• Coterminal M.A. Program: A program admitting a limited number of Stanford undergraduates to work toward an M.A. concurrently with their bachelor's degree.

• Curriculum Structure: Coursework is divided about evenly between advanced courses in literature departments and advanced courses in non-literature departments. Because interdisciplinary study relies on a firm grasp of the disciplines under consideration, every student is expected to master the methods of literary analysis and build a strong foundation in a second field or discipline.

Research Frontiers and Critical Inquiry

MTL students produce innovative analyses of diverse texts, forms, and practices. Each student constructs a unique program of study suited to their research interests, drawing on affiliated faculty from throughout the university. Key areas of focus and materials analyzed include:

• Diverse Texts and Media: Analyzing literature, history, philosophy, anthropology, law, and science; film, visual arts, popular culture, and performance; and material culture and technology.

• Core Research Areas: Exploring critical societal questions through specialized lenses, such as:

  • Gender and sexuality

  • Race and ethnicity

  • Science, technology, and medicine

  • Media and performance

  • Legal studies

  • Critical and social theory