Comparative Study On Undergraduate Education Of Literature Between China And America Universities

Since 20th Century,with the development of the literary theory and literature discipline,the professional education of literature provided by China and America universities has been deeply changed accordingly.As the carrier of literary theory and literature education philosophy,the curriculum setting of literature discipline can accurately reflects the different education styles and characteristics between China and America universities.This paper chooses six representative universities like Peking University,Harvard University as research objects,collect,organize and analyze the materials including training programs,teaching objectives,curriculums,teaching plan,teaching method,etc.By applying literature analysis,case study,comparative research,and various methods,summarized structure and features of the curriculums of China and America.On the base of comparing the similarities and differences of curriculums,try summarizing the education styles and characteristics of China and America universities through the perspective of discipline of literature and art.This paper focuses on the following three aspects to research:"classic study and cross discipline","the separation and regression of literary text","discipline education and humanistic education",thinking about the internal connection among curriculum setting to literary concept,education philosophy and discipline development,trying to provide reference for improving self curriculum system of China universities.This paper is divided into four parts:The introduction part states the significance,ideas,methods of this study,defines and explains the research objectives as well.In addition,making a summary statement of the undergraduate literature curriculum setting investigation of Harvard University,Yale University,UC Berkeley,Peking University,Fudan University,and Nanjing University,as the evidence of paper.Chapter one researches the classical studies and interrelated disciplines.By comparing the circumstance of "Literature history" course and "Shakespeare"course,analyzed different forms of literature classic study curriculum between universities of two countries;By comparing the course content and structure difference of cross discipline,thought about the internal connection of cross discipline and the transform of literature study to culture study.On this basis,demonstrated that the academic's conservativeness or openness attitudes about literary subject attribute and literature research boundary have deeply influence on curriculum setting,and cause the situation that Chinese universities attach importance to education and study of literary classics,while American universities attach importance to features of cross discipline research.Chapter two starts with the literary text separating phenomenon in the curriculum setting,clarified its causes,and investigated the strategy each university used to make literary text "back" to literature education.We think that the reason caused curriculum separated from literary text,is highly related to both "expansion" of "literature history"course and inundation of cultural study.Analyzed two methods,enhancing original reading and recommending criticism practice,on both levels of understanding and practice.Finally,investigated further about the importance of curriculum structure in literary text separation and regression process,we think the Chinese universities'curriculum structure which taking literature history as core and the American universities' curriculum structure which is more multiple and dispersed,are the key fact that affected literary text separation and regression trend.Chapter three compares the formal features and categories of undergraduate courses of both countries' universities mainly in the range of discipline education and humanistic education.By analyzing characteristics of both Theoretical knowledge course and Practical skills course,we think that Chinese university and American university has two different tendencies on knowledge system construction and professional skills training.By investigating two different course styles:seminars and workshops,refining the features of both countries' universities on humanistic education.On basis of which,investigating the profound effect of literature education philosophy against universities' curriculum,thinking about "what should literature teach?" and"how to teach?",and trying to bring forward own views about how to balance Professional knowledge education and humanistic quality education.Finally,this paper believes that we should respect the rule of literature and literature education,making an appropriate curriculum setting with dynamic stability.All of these could be a feasible method for today's literature education.