College of Arts and Letters
University of the Philippines Diliman
Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura
Undergraduate Programs
Students may choose from among ten major fields under the Bachelor of Arts program: Araling Pilipino, Art Studies, Comparative Literature, Creative Writing, English Studies, European Languages, Filipino, Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino, Speech Communication, and Theatre Arts. Some programs provide further concentrations or specializations.
Two of the CAL's departments have been recognized as National Centers of Excellence by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED). These are the Department of English and Comparative Literature for its English language program and literature program and the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature for its program in Filipino and its program in literature. The Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts has been recognized as an Outstanding Institution for Humanities by the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP).
Department of Art Studies
BA Art Studies (Art History)
This track offers a broad perspective of art history across cultures using a multi-disciplinary approach. It also aims to enable critique of the practice of art history itself, from the canonical to the critical.
BA Art Studies (Interdisciplinary)
This track grounds the students in art studies while giving them the opportunity to choose courses from related disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, allowing for a broader perspective of art studies and its applications in other fields.
BA Art Studies (Philippine Art)
This track focuses on the study of Philippine art and the discourses that shape its numerous forms, practice, and reception within changing contexts. Students in this track acquire a strong foundation in Philippine art.
Department of English and Comparative Literature
BA Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature stresses the use of Philippine and Southeast Asian Cultures as matrix for comparative studies in literary theory, gender studies, etc. It encourages the study of works in the original language and simultaneously promotes translation as an access to other cultures. Its cross-cultural, intertextual approach to the various national/regional literatures enriches the student’s encounter with varied cultural texts.
Areas of Concentration:
Asian Literature
European Literatures
Philippine Literatures in English and in English Translation
BA Creative Writing
Creative Writing offers training in various approaches and techniques in the writing of fiction, poetry, essay, and drama. These courses are taught by multi-awarded and published writers expert at honing the skills of young writers.
BA English Studies: Language
English Studies: Language trains the students in the theoretical and practical aspects of language use. It includes courses on language study, approaches to a College English Program, and integrative studies in language and literature.
BA English Studies: Literature
English Studies: Literature (undergraduate) & English Studies: Anglo-American Literature (graduate) focuses on studies in British and American literatures within the contexts of historical, cultural, and literary developments in Britain and in the United States. Likewise offered are studies in the writings of women and of cultural/ethnic minority groups (e.g., Asian-American).
Department of European Languages
BA European Languages
Plan 1:
Major in French/Italian/
German/Spanish;
Minor in German/Russian/Italian/
French/Portuguese/Spanish
Plan 2:
Major in French/Italian/
German/Spanish;
Minor in a non-EL discipline
The BA (European Languages) (BA EL) program was instituted in 1976. In 2002, it underwent a major revision that involved the institution of new courses, changes in course descriptions, and deletion of courses. Under the revised program, students must choose either Plan 1 or Plan 2. All students major in one of the following European languages: French, Italian, German, or Spanish (FIGS). Students in Plan 1 study another European language: German, Russian, Italian, French, Portuguese, or Spanish (GRIFPS). Students in Plan 2 study another non-EL discipline: English, Comparative Literature, Creative Writing, Filipino, Panitikan ng Pilipinas, Speech Communication, Theater Arts, Art Studies, Social Sciences, Philosophy, Theory in Fine Arts, Reading, Teaching in the Early Grades, Language Teaching, Communication Research, and Tourism.
In 2012, the program was again revised to incorporate the hybrid GE program of the University of the Philippines, Diliman. In the past several years, much has occurred in the field of language learning that compelled us to update our curriculum in order to remain relevant and effective. An ad hoc Curriculum Revision Committee was formed in 2013 followed by four curriculum revision workshops from 2014 to 2017 aimed at evaluating our program and discussing changes to the curriculum through Academic Program Improvement (API) grants. In these workshops, we considered not only the current teaching trends in foreign language pedagogy but also feedback on the program collated from various stakeholders. While the department continued working on its program revisions, a fast track version of the program, which adopted the 2017 UP General Education program, was approved in 2018.
The present curriculum, approved during the 155th UPD University Council on 02 September 2019, was created to integrate the BA (European Languages) program into the academic framework of the University by instituting and revising several courses. The BAEL program objectives are the following:
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distinguish different critical lenses through which they understand themselves, other cultures and the world;
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design and implement undergraduate research work and understand their role as contributors to the production of knowledge;
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apply their knowledge and skills in foreign language education, literary and cultural studies, and translation studies, which they will need as professionals in their chosen field; and
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demonstrate B2 language proficiency in order to linguistically and pragmatically communicate with various nationals. At this level, students can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization, express him/herself fluently, use the language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes, and produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects.
There were five major factors that influenced our approach to the curricular revisions of 2019:
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The adoption of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as an international standard for validating an individual’s language ability;
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The realization of the ASEAN economic integration, which enabled increased mobility of faculty and students within the region and more rigorous benchmarking of courses and programs;
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Recent developments in foreign language pedagogy with a three-pronged source: other academic institutions (local and international), reflexive pedagogy at the department level, and student feedback;
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Increased fluidity in online and offline spaces, which has fostered global interaction and the generation of more professional opportunities for language experts, facilitated extensive language contact, and transformed the consumption of information.
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The revision of the UP General Education program as a result of the nationwide implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program.
Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas
BA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino
Ang B.A. Malikhaing Pagsulat ay pang-apat na taong programang magsisilbing daluyan ng pormal na kasanayang akademiko para sa mga manunulat sa wikang pambansa. Layon ng programang ito na mabigyan ang mga estudyante ng masinsinang kasanayan sa mga batayang prinsipyo at pamamaraan sa malikhaing pagsulat sa iba’t ibang anyo, kaalaman sa mga tradisyong pampanitikan ng Pilipinas, at maipaunawa ang mga katangian ng Filipino bilang kasangkapan para sa malikhaing pamamahayag.
BA Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas
Ang B.A. Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinasay isang pang-apat na taong programang may layuning mabigyan ang mga estudyante ng kaalaman sa kasaysayan ng pag-ulad ng pambansang wikang Filipino at panitikan ng Pilipinas sa konteksto ng kalagayan at lipunang Pilipino, pag-unawa sa kalikasan at gamit ng wika sa lipunang Pilipino at sa mga teorya at kritikal na lapit sa pag-aaral ng panitikan, at kasanayan sa kritikal na pagsusuri ng wika at panitikan ng Pilipinas.
BA Philippine Studies
(Araling Pilipino)
Natatangi ang B.A. Philippine Studies (Araling Pilipino) sa pagsasanay ng estudyante sa interdisiplinari na pag-aaral ng kultura at lipunang Pilipino. Isa itong pang-apat na taong programa na nakaangkla sa mga susing kursong interdisiplinari at mga sandigang kurso sa wika, panitikan, at kasaysayan sapagkat itinuturing ang mga ito na tagapagdala ng kultura sa kabuuan.
Sa tulong ng isang tagapayo, makakapagdisenyo ang estudyante ng sariling programang naaayon sa kaniyang interes. Bukod sa mga susing kurso, pipili ang estudyante ng alinmang dalawang disiplina mula sa Arte at Literatura, Agham Panlipunan, Community Development, Economics, Fine Arts, Islamic Studies, Mass Communication, Music at iba pa para bumuo ng 39 yunit ng mga kursong pang-major.
Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts
BA (Speech Communication)
The BA (Speech Communication) program aims to develop knowledge and competence in understanding the study of human interaction and its use of verbal and nonverbal symbols that impact different communicative phenomena. To date, we offer two tracks: Rhetoric & Performance and Interpersonal & Instructional Communication.
Graduates of this program are expected to demonstrate a high level of scholarship, critical thinking, creative expression, social responsiveness, and ethics in various professional settings including education and training, public relations, government institutions, non-government organizations, and other communication-related industries.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (Speech Communication) program must complete a total of 132 units. The program has two areas of concentration: (1) rhetoric and performance; and (2) interpersonal and instructional communication.
BA (Theatre Arts)
The curriculum of the Theatre Arts undergraduate program leans towards intellectual praxes through practice-based-research and performance-led-research activities and critical interrogations of theatre and performance as socio-cultural idioms for the understanding of the self, society and culture. To date, we offer five areas of specializations: theatre and performance studies, performance, dramaturgy and directing, theatre management, technical theatre and design.
Regardless of areas of concentration, all students must take 33 units of GE courses, 54 units of Core/Foundational Courses, 6 units of Foreign Language electives, 6 units of Theatre Electives, 12 units of Non-Theatre Electives, 3 units of Legislated Course.