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Are Basque Studies for You? by William A. Douglass You (or someone you know) may be thinking of attending college. Have you considered the University of Nevada-Reno? I pose the question for two reasons. First, UNR is a good institution, particularly in some fields. Second, if you are reading this newsletter I assume you have an interest in Basque Studies, which is a subject offered at this university. I would refer you to a recent book entitled How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University by Martin Nemko (Avon Books, 1988). In it UNR received high marks for being economical, of moderate size and pleasant setting and for its dedicated teaching faculty (pp. 614-618). If you are academically talented and are interested in entering an honors program, you should disregard the book's information on that score since it is out of date. The university is currently restructuring its Honors Program into one of its most serious initiatives. There is an entry regarding the Basque Studies Program that I would also qualify. We are described as "the only program in the United States, but it's primarily for graduate students." While we do service graduate studies, there are other dimensions to our program as well. The question "Are Basque studies for you?" should be considered at several levels. First, we offer a tutorial Ph.D. in Basque Studies for the aspiring professional. In order to qualify for admission you must already possess an M.A. degree in anthropology, history, or foreign languages (the participating departments). The key word is "tutorial," which means that the student works closely with the appropriate scholar here while devising and completing a project leading to a doctoral dissertation. The entire program of study is designed around this objective. The candidate might only spend a year in residence at UNR (to meet an minimal residency requirement) before attending another American or European university to work under the guidance of a world expert in the topic. This mentor is then brought to Reno for the dissertation defense, serving as the outside member of the student's graduate committee. Basque Studies at this level are not for everyone. Indeed, they are only for the rare individual. Of greater interest to the average UNR student are the Basque Studies opportunities for undergraduates. The options are many. Staff members of the Basque Studies Program regularly teach courses through the departments of anthropology, history, and foreign languages. These include a course on Old-World Basque culture, Basque history, and a two-year sequence in the language. Less frequently we offer courses in Basque literature and linguistics. It is therefore quite possible for a student majoring in business or engineering to take one or more courses in Basque Studies. As electives, all of the Basque courses may be counted toward graduation and several meet the specific requirements for some majors. For instance, it is possible to meet the foreign-language requirement with two years of Basque. The student with a more serious intellectual curiosity in Basque Studies may take an undergraduate minor in the subject. This consists of the two-year language course series and three additional three-credit courses. Again, the minor can be pursued in conjunction with any other academic major. There are additional ways to utilize UNRs Basque Studies resources. We possess one of the finest Basque libraries in the world, which is open to the public. We regularly sponsor lectures on Basque topics by visiting scholars and are planning Basque film showings. We conduct study-abroad campuses in Europe which allow students to spend a summer, a semester, or a full academic year living and studying in the Basque Country. In short, UNR offers many fine opportunities to pursue one's Basque Studies interest no matter how serious or casual. |
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