Some of the world's most inspired novels were originally written in various Romance languages. French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese writers have provided the world with an impressive collection of literatures ranging from epic adventurers to romantic poems. Needless to say, anyone who enrolls in Romance language programs has ample fodder to keep him or her busy for days upon days.
The great literatures of the world are living archives of the human experience. Modern archetypes of the hero, the villain, and the lover have all been established by authors ranging from Dante to Shakespeare to Lao Tzu. In the West, Romance language novels and poems help document the progression of social thought, entertainment, triumphs, and defeats. Whether it's a Spanish-language novel or a French language poem, these masterful works of art help bring greater clarity to situations that we face in modern times.
In a typical program, one learns how to read, study, and analyze these great works. In addition, one might also learn about binding, repair, and preservation. After all, many of the materials one might use in linguistics program will be several centuries old. So whether one pursues a certificate or a doctorate degree, understanding how to handle these documents is extremely important.
Although many of the great writers are long since gone, it would appear that there is a continuous crop of new contributors every year. The Spanish-language, for example, is quickly becoming very popular in the United States. As such, many programs don't restrict their curricula to deceased writers. Because the literatures of the world represent living documents, their study is an ongoing process that never really ends.