This option encourages students to take advantage of the unique
cultural resources of Camden, where Whitman spent the last years of his
life and where he attained international fame. Few figures profit from
interdisciplinary study as much as Whitman, whose poetry and prose is a
rich repository of literary, artistic, musical, historical, religious,
and philosophical currents. The Walt Whitman House, just a few blocks
from the Rutgers–Camden Campus, is one of the best preserved
literary landmarks in the United States, and the adjacent Whitman
library has a fine collection of writings by and about Whitman.
Students choosing this option fulfill the same requirements as for the
American studies minor, but may select courses that offer an
international context or background for Whitman's writings. The senior independent study involves either research on Whitman or an internship
at the Walt Whitman House.
