Students majoring in comparative literature must choose one
of four options: 1) Comparative Literary Studies (CLS); 2) Colonial and
Postcolonial Studies (CPS); 3) Cultural Theories and Practices (CTP); or 4)
Advanced Studies in Comparative Literature.
1. Option in Comparative Literary Studies (CLS):
The option in comparative literary studies requires 34
credits:
Core Courses
Three courses constitute the foundation of the option in comparative literary studies. In them, students learn the fundamentals of
comparative methodologies and engage in sophisticated analyses of literary
production in multiple cultures.
01:195:201 Literature across Borders (3)
01:195:301 Introduction to Literary Theory (3)
01:195:497 Capstone Seminar Workshop (1)
Foreign Literature
Prospective majors who plan to opt for comparative literary studies are strongly advised to begin the advanced study of a foreign language
as early as possible in their academic careers, as all majors are required to
demonstrate a sufficient level of proficiency in a language other than English,
and are strongly urged to continue the study of at least one foreign language
throughout their four years of work.
This option requires students to choose two courses (6
credits) in literature (broadly defined) at the 200 level or above in a
department other than English, in consultation with the undergraduate director.
Since course offerings in foreign languages and literature vary widely from
department to department, students should refer to the comparative literature website for model course sequences that fulfill the foreign literature
requirement.
This option also requires students to take one additional
course (3 credits) on a literature from outside the western European and
Anglo-American literary traditions.
Major Focus
Students are required to select an area of concentration
and, in consultation with the undergraduate director, a group of at least six
courses (18 credits) at the 200 level or above, including two comparative
literature courses at the 300 level or above, in this area. With the approval
of the adviser, students can take up to four courses (12 credits) in other
disciplines or departments relevant to their area of concentration.
2. Option in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies (CPS)
The option in colonial and postcolonial studies
requires 34 credits:
Core Courses
Six courses constitute the foundation of the option in colonial and postcolonial studies. In them, students learn the fundamentals of
comparative methodologies, and engage in sophisticated analyses of literary
production in multiple cultures with particular emphasis on the study of the
effects of colonialism around the globe.
01:195:201 Literature
across Borders (3)
01:195:203
Masterworks of Western Literature (3)
01:195:301 Literary
Theory (3)
01:195:306 Literature
and Cultural Conquest (3)
01:195:307
Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures and Theories (3)
01:195:497 Capstone Senior
Workshop (1)
Comparative Literature Electives
Three courses (9 credits) to be chosen, in consultation with
the adviser, from the following list of approved courses, with at least 6
credits at the 300 level and above:
01:195:216
Introduction to World Literatures in English (3)
01:195:237 Arabic
Classical Literatures (3)
01:195:242 The
Portuguese-Speaking World: A Literary Introduction for English Speakers (3)
01:195:243
Introduction to the Literatures of South Asia (3)
01:195:249 Modern
Literatures of South Asia (3)
01:195:250
Comparative Approaches to African Literatures (3)
01:195:257 The
Postcolonial City (3)
01:195:268 Cuban
Literature (3)
01:195:269 Dominican
Literature (3)
01:195:308 Gender,
Race, and Textual Imagination (3)
01:195:324
Twentieth-Century Literature in a Global Context (3)
01:195:329 Modern
Japanese Novel and the West (3)
01:195:335 Minority
Literatures (3)
01:195:336
Literatures of Migration, Immigration, and Diaspora (3)
01:195:362
Contemporary Caribbean Writers (3)
01:195:363 Women
Writers of Africa (3)
01:195:395,396,397,398
Issues in Comparative Literature (3,3,3,3), depending on topic and with
permission of adviser
01:195:437, 438
Twentieth-Century Arabic Literature (3,3)
01:195:480 Special
Topics in Comparative Literature (3), depending on topic and with permission
of adviser
01:195:495,496 Honors
in Comparative Literature (3,3)
Other Electives
Three courses (9 credits) to be chosen from an ongoing list
of approved courses drawn from language/literature/culture departments as well
as departments such as history, anthropology, and political science
Foreign Language/Literature Requirement
All students who chose the CPS option are required to take,
in addition to the 34 credits required for the major, two semesters of a
foreign language course (at least 6 credits), or two foreign literature
(broadly defined) courses (6 credits) not in translation. Prospective majors
who plan to opt for CPS are strongly advised to begin the study of a foreign
language as early as possible in their academic careers and are strongly urged
to continue the study of at least one foreign language throughout their four
years of work.
3. Option in Cultural Theories and Practices (CTP)
The option in cultural theories and practices requires 34
credits:
Core Courses
Four courses constitute the foundation of the option in cultural theories and practices. In them, students learn the fundamentals of
comparative methodologies and engage in sophisticated analyses of cultural
production in multiple contexts, with particular emphasis on the study of
critical theories and philosophy, as well as on the cross-cultural and
interdisciplinary aspects of the discipline.
01:195:201 Literature
across Borders (3)
01:195:203
Masterworks of Western Literature (3)
01:195:301
Introduction to Literary Theory (3)
01:195:497 Capstone
Seminar Workshop (1)
Comparative Literature Electives
Two courses (6 credits) to be chosen, in consultation with
the adviser, from the following list of approved courses:
01:195:280 Textual
Transformations (3)
01:195:304 Fiction
and Ideology (3)
01:195:307
Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures and Theories (3)
01:195:310 Literary
Institutions (3)
01:195:312 Literature
and Psychoanalytical Theory (3)
01:195:316 Politics,
Literature, and the Arts (3)
01:195:350 Theory of
Narrative (3)
01:195:387 Hybrid
Western Modernity in Literature and the Arts (3)
01:195:395,396,397,398
Issues in Comparative Literature (3,3,3,3)
01:195:419 History of
Criticism (3)
01:195:420 History of
Criticism (3)
01:195:495,496 Honors
in Comparative Literature (3,3)
OR one other comparative literature course at the 300 level
or above
Other Electives
Three courses (9 credits) on critical/cultural theory and/or
philosophy, to be chosen from an ongoing list of approved courses drawn from
language/literature/culture departments as well as departments such as
philosophy and women's and gender studies. With permission of the adviser, up
to one course can be replaced by an advanced literature course (300 level or
above) from outside of the comparative literature program.
Three courses (9 credits) on cultural forms other than
literature, to be chosen from an ongoing list of approved courses drawn from
language/literature/culture departments and other departments
Foreign Language/Literature Requirement
All students who chose the CTP option are required to take,
in addition to the 34 credits required for the major, two semesters of a
foreign language course (at least 6 credits) or two foreign literature (broadly
defined) courses (6 credits) not in translation. Prospective majors who plan to
opt for CTP are strongly advised to begin the study of a foreign language as
early as possible in their academic careers and are strongly urged to continue
the study of at least one foreign language throughout their four years of work.
4. Option in Advanced
Studies in Comparative Literature
The advanced studies in comparative literature option
requires at least 52 credits. It is designed for students who want to achieve a
wide knowledge of world literatures and cultural theories. This option is
particularly recommended for students who seek preparation for a graduate
program in literature and cultural studies.
Core courses (13 credits)
Five courses constitute the foundation of the option in advanced studies in comparative literature. In them, students learn the
fundamentals of comparative methodologies, and engage in sophisticated analyses
of literary production in multiple cultures.
01:195:201 Literature
across Borders (3)
01:195:203
Masterworks of Western Literature (3)
01:195:301
Introduction to Literary Theory (3)
01:195:307
Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures and Theories (3)
01:195:497 Capstone Seminar
Workshop (1)
Foreign Languages and Literature Requirement (at least 18
credits)
All students who are eligible for and choose this option
must take:
A. Four literature courses (12 credits) from the same
department/literary tradition. At least two of these courses must be taught in
the original language.
B. Two semesters (or at least 6 credits) of either (1) a
classical language; or (2) a non-European language. In case a student chooses a
classical or non-European language for the primary language/literature (in A
above), he or she may choose two semesters of any other language to fulfill
this requirement.
Major Focus (15 credits)
Students are required to select an area of concentration
(such as gender, region, period, genre, theme, theoretical approach, etc.) and,
in consultation with the undergraduate director, a group of at least five
semester courses (15 credits), including two comparative literature courses at
the 300 level or above, in this area (i.e., up to three courses may be chosen
from other departments in the humanities or social sciences).
Senior Thesis (6 credits)
Students are required to write a final thesis related to the
area of concentration and enroll in 01:195:495,496 Honors in Comparative Literature (3,3).
