The Undergraduate Program in Comparative Literature

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE is an exciting interdisciplinary program that allows you to study literature as it shapes and is shaped by the world of science, economics, politics, sexuality, and other cultural and historical forces. It is a major that should be attractive to students with a wide ranging interest in literature, theory, and cultural studies, and who also wish to read literature in the original language as well as in translation.

Our program draws upon faculty from a wide range of disciplines and offers a great deal of personal, individualized guidance in the construction of your major and throughout your years with us. We also have a strong and enthusiastic group of graduate students with diverse interests and language abilities, who are eager to help you with your work through the mentorship program.

Students who graduate with a major in Comparative Literature may go on to study literature in graduate school, or, because of their training in research, critical thinking, and writing, are also prepared for law school and other professional schools.

Career Opportunities for Majors in Comparative Literature

Comparative Literature Learning Goals:

Students who major in Comparative Literature will demonstrate familiarity with a variety of world literatures as well as methods of studying literature and culture across national and linguistic boundaries and evaluate the nature, function and value of literature from a global perspective. They will demonstrate critical reasoning and research skills; design and conduct research in an individual field of concentration (such as literary or critical theory, women's literature, postcolonial studies, literature and film, etc); analyze a specific body of research and write a clear and well developed paper or project about a topic related to more than one literary and cultural tradition. They will demonstrate competency in one foreign language and at least a basic knowledge of the literature written in that language.