What will I learn?
The major in comparative literature is aimed at students with broad interdisciplinary interests, a desire to explore new fields and forms of experimental thinking, and diverse language backgrounds (including mother tongue or second languages that are engaged in a comparative way). We offer many seminar-format courses with intensive faculty interaction and discussion. Our faculty specializations cover European, Anglo-American, African-American, African, Slavic, Latin American, Caribbean, Chinese, South Asian, and Middle Eastern literatures. Departmental courses immerse students in ancient, early modern, and modern global literatures, often with an emphasis on Continental philosophy and literary and critical theory more generally.Students are given flexibility in the design of the major (which has two tracks, one in literature and one in literary and cultural studies) and can integrate into their course of study coursework in anthropology, philosophy, psychoanalysis, gender and race studies, history, political theory, religion, art, music, and film and media studies, among other fields. Qualified students are encouraged to take part in the department's honors program, which culminates in the writing of a senior honors thesis under the supervision of a faculty member. A minor in comparative literature is available for students majoring in a different discipline or field. We also strongly encourage prospective double majors who may seek to combine this humanities major with another specialty.The department offers its majors and minors elective credit for internships in publishing, at literary agencies, and at other professional offices. Please consult the internship section of our website and contact the director of undergraduate studies for more information.
