2011-2012 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2011-2012 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Comparative Literature Major


Overview


Undergraduate Program


Comparative literature is a wide-ranging, multicultural program of studies in poetry, prose, drama, film and related arts. Housed in the Foreign Languages and Literatures Department, the program is by nature interdisciplinary and has strong ties with other departments in the University. In addition to the courses offered by the department in comparative literature and literatures in foreign languages, the student is encouraged to take courses in English, history, philosophy, and visual and performing arts. One of the special aspects of the program is the emphasis on developing a practical and critical approach to texts. This may take the form of play production, seminars in translation of lyric poetry and drama, and supervised work in contemporary critical theory (i.e., relations between text and performance, spectator positioning and reader response).

Affiliate Faculty


Ya-chen Chen, Ph.D.

Courses


Program Requirements


The MAJOR in Comparative Literature consists of:


1.


Two courses in a foreign language at the intermediate level or above, or its equivalent as determined by the major’s advisor.

2.


Demonstration of a reading knowledge of a foreign language, as determined either by completion of a literature course in a foreign language above the intermediate level or approval the major advisor.

3.


Eight courses in literature, film or related arts selected in consultation with a department adviser from the offerings in several departments and programs including Foreign Languages, English, Art History, Screen Studies, and Theater Arts. These eight courses must include: (a) one foundation course in comparative literature, such as “Shock of the New” or “Journeys” (b) CMLT 130 - The National Imagination  and (c) a senior directed study project (capstone).

Note:


Literature courses presented to demonstrate reading knowledge of a foreign language may be counted in this group of eight courses. No more than one foreign language course above the intermediate level taken to fulfill requirement 1 may be double-counted for fulfillment of requirement 3.