Comparative Literature - Undergraduate
Program Chair: Yuliya Komska
M.A. Director: James Dorsey
Professors J. Aguado (Spanish and Portuguese),R. E. Biron (Spanish and Portuguese), A. Coly (African and African American Studies), T. El-Ariss (Middle Eastern Studies), G. Gemünden (German), A. Gomez (Spanish and Portuguese), I. Kacandes (German), L. D. Kritzman (French and Italian), D. P. LaGuardia (French and Italian), M. Otter (English), G. Parati (French and Italian), L. Patyk (Russ), R. Risham (Film), S. Spitta (Spanish and Portuguese), M. R. Warren (Comparative Literature), D. Washburn (Asian Societies, Cultures and Languages, Film and Media Studies); Associate Professors N. Canepa (French and Italian), J. Dorsey (Asian Societies, Cultures and Languages), Y. Elhariry (French and Italian), V. Fuechtner (German), A. Martín (Spanish and Portuguese), K. Mladek (German), A. Morse (RUSS), M. Otter (English), I. Reyes (Spanish and Portuguese), S. Sanders (French), A. Tarnowski (French and Italian), J. Smolin (Middle Eastern Studies), Lecturers: E. Kane, L. Kolomiyets, K. Milich, M. Wyatt; Emeritus: L. Higgins, J. Kopper, R. Verona, Post Doc: L. Chapot, Y. Wu.
*Courses in Comparative Literature are designed to meet the needs of students whose literary interests are broader than those that can be met by the curriculum of any single department.
To view Comparative Literature Undergraduate courses, click here.
To view Comparative Literature Graduate requirements, click here.
To view Comparative Literature Graduate courses, click here.
Requirements for the Major in Comparative Literature
The major seeks to provide an opportunity for selective and varied study of two or more literatures in their relation to each other, or for the study of a foreign literature in its relationship to an extraliterary discipline, such as film, music, or history (see the three options below). Each student’s major plan is designed individually around a particular focus of interest. Students planning to major in Comparative Literature will normally enroll in an Honors Program, which entails writing a thesis (60 to 80 pages) during their senior year in COLT 85 and COLT 87. Students not writing a thesis will write a senior essay in COLT 85.
The major is administered by the Comparative Literature Steering Committee. Students design their major plan in consultation with an advisor and the Chair, and must fill out an application form, available on the COLT website, describing their major, as well as the online declaration on DartWorks. All applications to the major must be approved by the Steering Committee. Major cards can be signed only by the Chair. Students interested in becoming majors should consult the Chair well in advance of their intended declaration of a major.
Prerequisite for the major: any from among the COLT 10's.
Required courses: any from among the COLT 72's, COLT 85, and, for honors majors writing a thesis only, COLT 87.
COLT 85 (Senior Seminar) is required to fulfill the culminating experience requirement for students who do not meet the honor requirements, and COLT 85 and COLT 87 (Thesis Tutorial) for students meeting honors requirements.
Major Requirements:
Students have two options for structuring their major:
A. Comparative study of literature and culture in two languages. This typically includes 2-4 Comparative Literature courses above COLT 10, fluency in one language (3-4 upper level course, normally not English), and competence in a second language (1-2 upper level courses).
B. Comparative study of literature and culture in one language (normally not English) and one other non-literary discipline (e.g. music, film, art, history, geography, physics, etc). This typically includes 2-4 Comparative Literature courses above COLT 10, fluency in one language (3-4 upper level courses), and substantive preparation in a non-literary discipline (3-4 upper level courses).
Requirements for the Minor in Translation
Translation Studies combines the practice of transferring texts from one language to another with theories of meaning and comparison. Translation is central to many literary traditions as well as to daily communications in a globalized world. Students in the Translation Studies Minor examine translation from multiple perspectives, providing them with practical skills applicable to many working environments. Students also gain broader analytic insights into language, culture, and literary genres. The Translation Studies Minor offers all students who study at least one language in addition to English the training to engage pragmatically and creatively with multilingual environments.
The Minor in Translation consists of six courses:
Prerequisite course: COLT 1 or COLT 10
Three courses focused on translation: COLT 19 and two others in COLT or other departments as approved
Two upper-level courses in one language (other than English)
Coursework in this Minor may not duplicate work counted towards other majors or minors. Only grades of 'B' and above may count toward the minor.