Comparative Literature

• G411 Mason Hall
• 763-2351
• Professor Stuart Y. McDougal, Director

May be elected as an interdepartmental concentration program

• Professors Timothy Bahti (German and Film/Video), Ross Chambers (French), Gregory Lucente (Italian), Stuart McDougal (English and Film/Video)
• Associate Professors Alina Clej (French), Santiago Colás (Spanish), James Porter (Greek and Latin)
• Assistant Professors Catherine Brown (Romance Languages), Grant Farred (English), Aamir Mufti (English), Yopie Prins (English)

Comparative Literature is a discipline which examines literature across national, historical, and linguistic boundaries. Literary movements, periods, genres, criticism, and theory are studied from an international viewpoint as are the relationships between literature and the other arts (e.g., film, painting, music) and literature and such disciplines as psychology, philosophy, anthropology, and history.

• Undergraduate concentrators will establish individualized programs of study in close consultation with a faculty advisor. These programs will offer students the opportunity to increase skills in analytical reading and argumentative writing and to develop an understanding of the interrelationships among several literary traditions. Students who concentrate in comparative literature will acquire training in one or more second languages, study at least two literatures (one of which may be English) in the original languages, and acquaint themselves with some of the essential writings in the theory of literature. Students who choose to write a senior thesis will find it an opportunity for synthesis of earlier course work and further intellectual exploration.
  
  
• The concentration in Comparative Literature provides excellent preparation for professional studies in fields such as law, journalism, and business, as well as preparation for graduate work in the humanities.
  
  
• Prerequisites to Concentration. Foreign languages necessary for the study of foreign literature courses at the 300-level.
  
  
• Concentration Program. 33 credits minimum, according to the following plan:
  1. Comparative Literature 240 and 241. (6 credits)
  2. A complementary grouping of literature courses at the 300-level or above in a minimum of two languages, one of which may be English. At least 12 credits each, with the necessary foreign languages as prerequisites. Twelve of these credits may be undergraduate courses in Comparative Literature. The courses will be chosen in consultation with the undergraduate advisor in Comparative Literature. (24 credits)
  3. The senior seminar, Comparative Literature 495, and, for Honors concentrators, an Honors thesis during the last term. (3-6 credits)
     
     
• Honors Concentration. To be eligible for an Honors concentration in Comparative Literature, students should have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 and a 3.5 grade point average in courses counting toward the concentration. Students who elect an Honors degree will write an Honors thesis during the final year of their course work.
  
  
• Advising. Prospective concentrators should consult the Comparative Literature concentration advisor as early as possible about developing a challenging and unified interdepartmental program of study.

Courses in Comparative Literature (Division 354)

240. Introduction to Comparative Literature. (3). (HU).

241. Topics in Comparative Literature. Comp. Lit. 240 recommended. (3). (HU).

410. Major Authors. Junior standing. (3). (HU). May be elected for a total of six credits.

422. Literature and the Other Arts. Junior or senior standing. (3). (HU). May be elected for a total of 9 credits.

424. Literature and Other Disciplines. Upperclass standing and one course in literary studies. (3). (HU). May be elected for a total of nine credits.

430. Comparative Studies in Fiction. Upperclass standing. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of nine credits.

432. Comparative Studies in Non-Fictional Prose. Junior Standing. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of six credits.

434. Comparative Studies in Poetry. Junior standing. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of six credits.

436. Comparative Studies in Drama. Upperclass standing. (3; 2 in the half-term). (HU). May be repeated for a total of nine credits.

438. Comparative Studies in Film. Junior standing. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of six credits.

490. Comparative Cultural Studies. Junior standing. (3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of six credits.

492. Comparative Literary Theory. Junior standing. (3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of six credits.

495. Senior Seminar in Comparative Literature. Senior standing and concentration in Comp. Lit. (3). (Excl).

496. Honors Thesis. Comp. Lit. 495 and Honors concentration in Comp. Lit. (3). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT).

498. Directed Reading. Permission of instructor. (1-4). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT).