Comparative & World Literature: Comparative Literature, BALAS
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Comparative & World Literature, Comparative Literature Concentration
The Major in Comparative & World Literature, Comparative Literature Concentration provides an engagement with two or more literary and cultural traditions, studied in historical depth, in their original languages (6 hours of advanced foreign language required).
Study abroad and work across cultures and disciplines is strongly encouraged. The distribution of course work allows for considerable flexibility. The concentration in Comparative Literature can be easily combined with a major or minor in any national literature, classics, global studies, area studies, ethnic studies, gender and women’s studies, or majors and minors in anthropology, art history, cinema and media studies, history, music, philosophy, world religion, the visual arts, or with a certificate in translation studies.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Comparative & World Literature, Comparative Literature Concentration
A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60 - 75 hours). Please see your adviser.
Departmental distinction: To be eligible for distinction, a student must have at least a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average and a 3.75 grade-point average in departmental courses, complete a senior thesis (CWL 493), and receive the approval of the departmental honors committee. The departmental honors committee will determine the level of distinction to be awarded.
Comparative Literature Concentration Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.
Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: normally equates to 39 hours with at least 18 hours of Comparative Literature courses. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
fulfilled by CWL 202 and any other course approved as Humanities & the Arts | ||
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
fulfilled by CWL 202 | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-10 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required) | 0-20 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Language: A minimum of 6 hours of advanced language at the 200-400 level (may be satisfied with a proficiency exam) | 6 | |
| CWL 202 | Literature and Ideas | 3 |
| Five core CWL courses chosen from broadly comparative courses, from the following: | 15 | |
| At least two courses must be at the 300- 400-level. At least one course must be in a period prior to 1800 and one course in a period since 1800. | ||
| Global Consciousness and Lit | ||
| Cross-Cultural Thematics | ||
| Literatures of the Islamic World | ||
| Modern Asian and African Literatures | ||
| Comparative Lit Studies | ||
| Early Masterpieces of Western Culture | ||
| Modern Masterpieces of Western Culture | ||
| Special Topics Comp Lit I | ||
| Themes in Narrative | ||
| Lit Genres and Forms | ||
| International Lit Relations | ||
| Special Topics in Comp Lit II | ||
| Major Literature Coursework- Three courses in a major literature, taught in the orignial language, at 200-400-level. No more than 2 courses at the 200-level. 1 | 9 | |
| Focus Area Coursework - At least two courses from one of the following focus areas, at 200-400 level. No more than 1 course at the 200-level: | 6 | |
Minor Literature: courses in a second national literature, taught in the original language. 2 | ||
Interdisciplinary: courses in another discipline, such as philosophy, cinema, art history, fine arts, music, religion, science, medical humanities, law, creative writing | ||
Cultural Studies: courses with a focus on race, gender, class, postcolonialism, environmental studies, or the like | ||
Area Studies: courses in a geographical area related to major literature (Africa, Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, East Asia, Eastern Europe, the European Union). | ||
| Minimum Required Hours: | 39 | |
- 1
Literature in the Original Language is defined by what is currently offered by the University (i.e. English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, etc.). Literatures generally taught in translation (including, but not limited to, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Persian, Polish, Russian, and Yiddish) may be chosen in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- 2
If one of the literatures studied is English, a student who continues in a graduate program in comparative literature will be required to acquire a reading knowledge of a second foreign language (i.e., one foreign language for the B.A., two foreign languages for the M.A., three foreign languages for the Ph.D.).
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Comparative & World Literature, Comparative Literature Concentration
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Free Elective course | 1 | CWL core course | 3 |
| CWL 202 | 3 | CWL core course prior to 1800 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| Language Other than English (3rd level) | 4 | Composition I or General Education course | 3 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 | Language Other than English (4th level) | 4 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours 31 | |||
| Second Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CWL core course since 1800 | 3 | CWL LIterature 200-400 level course | 3 |
| CWL Literature 200-400 level course | 3 | CWL Focus Area 200-400 level course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 30 | |||
| Third Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CWL core 300-400 level course | 3 | CWL core 300-400 level course | 3 |
| CWL Language 200-400 level course | 3 | CWL Language 200-400 level course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 30 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CWL Focus Area 300 - 400 level course | 3 | CWL Literature 300 - 400 level course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours 29 | |||
Total Hours: 120
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Comparative & World Literature, Comparative Literature Concentration
- Social Awareness and Cultural Understanding / Global Consciousness: CWL students will develop a comparative understanding of national literatures in the context of a globalizing world, and an ability to situate texts in their cultural and historical contexts.
- Measurable by: analysis of student work samples; degree progress and course completion; focus groups; course syllabus comparison.
- Intellectual Reasoning and Knowledge: CWL students will appreciate the aesthetic qualities of literary texts and develop an awareness of influential critical and interpretive methods.
- Measurable by: analysis of student work samples; degree progress and course completion; focus groups; course syllabus comparison.
- Intellectual Reasoning and Knowledge: CWL students will demonstrate a general understanding of the conventions of literary genres and of the major developments in literary history.
- Measurable by: analysis of student work samples; degree progress and course completion; focus groups; course syllabus comparison.
- Creative Inquiry and Discovery: Students will demonstrate ability to express oneself orally and in writing in a clear, coherent and persuasive manner, and to construct an interpretive argument.
- Measurable by: analysis of student work samples; focus groups.
- For Comparative Literature concentration only: Students will demonstrate mastery of at least two languages.
- Measurable by: participation in 200-400 level courses in the original language; degree progress and course completion.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Comparative & World Literature, Comparative Literature Concentration
Department of Comparative & World Literature
Comparative & World Literature faculty
Comparative & World Literature advising
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Overview of College Admissions & Requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences