About

The Undergraduate Minor in Comparative Literature

The Program in Comparative Literature approaches the study of literature from a variety of viewpoints rather than from the viewpoint of a single language or nation. Courses in literary history, practical criticism, and critical theory stress the relationship between literature and other disciplines in the humanities, the arts, and the social sciences. The program offers both the doctoral and the masters degree and sponsors courses on both the graduate and the undergraduate level. All comparative literature courses are conducted in English.

To introduce undergraduates to the field of study, the Comparative Literature faculty has designed a cluster of courses in critical thinking and world literature.  These courses concentrate on writing and thinking critically, with a focus on literary texts drawn from around the world, in the context of an interdisciplinary and international program. The twelve-hour cluster complements many majors in liberal arts; with the approval of the student's major department, it may be used to fulfill the minor requirement. Undergraduate comparative literature courses include:

CL 301 (Reading and interpretation of literary texts in translation drawn from cultures from around the world, focusing on methods of criticism and analysis)

CL 315 (Introduction to masterpieces of the world literary tradition, emphasizing historical, generic, thematic connections)

Any two CL323 (Study of masterpieces of world literature; of different literary genres; of the relationship between literature and other disciplines, such as psychology, philosophy, and film)

More information is available from the Comparative Literature Program.