Department of Comparative Literature

Major in Comparative Literature

Introduction

The Comparative Literature Program studies literature and film as they transcend the confines of a national culture. It explores the relationships among different cultures and between literature, cinema and other fields of knowledge, both visual and verbal, such as art history, philosophy, religion, and political thought. Typical areas of inquiry include traditions and periods, genres, and motifs; patterns of influence and reception of works among national cultures; and the general principles of literary and cinematic theory and criticism.

Students who major in Comparative Literature select either the Literature Option or the Cinema Studies Option. See the Comparative Literature Undergraduate Advisor to declare the major.

Pre-requisites to declaring the major:

• Minimum 2.0 overall GPA
• Completion of either the English Composition requirement or a W-course
• Completion of one of C Lit 250, 251 or 252

Major requirements - 45 credits from the groups below):

• Three differently numbered courses from among C LIT 320, C LIT 321, C LIT 322, C LIT 323, C Lit 360, C LIT 361, C LIT 362 At least one must come from each series (15 credits)
• One 300-level cinema studies course (5 credits)
• C LIT 400 (5 credits)
• One additional course in Comparative Literature at the 300 or 400 level. (5 credits)
• One course in a literature other than the student's native literature, studied in the original language (3-5 credits). Minimum preparation for such a course is completion of two years of college language study (sometimes higher) in the foreign language.
• The remaining credits are to be earned normally in 300 and 400 level literature courses from among the offering of Comparative Literature and the following participating departments: Asian Languages and Literatures, Classics, English, Germanics, Near Eastern Languages and Civilization, Romance Languages and Literatures, Scandinavian Studies, and Slavic Languages and Literatures. They may be in the original language or in translation. (10-12 credits).
• One course taken in the program must focus primarily on literature written before 1800.

No course presented toward fulfillment of the 45-credit major requirements may be taken on a credit/no credit or satisfactory/non-satisfactory basis. There is no formal application procedure for declaring the Comparative Literature major; however, a minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in order to be admitted to the program. To declare the major, see the Comparative Literature staff undergraduate adviser.

*Note: Minimum foreign language prerequisite to meet this requirement: completion of the second year (often higher) of the foreign language. Students should consult the departmental adviser to determine the prerequisite language course for the foreign literature course, e.g. German 203 for German 311; French 302 for French 304.

Staff Undergraduate Adviser: Tamara Cooper B-534 Padelford (206)685-1642 tcoop@uw.edu