COMPARATIVE LITERATURE is concerned with the study of literary forms produced throughout the world. Acknowledging the cultural specificity of particular areas of literary studies, comparative literature crosses national boundaries and examines literary works in their interrelationship, addressing issues of theory, form and meaning from an intercultural and interdisciplinary perspective.
Thanks to its dedicated and diverse faculty, the Literary Studies Program at Fordham is able to accommodate students with widely divergent interests and background in their pursuit of a Comparative Literature major or minor.
Why major in Comparative Literature? A degree in Comparative Literature provides you with:
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Strong Language Skills - Use of at least one foreign language in reading, writing, critical analysis and comparative cultural perspectives.
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Writing Skills - In addition to practice writing essays and papers for courses, Comparative Literature majors have the experience of researching and writing a senior thesis under the mentorship of a faculty member.
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Critical Thinking Skills - The knowledge of literary and critical theory that has long been associated with European comparative literature and a working knowledge of contemporary philosophical and literary debates.
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Knowledge of Literature - A solid grounding in literary analysis, theory, and a working knowledge of world literature.
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Comparative Cultural Perspectives - Experience in the theoretical and practical issues of working across cultures, in the comparative study of different cultural traditions, in the critical understanding of cultural exchange and conflict.
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Interdisciplinary Perspectives - Exposure to the challenge of working with the tools of more than one discipline; a working knowledge of the changing nature of literature for a variety of disciplines.
► To major in Comparative Literature students need to complete ten courses distributed as follows:
1. COLU/CORU 3000 Theories of Comparative Literature (an introduction to theory and methods in comparative literary studies).
2. Eight elective courses including:
- At least three elective courses listed in the range of CORU/COLU 2500, 3000 and above.
- At least two courses offered by the departments of Modern Languages and Literatures or Classics, which will allow the students to demonstrate an ability to read and analyze texts written in a language other than English. These would normally be courses in the same language numbered 2500, 3000 and above.
- Up to three elective courses (3000 and above) chosen from among cross-listed courses from other literature majors or interdisciplinary courses appropriate to the student's program of study.
3. A senior seminar open to juniors with permission. This capstone course will vary in topic, have a seminar format, and a strong theoretical component.
4. The senior thesis, written under the direction of an advisor and a second reader. This thesis may be completed in a senior seminar or in a tutorial. Proposals must be approved at the start of the student's senior year.
*Elective courses are to be selected in consultation with the Comparative Literature major advisor*
**It is strongly recommended that the students who plan to pursue graduate work in Comparative Literature develop a reading knowledge in two languages other than English**
► To minor in Comparative Literature students need to complete six courses distributed as follows:
1. COLU/CORU 3000 Theories in Comparative Literature (an introduction to theory and methods in comparative literary studies).
2. Five elective courses (3000 and above) selected in consultation with the Comparative Literature major advisor.
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