Taper Hall of Humanities 234
(213) 740-0102
FAX: (213) 740-8058
E-mail: complit@bcf.usc.eduChair: Peter Starr, Ph.D.
Faculty
Professors: Dagmar Barnouw, Ph.D. (German); Dominic C.N. Cheung, Ph.D. (East Asian Languages and Cultures); Jerold Frakes, Ph.D. (German); Peggy Kamuf, Ph.D. (French)*; Lucille Kerr, Ph.D. (Spanish)*; Moshe Lazar, Ph.D.; Gloria Orenstein, Ph.D.; Albert Sonnenfeld, Ph.D. (French)*
Associate Professors: Vincent Farenga, Ph.D. (Classics); Karen Elyse Pinkus, Ph.D. (French and Italian); Peter Starr, Ph.D. (French); Daniel Tiffany, Ph.D. (English)
Assistant Professor: Roberto Ignazio Diaz, Ph.D. (Spanish); Jennifer Presto, Ph.D. (Slavic Languages and Literatures)
Emeritus Professor: David Malone, Ph.D.
Associated Faculty
Professors: Joseph Boone, Ph.D. (English); Arnold Heidsieck, Ph.D. (German); Amy Richlin, Ph.D. (Classics, Gender Studies); David St. John, M.F.A. (English); William G. Thalmann, Ph.D. (Classics); Alexander Zholkovsky, Ph.D. (Slavic Languages and Literatures)
Associate Professors: Marcus Levitt, Ph.D. (Slavic Languages and Literatures); Margaret Rosenthal, Ph.D. (Italian); Hilary Schor, Ph.D. (English)
Assistant Professor: Heather James, Ph.D. (English)
Degree Programs
The Comparative Literature Department offers the B.A.,minor, M.A. and Ph.D. in cross-linguistic andcross-cultural literary studies, including the study ofvarious literary genres, periods and movements; literary theory; and interdisciplinary approaches to literature. Theliteratures and cultures represented in the department fallwithin three primary traditions: Western (European andAmerican), East Asian, and Pan-African.
Undergraduate Degrees
Comparative Literature Major Requirements
Students may earn the B.A. in Comparative Literature bysatisfying one of two sets of requirements. The first set,Comparative Literature with Interdisciplinary Option, isdesigned to include some course work from other literaturedepartments and from other disciplines related to literarystudy (e.g., the arts, cinema, gender studies, history,religion, philosophy).
These requirements provide the opportunity to create amajor program that is broadly based in the liberal arts,with special emphasis on literature and its interrelationswith other fields. Students who choose to complete theserequirements might consider completing a double major orminor in a non-literary field or in English. Conversely,the minor in Comparative Literature with InterdisciplinaryOption will complement the programs of students majoring innon-literary fields or in English.
The second set of requirements, Comparative Literature withForeign Language Emphasis, incorporates the study of atleast one literature in a foreign language into thecomparative and interdisciplinary perspectives of coursesin the Comparative Literature Department.
Students who intend to pursue graduate studies incomparative literature or a foreign literature are stronglyadvised to complete these requirements, as are students whoalready possess advanced skills in a language other thanEnglish. Majors in comparative literature with foreignlanguage emphasis might consider a double major or a minorin a department of foreign language or in a non-literaryfield such as international relations or journalism.Conversely, the minor in comparative literature withforeign language emphasis will complement the programs ofstudents majoring in a foreign language or in thesenon-literary fields.
Comparative Literature Major with Interdisciplinary Option
Students earn a B.A. in Comparative Literature and arerequired to complete at least 40 units (10 courses).
Lower Division No courses are required, but up to twocourses at the 200-level in COLT or any other literaturedepartment may be included, except courses marked "x."
Upper Division Eight to 10 courses, depending on theinclusion of 200-level courses from COLT or otherliterature departments (see Lower Division) are required.
(a) At least six courses must be in COLT, including COLT301 and 401.
(b) Up to two courses (eight units) may be completed inother literature departments, or in fields related toliterature through inter-disciplinary approaches (e.g.,history and theory of the arts, cinema, gender studies,history, religion, philosophy). All courses outside COLTmust be selected in consultation with a departmentaladvisor.
Comparative Literature Major with Foreign Language Emphasis
Students earn a B.A. in Comparative Literature and arerequired to complete 40 units (10 courses).
Lower Division No courses are required, but up to twocourses at the 200-level in COLT or any other literaturedepartment may be included, except courses marked "x."
Upper DivisionEight to 10 courses, depending on inclusionof 200-level courses from COLT or other literaturedepartments (see Lower Division) are required.
(a) At least five courses must be in COLT, including COLT301 and 401.
(b) At least three courses must be completed in theliterature of a foreign language, with all readings in thatlanguage.
Honors Program
The B.A. in Comparative Literature with Honors is availableto students who are admitted to the honors program.Qualifications for admission are: an overall GPA of atleast 3.0 (A = 4.0), and a GPA of at least 3.5 in courses counted for major credit.
Majors in Comparative Literature with InterdisciplinaryOption must complete a four-unit course of independentstudy (COLT 490x) and COLT 495 Senior Honors Thesis inplace of two upper division courses. In place of two upperdivision courses, majors in comparative literature withforeign language emphasis must complete an upper divisioncourse in the literature of a second language other thanEnglish and COLT 495 Senior Honors Thesis.
Minor in Comparative Literature
Students may minor in either comparative literature withinterdisciplinary option or in comparative literature withforeign language emphasis. This first minor will complementa major in English or in a non-literary field related toliterature through interdisciplinary approaches. The secondminor will complement a major in a foreign language or in anon-literary field where foreign language skills areadvantageous (e.g., international relations, journalism).
Minor in Comparative Literature with Interdisciplinary Option
Twenty-four units (six courses) are required.
Lower Division No units are required, but one course at the200-level may be included from COLT or any other literaturedepartment, except a course marked "x."
Upper DivisionFive to six courses, depending on inclusionof a 200-level course (see Lower Division), are required.
(a) At least three courses must be completed in COLT,including COLT 301 and 401.
(b) Up to two courses may be completed in other literaturedepartments, or in fields related to literature throughinterdisciplinary approaches (e.g., history and theory ofthe arts, cinema, gender studies, history, religion,philosophy). All courses outside COLT must be chosen inconsultation with a departmental advisor.
Minor in Comparative Literature with Foreign Language Emphasis
Twenty-four units (six courses) are required.
Lower Division No courses are required, but one course atthe 200-level may be included from COLT or any literaturedepartment, except a course marked "x."
Upper DivisionFive to six courses, depending on inclusionof 200-level courses (see Lower Division), are required.
(a) At least four courses must be in COLT, including COLT301 and COLT 401.
(b) At least one course must be in the literature of aforeign language, with all readings in that language.
Graduate Degrees
The primary goal of graduate study in comparativeliterature is to prepare students to engage in originalliterary research and teaching after acquiring: (1) abroadly based knowledge of literature's formal or genericdevelopment extending across linguistic boundaries; (2) anunderstanding of literature's historical development withina number of specific cultural or ideological contexts; and(3) an appreciation of the principles of literary criticismand theory essential to the sophisticated analysis,interpretation and evaluation of individual works.Traditionally, the discipline of comparative literature hasinsisted on advanced linguistic skills in several languagesto insure that research is conducted in the originallanguages.
Graduate students follow personal programs which combinethe study of a major literary tradition in one languagewith one or more comparative fields consisting of a secondliterary tradition; a specific genre, period, culturalcontext for literary study, tradition or school of literarytheory; or an interdisciplinary area. The program has strongfaculty resources in the major literary genres and periodsof the Western tradition, in selected genres and culturalissues within the East Asian tradition, and in a variety ofmethodological approaches within contemporary literarycriticism and theory. Literature and gender studies is aparticularly strong area of interdisciplinary work.
Admission Requirements
Requirements for admission to graduate study in comparative literature include: a B.A. inliterature or the equivalent; scores satisfactory to theprogram in both the verbal and quantitative General Test ofthe Graduate Record Examinations; grades satisfactory to theprogram from course work completed at other institutions; awritten statement of at least 500 words indicating theapplicant's interests in graduate study in comparativeliterature; at least one sample of scholarly or criticalwriting on a literary work or subject; three letters ofrecommendation from former instructors; and, forinternational applicants, a satisfactory score on the TOEFLexamination. In addition, M.A. applicants should have theability to do advanced course work (400-level or higher) inat least one language other than English, and Ph.D.applicants in two. All applicants must be fluent in Englishbefore being admitted to the program.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
Master of Arts in Comparative Literature
Course Requirements
The master's degree may be earned under one of two options.Common to both options is the completion of at least eightcourses (29-32 units) distributed as follows: (1) three courses inone major literary tradition, which is understood to be anational literature (e.g., Russian or Japanese); severalliteratures of one language (e.g., Francophone literaturesof Europe, Africa and the Americas; peninsular and LatinAmerican literatures in Spanish); or a bilingual traditionlike classics (Greek and Latin); (2) at least two coursesin a minor field, which is understood to be a secondliterary tradition, a major literary genre, period, ormovement, literary theory, a comparative cultural contextfor literary study (e.g., East-West literary relations), oran interdisciplinary area (e.g., literature and genderstudies); and (3) three additional courses in comparative literature, including COLT 502 and two other COLT coursesrelated to the student's major literary tradition or minorfield. No more than one of the required eight courses maybe in directed research (590). COLT 502 must be completedby the end of each student's second semester in the program.
Students may transfer up to four units toward the M.A. and30 units toward the Ph.D. There is no time limit on thevalidity of credits applied toward either degree.
Examination
Option 1 (for students who do not wish to advance to Ph.D.study): A written examination on the student's majorliterary tradition, normally to be taken at the end of thesemester in which course work is completed and afterlanguage requirements have been met. For this examinationthe student will prepare, in consultation with the COLTgraduate advisor, an individual reading list based on COLTreading lists.
Option 2 (for students who wish to qualify for advancement to Ph.D. study): The same examination will serve as the Ph.D. ScreeningProcedure, to be taken at the end of the semester in whicheight courses are completed (for students entering with aB.A.) or at the end of the second full semester (forstudents entering with an M.A.).
Foreign Language Requirement
Foreign language requirements for the master's degree maybe met under one of two options, depending on whether thestudent wishes to qualify for advancement to Ph.D. study.All M.A. candidates, however, must possess superiorlanguage skills in English, which is normally the languageof instruction, examination and scholarly writing in theComparative Literature Department.
Option 1 (for students who do not wish to qualify foradvancement to Ph.D. study): The successful completion ofat least two advanced courses (400-level or higher) in theoriginal language of a literary tradition other than theAnglophone.
Option 2 (for students who wish to qualify for advancementto Ph.D. study): The successful completion of at leastthree advanced courses (400-level or higher) in theoriginal languages of two literary traditions other thanthe Anglophone. Alternatively, students may combine thesuccessful completion of two such courses in one literarytradition with an examination administered by theComparative Literature Department demonstrating alinguistic ability and literary knowledge equivalent to anadvanced course in the other literary tradition.
Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature
Course Requirements
A minimum of 15 courses or 60 units. The courses are to bedistributed as follows: (1) at least six courses in the student's major literarytradition, which is understood to be a national literature (e.g., Russian or Japanese);several literatures of one language (e.g., Francophoneliteratures of Europe, Africa, and the Americas; peninsularand Latin American literatures in Spanish); or a bilingualtradition like Classics (Greek and Latin); (2) at least twocourses in a second literary tradition; (3) at least sixcourses in comparative literature or comparative fieldsrelating to the student's program, including COLT 502.Normally, students will also take an additional course in athird literary tradition, as outlined below under "ForeignLanguage Requirements." No more than three of the required15 courses may be in directed research (590 or 790). COLT502 must be completed by the end of each student's secondsemester in the program.
Foreign Language Requirements
All students must successfully complete their required advanced course work (400-level or higher)in three languages, one of which may be English. This willnormally be accomplished by completing all courses in themajor and second literary traditions in the originallanguages, and by successfully completing at least oneadvanced course in a third literary tradition. In rarecircumstances, an examination administered by theComparative Literature Department demonstrating alinguistic skill and literary knowledge equivalent to anadvanced course (400-level or higher) may be substitutedfor the third language. Where Anglophone literatureconstitutes a student's major literary tradition, advancedcourse work in two other literary traditions is requiredwithout the option of examination in the third language. Insome cases the COLT Graduate Studies Committee may requirespecial preparation in languages essential to the student'sprogram (e.g., Latin or Greek for specialization in theRenaissance).
Screening Procedure
To be permitted to work toward the Ph.D. in comparativeliterature, a student must pass the examination underOption 2 for the master's degree. Students entering theprogram with an M.A. from another institution must passthis examination at the end of their second semester in theprogram. The COLT Graduate Studies Subcommittee periodicallyreviews the progress of all students in the program and mayrecommend that a student not be allowed to continue ifexaminations, grades, or other forms of evaluation indicateinadequate performance.
Comparative Field Examination
The purpose of the comparative field exam is to demonstratethe breadth of the student's comparative expertise. Thus theprincipal texts under analysis in the comparative field mustnot belong to that major literary tradition on which thestudent was tested in the screening procedure; nor shouldthey be in any way central to the thesis he or she proposesto write.
At the time of the screening procedure, the student willdesignate a three-member comparative field exam committee,normally chaired by that member of the COLT faculty withwhom the student intends to write the thesis. Thiscommittee is responsible for helping the student preparefor the comparative field exam, as well as for assuring itsintegrity as a comparative exercise.
The centerpiece of the field exam is a 30-40 page paperwith bibliography. Typically, this paper will grow out ofwork the student has done for one or more graduateseminars. It can be literary and/or theoretical in nature,but must draw principally on work in one or both of thestudent's secondary languages. The oral portion of thefield exam involves discussion of the submitted paper andof the student's evolving research plans.
Guidance Committee
Upon successful completion of the comprehensive field exam,students will form a five-member guidance committee inaccordance with Graduate School guidelines. The chair andtwo other members of this committee must be COLT faculty; at least one member must come fromoutside the Comparative Literature Department. Thecommittee will help the student form reading lists for thequalifying exam and write the dissertation prospectus. Itsrecommendations will be subject to the approval of the COLTGraduate Studies Committee.
Qualifying Examination
When all required courses or units, all languagerequirements and the Comparative Field Examination havebeen completed, the student must pass an examination on thearea of his or her proposed dissertation topic. Theexamination will consist of a five-hour writtenexamination, an oral examination on the written part anddiscussion of a written proposal for the dissertation whichthe student has submitted prior to the written examination.The proposal should follow the form prescribed by theGraduate Studies Subcommittee. Each student will prepare,in consultation with his or her guidance committee, areading list on the area of the proposed topic.
Dissertation
During the oral part of the Qualifying Examination, thestudent will receive advice and instruction from theguidance committee on the proposal for the dissertation.Following successful completion of the QualifyingExamination, any necessary revisions must be made in consultation with the student's dissertationcommittee.
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