Comparative Literature

Comparative Literature BA Learning Outcomes

The Comparative Literature major has the following learning outcomes:

• Ability to analyze literary texts
• Ability to situate literary texts in their aesthetic, historical, and cultural contexts
• Knowledge of different methods of analyzing literature
• Understanding of the importance of reading texts in their cultural context
• Ability to read literary texts in two languages
• Ability to write clearly-written, structured analytic essays

Required: (1) Two courses from the Comparative Literature 1, 2, or 4 series (with approval of the director of undergraduate studies, a comparable and appropriate lower-division course in another department may be substituted for one of the courses), (2) completion of the College Writing requirement, and (3) literary proficiency in at least one language other than English, to be demonstrated by admission into one upper-division literature course in the original language.

Transfer applicants to the Comparative Literature major with 90 or more units must complete as many of the following introductory courses as possible prior to admission to UCLA: one English composition course, two literature survey courses, at least one of which must be world literature, and the equivalent of at least one year of foreign language.

Refer to the UCLA transfer admission guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.

Required: Ten courses, of which (1) five must be from comparative literature offerings, including Comparative Literature 100 and at least four additional comparative literature courses selected from M101 through 197, (2) three upper-division literature courses using original language texts in the primary language area, and (3) two upper-division literature courses using original language texts in the secondary language area (students may petition the undergraduate adviser to take two upper-division literature courses in translation if their primary literature area is in a language other than English).

The honors program is open to Comparative Literature majors with a 3.5 departmental and a 3.25 overall grade-point average. Eligible interested students should contact the undergraduate adviser to enter the program.

Honors candidates must complete all requirements for the major and an honors research paper (in addition to regular course requirements) in two of the four required upper-division comparative literature courses. Candidates must also complete a fourth course in the primary literature area and Comparative Literature 198 with a core faculty member in which they write a senior honors paper of approximately 25 pages.