Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture

Return to: Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences  

Taper Hall of Humanities 161
(213) 740-0102
FAX: (213) 740-8058
Email: cslc@dornsife.usc.edu
Director: Peggy Kamuf, PhD

Degree Programs

The Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture Department offers the MA and PhD in three tracks: Comparative Media and Culture; Comparative Literature; and National Literatures and Cultures (French and Francophone Studies or Spanish and Latin American Studies).

Graduate Degrees

Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture Doctoral Program

Application deadline: December 1

Through the comparative studies in literature and culture doctoral program (CSLC), students pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in one of three tracks: comparative media and culture; comparative literature; national literatures and cultures (French and Francophone Studies or Spanish and Latin American Studies). The three tracks share a required core curriculum.

General Admission and Application Requirements

Applications are made to CSLC for the PhD in one of the three tracks.

Successful applicants will have: a BA in a relevant discipline; satisfactory scores in both the verbal and quantitative general test of the Graduate Record Examinations; satisfactory grades on undergraduate or previous MA course work and, if appropriate, a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or IELTS examination; and advanced competence in relevant languages. Applications must also include a written statement indicating the applicant’s interests in the field and proposed areas of study; a sample of scholarly or critical writing on a relevant subject; and three letters of recommendation.

Although candidates are not admitted who wish to pursue solely the MA, the degree may be awarded either as a terminal degree or as a transitional degree in the course of PhD study.

General 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. To be applied toward the degrees, courses must be accepted by the Graduate School.

Students may transfer up to 4 units toward the MA and 30 units toward the PhD

For specific degree requirements in each track, see below.

Certificate in Foreign Language Teaching

This credential provides certification in the theory and practice of second or foreign language teaching for student language teachers concurrently enrolled in graduate degree programs in foreign languages or related graduate programs at USC; for graduates of such programs who are teaching languages; for external candidates concurrently enrolled in similar programs at accredited colleges or universities; or for graduates of such programs who are teaching languages. The certificate is meant to supplement graduate study in the literature or linguistics of foreign languages. It is also meant to supplement classroom teaching. Refer to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese  for course work requirements.

Programs

Master’s Degree

• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (Comparative Literature) (MA)
• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (Comparative Media and Culture) (MA)
• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (French and Francophone Studies) (MA)
• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (Spanish and Latin American Studies) (MA)

Doctoral Degree

• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (Comparative Literature) (PhD)
• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (Comparative Media and Culture) (PhD)
• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (French and Francophone Studies) (PhD)
• •  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (Spanish and Latin American Studies) (PhD)

Courses

Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture

• •  CSLC 501 Introduction to Comparative Media Studies
• •  CSLC 502 Introduction to Literary Theory
• •  CSLC 503 Introduction to Comparative Studies in Culture
• •  CSLC 525 Studies in Literary and Cultural History
• •  CSLC 545 Studies in Literature and the Other Arts
• •  CSLC 555 Studies in Literatures of the Americas
• •  CSLC 565 Studies in Literatures of Asia
• •  CSLC 590 Directed Research
• •  CSLC 600 Professional Development I: Publication
• •  CSLC 601 Seminar in Comparative Media Studies
• •  CSLC 602 Seminar in Literary Theory
• •  CSLC 603 Seminar in Comparative Studies in Culture
• •  CSLC 620 Seminar in Literature, Culture, and Thought
• •  CSLC 640 Seminar in Film and Visual Studies
• •  CSLC 700 Professional Development II: Applying for Positions
• •  CSLC 790 Research
• •  CSLC 794a Doctoral Dissertation
• •  CSLC 794b Doctoral Dissertation
• •  CSLC 794c Doctoral Dissertation
• •  CSLC 794d Doctoral Dissertation
• •  CSLC 794z Doctoral Dissertation