Oct 05, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2024-2025 
    
USC Catalogue 2024-2025

Comparative Literature (BA)


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Students may earn the BA in Comparative Literature by satisfying the requirements for either of two tracks.

The Literature/Media/Critical Thought Track allows students to focus their study in one of three concentrations while also taking courses in the other two. Together, these three concentrations represent the broad range of interests in the discipline: (1) literature considered comparatively and transnationally; (2) the media of other arts and modes of communication (photography, film, music, painting and digital media); (3) modes of critical thought that inform and shape theoretical reflection on the arts and society.

This track offers the opportunity to pursue a major that is broadly based in the liberal arts. Students on this track might consider extending their concentration with a double major or minor. For example, the literature concentration could be extended with a second major or minor in a national literature (French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, English, classics or an East Asian literature); the media concentration by another major or minor in cinematic arts, art history or communication; and the critical thought concentration by a second major or minor in philosophy, religion, history, sociology or anthropology.

The Foreign Language Track incorporates the study of at least one literature in a foreign language into the comparative perspective of the comparative literature major.

Students who intend to pursue a graduate degree in either comparative literature or a foreign literature are strongly advised to choose this track, as are students who already possess advanced skills in a language other than English. Majors in comparative literature with foreign language emphasis might consider a double major or a minor in a department of foreign language or in a non-literary field such as international relations or journalism.

The requirements for both tracks of the major accommodate very well semesters of study abroad. Students are helped and encouraged to plan their programs in advance to allow for that experience.

Requirements for the Major


Literature/Media/Critical Thought Track


Students earn a BA in Comparative Literature and are required to complete at least 40 units (10 courses) as follows:

Requirements


(2)

At least four additional COLT courses in one of the three concentrations.

(3)

At least four additional COLT courses. No more than two of the 10 courses required for the major may be at the 100 or 200 level.

Foreign Language Track


Students earn a BA in Comparative Literature and are required to complete 40 units (10 courses) as follows:

Requirements


(2)

At least five additional COLT courses, of which no more than two may be at the 100 or 200 level.

(3)

At least three upper-division courses in the literature or culture of one or more foreign languages (other than English), with all readings in that language.

Honors Program


Students who satisfy the following requirements of the honors program receive the BA in Comparative Literature with Honors. To be admissible to the honors program, an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and at least 3.5 in courses counted for major credit is required. The decision to enter the Honors Program should be made and discussed with the departmental undergraduate adviser at least one year (two semesters) before graduation.

To be awarded honors, majors in comparative literature on the literature/media/ critical thought track must complete 4 units of COLT 490x Directed Research  and 4 units of COLT 495 Senior Honors Thesis . These courses replace two of the COLT courses required beyond the four-course concentration. Majors in comparative literature on the foreign language track must complete, in place of two of the five required COLT courses, an additional upper-division course in the literature or culture of a language other than English and COLT 495 Senior Honors Thesis .

The director of the senior honors thesis must be a member of the comparative literature faculty. The second reader may be any regular USC faculty. To qualify for the award of honors, the director and second reader must both approve the thesis.

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