FAQ’s about the Comparative Literature Minor

 

Q:  What will I get from this minor?

 

The minor in Comparative Literature offers students a unique opportunity to study literature across cultural and linguistic boundaries.  The discipline of comparative literature traditionally focuses on literary phenomena that traverse national and linguistic frontiers, such as broad literary periods or trends, genres and stylistic conventions, reception, literary influence, theories of literature and aesthetics, and intertextuality.  Through the systematic comparison of literary works from more than one culture or era, students of comparative literature come to a clearer understanding of what literature is – its forms and traditions – as well as its relation to adjacent fields such as art, history, language, and philosophy.

 

Q:  I have some friends who are computer science majors, but they love literature.  Is this minor just for English and Modern Language majors?

 

This minor is for anyone who is interested in the study of culture, language, and literature.

 

Q:  What would I have to take to get a Comparative Literature minor?

 

1. FRE 240, ITL 240, SPA 241, GRE 201, LAT 201, or the equivalent in another language,
2. CMP 493/Capstone Independent Research in Comparative Literature, and
3. three other courses, which form an intellectually coherent program of study focused on the literature of at least two distinct cultures, chosen in consultation with a faculty member in Comparative Literature. At least two of these courses must be 300- or 400-level courses.

 

Q:  What about an Interdisciplinary Concentration in Comparative Literature?

 

As part of the Liberal Learning program, an Interdisciplinary Concentration in Comparative Literary Studies should be available soon.  The Concentration will satisfy the breadth requirements in the domains of Humanities & Arts and Social Sciences & History.  The Concentration will not satisfy the breadth requirement in Natural Science & Quantitative Reasoning (although students can satisfy this requirement by taking one lab science course and one math course in addition to the Concentration).  The Concentration consists of six courses, including courses in the language, literature, history, politics, and society of two cultures.  Students who complete the Concentration may at the same time satisfy the requirements for a Comparative Literature minor and, if so, should declare the minor in order to receive credit for it on their transcript.  For more information about the Concentration, contact Prof. Glenn Steinberg, Dept. of English (gsteinbe@tcnj.edu) or check out the Comp Lit web page at http://complit.intrasun.tcnj.edu/.

 

Q:  What are some of the courses offered in Spring 2005 that could count for the Comparative Literature minor?