Comparative Literature and Culture
Introduction
The Comparative Literature and Culture (CLC) major integrates the study of diverse literary traditions with critical theory, film, and popular culture. Taught by faculty with a wide range of specializations including Asian, European and American literature, the CLC major is designed to whet the intellectual appetites of literature-loving students from various, international backgrounds. The CLC major is essentially interdisciplinary and offers students a flexible approach to understanding both historic and contemporary works. CLC courses analyze a vast array of classical and modern materials including classical Chinese poetry, Shakespearian drama, postcolonial novels, film noirs, Cold War culture, French poststructuralist theory, and the gender politics of K-pop.Download CLC Degree Requirements
Curriculum
The CLC major seeks to question cultural identity, cultural hybridity, national literatures, and contemporary media literacy. As such, the CLC major is designed to encompass the tools and methods of "Cultural Studies." We understand "literature" to include not only traditional forms such as the novel, poetry, or drama, but also to include texts of cultural theory, historical artifacts, film, media, and the arts.
Careers
As citizens in a globalizing, technology-driven world, students will take a range of courses, from traditional courses on literature and comparative theory to courses in film and media literacy. The CLC major will train students to recognize increasingly cosmopolitan means through which cultures meet, mingle, and achieve hybridity in our contemporary society. CLC should be an excellent springboard for those wishing to enter graduate school in the fields of literature, law, or medicine. Students may also engage in careers related to creative writing, the performing arts, mass media, and new business ventures that require creativity and innovation.
Faculty
Drawing on faculty from the Departments of Korean Language and Literature, Chinese Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, Russian Language and Literature, and other departments within the College of Liberal Arts, the CLC major emphasizes the study of comparative cultures.