World and Comparative Literature

College of Humanities
Dean: Nancy McDermid

Department of World and Comparative Literature
HUM 377
415-338-2068
E-mail: wclit@sfsu.edu
Chair: Pamela Vaughn

Undergraduate Advisers: D. Johnson, E. Peel
Graduate Coordinator: Ellen Peel

Faculty

 Associate Professors--McLauchlin, Peel

Assistant Professor--Johnson, D.

Programs

B.A. in Comparative Literature

Minor in Comparative Literature

M.A. in Comparative Literature

Program Scope

The major, minor, and graduate degree programs are undergoing some revision. Contact the department for current degree requirements.

Undergraduate Program.The B.A. in Comparative Literature is an interdisciplinary program which provides students with a global perspective through the reading and analysis of national literatures. Students develop university-level understanding of what different cultures have in common as well as what makes each culture unique. The study of comparative literature also seeks to establish relationships between literature and other fields, from the arts and sciences to folklore and religion. In addition to courses in various national literatures in translation, as well as in English literature, students also learn the methods and techniques of literary analysis and comparison.

Graduate Program.The M.A. in Comparative Literature combines the objectives of graduate study in foreign languages and literature with an emphasis on the intercultural and international aspects of literature. The goal of the program is to provide graduate training in subjects common to more than one national literature. Research work in the program is directed toward the problems of literary theory and analysis, genre studies, and literary history.

Career Outlook

The undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature is designed for students who wish to gain an interdisciplinary and broad liberal arts education. The undergraduate degree also provides a sound foundation for students who wish to continue work in comparative literature at the graduate level. Students find that the program provides a rich background for teaching in the humanities, liberal arts, and foreign languages and literature.

The M.A. in Comparative Literature is of particular value for students who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in comparative literature or in a foreign language and literature, or who plan to teach literature at the K-12 or community college levels.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Courses for this program are listed in alphabetical sequence (consult Index for page reference).

All comparative literature majors and minors are urged to complete four semesters of foreign language (Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, or Spanish) in college with grades of B or better, or pass a written examination covering the equivalent material. This level of mastery is prerequisite to upper division literature courses in the Department of Foreign Languages. WCL 230 and 250 are highly recommended. Lower division courses in Classics and Humanities are also recommended.

Units

WCL 415	The Literary Use of Legend		3

WCL 430	Heroic Tales of the Mediterranean		3

ENG 480	Junior Seminar		3

ENG 583	Shakespeare: Representative Plays		3

Courses in comparative or foreign literature 

on advisement		21

Upper division English literature courses on 


advisement		6

Total		39

MINOR IN COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

 All comparative literature majors and minors are urged to complete four semesters of foreign language (Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, or Spanish) in college with grades of B or better, or pass a written examination covering the equivalent material. This level of mastery is prerequisite to upper division literature courses in the Department of Foreign Languages. WCL 230 and 250 are highly recommended. Lower division courses in Classics and Humanities are also recommended.

Units

WCL 430	Heroic Tales of the Mediterranean		3

Upper division courses in comparative litera-

ture on advisement		12


Upper division courses in English literature		6

Total		21

MASTER OF ARTS IN COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Admission to Program

 Students interested in this program must have:

Students who have not met all of these requirements may be admitted conditionally, with the consent of the graduate adviser, but will not be advanced to candidacy until all requirements are met.

Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One:satisfactory performance in first research paper in WCL 800, as reviewed by a three-member faculty committee. Level Two:satisfactory completion of master's thesis or, if thesis not chosen, satisfactory performance on final seminar research paper as reviewed by a three-member faculty committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

Besides meeting all general requirements for advancement to candidacy, applicants must complete successfully, with a grade of B or higher, the course WCL 800, Introduction to Graduate Study, in which ability to do critical writing will be demonstrated.

Courses for this discipline are listed in alphabetical sequence (consult Index for page reference). Upper division courses offered by the department may be used upon approval of a faculty adviser.

Units

Program

Three graduate seminars in Comparative 

Literature:

WCL 800	Introduction to Graduate Study 

in Comparative Literature			3

WCL 815	Seminar in Selected Research 

Problems			3

WCL 896	Directed Reading		3

Nine units of graduate seminars in a single 

foreign literature		9

Graduate or upper division courses in at least 

one other literature: English, foreign, or 

comparative, on advisement (nine units 

if thesis selected)		12

One of the following options:

WCL 898	Master's Thesis (3) and

Oral Defense of Thesis or

Master's Comprehensive Oral Examination

Minimum total		30
Master's Comprehensive Oral Examination.A final oral examination is administered by a three-member faculty committee. The examination is based upon a reading list available in the department office and may be repeated only twice.