Princeton University

The Department of Comparative Literature invites students to approach literature from a broad, cross-cultural perspective. The curriculum encompasses both Western and non-Western languages and literatures, as well as interdisciplinary work of many types. While each student in the Department is expected to focus his or her studies on a particular foreign language and literature, an interest in the way different literatures illuminate one another, or enter into dialogue with other disciplines, media, or forms of art, is fundamental to our work. Students motivated by a desire to understand literature in the broadest terms, as well as those interested in particular examples of literary comparison, will find an intellectual home in the Department of Comparative Literature. The flexibility of the major has always been one of its strong points. With the guidance of the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the junior and senior advisers, each student creates a program of study tailored to his or her intellectual interests, choosing courses and independent projects that contribute to the whole.

Please feel free to consult with the current Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Wendy Belcher, during office hours Tuesdays, 4:30 - 6:00pm, 105 East Pyne, via email (wbelcher@princeton.edu) or by appointment.

Program of Study

Students in Comparative Literature select courses from a wide range of offerings throughout the university and are encouraged to construct a program of study to match their individual interests. Beginning with the class of 2005, nine departmental courses are required of each student, chosen according to the type of comparative work pursued. Comparative Literature 300, the Junior Seminar, counts as one of the nine, and is required of all students in the fall term of their junior year. This course is especially designed to introduce students to the history and methodology of the field, as well as to different avenues of comparative study. If study abroad makes it impossible to take the Junior Seminar in the junior year, the course may be taken in the senior year instead. Regardless of the area of study elected, all majors must include four upper-division courses in a non-English-language literature. In order to guarantee a high level of linguistic proficiency in at least one foreign language, readings in at least three of these courses will be in the same language. All majors should begin studying the relevant languages as early as possible in their Princeton careers.  Three of the remaining courses must be taken within the Department of Comparative Literature (one of these will be Comparative Literature 300); the others are taken in appropriate departments throughout the university. Course selections generally fall into one of four areas described below. Each represents the study of literature in a different comparative context:

• Comparative work in literatures in at least two languages Students choose four upper-level courses in a non-English-language literature; three courses listed or cross-listed with Comparative Literature, one of which is Comparative Literature 300; and two upper-division courses in literature in any other language (including English).

• Comparative work in literature and a traditional textual discipline, such as philosophy, history, politics or religion. Students choose four upper-level courses in any non-English-language literature; three courses listed or cross-listed in Comparative Literature, one of which is Comparative Literature 300; and two upper-division courses in the other relevant discipline.

• Comparative work in literature and another medium, for example, photography, film, art history or music. Students electing this program choose four upper-division courses in any non-English-language literature; three courses listed or cross-listed in Comparative Literature, one of which is Comparative Literature 300; and two upper-division courses in the relevant medium.

• Comparative work in literary study and the creative arts, for instance dance, creative writing, translation, or theatrical performance. Students will choose four upper-level courses in any non-English-language literature; three courses listed or cross-listed with Comparative Literature, one of which is Comparative Literature 300; and two courses in the relevant creative art. Students entering the department select program D provisionally. Final admission depends upon the acceptance of the creative thesis proposal by the department and by an adviser from the Program in Creative Writing or from the Program in Theater and Dance.

Independent Work

Junior Year: Two Junior papers are required. The first, some 3,000 words in length, will normally involve the close study of works from non-English-language literatures in which the student has linguistic competence. Its purpose is to develop the student's basic skills as a reader of complex texts. The second should be wider in scope, and might serve as the beginnings of a senior thesis. It will normally be some 8,000 words in length.

Senior year: Each student's senior thesis, normally limited to 20,000 words, will be comparative in nature and should reflect the student's ability to relate and analyze materials in the area of study chosen: literatures in two or more languages; literature and a textual discipline; literature and another medium. Creative theses (for students electing option D above) must be accompanied by a substantial critical essay.Senior Departmental ExaminationThe senior departmental examination is based in part on a broad reading list, specific titles from which are chosen in consultation with the student's senior adviser, and in part on the student's particular language proficiency and chosen program of study.

The Department of Comparative Literature has a small amount of money to be awarded on a competitive basis to incoming students needing financial help to offset the cost of summer language study or research relating to the junior paper.  We will consider three types of information in connection with your application for funding; you'll need to provide us with the first two items, and we will obtain the third.

(1)   a 1-page summary of your research proposal—where you will go, why, what materials are available there, what you have looked at already here—or a 1-page explanation of the merits of the particular language program you've chosen, and how you'll be able to use that language in the fall of 2009.  In the case of the research proposal, if you're going to be looking at material in foreign archives, libraries, or museums, be sure to include information about when those institutions are open, since many have reduced or non-existent hours in the summer.

(2)   A budget of the expenses involved.  If you need air travel, look at sites like http://www.travelocity.com/ and http://www.expedia.com to get estimates.  If for research purposes you need something like film development, or Xeroxing, or microfilming, be sure to include that.

(3)   A transcript, which the Registrar provides us when you sign into Comparative Literature.

Applications are due in this department by Noon on Friday, April 10, 2009.  Please drop off your completed application to the Undergraduate Administrator in 105 East Pyne.  We will let you know of the individual awards by Tuesday, April 21, 2009.

MEETINGS WITH US:

Freshman Open House, 127 East Pyne, Tuesday, September 15, 12:00 - 1:00pm

Persona directed by Ingmar Bergman, 010 East Pyne, Friday, September 25, 8:00pm

World Tea, 127 East Pyne, Thursday, October 8, 4:30-6:30pm

Majors Fair, Friday, November 13, 12:00-2:00pm

Comparative Literature Dinner with Professors Sandra Bermann, Chair and Wendy Belcher, DUS at Rockefeller College, Monday, November 16, 6:00-7:30pm

Humanities Career Panel, The Rotunda, Chancellor Green, Wednesday, December 9, 4:30pm

Annual Murley Dinner, The Rotunda, Chancellor Green, Thursday, February 18, 6:30-8:30pm