The Department both encourages the students to develop theoretical ideas and research methods, and promotes interdisciplinary subject studies. A special interdisciplinary program of the Department emphasizes the Jewish tradition. Students who study solely Comparative Literature may choose to specialize in Literary Translation. The Simone Weil Chair dealing with the French Underground during World War II, is another special Department activity. This includes literary influences of contemporary and ancient periods, such as, the genre tradition of Greece and Rome and myths and archetypes in European and American literature.
Special emphasis focuses on links between modern Hebrew literature and other types of literature.
The Department is notable for its research in the above-mentioned areas from both diachronic and synchronic points of view. All of these studies enable the students to choose their methods of research and criticism in analyzing a text and interpreting it.