Interdisciplinary minors in folklore, in American studies, in Asian American studies, and in religious studies can be arranged through the division. The major in comparative studies encourages students to consider important elements of culture in comparative perspective. As a comparative studies major, you will learn more about the variety of ways people have developed to understand and describe the world, their place within it, and their relationship to others. Comparative studies majors are required to complete a minimum of 55 hours of course work. The major in comparative studies is interdisciplinary, and the area of concentration provides a focus for study.
Students take some of their courses in comparative studies and some in other departments.
All comparative studies majors, whichever concentration they choose, take foundation courses and fulfill interdisciplinary and distribution requirements. In comparative cultural studies you will focus on how different kinds of knowledge are produced within different historical and cultural contexts and why those differences are important. Comparative literature concentration In comparative literature, in addition to sharpening your ability to analyze texts, you will learn about at least two different literary traditions, study literature written in a foreign language, and develop your understanding of relationships among literature, other kinds of writing, and other verbal arts. Remaining course work is to be chosen from an approved list of courses in other departments and is to be concentrated in two literary traditions, one of which may be in English or in translation. Remaining courses are chosen from comparative studies courses and from an approved list of courses offered by other departments.