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Department of Comparative Literature

Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature

Students on Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Spring 2020 requirements CMLTBA
The Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature introduces students to the study of literature and other arts across national, historical, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries. Courses trace themes, problems, ideas, and techniques across these borders while instructing students in the methods and theories of comparative literary study. Courses also investigate relationships between literature and the visual arts, film, music, and other performance arts, and between literature and other disciplines such as philosophy, history, and religious and cultural studies. Majors may tailor their coursework to suit their particular interests by selecting from a wide range of course offerings.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours* (at least 24 of which must be at the 200–499 level, and at least 18 of which must be at the 300–499 level), including the requirements listed below.
  1. Essentials.
    1. Introduction to Literary Analysis. One (1) course:
      • CMLT-C 205 Comparative Literary Analysis
    2. Methods and Theory. One (1) course:
      • CMLT-C 305 Comparative Approaches to Literature: Theory and Method
  2. Explorations.
    1. Global Engagement. One (1) course:
      • CMLT-C 147 Images of the Self: East and West
      • CMLT-C 262 Cross-Cultural Encounters
      • CMLT-C 320 World Literature before 1500
      • CMLT-C 340 Women in World Literature
      • CMLT-C 360 Diasporic Literatures
      • CMLT-C 363 Black Paris
      • CMLT-C 365 Japanese-Western Literary Relations
      • CMLT-C 370 Comparative Studies in Western and Middle Eastern Literatures
      • CMLT-C 375 Imagining China, Translating China
      • CMLT-C 377 Topics in Yiddish Literature
      • CMLT-C 457 Capitals, Crosscurrents and Borders
      • CMLT-C 464 French Language Literature of Africa and the Americas
    2. Foundations. One (1) course:
      • CMLT-C 216 Science Fiction, Fantasy, and the Western Tradition
      • CMLT-C 217 Detective, Mystery, and Horror Literature
      • CMLT-C 219 Romance and the Western Tradition
      • CMLT-C 261 Introduction to African Literature
      • CMLT-C 266 Introduction to East Asian Fiction
      • CMLT-C 311 Drama
      • CMLT-C 313 Narrative
      • CMLT-C 315 Lyric Poetry
      • CMLT-C 317 Epic: Heroes, Gods, and Rebels
      • CMLT-C 318 Satire
      • CMLT-C 321 Medieval Literature
      • CMLT-C 325 The Renaissance
      • CMLT-C 329 The Eighteenth Century
      • CMLT-C 333 Romanticism
      • CMLT-C 335 Realism, Naturalism, and Symbolism
      • CMLT-C 337 The Twentieth Century: Tradition and Change
      • CMLT-C 338 Literature Today: 1950 to the Present
      • CMLT-C 364 The Caribbean: Literature and Theory
      • CMLT-C 378 Topics in Yiddish Culture
      • CMLT-C 415 Medieval Lyric
      • CMLT-C 417 Medieval Narrative
      • CMLT-C 445 Early Traditions of Christian Literature
      • CMLT-C 446 Traditions of Christian Literature II
    3. Literature and Ideas. One (1) course:
      • CMLT-C 160 What's Good About Good Books?
      • CMLT-C 240 Linguistics and Literature: Sound, Meaning, Style
      • CMLT-C 343 Literature and Politics
      • CMLT-C 345 Literature and Religion
      • CMLT-C 347 Literature and Ideas
      • CMLT-C 349 Literature and Science
    4. Comparative Arts. One (1) course:
      • CMLT-C 151 Introduction to Popular Culture
      • CMLT-C 155 Culture and the Modern Experience: An Interdisciplinary and International Approach
      • CMLT-C 251 Lyrics and Popular Song
      • CMLT-C 252 Literary and Television Genres
      • CMLT-C 255 Modern Literature and Other Arts: An Introduction
      • CMLT-C 256 Literature and Other Arts: 1870-1950
      • CMLT-C 257 Asian Literature and Other Arts
      • CMLT-C 291 Studies in Non-Western Film
      • CMLT-C 310 Literature and Film
      • CMLT-C 351 Adaptations: Literature, Stage, and Screen
      • CMLT-C 355 Literature, the Arts, and Their Interrelationship
      • CMLT-C 357 The Arts Today: From 1950 to the Present
      • CMLT-C 358 Literature and Music: Opera
      • CMLT-C 361 African Literature and Other Arts
      • CMLT-C 492 Comedy in Film and Literature
  3. Electives. Four (4) additional courses chosen from any of the Explorations lists above.
  4. Exploring Outside the Department (Addenda Requirement)**. One (1) of the following:
    • Language and Literature. One (1) course at the 300–499 level, or its equivalent, that includes the study of a foreign language literature in the original language.
    • Interdisciplinary Study of Literature. One (1) course at the 300–499 level from a non-literary department or program that complements one of the student's Comparative Literature courses at the 300–499 level. The student will prepare a one-page explanation and justification of the proposed pairing, which must be selected in consultation with the CMLT Director of Undergraduate Studies and approved by the Standing Undergraduate Committee of Comparative Literature. The course taken in a corresponding department must be completed on the Bloomington campus and at least 3 credit hours.
  5. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    2. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    3. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    4. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    5. Exceptions to major requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.