M.A., Ph.D. (CLCS) The Program of Comparative Literature & Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary program, studying literature and culture from a global perspective and across multiple boundaries, traversing languages, genres, disciplines, nations, and cultures. The Program offers advanced academic training in foreign languages, literary translation, comparative literature, and cultural studies.

The Program is supported primarily by the Departments of Foreign Languages (FLAN), English (ENGL), and Communication (COMM). The Program also has affiliated faculty members in several programs and departments in the humanities and social sciences, including Anthropology (ANTH), Art (ARTS), Area Studies (European, Latin American, Middle East), Classics (CLST), Drama (DRAM), Gender Studies (GNST), Geography (GEOG), History (HIST), Philosophy (PHIL), Music (MUSC), and Sociology (SOCI).

Areas of Concentration: Master of Arts – Classics, English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, and Cultural Studies. Doctor of Philosophy – Comparative literature, modern language, cultural studies, literary translation.

Prerequisites to Degree Program: The normal preparation for graduate study in comparative literature and cultural studies is an undergraduate or masters degree in English or foreign languages and literatures. Applicants should have advanced proficiency in at least one foreign language. The program may also accept students with undergraduate or master’s degree in the humanities, the social sciences, and other relevant fields under the condition that any deficiencies in literature or foreign languages be completed in addition to the requirements for the degree.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree: The candidate must take a minimum of 36 hours of graduate courses in Arabic, classics, English, French, German, Spanish and in other disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences, under the following guidelines:

1. A minimum of 12 hours must be taken in each of two of the following language areas: Arabic, Classics, English, French, German, Spanish or other languages offered by the Department of Foreign Languages.

2. A minimum of six hours must be taken in courses that deal with the literatures and cultures of several language groups.

3. All courses selected must be approved by the adviser, who will consult with the other members of the Master’s Program Advisory Committee.

4. WLIT 5193, Introduction to Comparative Literature, is required of all candidates.

5. COMM 5503, Communication and Cultural Studies, is required of all CPLTMA students.

6. Each master’s degree candidate is required to take a comprehensive examination.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: The doctoral program in comparative literature and cultural studies is designed so that it may be based upon a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, Communication, Arabic, English, French, German, Spanish or other languages or upon the Master of Fine Arts in Translation. Applicants with masters’ degrees in the humanities and the social sciences may also be accepted into the program, but will be required to fulfill any deficiencies that the advisor and the Ph.D. Program Advisory Committee identifies. In addition to meeting hour and distribution requirements in one of the concentrations listed below, during the first year of study, the student must declare which doctoral track they will pursue (comparative literature, modern languages, cultural studies or translation), and select a field, period, or genre specialization to support the dissertation (e.g., the epic tradition, postmodern cinema, Renaissance poetry, theoretical issues in translation). The program of study for each student, including administration of candidacy examinations and the satisfaction of all requirements of the Graduate School , will be designed, approved, and supervised by the Program Advisory Committee, which will consist of the Program Director, who will serve as the primary advisor, and at least two other faculty members drawn from the student’s areas of specialization.

The following specific requirements must be met by all Ph.D. degree candidates in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies:

1. Candidates must take a minimum of 66 hours of graduate course work (including credit taken for the M.A. or M.F.A) and must attain a 3.00 grade-point average in each of their fields. Part or all of the graduate course work completed at other U.S. institutions or abroad with a grade of “B” or higher may count towards the 66 hours requirement with the approval of the Program Advisory Committee. However, it should be noted that this course work will not be reflected on the student’s transcript.

2. All candidates are required to take a minimum of 18 dissertation hours.

3. WLIT 5193 Introduction to Comparative Literature is required of all candidates.

4. A literary or cultural theory seminar is required of all candidates.

5. Each Ph.D. degree candidate is required to pass the following candidacy examination:

a. A written examination on specific topics within the student’s fields, approved jointly by the student and the Advisory Committee.

b. An oral examination to discuss strengths, weaknesses, or omissions in the written exam. Students may retake only once any examination they fail.

6. Upon successfully completing the candidacy examination, each student must submit a dissertation proposal to be discussed and approved in a formal meeting with the student’s dissertation committee.

7. Within the time limits specified by the Graduate School , each student must submit a dissertation acceptable to the student’s dissertation committee.

8. Each student must pass a dissertation defense administered by the student’s dissertation committee.

Comparative Literature Concentration: A candidate will prepare three literary fields, one of which will be world literature; the others will be drawn from Arabic, English, French, German, Spanish, Classics or other languages. A minimum of 24 hours must be taken in one field, a minimum of 18 in the second, and a minimum of 15 in the third. Courses may be substituted from related fields with program approval. The M.A. will typically be in comparative literature. Each student must demonstrate fluency in at least one language other than English and a reading knowledge of a second foreign language.

Modern Language Concentration: A candidate will prepare two fields, one of which will be English, French, German, or Spanish. The second field may be English (if not selected as the first field) or a second foreign language (Arabic, French, German, or Spanish). The candidate’s Master of Arts will typically be in English, French, German, or Spanish. Students with a Master of Arts in these and other languages from other U.S. universities or from programs abroad may also be admitted into the Modern Language Concentration. In such cases, the program committee will evaluate the candidate’s academic record, accept part or all of the course work completed elsewhere, and assign any deficiencies that the committee identifies. However, it should be noted that course work taken elsewhere will not be listed on the students U of A transcript. A minimum of 36 hours must be taken in the first field, a minimum of 24 in the second. Up to 12 hours of relevant world literature or related courses may be applied to either or both fields with program approval. Each student must demonstrate fluency in two languages other than English.

Cultural Studies Concentration: A student will prepare two fields. The first field will be in language and literary studies in a particular tradition (Arabic, Classics, English, French, German, Spanish, or other languages and literatures). The second field of concentration will be developed according to the candidate’s interest and disciplinary background, with the approval of the adviser and the doctoral advisory committee. The second field of concentration may be a pre-approved particular cultural studies subject (i.e. gender studies, popular and mass culture, ethnic studies, international film or visual cultures); a geographical region (i.e. Africa , Asia , Latin America , Middle East , Europe ); a historical or cultural period (i.e. Medieval, Renaissance, 20th century); or a particular discipline (i.e. Philosophy, Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Musicology). As core courses of the second field, COMM 5503 “Communication and Cultural Studies” and the seminar COMM 5993 “ Readings in Cultural Studies” are required. Applicants should have a Master’s of Arts in Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, English, Foreign Languages or a field in the Humanities or the Social Sciences. A minimum of 30 hours must be taken in each of the two fields. Each student must demonstrate advanced reading competence in at least one language other than English.

Literary Translation Concentration: A student will prepare three fields. A minimum of 36 hours will be taken in Arabic, French, German, Spanish or other languages for the first field; a minimum of 9 hours will be taken in translation workshops (ENGL 5043) for the second field; and a minimum of 12 hours drawn from courses on the form and theory of translation, poetry, and fiction (ENGL 5223, ENGL 5263, ENGL 5273, ENGL 5283, ENGL 5293) for the third. Courses may be substituted from related fields with program approval. The M.A. will typically be in Arabic, French, German, Spanish, or other languages and literatures. Each student must demonstrate fluency in at least one language other than English and a reading knowledge of a second foreign language.

ACADEMIC POLICIES

Advising. Each student is required to to meet with the Academic advisor every semester to discuss coursework and progress towards the degree. Only approved courses will count towards the degree.

Annual Academic Progress Review. Required by the Graduate School, every year each student must meet in person with the advisor to discuss academic progress.

Comprehensive Examinations. All students in the program are required to take a comprehensive exam. Information on the exams will be posted soon. (Fall 2006)

M.A. Comprehensive Exam Guidelines

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam Guidelines

Graduate Student Handbook (Graduate School). This handbook describes the main academic policies related to graduate studies, including grade point average, transfer of credits, graduate assistantships, academic honesty, etc.