The Department of Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages grants graduate degrees based on the comparative studies of world literatures and cultures. The Ph.D. degree has three tracks: Interliterary Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Science Fiction Science, and Literature described below. The department faculty, well balanced between Asianist and Europeanists, share a strong commitment to the study of literature through comparative and interdisciplinary approaches. We have particular strengths in comparative Asian and European studies; comparative ancient studies; gender and feminist studies; global cultures and post colonialism; film and visual culture studies; narrative and cultural translation; and science and science fiction.

Students are admitted into the Ph.D. program only. Entering students who do not already hold a master’s degree in Comparative Literature, in literature, or in comparable field from another institution must complete M.A. requirements while pursuing the Ph.D.

Admission
All applicants must supply GRE General Test (verbal, quantitative, analytical) scores.

No S/NC-graded courses may be applied toward the minimum unit requirement for the graduate degree(s).

Note Courses in the student’s special literature areas used to fulfill either the M.A. or Ph.D. literature requirements may be either graduate courses, or undergraduate courses together with a concurrent 292 course.

Language Requirement
Students must have attained at least advanced language competency in their non-English areas of literary specialization. Competency is demonstrated by one of the following for each language required for a student’s particular literary specializations:

1. Course Work A translation seminar with additional work in a specific national language/literature as required by the instructor.
2. Translation Examination A translation exercise from the foreign language into English with use of only a dictionary administered on campus and about two
   hours long. Period and genre should be discussed in advance with the examiner. The choice of examiner is approved by the graduate advisor.

Master’s Degree

The Department of Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages requires the following for the M.A. degree in Comparative Literature. Candidates must work in three of the following literatures, or two literatures for students in the interdisciplinary track: Chinese, English (either British or American), French, German, Classical Greek, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Latin, Pilipino, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Requirements are as follows:

1. Two courses in world or canonical literature (any two from CPLT 210, CPLT 217A, CPLT 217B, or CPLT 217C)
2. Two courses in methods and theory (CPLT 214 and CPLT 215A)
3. One course from CPLT 212, CPLT 222, or CPLT 301
4. Two graduate courses in each of three literatures or in each of two literatures and one interdisciplinary area
5. Three elective courses in Comparative Literature

Note Students must take at least one graduate course in each of the following four areas: European, Asian, Ancient, and Modern Literature.

After completing the course requirements, the student has two options:

1. Submit a portfolio of three essays, each one representing one of their three literary or interdisciplinary areas, and write a 750-1000 word commentary explaining the aims and achievements of the essays in relation to one another.
2. Write a comprehensive research paper (40-50 pages) that incorporates their three interliterary or interdisciplinary areas; this paper may develop topics of previous papers, or explore a new topic area.

The student then undergoes oral examination on the portfolio or the research paper. Following the examination, the graduate committee, after evaluation of the student’s entire graduate record, determines the candidate’s suitability for continuing in the Ph.D. program.

Doctoral Degree

The Department of Compara t ive Literature and Foreign Languages offers the Ph.D. degree in Comparative Literature with two tra cks: Interliterary Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies. Areas of particular strength in the Interdisciplinary Studies are comparative Asian and European studies; comparative ancient civilizations; gender and feminist studies; global cultures and post-colonialism; film and visual culture studies; narra t ive and cultural translation; and science and science fiction.

Interliterary Studies
This program is designed for students wishing to concentrate in Comparative Literature as an interliterary discipline. Students examine the relation among various national literatures. They are expected to work in three of the following literatures: Chinese, English (either British or American), French, German, Classical Greek, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Permission is granted in exceptional cases to work in other literatures related to the Germanic, Romance, or Slavic families, in Hebrew or A rabic literature, in other Asian Literatures, and the iteratures of Africa.

Students must obtain comprehensive knowledge of their first literature (the major specialty), in its language, literary history, and critical s cholarship. In their two other literatures, they specialize in a genre, a period, critical school or theoretical approach, always in combination with their main literature. Work in the three literatures must be done in the languages of these literatures.

Students entering the interliterary Ph.D. program with an M.A. in literature must take two courses from the canons or masterworks of literature series (CPLT 210, CPLT 217A, CPLT 2 1 7 B, or CPLT 217C), CPLT 214, and CPLT 215A (or demonstrate having taken similar courses). Course requirements are two gra duate courses in a first literature, two graduate courses in a second literature, two graduate courses in a third literature, and three additional elective graduate courses in Comparative Literature.

Note Students must take at least one graduate course in each of the following four areas: European, Asian, Ancient, and Modern Literature.

Students entering the interliterary Ph.D. program with an M.A. in another discipline must do course work equivalent to the M.A. degree in Comparative Literature while proceeding with course work for the Ph.D. program.

Interdisciplinary Studies
This program is designed for students with interests in interdisciplinary studies. Students examine relation between literary studies and other disciplines (such as art, ethnic studies, film, history, law, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, science, sociology, theater). Students complete the literary requirements of the program but substitute an appropriate discipline for one of the second or third literatures. This option is ecommended to students who enter Compara t ive Literature with an M.A. in a non-literary discipline.

Students entering the interdisciplinary studies Ph. D. program with an M.A. in any discipline must take two courses from the canons or masterworks of literature series (CPLT 210, CPLT 217A, CPLT 217B, or CPLT 217C), as well as CPLT 214 and CPLT 215A (or demonstrate having taken similar courses). In addition, course requirements are two graduate course in each of two literatures; two courses in another discipline; and three elective graduate courses in Comparative Literature. The graduate advisor may require appropriate courses on an individual basis.

Note Students must take at least one graduate course in each of the following four areas: European, Asian, Ancient, and Modern Literature. The Comparative Literature program offers, in conjunction with the Center for Bibliographic Studies, an interdisciplinary option in Science Fiction and Fantasy Studies, which allows students to make use of the large body of primary research materials in the Eaton Collection housed on the UCR campus.

Science Fiction, Science, and Literature: This option is designed for students with interests in science fiction studies and the relations of science to world literature. It builds upon the current widespread interest in Science Fiction and draws on the Eaton Collection. The program is intended for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature, English or kindred studies. It draws on the speculative richness of science fiction literature in a wide variety of social contexts, including the role of science in society (genetic engineering, artificial environments, nanotechnology, etc.), race and ethnicity, and social ethics. This track interacts with existing programs in the humanities, arts, social sciences and sciences. It is inherently cross-disciplinary both within the humanities, and between the humanities and sciences.  Students entering the Science Fiction, Science, and Literature Ph.D. program with an M.A. in any discipline must take courses from the following areas:

Teaching Requirement
Normally some teaching experience is required; such experience is obtained through a teaching assistantship where by a student is assigned either to Comparative Literature or to another program. Students are strongly recommended to take one of the pedagogy courses in the department (CPLT 222 or CPLT 301) which may be used as one of their required elective courses.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations
The written qualifying examination consists of the following:

1. For a student in the track of Interliterary Studies, the examination consists of four parts, which include the three national literatures that the student specializes in, with a comparative perspective, and on critical theory.
2. For a student in the tra ck of Interdisciplinary Studies, the examination consists of four parts, which include two national literatures and one non-literary discipline that the student specializes in, with a comparative perspective, and on critical theory.

Prior to the examination, students in consultation with designated members of their committeea, formulate a Special Reading List based on available departmental reading lists for each of the four parts that reflects the student's chosen fields of study and research and provides a basis for the examination. Each of the four parts of the written examination for either the Interliterary or the Interdisciplinary Track is a three-hour exam. The written examinations are followed by an oral qualifying examination.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination
Candidates must write a dissertation on a topic approved by the dissertation committee and successfully undergo an oral examination on the dissertation.