School of Comparative Literary Studies

Dunton Tower 1416
Telephone: 520-2177
Fax: 520-2564
E-mail address: comp_lit@carleton.ca

The School

Assistant Director of Comparative Literary Studies:Fernando de Toro

Supervisor of Graduate Studies: Francesco Loriggio

The School of Comparative Literary Studies offers programs of graduate study leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literary Studies.

The purpose of the program in comparative literature is to study literature in its international context, and to relate and compare literary phenomena usually studied in isolation because of linguistic barriers and the traditional departmental division of academic disciplines. Thus, taking into account the interrelation of all humanistic studies, such as the various literatures, philosophy, psychology, sociology, the visual arts, and history, comparatists view literary creation within the total complex evolution of world literature. The historical flow of literary archetypes, the role of folklore and myth in literature, recurrent problems of literary theory, and consideration of the less well known literatures of the world are some of the objects of comparative literary studies.

Qualifying-Year Program

The regulations governing admission to the qualifying-year program are outlined in the General Regulations section of this Calendar.

Applicants who hold only a general (pass) B.A. degree will be required to successfully complete the basic courses, Comparative Literary Studies 17.401: Foundations of Comparative Literary Studies (0.5 credit) and Comparative Literary Studies 17.402: Theories of Literature (0.5 credit), and to take courses from other departments of literature or Comparative Literary Studies (see Undergraduate Calendar) to achieve the equivalent of a combined honours B.A. with high honours standing.

The total course program must be determined in consultation with the graduate studies supervisor. Formal admission to the master's program may be considered at the end of the first term.

Master of Arts

Admission Requirements

The regulations governing admission to the master's program are outlined in the General Regulations section of this Calendar.

The specific requirements for admission to the master's program in comparative literary studies are as follows:

Program Requirements

Students accepted into the master's program without having taken the two 0.5 credits, Comparative Literary Studies 17.401 and Comparative Literary Studies 17.402 (or their equivalent), will be required to take these courses as extra to the degree.

Master's candidates in comparative literary studies will follow one of three programs. The specific requirements are as follows:

Guidelines for Completion of Master's Degree

The master's program is normally completed no later than two years or six terms after initial full-time registration and six years or eighteen terms after initial part-time registration.

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission Requirements

The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is an M.A. degree in literary studies (or in related subjects approved by the School) with at least high honours standing, normally with no grade below B-.

Each applicant must supply proof, by means of a research effort that has resulted in an extensive essay, that he or she is capable of producing a publishable paper. Such proof will be submitted at the time of application to the program.

Students admitted into the program with a master's degree earned in another department or institution will be required to make up any deficiencies in course work as required by the School.

In exceptional cases, an outstanding student who has completed the B.A. Honours degree and who meets the language requirements outlined below, may be admitted directly to the doctoral program. The program requirement for these students is normally 15.0 credits. Such students must satisfy the research essay requirement, prior to the completion of their comprehensive examination, by successfully completing 17.598: Research Essay with a minimum grade of A-.

A student who transfers from the master's program in Comparative Literary Studies must meet the language requirements on admission as well as those listed under program requirements.

Applicants must demonstrate a capacity to work at the graduate level in at least two languages other than English. The two languages must be approved by the School. Normally, one of the two languages must be French. Applicants must also be proficient in English. Students whose native tongue is not English may be required to pass the TOEFL test with a minimum score of 600.

Program Requirements

The specific program requirements of the Ph.D. program in Comparative Literary Studies are as follows:

Comprehensive Examinations

The comprehensive examination is designed to test the candidate's competence both in comparative literary theory and in the chosen area of specialization. The comprehensive examination is to be completed after course requirements for the Ph.D. have been completed.

Students admitted to the program who have a master's degree in the area of literary studies (or in related subjects approved by the School) must normally satisfy the comprehensive examination requirement by the end of the third term in the program.

Those students either admitted directly into the program from the B.A. Honours program, or transferring from the master's to the doctoral program must satisfy the comprehensive examination requirement no later than the end of the third year or ninth term of study.

Normally the comprehensive examination must be completed no later than four years or twelve terms after the initial part-time registration following the M.A. (or equivalent).

Students admitted directly from the B.A. Honours program or transferring from the master's to the doctoral program must earn 15.0 credits beyond the B.A. honours and must, in addition, meet all the requirements of the research essay option of the master's program in Comparative Literary Studies, with the exception of the comprehensive examination which may be replaced by course work equivalent to 1.0 credit.

Thesis

The School appoints a thesis supervisor and an advisory committee for each doctoral candidate. A minimum of two faculty members will constitute the thesis advisory committee and one of the two members will be from outside the School. Both the thesis supervisor and the advisory committee determine when a thesis proposal may proceed to the School's graduate committee for approval.

Specialization Requirements

Each candidate must demonstrate competence in an area of specialization chosen from the following list: gender and literature, the Hebrew Bible, intellectual history, Latin American literature, literary history, literary theory, literature and historical studies, literature and linguistics, literature and religious studies, literature of the Francophonie, literature written in English, language and social sciences, medieval and early renaissance Hispanic literature, modern theatre and dramatic literature, nineteenth- and twentieth-century French literature, nineteenth- and twentieth-century German literature, nineteenth- and twentieth-century Italian literature.

Candidates who enter the Ph.D. program with a master's degree in a special area or discipline, and who wish to either continue in that area or discipline or choose another specialization in their doctoral program, will be tested in their chosen area in the specialization portion of the comprehensive examination.

Candidates admitted directly from a B.A. Honours program or transferring from the master's to the doctoral program, will be required to take the equivalent of 3.0 credits in the area of specialization, and will be tested in this area in the specialization portion of their comprehensive examination.

In all cases, the graduate committee of the School will determine whether a particular course taken or under consideration by a candidate may be counted toward the candidate's area of specialization requirement.

Language Requirement

Doctoral students must acquire a reading knowledge in a third language, to be approved by the School, before beginning the comprehensive examination. Candidates must successfully complete either 0.5 credit at the master's level in the literature(s) of that language (extra to the degree) or a reading proficiency test administered by the School.

Academic Standing

All candidates are required to maintain a grade point average of B-.

Of the 10.0 credits required beyond the master's level, no more than 1.0 credit (or its equivalent) may be at the 500 level.

Guidelines for Completion of Doctoral Degree

Students admitted with a B.A. Honours degree and registered full time, must normally complete the comprehensive examination requirement by the end of the third year or ninth term of full-time study. The thesis proposal must normally be presented after three and one-half years or ten terms of study.

Students admitted with a master's degree and registered full time, must normally complete the comprehensive examination requirement by the end of the third term of study. The thesis proposal must normally be presented no later than the fourth term of study.

Students admitted with a B.A. Honours degree and registered part-time must normally complete the comprehensive examination requirement by the end of the ninth year or after twenty-seven terms of study after their initial part-time registration. The thesis proposal must normally be presented no later than ten years or thirty terms of study following the initial part-time registration.

Students admitted with a master's degree and registered part time, must normally complete the comprehensive examination requirement by the end of the fourth year or after twelve terms of study after the initial part-time registration. The thesis proposal must normally be presented no later than five years or fifteen terms of study after the initial part-time registration.

Graduate Courses*

The following is a complete list of graduate courses in the School. Please note that not all courses are offered every year. Students should consult the University and departmental timetables for a list of courses which will be offered in 1996-1997.

A prerequisite for all graduate-level courses is appropriate linguistic ability and approval of the School of Comparative Literary Studies.

A student will not receive credit for both a 0.5 credit course and a 1.0 credit course which bears the same topic title.