BA in Comparative Literature in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

As a comparative literature student, you'll develop a critical and historical understanding of global literary traditions through two specialized pathways. For those focusing on literary analysis, the comparative literary studies track is ideal, while the literary, visual and media studies track combines literature with film, video, and other artistic media. This major offers diverse coursework examining world literatures and cultures through critical lenses. The Comparative Literature Department features extensive offerings in both European and non-European literary traditions, with courses exploring major authors, themes, genres, historical periods, and theoretical frameworks. Additionally, the department provides numerous visual and media studies courses, allowing students to examine literature alongside film history, video arts, and other media forms. Through collaborations with other humanities departments, the program fosters interdisciplinary approaches connecting literature with fields like anthropology, history, philosophy, gender studies, psychology, and sociology. Coursework incorporates contemporary theoretical perspectives including hermeneutics, semiotics, deconstruction, cultural criticism, Marxist theory, postcolonial studies, reception theory, feminist criticism, and psychoanalytic approaches.