BA in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies in Albuquerque United States | University of New Mexico

The Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies Program provides interdisciplinary Bachelor's, second major, and minor options, along with Master's degrees and graduate minors. Learners craft personalized study paths while taking foundational classes in cultural and literary studies, as well as critical theory from various university departments.

How do language, literature, film, and other media function? What enables us to grasp (or misinterpret) meaning? What are the origins and purposes of storytelling? How do racial, gender, national, and class identities become normalized? What occurs when diverse cultural traditions intersect or merge? Are gender identities innate or constructed? What shapes our aesthetic preferences? Does the format of expression influence ideas? Is literature simply a mirror of society or a catalyst for transformation? This program equips students with tools to explore such questions.

Participants have pursued diverse research areas, such as maternal depictions in Greek drama, Flamenco's transition to New Mexico, monster theories, memory in Haitian women's literature, postmodern influences in Chinese architecture, environmental ethics in tech manufacturing, and cultural debates surrounding capital punishment.

Both undergraduate and graduate students enjoy unique flexibility to design their curriculum and collaborate closely with faculty mentors. Bachelor's candidates can specialize in either cultural studies or comparative literature, while Master's students may focus on cultural studies, comparative literature, or classics.