The Undergraduate Programs
As a small department, we can offer our majors the individual attention and advising they might expect at a much smaller institution, within the extensive resources of a large university. We offer majors and minors in Comparative Literature and Japanese, minors in Chinese and (in conjunction with the Jewish Studies Program) Hebrew, and language instruction in Arabic, Korean, and Swahili. We anticipate creating an Arabic minor and a Chinese major in the next year or two.
What can Comparative Literature do for you?
Many people start college with the idea that a degree should lead automatically to a job. After all, a college education costs a great deal of money and it ought to give you an advantage in the job market. Many undergraduate programs at Penn State are directly vocational in their goals (like engineering). However, a liberal arts education involves quite a different preparation for life and work.
Comparative literature is one of the subjects within the liberal arts which are commonly labeled “the humanities” because they concentrate on human values, imagination, creativity, and systems of thought. An education in the humanities will not give you a passport to a specific job, but studies in the humanities—and especially in comparative literature—will educate you by enlarging you as a person, by teaching you to think, and by training you in important skills such as analytical writing, argumentation, and communication in a global context, which are prerequisites for success in many professional careers.
Comparative literature not only allows you to appreciate and internalize the values of your own culture; it also opens the way into other cultures. In today’s shrinking world, there is virtually instantaneous communication between countries. An understanding of the cultures of other countries and the ability to communicate with other people are important abilities for the future: these are the fundamental skills developed in the comparative study of literature.
What is it like to study Comparative Literature?
Our students participate fully in the department, have personal contact with faculty members, and even have their own departmental mailboxes. In addition, we offer:
-individually tailored programs: We can help you design a program to fit your personal academic needs and interests. We can also help you with multiple majors and/or minors, which most of our majors pursue and complete within four years.
-a NEW B.A./M.A. program that allows qualified students to earn BOTH a B.A. and an M.A. in Comparative Literature in a total of five years.
-global awareness through a wide range of international literary and language experiences that are critical in today's world.
-varied career possibilities: Many employers are seeking graduates with an international perspective and excellent communication and analytical skills, which our major provides. Comparative Literature majors have found employment in domestic and international business, public relations, publishing, education, non-profit organizations, and museum acquisitions. A number of our majors have also gone on to Law School and advanced degrees in Library Science.
-a Career Development course: this unique offering designed exclusively for Comparative Literature majors to help them determine their career interests and market their skills.
If you would like to discuss the many academic and career possibilities in a Comparative Literature major, or have any other questions, please contact :
Sydney Aboul-Hosn, Ph.D., Undergraduate Officer
444 Burrowes Building
814.863.7383 or sra113@psu.edu
phone: 814.863.0589 | fax: 814.863.8882 | email: cmlit@psu.edu
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