Haverford College

Comparative Literature Major and Minor

Students interested in examining literature through an international perspective and with an eye to its socio-cultural functions will find a vibrant academic home in the Haverford-Bryn Mawr Comparative Literature department. Drawing on faculty and resources from both colleges, we offer a rigorous major that embodies the highly interdisciplinary nature of the field and fuels the diverse interests of our students.

Students analyze literary texts from two distinct national cultures, and consider them comparatively. Our curriculum develops in each of our majors the tools they need to do this: advanced language skills in at least one language other than English; an understanding of the distinctive character of the literature of particular national cultures; and a familiarity with interpretive methods derived from a range of disciplines. Students do advanced in two languages (one of which can be English) with sufficient mastery to engage with the literature and culture in the original.

Language options include Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Latin, ancient Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Hebrew. Our program also encompasses courses based in anthropology, philosophy, religion, history, and classical studies; African, Latin American, East Asian and gender and sexuality studies; and music, visual arts, and history of art.