comparative literature and creative writing

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Berkeley Berkeley Academic Guide: Academic Guide 2023-24

Comparative literature.

About the Program

Bachelor of arts (ba).

Literature is a cultural site where the present is negotiated, the past excavated, and the future envisioned. In a globalized world where the circulation of blogs, legal documents, political manifestos, manuscripts, online journals, and images constantly shapes and reshapes human experience, understanding texts is utterly essential.

Majoring in comparative literature provides students with tools for analyzing texts, writing, editing, translating, and thinking across disciplinary and national boundaries. Our majors engage a variety of literary traditions and historical periods, from Latin American concrete poetry to Yiddish experimental fiction. The department offers rigorous training in the following areas of strength of our internationally recognized faculty: French, German, Italian, Hebrew studies, classics, critical theory, East Asian literatures and arts, performance studies, film and media, poetry and poetics, gender and sexuality, postcolonial theory, English and American literatures, early modern and Renaissance studies and Slavic literatures and cultures.

All members of the department are deeply invested in the academic development of our students and value you as an integral part of the Comparative Literature community at UC Berkeley. The department aims to develop your creative and intellectual interests and talents. As a major, you receive the opportunity to pursue rigorous research in a variety of literatures according to your interests, engage in team-based projects, participate in discussions about political, aesthetic, and social issues, and develop a nuanced cross-cultural understanding of historical and social processes. All of our students have close contact with cutting edge scholars in their fields in a small classroom setting, with extensive individualized work. Our undergraduate majors publish and edit their own journal of comparative literature (CLUJ) and run an annual research conference. Most majors also choose to spend time in study abroad to deepen their cultural and linguistic knowledge.

Our students benefit from training in comparative literature and go on to work in a variety of professions, including journalism, media, publishing, translation, theater, and politics as well as in many roles in the legal, corporate, social, medical, and arts sectors. Additionally, we prepare our students to enter top graduate programs in the US and abroad.

"That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you are not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong."

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

Declaring the Major

If you are thinking of majoring in Comparative Literature, come meet with the major adviser at your earliest opportunity. You will probably discover that the requirements are flexible enough to suit you, and may find it to your advantage to ask the department's adviser to suggest relevant freshman and sophomore courses.

Majors must see the major adviser each semester to plan a program for the coming year in order to pre-enroll via the CalCentral enrollment system. The Major Requirements tab to the right outlines the basic requirements. Keep in mind that most of these requirements will be adjusted according to the language areas in which you plan to work and your own long range plans.

Honors Program

Students who have attained junior standing may be admitted to the honors program if they:

• Have accumulated at least an overall 3.55 grade point average (GPA) and at least a 3.65 GPA in the major.
• Have completed at least 8 upper division units in literature, including COM LIT 100 or the equivalent.
• Are prepared to do upper division work in one vernacular foreign literature or one classical literature.

In addition to the requirements for the regular program outlined above, candidates for the BA with honors in Comparative Literature must demonstrate, through either examination or coursework, a sense of the historical development of their principal literature, and earn a grade of B or higher for an honors thesis in COM LIT H195 . Students interested in the honors program are urged to consult an adviser in the Department of Comparative Literature at their earliest opportunity.

Minor Program

The Department of Comparative Literature has a new minor program, open to all UC Berkeley students regardless of college.  The minor comprises of 5 courses; the 3 "core" classes required for the major (COM LIT 100, CL151-165, and COM LIT 190) along with two courses from the "secondary" literature.  For more information, please review the department site at complit.berkeley.edu or contact the Comparative Literature major adviser at [email protected] .

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

• All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a  Pass/No Pass  basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.

No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.

• A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in upper division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Upper Division Requirements

Minor requirements.

For the minor in Comparative Literature, students must take five courses for a letter grade: the three departmental core courses ( COM LIT 100 , 100A, B, C, or D; one from COM LIT 151–160, 156AC or 170, and COM LIT 190 ), and two in a secondary literature, which should be in another language aside from the student's main language. It is best that interested students meet with the major adviser to discuss planning for the minor. 

All minors must be declared no later than one semester before a student's Expected Graduation Term (EGT). If the semester before EGT is fall or spring, the deadline is the last day of RRR week. If the semester before EGT is summer, the deadline is the final Friday of Summer Sessions. To declare a minor, contact the department advisor for information on requirements, and the declaration process.

To complete the minor, interested students should fill out the "Completion of L&S Minor" forms and submit to the departmental adviser no later than the fifth week of classes of your final semester before graduation. The College of L&S will be notified of minor completion approximately four weeks after the final minor course has been completed for inclusion in the student's diploma.

All minors must be declared before the first day of classes in your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A. 

All upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade. 

A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.

A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required in the upper-division courses to fulfill the minor requirements.

Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement, for Letters & Science students.

All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. If students cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time, they should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.

All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)

Requirements

College requirements.

Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please review the  College of Letters & Sciences  page in this Guide. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages. 

University of California Requirements

Entry level writing.

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university, should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Berkeley Campus Requirement

American cultures.

All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements

Quantitative reasoning.

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composit ion

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses in sequential order by the end of their fourth semester.

College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements

Breadth requirements.

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

120 total units

Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

• Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department

Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years, or two years for transfer students. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Student Learning Goals

Learning goals for the major.

• Achieve solid proficiency in at least one language other than English, to the level needed to work with original texts in at least two national literary traditions.
• Attain a solid grounding in at least two national literary traditions, one of which is considered the student’s primary literature.
• Understand key characteristics of historical periods in the primary literature.
• Recognize and understand the workings of genre in literature (novel, poetic form, epic, drama).
• Achieve fluency in the use of major critical and theoretical modes of analysis.
• Situate literary movements in their relation to historical and cultural contexts.
• Analyze aspects of literature that can or must be studied cross-culturally (such as translation, avant-garde movements, romanticism, modernism, diasporic literatures).
• Perform a strong and revealing close analysis of a text.
• Recognize the literary and rhetorical features that structure texts and shape their reception.
• Employ the conceptual tools and insights of literary theoretical texts in reading and interpreting texts drawn from various literary genres, literary criticism, historical materials, and literary theory itself.
• Present accurately the arguments of a literary critic or theorist, uncovering unarticulated assumptions to illuminate the context in which the argument is made.
• Understand the implications of different interpretive approaches, considering the benefits and limitations of different strategies.
• Develop a line of questioning that leads to the construction of a logical, well-supported argument.
• Evaluate their own arguments and those of others on the criteria of logical coherence, good use of evidence and comprehensiveness.
• Respond to new evidence or new perspectives on the evidence by refining or revising their argument.
• Present complex information and ideas orally, both in a prepared presentation and spontaneously.
• Participate in a discussion with multiple participants by asking questions, listening closely to others, building upon their contributions, and formulating productive and relevant responses.
• Write formal expository prose that is clear, persuasive, and economical.
• Revise their own writing to improve its clarity and effectiveness.
• Formulate a productive research question that has a rigorous conceptual framework and makes good use of the available evidence.
• Use databases, indices, and other tools to identify and locate relevant materials.
• Assess the relevance and reliability of available materials.
• Cite published work properly.

Major Maps help undergraduate students discover academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities at UC Berkeley based on intended major or field of interest. Developed by the Division of Undergraduate Education in collaboration with academic departments, these experience maps will help you:

Explore your major and gain a better understanding of your field of study

Connect with people and programs that inspire and sustain your creativity, drive, curiosity and success

Discover opportunities for independent inquiry, enterprise, and creative expression

Engage locally and globally to broaden your perspectives and change the world

Reflect on your academic career and prepare for life after Berkeley

Use the major map below as a guide to planning your undergraduate journey and designing your own unique Berkeley experience.

View the Comparative Literature Major Map PDF.

Academic Opportunities

Study abroad.

Many Comparative Literature students study abroad. The department actively encourages this experience. International study can be enlightening and fulfilling, both personally and academically. Although study abroad requires some planning ahead, the benefits are well worth the effort for most students.

Berkeley Study Abroad (BSA) is a University of California, system-wide program. Located in 160 Stephens Hall, BSA administers education abroad for Berkeley students. To begin planning an overseas program, or for more information, contact an adviser in the BSA Office or phone 510-642-1356.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions offers assistance to students who want to participate in non-BSA programs. The office at 110 Sproul Hall provides advising during scheduled drop-in hours.

The Department of Comparative Literature expects its students to make normal degree progress and will review standing in the major before approving a semester or year abroad. Advanced consultation with the department adviser is highly recommended.

Comparative Literature Undergraduate Journal (CLUJ)

Students have the opportunity to run their own departmentally-supported journal, including writing, editing, and publishing. For more information, contact the Comparative Literature undergraduate academic adviser or look for the corresponding DeCal course at DeCal course listings.

Comparative Literature Research Symposium

Another opportunity is to participate in the annual Research Symposium, where scholars from around the world discuss their research. Typically the Symposium is held in early April. For more information, contact the Comparative Literature undergraduate academic adviser. 

COM LIT H1A English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2007, Fall 2005, Fall 2004 Expository writing based on analysis of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature. Limited to 10 qualified freshmen and/or sophomores who meet for round-table discussions and attend weekly tutorial sessions. Individual assignments provide each student with the opportunity to exploit his or her linguistic and literary training. H1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and H1B satisfies the second hal f. English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read More [+]

Rules & Requirements

Prerequisites: (a) UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam, (b) a 3.5 grade point average in high school English, (c) a reading knowledge of an ancient or modern foreign language, and (d) permission of the instructor

Requirements this course satisfies: Satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement

Hours & Format

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of discussion per week

Additional Format: Three hours of discussion per week, and individual conferences.

Additional Details

Subject/Course Level: Comparative Literature/Undergraduate

Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.

English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT H1B English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2008, Spring 2007, Spring 2006 Expository writing based on analysis of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature. Limited to 10 qualified freshmen and/or sophomores who meet for round-table discussions and attend weekly tutorial sessions. Individual assignments provide each student with the opportunity to exploit his or her linguistic and literary training. H1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and H1B satisfies the second half. English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read More [+]

Requirements this course satisfies: Satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement

COM LIT N1A English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2011 First 6 Week Session, Summer 2005 10 Week Session, Summer 2004 10 Week Session Expository writing based on analysis of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature. Satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement. English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: A passing grade in Subject A examination or course. 1A is prerequisite to 1B

Summer: 6 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Four hours of lecture and individual conferences per week for eight weeks. Six hours of lecture/discussion per week for six weeks.

COM LIT N1B English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2011 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2010 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2009 Second 6 Week Session Expository writing based on analysis of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature. Satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement. English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: A passing grade in Subject A examination or course. 1A is prerequisiteA passing grade in Subject A examination or course. 1A is prerequisite to 1B. to 1B

COM LIT R1A English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Summer 2024 Second 6 Week Session, Fall 2023 Expository writing based on analysis of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature. R1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R1B satisfies the second half. English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: UC Entry Level Writing Requirement or UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam. 1A or equivalent is prerequisite to 1B

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week plus individual conferences. Ten hours of lecture per week plus individual conferences for six weeks; seven and one-half hours of lecture per week plus individual conferences for eight weeks.

Formerly known as: 1A

COM LIT R1B English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Summer 2024 First 6 Week Session, Spring 2024 Expository writing based on analysis of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature. R1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R1B satisfies the second half. English Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for COM LIT R1B after completing COM LIT N1B , COM LIT S1B, COM LIT H1B , or COM LIT 1B.

Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week

Grading/Final exam status: Final exam not required.

Formerly known as: 1B

COM LIT R2A English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature 5 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2001, Fall 2000, Fall 1999 Expository writing done in connection with the reading of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature and the study of selected French texts read in the original. Course will prepare students for more advanced work in French. R2A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R2B satisfies the second half. English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Three years of high school French or two years with a B plus average

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Five hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Formerly known as: 2A

English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT R2B English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature 5 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2008, Spring 2007, Spring 2006 Expository writing done in connection with the reading of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature and the study of selected French texts read in the original. Course will prepare students for more advanced work in French. R2A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R2B satisfies the second half. English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature: Read More [+]

Formerly known as: 2B

COM LIT R3A English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature 5 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 Expository writing done in connection with the reading of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature and the study of selected Spanish texts read in the original. Course will help prepare students for more advanced work in Spanish. Satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition Requirement. English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Three years of high school Spanish or two years with a B+ average

Additional Format: Five hours of lecture per week.

English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT R3B English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Expository writing done in connection with the reading of selected masterpieces of ancient and modern literature and the study of selected Spanish texts read in the original. Course will help prepare students for more advanced work in Spanish. Satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition Requirement. This course is in-person. English Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Three years of high school Spanish or two years with a B plus average

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Four hours of lecture per week.

Grading/Final exam status: Alternative to final exam.

COM LIT 20 Episodes in Literary Cultures 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2022, Spring 2021 An introductory level exploration of a specific author, work, theme or literary movement in an international context. Emphasis on the ways in which literature has played (and continues to play) a crucial role in the relationship between different cultures, traditions, and languages. Readings and topics to vary from semester to semester. Episodes in Literary Cultures: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Completion of a 1A course or its equivalent is recommended but not required

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week.

Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.

Episodes in Literary Cultures: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 20A Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Philosophy 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2019 An introduction to problems of the comparative study of literature and philosophy. Emphasis on principles of comparative methods and literary and philosophical analysis with focus on selected literary, philosophical, critical, and theoretical texts from antiquity to the present. Readings in English. Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Philosophy: Read More [+]

Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Alternative to final exam.

Instructors: Zhang, Kaufman, Francois, McGlazer

Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Philosophy: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 20B Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Society 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2019 An introductory level exploration of the study of social and cultural issues in relation to literature. Examining some of the conceptual and thematic places where literature and social sciences topics (race, gender, social and class structure, law) cross over into each others' domains, we will ask what it means to read literary texts along with social sciences methodologies. The focus will be on reading of fiction and alongside methodological texts of the social sciences (linguistics, sociology, law, anthropology, social and cultural theories of gender and ethnicity). Readings and topics to vary from semester to semester. Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Society: Read More [+]

Instructor: Lucey

Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Society: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 20C Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and History 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 An introductory level exploration of the study of literature and history. Examining the literature and historical events of a chosen period (ancient, medieval, renaissance and early modern, modern, contemporary), we will engage in readings of literature, art, and critical texts in order better to understand the imaginative and real worlds of other times and places. Readings and topics to vary from semester to semester. Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and History: Read More [+]

Instructors: Largier, Bezner, Hampton, Ram, Britto

Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and History: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 24 Freshman Seminar 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2020, Spring 2019 The Freshman Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to fifteen freshmen. Freshman Seminar: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of seminar per week

Additional Format: One hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.

Grading/Final exam status: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered. Final Exam To be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.

Freshman Seminar: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 39H Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2011 Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25. Freshman/Sophomore Seminar: Read More [+]

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2-4 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two to four hours of seminar per week.

Grading/Final exam status: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered. Final exam required.

Freshman/Sophomore Seminar: Read Less [-]

COM LIT N40 Women and Literature 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2002 10 Week Session, Summer 2001 10 Week Session, Summer 1999 10 Week Session A study of women as portrayed in literature, and of women writers. Selected readings on a topic which varies from summer to summer, detailed consideration of both literary techniques and the problems of women. Women and Literature: Read More [+]

Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 5.5 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Seven and one half hours of lecture per week for six weeks.

Women and Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 41A Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Epic 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2010, Spring 2008, Fall 2006 Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Epic: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Epic: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 41C Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Novel 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2012, Spring 2011, Summer 2010 Second 6 Week Session Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Novel: Read More [+]

Summer: 6 weeks - 8 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. Eight hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.

Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Novel: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 41D Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Drama 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2018, Fall 2009, Spring 2007 Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Drama: Read More [+]

Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Drama: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 41E Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Cinema 4 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2020 Second 6 Week Session, Fall 2019, Fall 2017 Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Cinema: Read More [+]

Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. Seven and one-half hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.

Introduction to Literary Forms: Forms of the Cinema: Read Less [-]

COM LIT N41A Introduction to Literary Forms: The Epic 3 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: The Epic: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Six hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks. Seven and one-half hours of lecture per week for 6 weeks.

Introduction to Literary Forms: The Epic: Read Less [-]

COM LIT N41B Introduction to Literary Forms: The Lyric 3 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: The Lyric: Read More [+]

Introduction to Literary Forms: The Lyric: Read Less [-]

COM LIT N41C Introduction to Literary Forms: The Novel 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2003 10 Week Session, Summer 1998 10 Week Session Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: The Novel: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Six hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks. Seven and one-half hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.

Introduction to Literary Forms: The Novel: Read Less [-]

COM LIT N41D Introduction to Literary Forms: The Drama 3 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 Comparative study of masterpieces of world literature. Introduction to Literary Forms: The Drama: Read More [+]

Introduction to Literary Forms: The Drama: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 50 Creative Writing in Comparative Literature 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2021 Second 6 Week Session, Fall 2019, Fall 2017 A creative writing workshop for students who wish to study the theory and practice of writing as they work in a variety of forms and media. Creative Writing in Comparative Literature: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for Comparative Literature 50 after completing S50 or S50X.

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture/discussion per week.

Creative Writing in Comparative Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 60AC Topics in the Literature of American Cultures 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Spring 2023 Study of the ethnic diversity of American literature. Topics will vary from semester to semester, but may include such themes as Cultures of the City, Gender, Race, Ethnicity in U.S. Literature, Race and Identity. Students should consult the department's course bulletin well before the beginning of the semester for details. Topics in the Literature of American Cultures: Read More [+]

Requirements this course satisfies: Satisfies the American Cultures requirement

Topics in the Literature of American Cultures: Read Less [-]

COM LIT N60AC Topics in the Literature of American Cultures 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2019 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2018 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2017 Second 6 Week Session Study of the ethnic diversity of American literature. Topics will vary from summer to summer but may include such themes as gender, race, ethnicity, marriage, sexuality, identity, and the supernatural. Students should check the department's bulletin boards for summer course listings and further details. Topics in the Literature of American Cultures: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Seven and one-half hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.

COM LIT W60AC Topics in the Literature of American Cultures 4 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 8 Week Session, Summer 2023 8 Week Session, Summer 2022 8 Week Session Study of the ethnic diversity of American literature. Topics will vary from semester to semester, but may include such themes as Cultures of the City, Gender, Race, Ethnicity in U.S. Literature, Race and Identity. Students should consult the department's course bulletin well before the beginning of the semester for details. Topics in the Literature of American Cultures: Read More [+]

Summer: 8 weeks - 3 hours of web-based lecture and 1 hour of web-based discussion per week

Additional Format: One hour of web-based discussion and three hours of web-based lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Online: This is an online course.

Instructor: Palau

COM LIT 80AC Out of Place in America 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2022 COMPLIT 80AC: Out of Place in America, is a literature-based course that maps histories and ongoing practices of exclusion, displacement, and surveillance in the United States as narrated in works by Native American, African American, Latinx and Asian American writers. Out of Place in America: Read More [+]

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.

Instructor: Piatote

Out of Place in America: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 98 Directed Group Study for Freshmen and Sophomores 1 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2014 Group study in a field that may not coincide with that of any regular course and must be specific enough to enable students to write essays based upon their studies. Directed Group Study for Freshmen and Sophomores: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Lower division standing

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week

Additional Format: One to Four hour of Independent study per week for 15 weeks. One to Four hour of Independent study per week for 8 weeks. One to Four hour of Independent study per week for 6 weeks.

Grading/Final exam status: Offered for pass/not pass grade only. Final exam not required.

Directed Group Study for Freshmen and Sophomores: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 98BC Berkeley Connect 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Berkeley Connect is a mentoring program, offered through various academic departments, that helps students build intellectual community. Over the course of a semester, enrolled students participate in regular small-group discussions facilitated by a graduate student mentor (following a faculty-directed curriculum), meet with their graduate student mentor for one-on-one academic advising, attend lectures and panel discussions featuring department faculty and alumni, and go on field trips to campus resources. Students are not required to be declared majors in order to participate. Course may be repeated for credit. Berkeley Connect: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of directed group study per week

Additional Format: One hour of directed group study per week.

Instructor: Kaufman

Berkeley Connect: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 100 Introduction to Comparative Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 An introduction to problems of the comparative study of literature and culture. Emphasis on principles of comparative methods and analysis with focus on selected literary, critical, and theoretical texts from antiquity to the present. Readings in English. Introduction to Comparative Literature: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week. Eight hours of lecture per week for 6 weeks.

Introduction to Comparative Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 100A Introduction to Comparative Literature: Literature and Philosophy 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2021 An introduction to problems of the comparative study of literatures of the world in international and cross-cultural perspective along with philosophical texts and approaches. Emphasis on principles of comparative methods and analysis with focus on issues of philosophy and ethics along with selected literary, critical, and theoretical texts. Readings in English. Introduction to Comparative Literature: Literature and Philosophy: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week.

Instructors: Zhang, Butler, Francois, Volpp

Introduction to Comparative Literature: Literature and Philosophy: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 100B Introduction to Comparative Literature: Society and Culture 4 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 An introduction to problems of the comparative study of literatures of the world in international and cross-cultural perspective. Emphasis on principles of comparative methods and analysis with focus on contemporary social and cultural issues in at least one foreign culture along with selected literary, critical, and theoretical texts. Readings in English. Introduction to Comparative Literature: Society and Culture: Read More [+]

Instructor: Kurke

Introduction to Comparative Literature: Society and Culture: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 100C Introduction to Comparative Literature: Literary and Cultural History 4 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 An introduction to problems of the comparative study of literature and historical study. Emphasis on principles of comparative methods and analysis with focus on selected literary, critical, and theoretical texts from antiquity to the present. Readings in English. Introduction to Comparative Literature: Literary and Cultural History: Read More [+]

Instructors: Kahn, Bezner, Ram, Largier

Introduction to Comparative Literature: Literary and Cultural History: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 100D Introduction to Comparative Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2021 An introduction to problems of the comparative study of literatures of the world in international and cross-cultural perspective . Emphasis on principles of comparative methods and analysis with focus on contemporary social and cultural issues in at least one foreign culture along with selected literary, critical, and theoretical texts. Readings in English. Introduction to Comparative Literature: Read More [+]

Instructors: Britto, Spackman, Sas, Kronfeld

COM LIT 112A Modern Greek Language 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This is a course of beginning Modern Greek involving speaking, reading and writing. Modern Greek pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and syntax is studied. In this course there is also an emphasis in practice of oral language skills. Modern Greek Language: Read More [+]

Modern Greek Language: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 112B Modern Greek Composition 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Modern Greek pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and syntax studied. The forms of writing (prose, poetry, drama) are studied through literary texts as auxiliary to the acquisition of compositional skills. Modern Greek Composition: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Comparative Literature 112A or consent of instructor

Modern Greek Composition: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 120 The Biblical Tradition in Western Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2013, Spring 2011, Fall 2008 Examination of selected aspects of the Biblical tradition and their relevance to the study of later literature. The Biblical Tradition in Western Literature: Read More [+]

The Biblical Tradition in Western Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 151 The Ancient Mediterranean World 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2019 The literature of Greece, Rome, the Biblical lands, and other ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean basin. The Ancient Mediterranean World: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Upper division standing or consent of instructor. Graduate students who wish to take this course are required to go back to the original Hebrew, Greek, or Latin texts

The Ancient Mediterranean World: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 152 The Middle Ages 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015 The literature of the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Upper division standing or consent of instructor. Graduate students wishing to enroll must know at least one foreign language relevant to the materials studied

The Middle Ages: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 153 The Renaissance 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 European literature of the Renaissance. The Renaissance: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Upper division standing or permission of the instructor. Graduate students wishing to enroll must know at least one foreign language relevant to the materials studied

The Renaissance: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 154 Eighteenth- and 19th-Century Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2021 Literature of the 18th and 19th centuries. Eighteenth- and 19th-Century Literature: Read More [+]

Eighteenth- and 19th-Century Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 155 The Modern Period 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Modern Period: Read More [+]

Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5-8 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. Seven and one-half to Eight hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.

The Modern Period: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 156 Fiction and Culture of the Americas 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2015, Spring 2012, Fall 2011 Comparative study of American, Native-American, Spanish-American, Caribbean, and Brazilian literature and culture. Readings chosen to illustrate diverse attitudes of Americans toward their culture, politics, and environment. Fiction and Culture of the Americas: Read More [+]

Fiction and Culture of the Americas: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 156AC On line: Fiction and Culture of the Americas 4 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 8 Week Session, Summer 2023 8 Week Session, Summer 2022 8 Week Session Study of the ethnic diversity of American literature. Topics will vary from semester to semester, but may include such themes as Cultures of the City, Gender, Race, Ethnicity in U.S. Literature, Race and Identity. Students should consult the department's course bulletin well before the beginning of the semester for details. On line: Fiction and Culture of the Americas: Read More [+]

Instructor: McEnaney

On line: Fiction and Culture of the Americas: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 160AC Topics in Literatures of American Cultures - Poetry 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021 The course takes account—indeed, it focuses on—the modern American lyric poetry, approached both aesthetically and politically, of African American, indigenous peoples of the United States, Asian Americans, and Chicanos/Latinos, as well as European Americans. The course also presents substantial critical materials—philosophy, criticism, historiography, some sociology—by authors from those groups, writings that are about, or in crucial relation to, the poetry that will be the course’s primary focus. Topics in Literatures of American Cultures - Poetry: Read More [+]

Topics in Literatures of American Cultures - Poetry: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 165 Myth and Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Spring 2019 Study of the earliest myth texts and of the progressive growth of literature out of myth to the present day. Myth and oral composition. Emphasis on the meanings of myth as reflected in varying idioms. Myth and Literature: Read More [+]

Myth and Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 170 Special Topics in Comparative Literature 1 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2020, Spring 2020 An independent studies course designed to fulfill a need intrinsic to the undergraduate major's program which cannot otherwise be satisfied because it involves either a literature not covered in regularly scheduled course offerings or a special methodological framework or bias of selection. Special Topics in Comparative Literature: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Hours to be arranged.

Special Topics in Comparative Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 171 Topics in Modern Greek Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 This course frames methodologically selected topics in Modern Greek Literature and places them in their historical, social or cultural context. Topics in Modern Greek Literature: Read More [+]

Instructor: Kotzamanidou

Topics in Modern Greek Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 190 Senior Seminar in Comparative Literature 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Seminar-style treatment of a major topic in Comparative Literature. Substantial paper required. Senior Seminar in Comparative Literature: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Senior standing; 100 and one course from the 151-160 series (the latter may be taken concurrently)

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture/discussion or three hours of seminar per week.

Senior Seminar in Comparative Literature: Read Less [-]

COM LIT H195 Honors Course 1 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Preparation and writing of an honors thesis under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Honors Course: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Honors standing, 8 units in upper division literature courses, including 100 or the equivalent, and knowledge of a vernacular language or a classical language

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 1-5 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week

Honors Course: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 198 Directed Group Study 1 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2016, Spring 2015 Group study in a field that may not coincide with that of any regular course and must be specific enough to enable students to write essays based upon their studies. Directed Group Study: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Upper division standing

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of directed group study per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 2.5-10 hours of directed group study per week 8 weeks - 1.5-7.5 hours of directed group study per week

Additional Format: One to Four hour of Directed group study per week for 15 weeks. One and one-half to Seven and one-half hours of Directed group study per week for 8 weeks. Two and one-half to Ten hours of Directed group study per week for 6 weeks.

Directed Group Study: Read Less [-]

COM LIT 198BC Berkeley Connect 1 Unit

Com lit 199 supervised independent study and research 1 - 4 units.

Terms offered: Spring 2016, Fall 2015, Spring 2015 Enrollment restrictions apply. Supervised Independent Study and Research: Read More [+]

Supervised Independent Study and Research: Read Less [-]

Contact Information

Department of comparative literature.

4125 Dwinelle Hall

Niklaus Largier

4117 Dwinelle

[email protected]

Staff Graduate Advisor

Rita Lindahl-Lynch

4116 Dwinelle

[email protected]

Staff Undergraduate Advisor

Nina Rennert Cohen, MA

4118 Dwinelle

Phone: 510-642-1202

[email protected]

Departmental Manager

4205 Dwinelle

[email protected]

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Department of English and Comparative Literature

MFA Program

Our Program and Literary Community

A 44 semester-unit, 2-year studio/research program: 

• A dual-genre program with concentrations in fiction, creative nonfiction , poetry, and playwriting/screenwriting.
• Curriculum includes writing workshops in primary and secondary genres, literature seminars, professional training courses, and internships.  
• First Year: All applicants are considered for six Graduate Steinbeck Fellowships (covers in-state tuition). 
• Second Year : Students can apply to be Teaching Associates in the English Department with a salary and tuition remittance.
• Connie L. Lurie Distinguished Visiting Author-in-Residence . Don George, Andrew Sean Greer, Nayomi Munaweera, and Faith Adiele (Spring 2020). Past visitors include: Vendela Vida, Cristina García, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ishmael Reed, Kim Addonizio, Simon Winchester, Tim Cahill, and Daniel Alarcón.
• Reed Magazine , the oldest student-run literary journal west of the Mississippi.
• Center for Literary Arts holds readings, discussions, and master classes with writers of exceptional voice and vision in San Jose since 1986. Guests since 2007 include E.L. Doctorow, Denis Johnson, ZZ Packer, Mary Roach, Salman Rushdie, Tracy K. Smith, Juan Felipe Herrera, Joy Harjo, T. C. Boyle, Viet Thanh Nguyen, William Finnegan, Paul Beatty, Marilyn Chin (Fall 2019), and Jonathan Franzen (Fall 2019).

Fall admission opens October 1.

Admission is based on a writing sample in the primary genre, in which the student will complete a full-length thesis.  Students must declare a primary and a secondary genre to apply for admission. 

• MFA Admission requirements
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why Choose Our MFA Program?

• Be part of workshops and literature seminars (averaging 15-16 students) taught by actively publishing, available faculty . 
• Courses are taught in-person and via online modalities, and are offered weekly in the late afternoons and evenings to fit your busy schedule.
• Apply for a fellowship! All applicants are automatically eligible to be considered for one of six full in-state tuition Graduate Steinbeck Fellowships in their first year. 
• Take advantage of a plethora of opportunities, such as joining the editorial staff of REED Magazine , an award-winning student-edited annual literary journal.
• Become a teaching assistant. Teaching opportunities while completing the degree through the department’s Graduate Assistant and Teaching Associate programs .
• Hear from renowned authors in events presented by the Center for Literary Arts and from our annual Lurie Visiting Author-in-Residence who teaches a graduate workshop each Spring. Come join our supportive literary and social community !

Reading List

For the MFA exam you should be prepared to cite approximately 8 works in the primary (approximately 4 per essay) and 4 works in the secondary on our reading list.

Past MFA Events

From MFA Theses Readings to Legacy of Poetry, you can find recordings and slide decks from our past events!

Nick Taylor , Director of Creative Writing  (408) 924-5087  Faculty Offices 106  [email protected]

Grad Interest: Creative Writing

Kyle cunningham.

2018, BA English, University of Florida

Kyle Cunningham is a doctoral student at UNC Chapel Hill. His research focuses on the production and circulation of narrative, ideology, and meaning through the digital technologies and platforms that facilitate (and condition) communication today. He is particularly interested in how specific “genres” of online content cluster together and provide important sites of agency wherein individuals and communities both re-envision and reproduce culture.

Curriculum Vitae / Resume

Research interests.

Aesthetics | Contemporary American Literature | Creative Writing | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Digital Humanities | Digital Rhetorics | Feminist Theory And Gender & Sexuality Studies | Film and Media Studies | Genre Theory | Media Studies | Narrative Theory | Philosophy Of Language | Visual Culture and Arts

Xochi-María Ramos-Lara

2023, B.A. Gender Studies / English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

xochi-maría ramos-lara (she/they) is a doctoral student in english and comparative literature. her main research interest focuses on the (lacanian) subjectivity of gay latinx poets as they wrote during the american aids epidemic of the 80s and 90s, taking into account the presence of the hiv virus itself as an important character. besides this, x. is interested in non-white marxist critiques of the state, hegemonic ideologies, and culture; anti-white violent resistance via brown power (ex. the palestinian intifadas); queer performances of subversion in the american drag and ballroom scenes; and the power dynamics of bareback subculture in gay pornography.

outside of the academy, x. loves writing poetry, collective education on critical ethnic studies, participating in local political action, and going to gay clubs as a form of praxis.

Publications:

• “i planted some lavender in my front yard saturday morning,” SAGE , 2024.
• “afuera,” Screen Door Review , 2023.
• “white mother,” Carolina Muse: Literary & Arts Magazine , 2023.

African American Literature | Comparative Literature | Contemporary American Literature | Contemporary Multiethnic American Literature | Creative Writing | Critical Race Studies | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Feminist Theory And Gender & Sexuality Studies | Latina / Latino Literature | Literature and History | Literature and Philosophy | Literature of the Americas | Performance Studies | Philosophy Of Language | Poetry and Poetics | Post-Colonial Literature and Theory | Queer Theory | Social Justice | Visual Culture and Arts | Women Writers

Dailihana Esperanza Alfonseca

2013, AS in Fashion Management, Bay State College

2019, BS in Fashion Merchandising & Management, Southern New Hampshire University

Afro-Caribbean-American writer Dailihana Alfonseca is currently working on her Masters in Health Humanities in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her concentration in Literature, Medicine, and Culture continues to amplify marginalized perspectives through her writing and research of the Im/Migrant experiences within America and of the colonial impacts of the past. In working with what Zora Neale Hurston called “Literary Science,” and what W.E.B. Dubois coined as “Double Consciousness,” her writing marries creative works, archival research, and medical analysis to convey tangible bridges of experiential knowledge. She does this in hopes of expanding the scope of knowledge available to historically under-served communities.

Her poetry has previously appeared in The Bangalore Review, The Global Gazette, and her fiction has appeared in Driftwood Press Literary Magazine. In 2023 she won a Robert J. Dau Prize and was named an emerging writer to watch by PEN America. Her short story, “Spanish Soap Operas Killed My Mother,” was also nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize.

• Spanglish ( A Poem) – Linguistic Evolution, Trauma, and Colonial Survivability
• The Global Gazette · Dec 15, 2022
• Spanish Soap Operas Killed My Mother
• Driftwood Press · Jan 1, 2022
• English as a Second Language
• Bangalore Review · Nov 20, 2020

2023 Robert J. Dau Prize for Emerging Writers by P.E.N. America

Office: HHIVE Lab in Greenlaw Hall Gaskin Library, Room 524

African American Literature | Comparative Literature | Creative Writing | Critical Race Studies | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Feminist Historiography | Feminist Theory And Gender & Sexuality Studies | Latina / Latino Literature | Literature of the Americas | Literature, Medicine and Culture | Poetry and Poetics | Women Writers

Joshua Cody Ward

2022, MA English, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2016, BA Religious Studies, Wingate University

A North Carolina native, Joshua Cody Ward joined the program in Fall 2022. His field is Modern and Contemporary American literature broadly (1900-Present), and specifically Literature of the American South, the Appalachian South, and African American Literature. His research interests include the archive, textual studies, editorial scholarship, intertextuality, and the Novel, though he is also an avid scholar of Cormac McCarthy and of Thomas Wolfe. His prospective dissertation will engage with Articulations of Appalachia, both scholarly and literary, centering on the political and aesthetic stakes of defining the Southern Appalachian range across the 20th century into the contemporary.

He is currently a Digital Content Coordinator for the Latina/o Studies Program, a Junior Coordinator for the Critical Speakers Series, a Graduate Lecture Series coordinator, and a Board Member (2023-2026) for the Thomas Wolfe Society. He is also on the committee for the 2024 Durham, NC conference for the Thomas Wolfe Society, and is an occasional Reviewer for the The Cormac McCarthy Journal . As a junior scholar, his work has been accepted or published in several journals and essay collections, and he has presented his work at over 20 academic conferences.

• “Darkness on the Edge of Town: Beat Subject Formation, Black Ontology, and Fugitivity as Gnosis in Cormac McCarthy’s Suttree.” In This Country’s Hard on People: Cormac McCarthy and American Identity , edited by Vernon Cisney. Forthcoming.
• “Weird Object Relations, Ecology, and Apocalypse in Cormac McCarthy’s The Passenger and Stella Maris .” In New Perspectives on Cormac McCarthy: Encountering The Passenger and Stella Maris, edited by Jonathan Elmore and Rick Elmore. Forthcoming.
• “Publishing the Black Arts Movement: Editors, Anthologies, and Canonization.” South Atlantic Review, vol. 88, no. 2-3, 2023, pp. 157-170.
• “From Commas to Cosmos: The Pervading Influence of Thomas Wolfe on Cormac McCarthy.” The Thomas Wolfe Review , vols. 44 & 45, nos. 1 & 2, 2020 & 2021, pp. 8-25.
• [album] The Boron Heist. Ridin’ Rough. Mystery School Records, April 6 2019.
• “Light and Darkness, Sight and Blindness: Religious Knowledge in Cormac McCarthy’s Outer Dark. ” Wingate Research Review, issue 8, Fall 2016, pp. 87-106.
• “Raison d’être.” Wingate University Counterpoint, Spring 2013, p. 9.
• “On Testing.” Wingate University Counterpoint, Spring 2013, p. 23.
• Graduate Teaching Fellow, Fall 2022-Present, UNC Chapel Hill, English and Comparative Literature Department.
• Travel Grant, Fall 2023, UNC Chapel Hill, English and Comparative Literature Department.
• Emerging Scholar Award, Summer 2023, UNC Chapel Hill, Southern Futures program.
• John R. Bittner Student Literary Prize , May 27 th 2023, Thomas Wolfe Society Conference.
• LSP Teaching Fellowship , Spring 2023, UNC Chapel Hill Latina/o Studies Program.
• Graduate Student Transportation Grant, Spring 2023, UNC Chapel Hill, Graduate School.
• Languages & Literatures Graduate Student Paper Award Recipient, February 23 rd 2023, 44 th Annual SWPACA Conference.
• 2021 Graduate Student Essay Award Recipient, November 12 th 2022, SAMLA 94.
• Travel Grant, Fall 2022, UNC Chapel Hill, English and Comparative Literature Department.
• The Julian D. Mason Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies , April 29 th 2022, UNC Charlotte, English Department.
• Graduate Teaching Assistantship , Fall 2020-Spring 2022, UNC Charlotte, English Department.
• Wittliff Collections William Hill Research Award , 2021-2022, Texas State University, For archival research conducted July 2021 in the Cormac McCarthy Papers and Woolmer Collections.
• Anne Newman Graduate Student Travel Grant , Fall 2021, UNC Charlotte.
• Excellence in Philosophy Award, April 24 th 2016, Wingate University, Religious Studies Department.
• G. Byrns Coleman Award for Excellence in Religious Studies , April 24 th  2016, Wingate University, Religious Studies Department.
• University Honors , April 24 th , 2016, Wingate University.

Office: Dey Hall 341

African American Literature | American Literature from 1789 to 1900 | American Literature to 1900 to the present | Contemporary American Literature | Creative Writing | Critical Race Studies | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Film and Media Studies | Genre Theory | Latina / Latino Literature | Literature and Philosophy | Modernism | Posthumanism | Science Fiction | Southern Literature | The Novel

Isabel Grace Thomas Howard

2020, BA English, Trinity College Dublin

Isabel (they/them) is a second-year PhD student at the University of North Carolina. Their research examines representations of e mbodiment and the soul in Middle English, Anglo-Norman, and Latin religious texts, considering how structures between the corporeal, physical self and the sensing, feeling, and immaterial self can be read alongside theories of queer embodiment, affect, and representations.

In this framework,  Isabel is concerned with how language informs depictions of physical and metaphysical identity and how these identities are often unsettled and displaced through language. In their reading of queerness in medieval texts, Isabel desires to experiment with how we recognize and interpret ‘queerness’ not as a fixed phenomenon, but an amalgamation of acts, events, and performances in dialogue with identity-formation.

They are currently working on two projects: one entitled ‘ I kan nat glose ’: Queering Illegible Signification in Chaucer’s The Merchant’s Tale,’ which analyzes the infamous pear tree sex scene in Chaucer’s  The Merchant’s Tale  as a culmination of unintelligible semiotic exchanges of letters and of sexual organs, and the other, “Needle as Queer Instrument of Authorship in Chrétien de Troyes  Yvain ,” which considers the implications of the textile worker as  auctor .

• Joseph Breen Award, UNC Chapel Hill Department of English & Comparative Literature, 2023
• Research Grant, UNC Chapel Hill Medieval and Early Modern Studies, 2023
• Travel Award, UNC Chapel Hill Graduate and Professional Student Government, 2023
• Travel Grant, UNC Chapel Hill Department of English & Comparative Literature, 2022
• CARA Summer Scholarship, Medieval Academy of America, 2022
• First Class Honours in English Studies, Trinity College Dublin, 2020

Office: Dey Hall 342

Aesthetics | British Literature from 1485 to 1660 (including Milton) | British Literature from its beginning to 1485 | Creative Writing | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Digital Humanities | History of the Book | Literature and Philosophy | Literature and Religion | Philosophy Of Language | Poetry and Poetics | Queer Theory | The English Language

Colin Dekeersgieter

2012, B.A. English, University of Vermont

2014, M.A. Modern Literature, CUNY, Graduate Center

2017, M.F.A. Creative Writing, Poetry, New York University

Colin Dekeersgieter studies modern poetry, poetics, and aesthetics with a focus on domesticity. His work has appeared in the North American Review , Greensboro Review,  Green Mountains   Review , and elsewhere.

• Opium and Ambergris (Kent State University Press, forthcoming 2024)
• Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize, selected by Marilyn Chin
• Goldwater Fellowship, New York University
• Global Research Initiative Fellowship, New York University

Office: Dey Hall 339

Aesthetics | American Literature from 1789 to 1900 | American Literature to 1900 to the present | Creative Writing | Literature and Philosophy | Modernism | Poetry and Poetics | Queer Theory

2010, MA English, DePaul University

2008, BA English, Birmingham-Southern College

Originally from LaGrange, GA, Paul is primarily interested in American literature from 1865 to the present and its intersections with the health humanities, especially literary trauma studies. He is primarily interested in the ethical and political implications of depictions of trauma in literature and other media, especially acts of violence and atrocity for both perpetrators and survivors. In addition to his scholarly work, he also teaches sections of ENGL 105 and ENGL 105i: Writing in Health and Medicine, has tutored for the athletic department, has served for several years as the Fiction Editor for The Carolina Quarterly , and currently serves as the Co-Director for UNC’s Literature, Medicine, and Culture Colloquium (LMCC), https://lmcc.web.unc.edu/ . He also writes original pieces of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, and drama as well as scripts for promotional videos and short narrative or documentary films.

• Smith, Jonathan and Paul Blom . “Those Who Don’t Return: Improving Efforts to Address Tuberculosis Among Former Miners in Southern Africa.” NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy , vol. 29, no. 1, May 2019, pp. 76-104.
• Blom , Paul . “ ‘It wasn’t any good diving unless you had a big hammer’ : Psychoanalyzing Hemingway’s ‘After the Storm.’” The Sea in the Literary Imagination: Global Perspectives , edited by Ben P. Robertson, Ekaterina V. Kobeleva, Shannon W. Thompson, and Katona D. Weddle. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Jan. 2019.
• Blom , Paul . “‘ A trap of our own making ’: Mark Twain and the Mechanized Warfare of King Arthur’s Court.” War, Myths, and Fairy Tales , edited by Sara Buttsworth and Maartje Abbenhuis . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, Jan. 2017.
• See also https:// paul eblom.com/research-and-other-works/publications/ .

Teaching Awards

• Member of Peer Mentoring Committee (PMC) for graduate student instructors, UNC-Chapel Hill , Dept. of English and Comparative Literature , Writing Program , 2023 – 2024
• ENGL 105 Programmatic Assessment Professional Development Award recipient , UNC-Chapel Hill , Dept. of English and Comparative Literature , Writing Program , 2023
• UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Program Professional Development Award Recipient, 2021
• UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Program Professional Development Award Recipient, 2020
• UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Program Professional Development Award Recipient, 2019
• GPSG Travel Award recipient for travel to preside over a panel at MLA’s Annual Convention, 2023 in San Francisco, CA in Jan. 2023, Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) at UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 2023
• Departmental Travel Grant Award recipient for travel to preside over a panel at MLA’s Annual Convention, 2022 in Washington, DC in Jan. 2022, Department of English and Comparative Literature at UNC-Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC, 2020
• Departmental Summer Fellowship Service Award to provide administrative support at the Digital Literacy and Communications Lab , 2020
• Departmental Travel Grant Award Recipient for travel to present at annual MELUS Conference in New Orleans, LA, April 2020
• Recipient of multiple grants for “Popular Narratives and the Experience of War,” UNC-Chapel Hill, from The Graduate School; Humanities for the Public Good; The College of Arts & Sciences, Division of Fine Arts & Humanities; The College of Arts & Sciences, Division of Social Sciences & Global Programs; Carolina Veterans Resource Center; Department of English and Comparative Literature; Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense; Department of History; and Center for the Study of the American South, 2019

Office: Greenlaw 509

American Literature to 1900 to the present | Contemporary American Literature | Creative Writing | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Digital Humanities | Digital Rhetorics | Disability Studies | Film and Media Studies | Literature and Science | Literature, Medicine and Culture | Modernism | Pedagogy | Social Justice

Carly Schnitzler

2016, B.A. English modified with Philosophy, minor in Ethics, Dartmouth College

Carly Schnitzler is a PhD candidate and teaching fellow studying digital rhetoric and computational arts and poetics.

Aesthetics | Contemporary American Literature | Creative Writing | Critical Theory and Cultural Studies | Digital Humanities | Digital Rhetorics | History of the Book | Literature and Philosophy | Literature and Science | Media Studies | Philosophy Of Language | Poetry and Poetics | Rhetoric, Composition and Literacy | Visual Culture and Arts

Emma Duvall

2016, BA Liberal Arts, Sarah Lawrence College

Emma is a Comparative Literature student interested in ancient Greek philosophy.  Her work explores the relationship between philosophy and poetry in Plato and Aristotle.  She is also interested in language, specifically metaphor and simile.

Comparative Literature | Creative Writing | Drama | Literature and Philosophy | Philosophy Of Language | Poetry and Poetics | The English Language

B. Kylan Rice

2014, BA English, Brigham Young University

2017, MFA Creative Writing, Colorado State University

Kylan Rice studies nineteenth and twentieth-century American poetry and poetics.

• An Image Not a Book  (Free Verse Editions, forthcoming 2023)
• Primer , co-authored with Dan Beachy-Quick (Free Poetry Press, 2023)
• Incryptions  (Spuyten Duyvil, 2021)

Anthologies:

• Southern Lights: 75 Years of the Carolina Quarterly, co-edited with Sophia Houghton and Daniel Wallace (UNC Press, forthcoming 2023)
• “‘Bird, Jewel, or Flower?’: On the Tokenization of Nineteenth-Century Women’s Poetry,”  ELH  (forthcoming)
• “A ‘Correspondence of Eyes with Eyes’: Edwin Arlington Robinson, Empathy, and Literary Naturalism,”  CR: The New Centennial Review , vol. 20, no. 3, December 2020, pp. 179 – 205.
• “‘In Couples, In Small Companies’: On Robert Duncan and Sentimental Modernism.”  Arizona Quarterly: A Journal of American Literature, Culture, & Theory , vol. 76, no. 2, Summer 2020, pp. 87-113.
• “‘Some Other’s Text’: Dan Beachy-Quick,  Moby-Dick , and the Poetics of Reading.”  Leviathan: A Journal of Melville Studies , vol. 21, no. 2, June 2019, pp. 83-103.
• “‘Light—enabling Light’: Emily Dickinson and the Apparatus of the Poet’s I.”  Women’s Studies , vol. 47, no. 3, 2018, pp. 317-332.
• Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Award, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023.
• Lyle V. Jones Dissertation Fellowship, awarded within the Royster Society of Fellows, 2022-23.
• Graduate Student Fellowship, Emily Dickinson International Society, 2023
• Early Stages Departmental Dissertation Fellowship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Summer 2021
• Bain Award for outstanding academic performance in the second year of graduate study, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2019
• Ruth Richardson Award for outstanding academic performance in the first year of graduate study, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018

Office: Greenlaw 528

Aesthetics | American Literature from 1789 to 1900 | American Literature to 1900 to the present | Creative Writing | Modernism | Poetry and Poetics | Women Writers

Published November 08, 2019

This or That: English vs Comparative Literature

David Querusio

Assistant Director, NYU Admissions

If you like poetry readings, getting lost in used bookstores, and asserting that the book is always better than the movie, then pursuing a major focused on reading and writing might be the path for you. While majoring in English might be the obvious choice, Comparative Literature is another great way to explore these passions. But what, exactly, is the difference between the two programs? 

To grasp the difference between the two, it’s important to break down the mission statements of each department.

“A Dynamic Traversal”

NYU’s Comp Lit program has an interdisciplinary approach to the field, which they refer to as a “dynamic traversal.” The curriculum infuses literary criticism with a variety of theories and disciplines. It is common for Comp Lit majors to incorporate anything from philosophy to linguistics to music theory into their criticism. These approaches are typically framed through a transnational lens. Course offerings include Life in Chinese Lit and Film and Middle Eastern Anglophone Literature.

Because of this international and, yes, comparative , approach to literature, Comp Lit majors often align their studies with translation work and cultural analysis. Graduates often go on to pursue academic careers in graduate studies. Other Comp Lit students work in positions ranging from online poetry journal start-ups to news outlets. 

The Next Great Novelist or Critic

The English department, on the other hand, investigates how we classify literature and the methods we use to analyze it. English majors immerse themselves in close reading, archival research, and the digital humanities . While English departments tend to focus more on historical and archival approaches, English majors are hardly traditional. As with Comp Lit students, English majors like to push the boundaries of how we classify “literature.”

The department’s mission statement explains that they see literature as “writing in all media.” Students investigate “all the ways in which texts have been produced, reproduced, circulated, and read.” In other words, English majors ask how we classify, write, and publish literature across history.

If you are less of a critic and more of a creative writer, then the English department’s concentration in creative writing might appeal to you. The concentration offers seminars and workshops focused on peer review with top writers. You can finally finish that novel or poetry collection you’ve been drafting in your phone’s Notes app.  

Comparing the Course Catalog

Whether you end up in Comp Lit, English, or something else entirely, NYU has ways to satisfy your inner bookworm. The comp lit department sponsors the student-published brio literary journal to showcase undergraduate talent.  The English department houses reading groups where students with similar research interests share resources and texts. Finally, the Creative Writing Program hosts the ever-popular Reading Series . These “salons” give students the chance to hear from their favorite writers in informal discussions. 

Ultimately, both Comp Lit and English majors have too many books to read and not enough time. Pick the curriculum that’s most exciting to you so you actually read  what you want. That way, you (hopefully) avoid the conundrum depicted below. 

David Querusio is an Assistant Director with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at NYU. He especially loves sharing stories of how NYU students think outside of the box to define their own academic paths. When he’s not on the road meeting with students or in grad class at NYU Steinhardt, he can be found searching the city for the best cup of coffee.

More from David:

This or That: Psychology vs Applied Psychology

You know you want to study the mind but there are two paths you can take at NYU. Find out which Psychology program is the right fit for you and your goals.

Liberal Studies vs Global Liberal Studies

You keep hearing about Liberal Studies and Global Liberal Studies, but what are they? Izzy, GLS ’22, explains the difference from a student perspective.

This or That: Drama vs Performance Studies

Interested in the performing arts but don’t know if you’d rather be in the spotlight or write about it? Find out which Tisch major is right for you.

Ready Set Study

Creative Writing Vs. Literature

Are you torn between pursuing a major in Creative Writing or Literature? It’s time to shed some light on this eternal debate.

In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of these two majors, exploring their curriculum, coursework, and career prospects. Let’s dissect the writing skills developed and the job roles each major offers.

Discover the similarities and differences between Creative Writing and Literature programs, and gain insights into the factors that can help you make an informed decision.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Creative writing and literature are distinct majors that offer unique perspectives on storytelling.
• Creative writing focuses on crafting original narratives and developing creativity and storytelling skills.
• Literature majors analyze and interpret literary works, developing critical thinking and research skills.
• Creative writing graduates often pursue careers as authors, screenwriters, or content creators, while literature graduates can explore opportunities in teaching, publishing, or research.

Overview of the two majors: Creative Writing and Literature

Creative writing and literature are two distinct majors that offer unique perspectives on the world of storytelling.

While both majors focus on studying and analyzing written works, they differ in terms of the skills developed and job prospects.

In creative writing, students develop their skills in crafting original narratives, honing their creativity, and mastering the art of storytelling. They learn to create engaging characters, build immersive worlds, and evoke emotions through their words.

On the other hand, literature majors delve deep into the analysis and interpretation of literary works. They develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills, as well as a deep understanding of literary traditions and cultural contexts.

In terms of job prospects, creative writing graduates often pursue careers as authors, screenwriters, or content creators, while literature graduates can explore opportunities in teaching, publishing, or research.

Overview of the curriculum and requirements of the two majors

The curriculum and requirements for the two majors differ in terms of the courses students need to take and the skills they need to develop.

When it comes to required reading, creative writing majors focus more on contemporary literature and works within their chosen genre. They analyze and interpret texts not only from a literary perspective but also from a writer’s standpoint, looking at the craft and techniques employed by the authors.

On the other hand, literature majors are exposed to a wider range of literary works from different genres, time periods, and cultures. They critically analyze and interpret texts, delving into themes, symbolism, and social contexts.

Both majors contribute to the development of critical thinking skills, but creative writing majors also prioritize the development of their own unique voice and style as writers.

Overview of coursework and assessments in Creative Writing and Literature

To excel in your studies, you’ll need to complete a variety of assignments and assessments that will test your understanding of the different genres and literary techniques. The coursework in Creative Writing and Literature majors is designed to develop your skills in both reading and writing. In literature courses, you will analyze and interpret various texts, while in creative writing courses, you will have the opportunity to express your own ideas and stories through writing. The teaching methods in these disciplines often involve workshops, where you will receive feedback from both your peers and professors. Technology has had a significant impact on creative writing and literature education, providing new tools and platforms for students to engage with the written word. With the rise of online platforms and digital publishing, students now have more opportunities to share their work and connect with a wider audience.

Comparison of Writing Skills Developed

When comparing writing skills developed in both disciplines, you often notice the differences in analysis and interpretation.

In creative writing, the focus is on self-expression, imagination, and storytelling. Writers in this discipline use various techniques like descriptive language, dialogue, and character development to engage readers.

On the other hand, literature emphasizes critical thinking, analysis, and interpretation of texts. It involves examining themes, symbols, and literary devices within a piece of writing. This analytical approach enhances your ability to think critically, analyze complex ideas, and make connections between different texts.

Both creative writing and literature contribute to the development of your writing skills, but in different ways. Creative writing helps you refine your ability to create compelling narratives, while literature cultivates your analytical and interpretive skills, contributing to a deeper understanding of literary works.

Comparison of Career Opportunities and Job Roles in Creative Writing and Literature

Comparing career opportunities and job roles in creative writing and literature, you’ll notice distinct differences in the types of professions and industries that each field can lead to.

In creative writing, the focus is often on developing writing skills for various forms of media, such as novels, poetry, screenplays, and advertising copy. As a creative writer, you have the potential to work as a novelist, poet, screenwriter, or even in the field of advertising and marketing.

On the other hand, literature emphasizes the study and analysis of written works from different time periods and cultures. This field opens up career prospects in academia as a professor or researcher, as well as in publishing, editing, and literary criticism.

While both fields offer job prospects in writing, creative writing tends to be more versatile in terms of the industries and career paths it can lead to.

Comparison of Salary Potential in Creative Writing and Literature

If you’re considering a career in either creative writing or literature, you’ll be interested to know the differences in salary potential between the two fields. While both fields offer opportunities for artistic expression and storytelling, they differ significantly in terms of earning potential and job market.

Here are four key points to consider:

• Earning Potential: Creative writing careers, such as becoming a novelist or poet, can be financially challenging, with average incomes varying greatly. On the other hand, literature-related careers, such as becoming a professor or literary critic, often offer more stable and higher-paying opportunities.
• Job Market: Creative writing positions are highly competitive, with limited job openings and a high number of aspiring writers. Literature-related careers, however, have a wider range of opportunities, including teaching positions, publishing roles, and research positions.
• Advancement Opportunities: In creative writing, success often depends on individual talent and market demand. Literature-related careers offer more potential for advancement through research, publishing scholarly articles, and gaining recognition in the academic community.
• Industry Stability: The job market for creative writers tends to be more volatile, with fluctuations in demand and trends. Literature-related careers, particularly in academia, offer greater stability due to the enduring importance of literary study.

Considering these factors, it’s essential to weigh the financial prospects and job market conditions when deciding between a career in creative writing or literature.

Similarities between Creative Writing and Literature Programs

As you explore both fields, you’ll notice that creative writing and literature programs share many similarities in terms of the skills and knowledge they provide. In both disciplines, writing techniques are emphasized to develop strong communication skills and the ability to express oneself effectively. Whether you are analyzing a literary text or crafting your own creative piece, critical analysis plays a vital role in both creative writing and literature studies. It allows you to delve deep into the meaning and structure of a text, honing your analytical skills and fostering a deeper understanding of the craft. To illustrate this further, here is a comparison table highlighting the similarities between creative writing and literature programs:

Difference between Creative Writing and Literature programs

When exploring the differences between creative writing and literature programs, you’ll find that the focus in creative writing is on developing your own unique voice and crafting original stories, while in literature programs, the emphasis is on analyzing and interpreting existing literary works.

The difference in teaching methods between these two disciplines has a significant impact on critical thinking. Here are four key points to consider:

• Creative writing programs encourage students to engage in imaginative thinking and explore their own creativity.
• Literature programs, on the other hand, foster critical thinking skills by challenging students to analyze and interpret complex texts.
• Creative writing programs often rely on workshops and peer feedback to enhance writing skills and encourage collaboration.
• Literature programs typically employ lectures, discussions, and close readings to deepen students’ understanding of literary works and develop critical analysis skills.

Factors to consider when choosing a major in Creative Writing vs. Literature

Considering your personal goals and interests, it’s important to weigh the various factors when deciding between a major in creative writing or literature.

When choosing a major, one important factor to consider is the specific skills and knowledge you wish to acquire. A major in creative writing focuses on honing your writing skills and exploring different creative forms, while a major in literature delves into the study of literary works and the analysis of texts.

Another factor to consider is the career opportunities associated with each major. A major in creative writing can open doors to careers in writing, editing, or publishing, while a major in literature can lead to careers in teaching, research, or literary criticism.

Lastly, the importance of experiential learning cannot be overlooked. Both creative writing and literature programs offer opportunities for hands-on experience through workshops, internships, or literary events, which can enhance your skills and broaden your understanding of the field.

Ultimately, the decision between a major in creative writing or literature should align with your passions, career goals, and desired learning experiences.

In conclusion, when considering a major in Creative Writing versus Literature, it is important to take into account various factors such as personal interests, career goals, and financial prospects.

While both majors offer opportunities for developing writing skills and exploring literary works, they differ in terms of curriculum, career paths, and salary potential.

Interestingly, according to a recent study, it was found that graduates with a degree in Creative Writing have a higher job satisfaction rate compared to those with a degree in Literature. This statistic highlights the value of pursuing a major that aligns with one’s passion and creative abilities.

Ultimately, the choice between Creative Writing and Literature should be based on individual aspirations and the desire to make a meaningful impact in the literary world.

Creative Writing Home / Programs / Creative Writing

Creative Writing  offers training in various approaches and techniques in the writing of fiction, poetry, essay, and drama. These courses are taught by multi-awarded and published writers expert at honing the skills of young writers.

Course Checklists

• BA Creative Writing (2018 NEW)
• MA Creative Writing (2006)
• PhD Creative Writing (2006)
• List of Prerequisites for all DECL Courses (2023)

Course Offerings  (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Connect with DECL on

• Phone: 426-3668; 981-8500 local 2118, 2119
• Email: [email protected]
• Office: Palma Hall Pavilion 1, Room 1120

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Literature and Creative Writing

The goal of the Literature and Creative Writing Department is to help students develop a sophisticated understanding of the role literature plays in the human experience through refining their skills as interpreters of literary texts and as writers, either of literary analysis or of their own creative works.

About the Majors

At Hamilton, students may choose to major in literature or creative writing. In either case, their professors will encourage them to explore literature across centuries, nations, and languages. Consulting with advisors, literature majors develop an individualized, and potentially interdisciplinary, course of study. Creative writing majors take courses that balance literary study with poetry and prose workshops. In both majors, the curriculum emphasizes small classes, the exchange and testing of ideas, and the development of superior reading and writing skills.

Literature Students Will Learn to:

• Write clear and well supported arguments about literary and/or other cultural texts
• Demonstrate knowledge of diverse literary traditions across historical periods, geographic regions, and/or social contexts
• Analyze literary works compellingly in contexts informed by literary criticism and/or broader regions, and/or social contexts

Creative Writing Students Will Learn to:

• Write with an awareness of the literary traditions within which they are working
• Write with attentiveness to form and genre
• Write a sustained creative project that demonstrates originality and attention to language

A Sampling of Courses

American ghosts.

Why do we tell ghost stories, and what role do ghosts play in American history and literature? This course will explore the ghost narrative in short fiction, novels and film. We will examine what ghosts express in U.S. literature and culture, how they unearth our understanding of American history, and how ghost stories intersect with gender, race, sexuality and class. We will read works by Shirley Jackson, Toni Morrison, Carmen Maria Machado, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Jesmyn Ward and Louise Erdrich, among others. Students will engage in close reading and textual analysis and will write four full-length essays. 

Explore these select courses:

Food in literature and film.

Always a necessity and sometimes a luxury, food connects all people to the planet and to one another. This course will explore how authors and filmmakers use food and cooking in their works as a means of exposing complex social relationships, histories, and identities. The list of authors we may read includes Laura Esquivel, Aimee Bender, Isak Dinesen, Franz Kafka, MFK Fisher, Ruth Reichl, and many poets. We will also look at films such as Big Night ; Eat, Drink, Man, Woman ; and Ratatouille .

Finding Identity

Literature: what is it good for.

Debates about the value of literature have long been tied to questions about its use. Literature has been praised—and condemned—as a source of pleasure, a medium for the transmission of knowledge, and a vehicle of personal expression. In order to determine why fiction matters, we will examine works that explore the power of literature to shape moral, social, and political realities, including philosophical manifestos, anti-slavery treatises, self-help manuals, and experimental novels. Works by Rousseau, Cugoano, Wollstonecraft, and George Eliot, as well as the film The Servant (1963).

Creative Non-Fiction Workshop

Seminar: poems in and out of context, meet our faculty, margaret thickstun .

Chair, Jane Watson Irwin Professor of Literature

[email protected]

literature in 17th-century England and Colonial America, particularly by women and by people writing on religious subjects

Anne Valente 

Associate Professor of Literature and Creative Writing, Director of Creative Writing

[email protected]

creative writing, novels and short stories, creative non-fiction, and 20th century American literature

Stephanie Bahr 

Assistant Professor of Literature, Director of Medieval and Renaissance Studies

[email protected]

Patrick Caoile 

Visiting Assistant Professor of Literature and Creative Writing

[email protected]

Creative writing, Asian American literature and media, Filipino American literature, the Gothic, pop culture

Naomi Guttman 

Jane D. and Ellis E. Bradford ’45 Distinguished Writing Chair

[email protected]

poetry and poetics; food writing; contemplative pedagogy; environmental and feminist literary study

Tina May Hall 

Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Literature and Creative Writing

[email protected]

creative writing, 20th-century literature, experimental women's writing, and postmodern gothic

Doran Larson 

Edward North Chair of Greek and Greek Literature and Professor of Literature and Creative Writing

[email protected]

20th-century American literature; the history of the Anglo-American novel; fiction writing; nonfiction writing and prison writing of the U.S., South Africa, and Ireland

Jane Robbins Mize 

[email protected]

Native American and Indigenous Studies, environmental humanities, twentieth- and twenty-first-century North American literature, poetry and poetics, media studies

Hoa Ngo 

[email protected]

Vincent Odamtten 

William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Literature and Africana Studies

[email protected]

African literature with a focus of Ghanaian and women's literature; 20th-century Caribbean literature; African-American literature; science fiction; literary criticism; use of digital technology in the study of literature

Onno Oerlemans 

Elizabeth J. McCormack Professor of Literature

[email protected]

Romantic period literature; animals in literature; animal rights; nature writing – literature and environmentalism; cultural and political history of the Adirondack Park

Jane Springer 

James L. Ferguson Professor of Literature and Creative Writing

[email protected]

poems, poetics, nonfiction and Southern literature

Pavitra Sundar 

Associate Professor of Literature

[email protected]

cultural politics of voice; postcolonial studies; sound studies; South Asian film and media studies; feminist theory, especially women-of-color and transnational feminisms

Suzanne Taylor 

Assistant Professor of Literature

[email protected]

Katherine Terrell 

Associate Chair, Professor of Literature

[email protected]

Old English, Middle English, and Middle Scots language and literature

Benjamin Widiss 

[email protected]

20th-century and contemporary American literature, literary theory, autobiography, film

Steven Yao 

Edmund A. LeFevre Professor of English

[email protected]

20th-century American and British literature; literary translation; Ezra Pound; comparative literature; Asian American literature, especially poetry; global literary modernisms; Asian diasoporas; transpacific literature

Christian Goodwillie

Lecturer in History, Lecturer in Literature and Creative Writing

[email protected]

Thomas Knauer 

Lecturer in Literature and Creative Writing

[email protected]

Phil Memmer

[email protected]

Nhora Lucía Serrano 

[email protected]

Technology Enhanced Learning & Educational Innovation, Digital Humanities, History of Book History/Print Culture, Visual Studies (Graphic Narratives and Editorial Cartoons & Comics), Latin America/Latinx, and Medieval And Renaissance Studies

Faces & Spaces

List Hall houses the offices for faculty members in literature and creative writing. The recently renovated space has 16 faculty offices, eight classrooms, several collaborative spaces for students, and a new landscaped entrance.

Take a Virtual Tour of Hamilton 

Careers After Hamilton

Hamilton graduates who concentrated in literature and creative writing are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:

• Director, Electronic Publishing, Scientific American
• Executive Editor, Whole Living magazine
• Chief Development Officer, Norman Rockwell Museum
• President, Scholastic Media
• Magistrate, Connecticut State Superior Court
• Composer/Music Publisher, Ceili Rain
• Financial Advisor, Ameriprise Financial Services
• Physician, Senior Deputy Editor, Annals of Internal Medicine
• Communications Manager, IBM

Explore Hamilton Stories

Kerkman ’25 Wins Dell Award; Story to be Published 

Emma Kerkman ’25 has been selected as the winner of the Dell Award, formerly the Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing for her story, “Lolo’s Last Run.”

Larson Publishes New Book on American Prison System 

"Inside Knowledge: Incarcerated People on the Failures of the American Prison," by Doran Larson, the Edward North Chair of Greek and Greek Literature and Professor of Literature and Creative Writing, was published this week by NYU Press.

Interning at NBCUniversal 

Zoe Neely ’25 has long dabbled in social media, all the while considering a shift into marketing. When the right opportunity finally presented itself, she took full advantage. This summer she is a marketing intern on the syndication team at NBC.

Department Name

Literature and Creative Writing Department

Contact Name

Margie Thickstun

Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration.

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Comparative literature ma essay presentations.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 Dartmouth Hall 104  

3:30 pm Introduction: Michael Wyatt Moderator: Miranda Ochoa Natera

3:35 pm Phoenix Guqing Wang Troubling Waters: Anthropocene Marine Gothic in 19 th -Century Anglo-American Fiction

3:55 pm Lethokuhle T. Msimang Me and Ms Jones - The Androgyny of Black Women 

4:15 pm Q & A

4:25 pm Zihan Zhang Self-Effacement in Christian Mysticism: A Case Study of Teresa of Ávila and Simone Weil

4:45 pm Mikayla Walker Mending Wounds: A Reparative Feminist Analysis of the Japanese Film Series Guinea Pig

5:05 pm Q & A

Monday, May 20, 2024 Dartmouth Hall 104

5:00 pm Introduction: Michael Wyatt Moderator: Wenjun Yang

5: 10 pm Pumho Karimi Questioning Modernity's Episteme: A Comparative Literary Analysis Towards Planetary Spiritualism

5:30 pm Miranda Ochoa Natera Marvelous Ordinariness: Re-engaging with Realism's Social Function

5:50 pm Q & A

6:00 pm Aliza Phillips Star Power: An Analysis of Digital Astrology Content as an Instrument of Political Tractability 

6:20 pm Yilu Ren Transcreation in World of Warcraft's China Localization: Echoes of Poetry across Two Worlds

6:40 pm Q &A

Reception to follow in Dartmouth Hall 101

All COLT MA graduate students, guests, advisors and faculty are invited.

Chair Comparative Literature Program Veronika Fuechtner

Director Graduate Program Ainsley Morse

Workshop in Critical Writing Instructor Michael Wyatt

Special thank you to all the advisors

Creative Writing

Introductory poetry writing workshop.

Note:  Enrollment by instructor approval only; email a maximum 5 page writing sample to instructor Jocelyn Saidenberg ( [email protected] ).  Selected applicants will be then notified and enrolled.

Course Description:  This introductory poetry workshop is open to all students interested in reading and writing poetry regardless of experience.  We will read poems and poetic essays from a range of national literatures and historical periods that will expand and challenge our understanding of what a poem might be and do. Reading assignments and writing experiments will generate materials for the workshop and build the tools to develop a writing practice and language. Each week students will compose poems in response to writing exercises that I provide and that the class develops together. In addition, students are required to write critical responses to assigned readings, keep a reading journal, comment on each other’s writing, attend readings, and memorize their own poems for recitation. For the final project, students will make a chapbook containing revised poems and a poetic statement.

• Summer 2024
• Spring 2024