The University of Massachusetts Amherst
HFA - College of Humanities & Fine Arts view HFA submenu
Undergraduate

Sample Course Plans

Note: The minimum language requirement is English and one other language. English courses must be numbered 200 or higher. Most other language courses must be numbered 240 or higher and may not include courses where the reading/viewing is done in English. No more than 6 credits of Independent Study maybe counted towards the major. 

Sample course plans correspond to the three tracks for the Major in Comparative Literature.

Credit Distributions

Credit Distributions

Either...

Or...

Comparative Literature                           

6 courses                                                

6 courses 

First Language

4 upper-level courses

3 upper-level courses

Second Language                                        

3 upper-level courses

2 upper-level courses

Third Language

2 elementary-level courses (or 6 credits)

2 upper-level courses

total courses:

15

 


Sample Plan A (6 elementary-level credits in third language)

Comparative Literature Courses 
(300 level or above; up to two 200-level or one 100-level and one 200-level):

Course #

 Course Title

Credits           

Semester

CompLit 319

 Representing the Holocaust

4.00

F01

CompLit 290M

 Migration, Commotion and Community

4.00

F02

CompLit 357

 Junior Yr. Writing Requirement*

3.00

F02

CompLit 336

 International Graphic Novel

4.00

S03

CompLit 498

 Practicum

3.00

Wtr03

CompLit 394TI

 Literary Theory and Criticism

4.00

S04

CompLit 236

 Digital Culture

4.00

S04

*Junior-Year Writing does not count towards the 6 required courses.

Courses in First Language—English:

Course #

Course Title

Credits

Semester

English 491B

Neruda in Translation

3.00

S02

English 204

Introduction to Asian American Literature

4.00

S03

English 301

History of the Book 

3.00

S03

English 314

Middle English Literature 3.00 F03
 

Courses in Second Language—Spanish:

Course #

Course Title

Credits

Semester

Spanish 240

Intermediate Spanish II

3.00

F01

Spanish 311

Advanced Grammar

3.00

S02

Spanish 371

Latin American Lit. in Regional Contexts

4.00

F03

 

Courses in Third Language—French:

Course #

Course Title

Credits

Semester

French 110

Elementary French 1

3.00

F02

French 120

Elementary French 2

3.00

S03


Sample Plan B (6 upper-level credits in third language)

Comparative Literature Courses 
(300 level or above; up to two 200-level or one 100-level and one 200-level):

Course #

Course Title

Credits  

Semester

CompLit 122

CompLit 233

Spiritual Autobiography

International Fantasy                                                           

4.00

4.00

F01

S02

CompLit 335

Comic Art in North America

4.00

F02

CompLit 340

Mystical Literature

4.00

S03

CompLit 354

Junior Yr. Writing Requirement*

3.00

F02

CompLit 391CA

On Cannibalism

3.00

S03

CompLit 394TI

Literary Theory and Criticism

4.00

S03

*Junior-Year Writing does not count towards the 6 required courses.

Courses in First Language—French:

Course #

Course Title

Credits        

Semester

French 240

Intermediate French 2

3.00

S01

French 386

Origins to 1945

4.00

F02

Paris Program

20th Century French Women Writers

3.00

S02

Paris Program             

Intro to Literature

3.00

S02

 

Courses in Second Language—Chinese:

Course #

Course Title

Credits

Semester

Chinese 246

Intensive Elementary Chinese II (counts as 1 course)

6.00

S04

Study Abroad

Intro to Chinese Literature (Taiwan)--2 courses

6.00

F03

 

Courses in Third Language—Italian:

Course #

Course Title

Credits         

Semester

Italian 324

Introduction to Italian Literature 1

3.00

F 03

Italian 325

Introduction to Italian Literature 2

3.00

S 04

 

Note: The minimum language requirement is English and one other language. English courses must be numbered 200 or higher. Most other language courses must be numbered 240 or higher and may not include courses where the reading/viewing is done in English. No more than 6 credits of Independent Study maybe counted towards the major. 

Sample course plans correspond to the three tracks for the Major in Comparative Literature.

Credit Distributions

Comparative Literature

6 courses

First Language

4 upper-level courses

Second Language

3 upper-level courses

total courses:

13

Sample Plan

Comparative Literature Courses 
(300 level or above; up to two 200-level or one 100-level and one 200-level):

Course #

Course Title                                                                                        

Credits        

Semester

CompLit 236

CompLit 121

  Digital Cultures   

  International Short Story

4.00

4.00

F01

S02

CompLit 330

  Translation, Cross-Cultural Comm., and the Media

4.00

F02

CompLit 337

  International History of Animation

4.00

S03

CompLit 361

  Junior Yr. Writing Requirement*

3.00

F02

CompLit 394TI

  Literary Theory and Criticism 4.00 S04

CompLit 361

  Modern Arabic Literautre

3.00

F06

*Junior-Year Writing does not count towards the 6 required courses.

Courses in First Language—English:

Course #

   Course Title

Credits

Semester

English 221

   Shakespeare

3.00

F03

English 254H

   Writ&Reading Imag Lit/Honors

4.00

F03

English 491A

   Neruda In Trnsltn

3.00

S04

English 272

   American Romanticism

3.00

F04

 

Courses in Second Language—Spanish:

Course #

   Course Title

Credits

Semester

Spanish 319

   Intro To Lit Analysis

3.00

S04

Spanish 320

   Lit Currents-Spain I

3.00

F04

Spanish 497V

   ST-Cervantes: El Quijote

3.00

S05


 

Note: The minimum language requirement is English and one other language. English courses must be numbered 200 or higher. Most other language courses must be numbered 240 or higher and may not include courses where the reading/viewing is done in English. No more than 6 credits of Independent Study maybe counted towards the major. 

Sample course plans correspond to the three tracks for the Major in Comparative Literature.

Credit Distributions

Credit Distributions

Comparative Literature

6 courses

First Language

3 upper-level courses

Second Language

2 upper-level courses

Third Language

0

Related Discipline

4 courses

total courses:

15


SAMPLE PLAN 1:

Comparative Literature Courses 
(300 level or above; up to two 200-level or one 100-level and one 200-level):

Course #

   Course Title

Credits        

Semester

CompLit 130

CompLit 383

 Translation Matters

 Narrative Avant-Garde Film

4.00

4.00

S02

F03

CompLit 357

 Junior Yr. Writing Requirement*

3.00

F03

CompLit 351

 Crossing Borders in Israel/Palestine

4.00

F03

CompLit 212

 Literary Animals

4.00

S04

CompLit 394TI

 Literary Theory and Criticism

4.00

S04

German 270

 From Grimms To Disney (Cross-listed w/ CompLit)                             

4.00

S05

*Junior-Year Writing does not count towards the 6 required courses.

Courses in First Language—English:

Course #

   Course Title

Credits

Semester

English 416

   Chaucer: Canterbury Tales

3.00

S04

English 221

   Shakespeare

3.00

F04

English 365

   20th Century Literature of Ireland

3.00

F04

 

Courses in Second Language—Spanish:

Course #

   Course Title

Credits

Semester

Spanish 240

   Intermediate Spanish II

3.00

F03

Spanish 301

   Conversational Spanish I

3.00

S04

 

Courses in Related Discipline—Education:

Course #

   Course Title

Credits

Semester

Educ 392D

   Weekend workshops--Racism

1.00

F03

Educ 392E

   Ableism

1.00

F03

Educ 392G

   Sexism

1.00

F03

Educ 351

   Foundations of Education

3.00

S04

Educ 325

   Intro to Special Educ

3.00

F04

Educ 378

   Survey of Children’s Lit

3.00

S05


SAMPLE RELATED DISCIPLINE 2:

Courses in Related Discipline—Linguistics:

Course #

  Course Title

Credits

Semester

Linguist 201

  How Language Works

3.00

S04

Linguist 401

  Introduction to Syntax

3.00

F05

Linguist 412

  Language Processing & the Brain

3.00

F05

Linguist 390A

  Controlling the Discourse

3.00

S06


SAMPLE RELATED DISCIPLINE 3:

Course #

  Course Title

Credits

Semester

English 313

  Types of Creative Writing

3.00

S01

English 254

  Writing & Reading Imaginative Literature

3.00

F01

English 354

  Creative Writing

3.00

F01

English 297J

  ST-Get Surreal

3.00

S03