The Certificate in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies is a multidisciplinary program that offers students the opportunity to study literature across linguistic and national borders as well as explore the intersections of literature with other forms of creative expression such as comics, film, the visual arts, and new media. The certificate also encourages students to contextualize literary study by investigating connections with other humanities and social science disciplines.

It is designed to fit into WLL and English major and minor programs as well as other fields, including History, Anthropology, and International Studies, and is especially suitable for students who have begun to achieve proficiency in a world language. 

In addition to having completed the complete second-year cycle of their foreign language, students will take two required courses and two electives. Required courses include a core theory class on how to conduct comparative literary and cultural studies; for the second required course, students choose a topics course on either translation studies or comparative media/arts (film, literature, comic books). The two electives for the certificate consist of other Eng, WLL, Hst, Intl, Phl, Anth options and more. Candidates may enroll as undergraduate or post-baccalaureate students. Students will have an adviser for the certificate who will guide them through the coursework.

Students are required to take a total of 16 credits including two required WLL/Eng Comparative Studies courses and two electives from the list below. Students are expected to have an intermediate language proficiency, demonstrated by completing the second-year language sequence at PSU (201-202-203) or its equivalent or one language course at the 301 level or higher. 

Requirements

1. Prerequisites (World Language): A complete 201-202-203 sequence in a foreign language (Arabic, French, Japanese, etc.) either as 12 or 15 credits (depending upon the language); alternatively, students with at least one foreign language course at 301 or above (minimum 4 credits) can satisfy this requirement.  Students can complete the language requirement while taking courses towards the certificate.
2. Core: 8 credits from the following courses: 
   • Eng 380/WLL 380 Introduction to Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies
     and
     Eng 381/WLL 381 Topics in Translation Studies
     or Eng 383U/WLL 383U Topics in Comparative Literature, Film, and Comics
3. Electives: 2 courses from the table below. 
   • Note: (WLL 381/Eng 381 and/or WLL 383U /Eng 383U can be chosen if not being applied to one of the two core classes.)
   • All courses used to satisfy certificate requirements must be passed with a grade of C or higher. (C- and P are not acceptable.) 

Elective Course Options:

Advisors

To discuss your language proficiency, please meet with an advisor.

• Dr. Jon Holt, joholt@pdx.edu
• Dr. Cynthia Sloan, sloanc@pdx.edu