First Year
Fall Term - Fellowship
1. CL 600
2. Elective
3. Elective
4. [Language Course]
Winter Term - Fellowship
1. CL Seminar
2. CL Seminar
3. Elective
4. [Language Course]
Spring/Summer Term
Language Study
Students normally elect three graduate level seminars per term in addition to a language course. While some language courses are offered at the graduate level, they are not the equivalent of a graduate seminar and cannot be counted as such. You must consult with the DGS with regard to requesting an exception to use a graduate level language course to fulfill Complit requirements.
Second Year
Fall Term - Teach
1. CL 601
2. CL Seminar
3. Elective
4. [Language Course]
Third-term review
Winter Term - Teach
1. CL 602
2. CL Seminar
3. Elective
4. Elective
5. [Language Course]
Spring/Summer Term
Read for Prelim Exam
Meet language proficiency by end of Summer
Third Year
Fall Term - Teach/Fellowship
1. CL 990/995
2. CL Seminar/Elective
Preliminary Exam
Winter Term - Teach/Fellowship
1. CL 995
2. CL Seminar/Elective
Preliminary Project
Spring/Summer Term
Work on Prospectus
Fourth Year
Fall Term
1. CL 995
Prospectus Discussion
Winter Term
1. CL 995
Spring/Summer Term
Work on Dissertation
Apply for research fellowships for upcoming year (Fulbright, Rackham Predoc, Inst. Humanities, etc.)
Fifth/Sixth Year
Fall Term - Teach/Fellowship
1. CL 995
Winter Term - Teach/Fellowship
1. CL 995
Spring/Summer Term
Work on Dissertation/Defense
Items of Note
- Newly admitted students are not allowed to transfer graduate credit from other institutions.
- Required courses: CL 600 (3 credits) and 601/602 (2 credits each); 4 CL seminars (up to 1 seminar may be fulfilled by completing 3 credits of mini-courses in CL); 8 graduate seminar electives.
- 400 level courses in Comparative Literature are not eligible for graduate credit.
- Directed Readings do not count as a CL seminar but may be counted as an elective.
- Prior to the beginning of the third year, students must demonstrate advanced proficiency in two foreign languages.
- Students achieve Candidacy in the Winter Term of the third year, after passing the Preliminary Exam in the Fall Term.
- The Preliminary Project must be completed by the end of the third year.
- Students present the Dissertation Prospectus and establish the dissertation committee of five faculty members during the fourth year.