Comparative Literature

Liberal Arts • Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics

What is it about?

A program that focuses on two or more literary traditions in the original languages or in translation. Includes instruction in comparative linguistics; applicable foreign languages; English/French language and literature; literary criticism; and applications to genre, period, national, and textual studies as well as literary forms such as poetry, prose, and drama.

Numbers at a glance

310th
Popular nationwide
89
Search Rank on O's List
70
Colleges offer it
677
Graduates (2018-19)
Men
224
Women
453

Trends

Graduates
Popularity Rank

Colleges

Number of Colleges by Type
Median Graduating Class by College Type
Number of Colleges by Size
Top 10 Public by Number of Graduates
University of California-Santa Cruz126
The University of Texas at Dallas46
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras38
Ramapo College of New Jersey36
University of California-Los Angeles23
University of Washington-Seattle Campus17
University of California-Santa Barbara14
University of California-Davis13
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus12
University of Oregon11
Average public university graduating class: 13 students.
Top 10 Private by Number of Graduates
Brown University19
Columbia University in the City of New York17
Princeton University15
Stanford University14
Middlebury College13
Reed College12
Occidental College12
Cornell University11
Harvard University10
Williams College9
Average private university graduating class: 6 students.

O's Insights on Comparative Literature

  • Major has been decreasing in popularity over the last 15 years.
  • 67% of graduates come from public universities.

Related Majors

Major Graduates Colleges
Linguistics 2,075 128
Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 1,737 138
General Literature 226 28
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