Comparative and General Literature (CPL)

344 David M. French Hall
(810) 762-3370
Fax: (810) 762-3066

Coordinator and Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jamile Lawand (Foreign Languages and Literatures Department)

Courses in comparative and general literature are intended for students whose interest in literature is too broad to be met in the curriculum of any single department. Courses are centered, not on national literatures, but on the study of a period, movement, theme, genre, or problem of criticism common to several literatures.

While enabling the student concentrating in literature to profit by the increased awareness and understanding to be derived from a knowledge of more than one national literature, courses in comparative literature also give the curious student an opportunity to become familiar with important works and movements of world literature in a comparative context as well as to relate literature to other fields of knowledge. Several courses in comparative literature may be taken to meet the general education requirement in humanities. Certain courses, as indicated, are cross-listed with other departments.