Comparative Literature, PhD

Location(s): Main Campus

The graduate program provides qualified students with a framework for studying a broad range of literatures, for exploring literature and other arts, and for pursuing translation studies or other forms of interdisciplinary inquiry. In addition to the body of knowledge and methodology appropriate to their individual programs of study, students are expected to acquire a considerable familiarity with world literature and with literary theory and criticism. Students work closely with the departmental director of graduate studies to formulate a curriculum that meets their needs and maintains the standards of the discipline. While the normal requirements for the PhD are described below, students may have certain courses waived because of their previous training or professional goals.

Doctoral studies in comparative literature assume a foundation in the study of literature approximately equivalent to an MA in Comparative Literature. The doctoral program provides opportunities for the study of literature from a comparative point of view, extending the reach of inquiry into fields such as philosophy, history and art. Basic to the program is a solid foundation in critical methodology and in the history of criticism.

The Comparative Literature PhD offers two tracks: the Doctoral Program in Literary Studies and the Doctoral Track in Philosophy, Literature and the Theory of Criticism (PLC).

Doctoral Program in Literary Studies

Students in this program are expected to achieve the following objectives: an in-depth knowledge of one literature, including the main critical sources for its study; a knowledge of a substantial number of works in a second literature; a knowledge of a large number of masterworks of world literature (such as those represented in our MA reading list); a concentration in a period, a genre or other area of study encompassing at least two literatures; and a good knowledge of the history of criticism and of contemporary literary theory. Highly unusual major or minor areas of study require the approval of the departmental faculty.

Admission Requirements

Formal admission to the program entails one of the following procedures:

Students in Binghamton University’s Comparative Literature MA program who have passed the MA examination with a grade of B+ or better may be recommended to the program at the discretion of the departmental examination committee.
Students presenting an MA degree in national literature from another department or university, or an MA in comparative literature from another university, are normally not required to take the master’s examination.

Applicants to the doctoral program should include in their application some samples of their writing (e.g., one or more term papers).

Program Requirements

Course Requirements

The total course requirement for the MA + PhD program is 60 credits. Students entering with an MA will need to take 36 credits to complete the course. All students must take COLI 592 Proseminar, usually in their first semester. Students are expected to design their own curricula in accordance with their scholarly interests and their professional goals in consultation with members of the faculty.

Comparative literature courses at Binghamton are, basically, of two kinds: broadly-based seminars covering the evolution of a genre, the history of criticism, etc., or monographic-type courses concentrating on one or more authors, a development in literature or in literary theory, a particular interdisciplinary approach, etc. A student’s program should aim at achieving the objectives of the program through a balance among the studies of literary history and theory and the comparative study of specific works and authors. In addition to the courses and seminars offered by the Comparative Literature Department, students are encouraged to take courses offered by other departments in their fields of specialization.

Foreign Language Requirement

PhD candidates must demonstrate a solid reading knowledge in two languages other than English. Both languages must directly relate to the student’s areas of research and must be approved by the director of graduate studies (or program director). Satisfaction of the language requirements is a prerequisite for acquiring the ABD status.

Choosing Advisors

All PhD students are encouraged to seek the guidance of an advisor at the beginning of their third semester to assist them in designing their programs and choosing dissertation topics.

Exam Requirement

The comprehensive examination consists of four parts:

Dissertation Proposal (in the format of a substantial paper): This paper is expected to review primary and secondary sources and articulate the problem(s) that the student will focus on.
Historical Construction of a Topic: This section of the exam is devoted to a theme that treats the student’s area of expertise in its historical dimension. This is a 72-hour take-home exam.
Minor Field: This is a second area of specialization that may be conceived in such a way as to complement the major area of expertise or to represent an altogether different focus. This is a 72-hour take-home exam.
Oral Examination: This segment is based on the dissertation proposal and on the preceding portions of the exam and involves all of the examiners. Students are expected to make an oral presentation of their doctoral project at the beginning of the examination.

Students choose an examination committee (subject to the approval of the graduate director) with a minimum of three examiners, at least one of whom is to be a core faculty member in the Department of Comparative Literature. Reading lists for parts two and three of the examination should be developed through close collaboration with the examiners. The dissertation proposal must be submitted no later than March 15 for an examination in the spring semester and Oct. 15 for an examination in the fall semester. The oral examination should take place while classes are in session in fall or spring.

The student is formally admitted to candidacy upon passing the comprehensive examination. Once formally admitted to candidacy, the student has five years in which to complete and defend the dissertation.

Dissertation Requirements

The dissertation should be comparative in its scope and implications, and demonstrate the student’s ability to deal with theoretical problems and to organize and present the research methodically. The Graduate School requires that the candidate, while working on the dissertation, register for one credit hour of COLI 699.

On the initial approval of the dissertation by its readers, the candidate is expected to defend it at an oral examination lasting from one to two hours.

Doctoral Track in Philosophy, Literature and the Theory of Criticism (PLC)

This program offers students a course of study responsive to the interdisciplinary nature of work in literary theory, literature and philosophy. It provides an extensive background in literary history and methods of reading, as well as significant preparation in philosophy and modern theories of language and interpretation informed by research from such fields as anthropology, the humanities, linguistics, psychoanalysis and semiotics. This doctoral track draws on the campus resources in the areas of philosophy and modern theory of criticism and seeks to bring these into vital interplay with literary research and work in the visual arts.

Admission Requirements

Qualified students holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree are eligible for admission. Check the website of the Binghamton University Graduate School for application instructions. An undergraduate specialization in philosophy or literature is desirable but not essential for admission. Students considered insufficiently prepared for work in the program may be required to do additional work to make up for deficiencies.

Program Requirements

Course Requirements

For students entering with a BA, the minimum course requirement for the PhD is 60 credits; those who enter with an MA need to take 36 credits. Students are required to take: COLI 592 Proseminar; courses in literary criticism, theory, and literature; and six semester courses with philosophical content.

Foreign Language Requirement

Choosing Advisors

All PhD students are encouraged to seek the guidance of an advisor at the beginning of their third semester to assist them in designing their programs and choosing dissertation topics.

Exam Requirement

PLC students entering with a BA are expected to take the MA exam in comparative literature with a PLC focus. This includes a reading list with core texts in philosophy, available in the department office.

Students in the PLC program will also be required to complete the comprehensive examination. This exam consists of four parts:

Dissertation Proposal (in the format of a substantial paper): This paper should review the significant primary and secondary sources relevant to this area of work and should articulate the problem(s) that the student will focus on.
PLC Core (Philosophical Texts): Based on the reading list provided by the student. This is a 72-hour take-home exam.
PLC Core (Literary Texts): Based on the reading list provided by the student. This is a 72-hour take-home exam.
Oral Examination: This segment is based on the dissertation proposal and on the preceding portions of the exam and involves all of the examiners.

Dissertation Requirements

On the initial approval of the dissertation by its readers, the candidate is expected to defend it at an oral examination lasting from one to two hours.

Additional Information About the Program

For more information on the Comparative Literature PhD program, please refer to the Comparative Literature website for more information. To apply to the Comparative Literature program, please visit the University Admissions website.