Comparative Literature
The Department of Comparative Literature introduces students to the study and understanding of literature beyond linguistic or national boundaries; the theory, interpretation, and criticism of literature; and its interactions with adjacent fields like visual and material culture, linguistics, film, psychology, law, and philosophy. The comparative perspective invites the exploration of such transnational phenomena as literary or cultural periods and trends (Renaissance, Romanticism, Modernism, postcolonialism) or genres and modes of discourse. Students may specialize in any cultures or languages, to the extent that they are sufficiently covered at Yale. The Ph.D. degree qualifies candidates to teach comparative literature as well as the national literature(s) of their specialization.
- Terminal Degrees Offered
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- PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
- Combined PhD
- Program Website
- Programs and Policies
Katie Trumpener
Director of Graduate Studies
Sabrina Whiteman
Departmental Registrar
Admission Requirements
Standardized Testing Requirements
GRE is not accepted.
Program-Specific Application Requirements
A writing sample is required by this program.
English Language Requirement
TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.
You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.
Combined Degree Program Application Deadline
*The deadline to submit an application to a combined program is always the earlier deadline of the two individual programs, or December 15, whichever comes first.
Academic Information
Combined PhD Information
Comparative Literature offers a combined PhD in conjunction with Classics, and Film and Media Studies.
Advising
Academic Resources
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Academic Calendar
The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.
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Featured Resource
Registration Information and Dates
https://registration.yale.edu/
Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.
Financial Information
PhD Stipend & Funding
PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.