<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>I would like to know more information about this program..
what is the curriculum, and what can I do with it?</p>
<p>and how intensive is it?</p>
<p>Please help…</p>
<p>You can find the curriculum by searching the Columbia website or just Googling it. I know several comp lit majors, and they all agree that it’s an intensive major. At the beginning of the semester in which you declare your major, you must submit a 1-page (something like 250 words) proposal to the department about your area of interest. Based on that (and perhaps on other info), the department decides whether to accept you into the major or not. Comp lit is one of the only majors that requires written approval before anyone can declare. There’s also a very intensive intro to comp lit seminar that I think most majors take in sophomore year. This semester, the reading list included 30+ books (in their entirety, not just excerpts).</p>
<p>There is also a language requirement. The major requires proficiency in at least two foreign languages. This is the equivalent of two four-semester language sequences, so it will be very tough if you’re not already proficient in one foreign language. I don’t think most majors end up actually eight language classes; many people take placements tests and place out of some portion (if not all) of the requirement.</p>
<p>I’m not aware of too many other major requirements, although I’m not a comp lit major myself. According to my friend, the credit requirements are pretty flexible. She says she can take classes in any discipline as long as they relate to her research focus (described in that 1-page proposal).</p>
<p>You can find the answers to most of your questions on either the Columbia website or Google.</p>
<p>OH MY GOODNESS!!!</p>
<p>I am SCARED !</p>
<p>Well the only reason i was interested in it is because English is actually my second language, I speak Bengali and Hindi fluenty. So I thought that this would be perfect for me.</p>
<p>But that 30+ books reading requirement is killing me! :o</p>
<p>Do a search. I believe it’s mentioned somewhere that comparative literature is one of the hardest majors at Columbia (in sheer number of required courses).</p>
<p>[Comparative</a> literature (major) - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia](<a href=“http://www.wikicu.com/Comparative_Literature]Comparative”>Comparative literature - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia)</p>
<p>^that’s the one.</p>
<p>A friend of mine who is comp.lit. has said the department has really revamped itself in the past couple of years. They now have the thesis proposal that was mentioned, regular meetings and updates with an adviser, and the thesis itself. It’s a bit of work.</p>
<p>OH MY GOODNESS!!! GULP!!</p>
<p>So what do you think? What can i do?</p>
<p>The thing is, I am married, and to me i am an average student…
So what do you think I might consider instead of this hard subject?</p>
<p>And still be able to support my whole family pretty well (so it has to be good salarywise as well)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>No offense to anyone, but if salary is a big deal you probably shouldn’t major in the liberal arts…</p>
<p>Yes, once you have a baby on board it’s probably too late to consider a career in any so-called non-lucrative field.</p>
<p>I work nights at a restaurant and there’s a manager there who, in her forties, wants to go and get an MFA in acting. She has three kids that’ll be going into college within the next five years.</p>
<p>Law school.</p>