CPLIT-PHD - Comparative Literature (PhD)

Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the PhD.

The PhD program is designed for students with a broad linguistic background, a breadth of interest in different literatures, and curiosity about the problems of literary scholarship and theory (including the relation of literature to other disciplines). Students take courses in at least three literatures (one may be that of the native language) to be studied in the original language. The program is designed to encourage familiarity with the major approaches to literary study prevailing today.

Before starting graduate work at Stanford, students should have completed an undergraduate program with a strong background in one literature and some work in a second literature in the original language. Since the program requires advanced knowledge of two non-native languages and a reading knowledge of a third non-native language, students should, at the time of application, have an advanced enough knowledge of at least one of the three languages to take graduate-level courses in that language when they enter the program. They should be making enough progress in studying a second language to enable them to take graduate courses in that language no later than the beginning of the second year and earlier if possible. Enrollment in language acquisition courses must be at the graduate (300) level.

PhD students may elect to complete PhD minors such as in Philosophy, Literature, and the Arts, Linguistics, and Modern Thought and Literature, but must complete all requirements for the Minor before going to Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status.