admissions

Where possible, prospective students are encouraged to attend a USC Graduate Preview event. In addition to providing you with a full overview of the opportunities and resources offered by the university, the Graduate Preview program gives you the chance to visit the department and meet our faculty. For more information about the program and how you can register to attend an event, please click here. Once you've registered, please contact us (complit@usc.edu) to let us know who you are, when you'll be attending, and what your research interests are or if there is a particular faculty member(s) you would like to meet.

The department accepts applications for admission to the Fall term only. The department does not admit applicants seeking a terminal M.A degree. In other words, the department only admits applicants seeking the Ph.D. degree. The application deadline for Fall 2009 graduate admission has now passed. For priority consideration for financial assistance, applications and supporting documents for Fall 2010 admission must be received by December 1st, 2009.

Requirements for admission to the Ph.D. program in comparative literature include:

  • A United States B.A. in literature or a related field or the equivalent from an accredited college or university.
  • Satisfactory scores in both the verbal and quantitative General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (a minimum combined score of 1,000).
  • Satisfactory grades on undergraduate and any previous graduate course work (a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a scale in which A=4.0).
  • A written statement of around 500 words indicating the applicant’s interest in comparative literature, proposed areas of study, and competence in languages other than English. All successful applicants to comparative literature will possess the ability to do graduate work in two languages other than English.
  • A sample of scholarly or critical writing on a literary work or subject.
  • Three letters of recommendation from recent instructors of literature.
  • And, for international applicants whose native language is not English (and who have not earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language), a satisfactory score on the TOEFL examination.

If you have any questions about the application or admissions process, please do not hesitate to contact the department at complit@usc.edu.

The following application materials must be submitted online:

  • The completed online Graduate Admission Application and application fee.
  • A 500-word statement of purpose in which you describe clearly your interest in comparative literature, your proposed field of concentration, the kind of research you plan to undertake, and your level of competence in languages other than English. This statement is very important.
  • Letters of recommendation from three of your recent instructors in literature. It is preferable that your instructors submit their letters of recommendation online. However, if this is impossible, they may instead send their letters directly to the USC Department of Comparative Literature.
  • A sample of your scholarly writing. This should be 15 to 25 pages in length, and treat a literary, critical, or theoretical subject. Papers written for courses are acceptable.

The following application materials must be mailed directly to the USC Office of Graduate Admission:

University of Southern California
USC Office of Admission and Financial Aid
GRADUATE
University Park Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915

  • Official results of the Graduate Record Examination. Official scores must be sent to the USC Office of Graduate Admission by the testing agency. ETS School Code: 4852. A photocopy of scores should be mailed to the department. This exam should be taken as early as possible so that the results will be received by the December application deadline.
  • Official results of the TOEFL Examination (for international applicants whose native language is not English). Official scores must be sent to the USC Office of Graduate Admission by the testing agency. ETS School Code: 4852. A photocopy of scores should be mailed to the department. This exam should be taken as early as possible so that the results will be received by the December application deadline. This requirement may be waived for international students who have earned a B.A. from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language. More information about proficiency in English can be found here.
  • Official academic transcripts from all institutions attended of all undergraduate and graduate work completed or attempted. Students, both domestic and international, who have studied at institutions outside the United States should refer to USC Graduate Admission’s list of minimum requirements for graduate admission to USC for International Applicants as well as the country-by-country breakdown of requirements. Transcripts and degree certificates/diplomas must be written in the original language of instruction. All original-language documents must be accompanied by a separate, word-for-word English translation. Dual-language transcripts are not acceptable.

The following application materials must be mailed directly to the USC Department of Comparative Literature:

Department of Comparative Literature
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
University of Southern California
3501 Trousdale Parkway
Taper Hall of Humanities, #161
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0353

  • Print out of the completed online Graduate Admission Application.
  • Print out of the statement of purpose.
  • Letters of recommendation from three of your recent instructors in literature, if not submitted online.
  • Print out of the writing sample.
  • Photocopy of GRE and, if applicable, TOEFL scores.
  • Photocopy or unofficial copy of academic transcripts from each institution attended.