Thank you for your interest in the University of Oregon Department of Comparative Literature.

Since its inception fifty years ago (ours is the oldest Comparative Literature department on the West Coast), the graduate program has offered a flexible, individualized course of study without sacrificing a classic commitment to language and literary history.

Students study in a humane, supportive setting for graduate education. They are guaranteed funding to support their graduate training and all receive state-of-the-art teacher training. Furthermore, thanks to a curriculum that emphasizes collaboration and mentorship, our graduate students receive unparalleled opportunities to design and teach their own undergraduate literature classes and tutorials.

Comparative Literature has one of the most intellectually diverse faculties in the country, with strengths ranging from antiquity and the early modern to contemporary globalization studies and minority literature.

How to Apply

The online application for admission involves several steps. You begin with questions required of all University of Oregon graduate applicants. As you progress through the online process, you will be prompted to upload your transcripts and input the name, institution and e-mail addresses of your three recommenders. Then you proceed to Department of Comparative Literature questions, including a question describing your language preparation. Please read and answer this question carefully.

You may save your work if you do not have all the materials required and return to complete your application at a later date.

When you have completed all the required questions and uploaded your documents, you will be prompted to the final page and instructions for paying the fee. After completing your application and paying the fee, your application will be processed and forwarded to the Department of Comparative Literature.

The application deadline for admission in Fall 2024 is January 16th, 2024.

The deadline to apply for an International Need-Based Application Fee Waiver from Comparative Literature is December 15, 2023.

Application Submission Procedures

Required Application Materials

1. Submit a one- to three-page statement of purpose. Please convert your statement to a PDF file before uploading it.
2. Submit a ten- to twenty-page sample, in English, of your critical or scholarly writing about literature. Please convert your file to a PDF before uploading it.
3. Contact three willing individuals familiar with your educational background and abilities. Notify your references that they will be receiving an e-mail prompt with a link requesting a letter of recommendation. Please request that your recommenders submit their letter in PDF format.
4. Scan as PDF files one set of official or unofficial transcripts for each institution at which you have completed college-level coursework. Please make sure the scans are legible and oriented vertically. Include only transcripts written in English. If you are having difficulty scanning your transcripts into PDF files, please go to a local copy shop for assistance. They will be able to scan your transcripts and give you electronic files which you can upload.
5. Submit one set of official transcripts to the Office of the Registrar, 5257 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403. for each institution from which a degree has been earned. The transcript must show the degree and the date that it was awarded.
6. GRE scores are not required as part of the application process.
7. If you are required to submit test scores for admission, please enter your scores on the online application and upload a copy of your official test results.
8. In addition, the Department of Comparative Literature may request a phone or online interview to further assess the applicant’s English language skills.
9. It is possible to wait for a Department of Comparative Literature admission decision before providing your official transcripts to the University of Oregon. However, if the Department of Comparative Literature does offer you admission, your admission process will be delayed until all your official transcripts and degree certificates, translated into English if necessary, are received, reviewed and approved by the Graduate School. This may take weeks and can delay the issuing of the I-20 needed for VISA application. Learn more.
10. Additional requirements are in place for graduate students with teaching appointments. Those students not scoring at least 7 on the IELTS or 26 on the Speaking portion of the TOEFL exam are required to take the Speak test when they arrive on campus in the fall. More information about this requirement can be found on the Graduate School website.

Additional Information for International Students

Frequently Asked Questions

Do students in the doctoral program typically receive funding?
Yes. Admitted students are typically awarded graduate employment appointments to work as teaching assistants.

What is the language requirement for entrance into the doctoral program?
There is no specific language requirement, however, the Graduate Admission Committee will evaluate your current language skills with respect to your intended fields of study. Students are required to be proficient in two languages other than English by the end of their third year of study.

Does the Department of Comparative Literature admit students into the PhD program each term?
No. Students are admitted for fall term only.

Does the Comparative Literature Department admit students into the master’s program?
No. At this time the Comparative Literature Department does not have a terminal master’s degree program.

Do my letters of recommendation need to be received before I can complete my application and pay the fee?
No. You may complete your application. The letters of recommendation will be inserted into your application when they are received.

What are the Comparative Literature department’s English language proficiency requirements for a graduate employment (GE) position?
The Comparative Literature department considers that clear oral communication with undergraduate students, and the ability to understand readily and respond appropriately to these students’ idiomatic speech and writing, are essential for teachers of literature at the UO. The standards required by the graduate school for the appointment of GEs (the SPEAK test and subsequent training) are considered to be minimum but not sufficient standards for the appointment of GEs to teach literature in the Comparative Literature department. The graduate school and the Comparative Literature department may stipulate further, more rigorous qualifications for GE appointments.

What are the financial statement requirements for international graduate students?
United States government regulations require that UO verify the availability of sufficient financial support for non-immigrant students before a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) can be issued. Students with a GE award may present their award letter as proof of support.

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