Program Overview

The Honors Program in Comparative Literature is designed for academically outstanding CL students who want to deepen their knowledge of literary methodology and develop their academic and professional skills. Participation in this program is therefore limited to CL majors and double majors. The program requires students to complete LITR 499, which counts as an area elective. It also requires the writing and formal presentation of a 25+-page honors thesis on a literary topic of the student’s own choice. Entry to this program is selective, and participation is strongly recommended for students who are interested in entering graduate or professional programs in the future. Students who successfully complete the requirements for this program will be awarded an Honors Program in Comparative Literature completion certificate upon graduation.

Entry Requirements

To apply to the Honors Program, a student must be a major or double major in CL and must have completed no fewer than the equivalent of four semesters of coursework. To ensure that all program requirements can logistically be met, students should apply to join the Honors program in the fall semester of their junior year (or the year before the final/senior year of their program).

All applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their prior LITR courses at the time of application.

Application Procedure

Program application forms will be available from the certificate program coordinator. Applications will be due every year by the end of November. Applications will be reviewed by CL faculty members and successful applicants will be notified by email as soon as possible after this date

Program Requirements

• Students in this program must take LITR 442 “Readings in Critical Theory (worth 3 Koç University credits) in the spring semester of their junior year.
• For CL double majors who have been accepted to the Hons. Program, LITR 442 will count as the equivalent of one area elective.
• Students in this program must take the weekly seminar LITR 499 (Honors Thesis Seminar; worth 3 Koç University credits) in the fall semester of their senior year. This course will provide the structure and review the skills necessary for students to complete writing their 25+-page thesis project. While the precise seminar content will be tailored to the interests and needs of each student group, the course will typically cover research methodology as well as topics relating to the development of professional and academic skills. There will be a strong emphasis on class discussion and peer workshopping of theses-in-progress. Course assignments for LITR 499 will typically include: the development of a professional curriculum vitae and cover letter; writing abstracts; compiling a research bibliography; and completing the work of writing an honors thesis. Each thesis produced in this course will be graded by two faculty members (the designated course instructor as well as one additional CL faculty member with a relevant area of specialization).
• In the spring term of their senior year, each honors student will give a formal presentation of his/her completed thesis to peers and department faculty members.
• To successfully complete the honors certificate program, students must have passed both LITR 442 and LITR 499 with no less than a B+ in each course, have formally presented their thesis project, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all of their LITR courses at the time of graduation.