Applicants to the combined program must indicate on their application that they are either applying to the department of Comparative Literature or the History of Art department. Detailed requirements for each program is described on this page and should be considered alongside the schedule described in the Calendar of Progress.
Course work
The combined coursework requirement is fourteen courses, seven each in Comparative Literature/Art History. In Art History, this includes the First Year Colloquium (HSAR 5000) and one course outside the student’s core area. In Comparative Literature, this includes the proseminar as well as (i) at least one course each in Ancient or Medieval literature; in Early Modern or Baroque literature; in the Enlightenment or the Modern Age; (ii) at least two courses devoted to theory; (iii) at least one course each on two of the major three literary genres (poetry, narrative, drama). Please note that one course can fulfill more than one of these distribution requirements and that up to two of the historical distribution requirements can be fulfilled by an appropriate Art History course.The combined coursework requirement is fourteen courses, seven each in Comparative Literature/Art History. In Art History, this includes the First Year Colloquium (HSAR 5000) and one course outside the student’s core area. In Comparative Literature, this includes the proseminar as well as (i) at least one course each in Ancient or Medieval literature; in Early Modern or Baroque literature; in the Enlightenment or the Modern Age; (ii) at least two courses devoted to theory; (iii) at least one course each on two of the major three literary genres (poetry, narrative, drama). Please note that one course can fulfill more than one of these distribution requirements and that up to two of the historical distribution requirements can be fulfilled by an appropriate Art History course.
The departmental grading system is in accordance with Graduate School policy: Honors, High Pass, and Pass. Each student in the combined History of Art and English program must earn the grade of Honors in at least four term courses by the end of the second year of residence at Yale. Students who have not met this standard by the end of the second year will be warned; those who have not met it by the end of the third term will be asked to leave the program. Two grades of Honor are required for the MA degree. Only one grade of Pass is acceptable.
Languages
Before taking their qualifying exams, every student must demonstrate:
- A high level of proficiency in English and two other languages (fluent reading of primary and secondary texts without a dictionary)
- A reading ability in a fourth language
The distribution of these languages must meet Comparative Literature’s philological requirement, to be fulfilled in one of the three following ways:
- By learning to read an ancient or medieval language (such as Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Classical Chinese, Old Church Slavonic, etc.). We strongly encourage all students whose research focuses on literatures before 1800 to pursue this option.
- By learning to read an Indigenous or Aboriginal language (Nahuatl, Quechua, Tlingit, Alyawarr, Cherokee, Guarani, etc.)
- By becoming proficient in languages from THREE different language families, besides English (e.g. German+Russian+Arabic; Hindi+Igbo+Swahili; Chinese+Hebrew+Portuguese, etc.).
Students may prove their proficiency either by taking courses where texts are studied in the original languages, or by a written exam administered in this department.
Qualifying Paper
History of Art requires a qualifying paper in the spring term of the second year. The paper must demonstrate original research, a logical conceptual structure, stylistic lucidity, and the ability to successfully complete a Ph.D. dissertation. The qualifying paper will be evaluated by two professors from History of Art and one professor from Comparative Literature. Students who fulfill this requirement do not also need to submit a second-year essay to the Department of Comparative Literature for feedback, though they may choose to do so.
Qualifying Examinations
Written exam (Art History): The written exam addressing a question or questions having to do with a broad state-of-the-field or historiographic topic. Three hours, closed book, written by hand or on a non-networked computer provided by the department.
Oral exam: The combinded oral exam, which is held one week after the written exam, should cover six fields: three in Comparative Literature and three in History of Art (fifteen minutes each, fields to be agreed on in advance with advisers and DGS). Exam lists will be developed by the student in consultation with faculty examiners. The directors of graduate studies and registrars in both departments will work together to arrange these exams. The oral exam should be jointly chaired by the directors of graduate studies of both departments.
(Colloquium) Prospectus
The dissertation prospectus must be approved by both Comparative Literature and History of Art. The prospectus conference will take place in the spring term of the third year of study. The committee will include at least one faculty member from each department. As is implied by its title, the colloquium is not an examination, but a meeting during which the student can present ideas to a faculty committee and receive advise from its members. The colloquium should be jointly chaired by the directors of graduate studies of both departments. The faculty members present may pass the prospectus as is, request revisions, or request revisions and an additional meeting to review them.
First Chapter Reading
Students will participate in a first chapter reading (also known as a first chapter conference) normally within a year of advancing to candidacy (spring term of year four). The dissertation committee, including faculty members from both programs, will discuss the progress of the student’s work in a seminar-style format. (See information under Provisional Admission to Candidacy)
Dissertation Defense
The hour-long defense is a serious intellectual conversation between the student and the committee. Present at the defense will be the student’s advisers, committee, and the directors of graduate studies in both Comparative Literature and History of Art; others may be invited to comment after the committee’s questions is completed. (See information under Provisional Admission to Candidacy)