Master of Arts in Comparative Literature- Medieval and Renaissance (early modern) Literature and Culture

Our faculty work across the wide range of historical periods, more than a thousand years long, that are designated as medieval or Renaissance (early modern). Ranging from England to the Mediterranean world to medieval Japan and early modern China, our research addresses questions of authorship, culture, law, memory, identity, and textuality in a wide variety of genres and contexts. We share an ongoing interest in book history and in the readership, performance, and circulation of literary works. Our students working in these periods can benefit from the activities organized by the Committee on Early Modern Studies and the Material Texts Group, both of which draw together faculty from a variety of departments, the informal Early Period Studies Reading Group organized by graduate students, and Penn State's resources in fields such as English, the Romance languages, classics, and history, and our digital humanities initiatives. Students interested in working across departments may be interested in the interdisciplinary graduate minor in Medieval Studies, which includes fields such as art history. The Summer Language Institute provides opportunities to study languages such as Arabic, French, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, or Spanish if needed. Penn State's library is rich in research material for these periods, and students learn to read medieval or Renaissance handwriting in order to work with original sources. Further, we are close to many of the major US research libraries housing important collections, such as the Folger Library in Washington, DC, where our institutional membership facilitates student access. Students have also received support for travel to archives in the UK and continental Europe, as well as travel grants to present their research at major conferences, and the faculty provide mentoring and guidance for students to publish their research.

Admission to graduate study in Comparative Literature at Penn State is based on a number of considerations. Above all we seek intellectually curious, highly motivated students whose interests suggest a good fit with our departmental strengths. We welcome well-qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds.
We are often asked what our committee looks for and the truth is that there is no standard formula. We consider GPAs and test scores (GREs and TOEFLs), but above all we look for intellectual engagement and scholarly commitment. The graduate committee that evaluates applicants seeks evidence of intellectual promise, openness to new ideas and methods, capacity for original scholarship, the ability to think critically and to write clearly, and potential for professional success. Of obvious importance for scholars who will work across cultures is appropriate language preparation. Research plans that are in synch with our areas of expertise are also of importance.
mple of your written work, preferably an essay on literature.
Statement of purpose. The statement of purpose should include information on a) your education and other relevant background, including teaching experience or other activities that have prepared you for graduate work in Comparative Literature, b) your research interests, c) your language skills and their application to your research interests, d) your reasons for considering graduate work in Comparative Literature, especially your interest in our specific program.
A C.V. or resum.
Three Letters of Reference
Official transcripts of all relevant university education.
All international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, with Graduate School approval, which requires an institutional test of English proficiency upon the first semester of enrollment and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.