Study Abroad

Many Comparative Literature students study abroad. We actively encourage this experience. International study can be enlightening and fulfilling, both personally and academically. Although study abroad requires some planning ahead, we believe the benefits are well worth the effort for most students.

Berkeley Study Abroad (BSA) is a University of California, system-wide program. Located in 160 Stephens Hall, BSA is the office on campus that administers education abroad for Berkeley students, and there are BSA Advisers ready to assist you in planning your overseas program. One of the advantages of this program is that the courses you take transfer straight to your Berkeley transcript, and grades you receive on BSA are calculated into your UC GPA. Moreover, you pay Berkeley fees and continue to be eligible for most financial aid. Special need-based BSA scholarships are available.

Non-BSA Programs: The Office of Undergraduate Admissions offers some help to students who want to participate in non-BSA programs. The office at 110 Sproul provides advising during scheduled “drop-in” hours and has some brochures, but much of the reference material (even on non-BSA programs) is kept in the BSA library in Stephens Hall.

The Department of Comparative Literature will expect you to make normal degree progress and will review your standing before approving a semester or year abroad. The courses taken abroad that we accept must be equivalent to those offered at Berkeley. The student is responsible for bringing back official transcripts, course descriptions, and reading lists that will aid Comparative Literature advisors in evaluating acceptable coursework. It goes without saying that conversation or “culture” courses cannot be applied toward the requirements for the undergraduate major. The college of Letters and Science will decide the total unit credit the student receives.

Chinese

Chinese University of Hong Kong/Hong Kong
National Taiwan University/Taiwan
Peking University/Beijing

Offerings include language study and literary arts coursework
Classes such as Readings in Modern Chinese Literature, Modern Chinese Literature and Film, Classical Chinese Fiction
Summer language programs in Taipei and Shanghai

French

University of Bordeaux/Bordeaux
University of Lyon/Lyon

Instruction in French and robust literary offerings
Classes such as Contemporary French Literature, Afrofuturism, Utopia in Literature
UCEAP and UCB summer language programs in Paris

Italian

University of Bologna/Bologna

Possibility of instruction in Italian
Classes such as Italian Women’s Literature, Cinema and Literature, and History of Literary Criticism
Summer language program in Florence

Japanese

Keio University/Tokyo

Note academic calendar differences with UCB calendar
Classes in Japanese such as History of Japanese Literature
Summer language programs in Tokyo and Osaka

Korean

Korea University/Seoul
Yonsei University/Seoul

Possibility of coursework in Korean (much in English)
Classes such as Korean Medieval Poetry, Readings in Modern Korean Novels, Classical Korean Prose

Latin & Ancient Greek

Options around the globe include:
Trinity College/Dublin, Ireland
Kings College/London, England
University College/London, England

Greek & Latin coursework on offer in Korea, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, China, and Australia as well; use the UCEAP Catalogue to learn about previously offered classes
Classes such as Canon & Creativity, The Everyday City in Classical Literature, Greek Mythology

Spanish & Portuguese

Carlos III University/ Madrid, Spain

Complutense University/ Madrid, Spain

University of Barcelona/ Barcelona, Spain

Pontifical Catholic University/ Santiago, Chile

University of Chile/ Santiago, Chile

National Autonomous University/ Mexico City, Mexico

Pontifical Catholic University/ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Extensive literary arts coursework in all three countries
Possibility of all classes in Spanish, and enrollment alongside Spanish-speaking students
Classes such as 19th Century Mexican Literature, Spanish Golden Age Literature, Ibero-American Literature

*students of Spanish may want to consider FLAS funding

Many offerings entirely in Portuguese
Classes such as Canons in Portuguese Literature, Literature and Nationality

View and Download our Summer Abroad Matrix

Study Abroad POV: Gianfranco Gastelo Centeno
Comparative Literature & Latin American Studies

I identify myself as a re-entry student, and implicit in this identity is the fact that, due to a combination of immaturity and depression, I squandered my high school education. However, being an underperforming student has been precisely what stimulated my eagerness to absorb everything I missed ever since my first college semester. At college, I majored in English, Philosophy, Linguistics, Spanish, Literature, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, interdisciplinary studies in humanities and behavioral sciences. Although academic semesters end, personal reflections upon in-class concepts do not, (re)appearing, like the Indigenous notion of time, recurrently in my journals. I used my 6 years of self-imposed college education plus those at UC Berkeley to be mentally, physically, and academically prepared to withstand the prospect of rapid acclimatization in England, being my first time visiting it or even studying abroad.

In England, I was challenged to balance 1) my dedication to my studies 2) my socialization with classmates and professors during and after classes, 3) my responsibility to optimize my weekly schedule to buy groceries, go to the gym, visit interesting public places, do laundry, reserve train tickets, and 4) my connection with my parents whom I called once a week to share my positive experiences, since I did not want to worry them. Having earned A's while accomplishing the rest enhanced my identity a self-sufficient person, believing in myself, applying self-discipline and correcting my mistakes to the best of my abilities in the shortest time possible. This is likely the greatest lesson I learned which is linked to my identity as an intellectually ambitious student: to be perseverant and diligent in order to surmount a challenge.

I would recommend them to challenge themselves as well, being willing to explore a country or university of their admiration. However, I would add to be responsible as well, taking all necessary documents, watching pre-departure videos, applying for scholarships to have a budget beyond the standard one, meeting with a study abroad adviser, attending informational sessions to ask personal questions to other students, joining an interpersonal group with students flying to the same destination, and of course, being fearless to new adventures.