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COURSES IN RELATED PROGRAMS
- African and Afro-American Studies
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Chinese
- Classical Studies
- Comparative Literature
- East Asian Studies
- English
- European Cultural Studies
- Film, Television and Interactive Media
- Fine Arts
- French and Francophone Studies
- German Studies
- Hispanic Studies
- Italian Studies
- Japanese
- Language and Linguistics
- Latin American and Latino Studies
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Music
- Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Russian Studies
- Sexuality and Queer Studies
- South Asian Studies
- Spanish Language and Literature
- Theater Arts
- Women's and Gender Studies
Curriculum & Requirements
The Master of Arts Program in Comparative Humanities (MACH) can be completed in a single year, although students have the option to continue their studies beyond the first year. In conjunction with a primary advisor and the director of graduate studies (DGS), each student builds a coherent curriculum that bridges cultures and disciplines.
All students must successfully complete the following requirements, which include eight semester-long courses:
MACH Proseminar
This fall-term seminar meets weekly to explore innovative approaches to, and theoretical frameworks for, cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural study in the humanities, preparing students for their capstone project.
MACH Graduate Seminar
Focusing on a subject of broad interdisciplinary interest within the humanities, this graduate seminar is offered each spring to provide students with a model of focused exploration. The seminar topic is chosen by the instructor with cognizance of the interests of the incoming class. The course models the methods of cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural study and provides students with an opportunity to bring their diverse interests to bear on a common topic of inquiry. Space permitting, this course is open to Brandeis graduate students from other disciplines. Under special circumstances, students may substitute for this course another graduate seminar chosen in conjunction with their primary advisor and the DGS.
Five Additional Courses
Students must complete five additional courses within a coherent interdisciplinary and/or intercultural sphere of concentration. Together, these courses must represent at least two disciplines and/or cultures. Students will choose their curricula in collaboration with their primary advisor and the DGS based on student interest and appropriate available courses.
Generally, students select courses numbered 100 and above from related departments. Please consult the links in the sidebar of this page for courses in related departments.
Capstone Project
Each student must complete a project of professional quality that produces original work within her or his field of concentration and that meets with the approval of a faculty advisor and a second reader. While the project may take the form of a traditional research paper, students may also explore the possibility of creating (for example) a web-based resource, a curricular plan, or a multimedia presentation. Work toward this capstone project will be undertaken with the advisor and will count as the student’s eighth course (MACH 301b).
Year-End Symposium
Students will present their capstone projects to their peers, the program faculty, and the university community in a festive year-end symposium.
Language Competence
All students are expected to demonstrate reading comprehension of a language other than English either by passing a written examination or by taking a 100-level course taught in another language.