Welcome to International and Comparative Literary Studies (ICLS)

ICLS is a vibrant and innovative interdisciplinary program in the School of Languages and Cultures. Our rich and diverse program guarantees that a major in ICLS will both be personally rewarding and prepare future graduates for a range of possible career paths.

The program currently comprises ten senior undergraduate Units of Study offered on a rotating basis by seven Departments in two Schools, with the addition of two more contributing Departments, a specialised Honours program and Postgraduate coursework electives from 2009.

Linguistic and cultural diversity
What makes ICLS unique in the Australian context is the leading role taken by European, Asian, and, from 2009, Latin American and Middle Eastern language-based disciplines in Australia’s leading university for foreign languages. Our intellectual diversity and richness open up new ways of thinking and speaking about cultures and their many interactions.

Interdisciplinarity
The staff of ICLS come from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, making our teaching and research environment original, and, as part of the University of Sydney’s highly regarded Faculty of Arts, one of the true leaders and promoters of cross-literary and interdisciplinary knowledge and education in Australia and abroad.

High-level cross-cultural competencies
In a globalised and highly mobile world characterised by diversity and multiculturalism, international, cross-literary and interdisciplinary education and knowledge are essential requirements for those wishing to become active participants in the life of the future community. A literary education in particular provides important cultural insights, as literature both reflects and shapes a society’s cultural and intellectual life.

Career paths
The ability to understand, value and articulate cross-literary and cultural issues and to move across linguistic and cultural boundaries will become a major asset for individuals in the future and is already recognised by employers as a vital skill. Australian intellectual and professional status is no longer measured on the national front alone. It is part of a rich international network through which ideas are discussed, research undertaken and staff mobility achieved. Completing a major in ICLS offers the cultural and intellectual tools to tap into and reap the benefits of such internationalisation.

Integration and flexibility
The major in ICLS integrates well with other majors and units of study offered by departments in the School of Letters, Arts and Media and the School of Languages and Cultures. ICLS units also integrate with European Studies and the Bachelor of Arts Global Studies, as well as other fields of study concerned with the process of internationalisation and cross-cultural encounters.