Centre for Comparative Literature at Toronto - Is it still at danger of being shut down?

[Emily Eyefinger]

News about the university trying to dissolve the center to consolidated several Humanities departments in 2010 worry me as I am planning to apply there. Anyone has any info about how the program is funded and managed nowadays?

http://theacademicblogspot.blogspot.ca/2010/07/university-of-toronto-dissolves.html

Also, I'm an international student. All schools I am applying to say they fund international and demestic students alike... But I heard in order to issue I-20 for student visa, I need to prove that I have the sufficient amount of money to cover full tuition. Is it true?

Thanks!

[RelaxButterfly]

Unfortunately I can't tell you about the potential status of the program, but I will warn you to be careful about U of T and funding in the humanities. If it's an MA program you're applying for but a phD program also exists, they often do not fund the MA students. I ended up turning down an offer for their English MA partially because they offered not a cent of funding (which according to a document I've seen is the case for all MA applicants). I sure hope they're more generous with international students. Good luck!

[Emily Eyefinger]

Thanks for your input.

Unlike English dept, though, Comp. Lit dept offers a partial funding for MA students as well.

The idea of studying at a department that Northrop Frye himself initiated thrills me a great deal... ah, but right now it's a school that's a far reach for me. Good luck on your study!

Edited October 28, 2012 by Emily Eyefinger

[wreckofthehope]

The ACLA is having their conference in Toronto next year... which struck me as possibly a political move, intended to signify support for Comp Lit there from elsewhere.

I got the sense that the big backlash against the decision to close Comp Lit made a fairly decisive impact... but who knows with budgets what they are.