传统的比较世界文学本科专业，旨在为学生提供比较文学或相关领域的研究生学习的准备，核心课程为36个单元，外国语集中于6个单元。比较世界文学是对外国文学进行翻译以及这些文学之间以及文学与艺术，音乐，历史，哲学和戏剧等其他领域之间的关系的研究。在CSULB，《比较世界文学》也将重点放在文化研究和神话学上，以此作为理解文学以及我们在多元文化和全球环境中看待自己的方式的基础。
Comparative Literature majors from all three Emphases should be able to - Demonstrate knowledge of world literary traditions and the continuing influence of those traditions on world cultures, as well as identify emergent global literary trends.Develop skills in literary analysis and critical writing, and apply comparative methodologies and literary theory to evaluate literary texts and other cultural products.Interpret and criticize literary texts within social, cultural, and historical contexts.Produce analyses of the relationship between literature other cultural production and the identity formation of individuals and their communities, and discuss literary texts as part of discursive systems.