Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

English, Ph.D.


Degree Requirements


The Ph.D. in English requires 60 credit hours.

Core Courses (9 Credit Hours)


Core courses required of all students are as follows:

Advanced Seminars (18 Credit Hours)


In addition, students must take a minimum of six 7000-level seminars  and will be expected to include in their program of study courses covering a wide range of fields. The course numbers listed below may be used multiple times.

Second Language Proficiency (0 Credit Hours)


Proficiency in a second language relevant to the student’s course of study is required and should be demonstrated prior to the term in which written exams are scheduled. Students are responsible for acquiring this proficiency. For certain dissertation topics, additional languages may be required.

Qualifying Examinations and Dissertation (12 Credit Hours)


Further requirements include written exams in the fall of the fourth year of study and a dissertation prospectus and oral defense of that prospectus during the spring term of the fourth year. The M.A. degree will be awarded after completion of the written exams. Note: For students entering with the M.A. degree, 12 credit hours (one year of coursework) may, with permission, be waived and the schedule above adjusted accordingly.

Courses associated with this requirement include the following:

Good Standing


Students who remain in good standing are eligible to receive fellowship support for up to six years. They must maintain a GPA of at least 3.500, demonstrate the ability to do work of appropriate quality in seminars, make continuous progress in the program and receive the recommendation of an advisory committee. They will teach two courses a year for four years beginning in the second year of study, with either their fifth or sixth year serving as a dissertation fellowship year with no course requirements or teaching responsibilities. Exceptional students may be offered a one-year postdoctoral fellowship in the English Department after fulfilling all requirements for the Ph.D.

Students who wish to leave the Ph.D. program, or students who do not pass their Ph.D. Qualifying Exam, may earn the M.A. degree if they have satisfied the following requirements: successful completion of 30 credit hours of coursework; demonstrate proficiency in a second language; pass a Masters Comprehensive Exam. This option does not apply to students who have an M.A. degree from another institution.

Total: 60 Credit Hours