Program of Study
The normal schedule for students entering into the first year and proceeding to admission as Ph.D. candidates in the second year is:
Year 1: 4 courses in fall, 3 in spring, no teaching.
Year 2: 2 courses plus seminar on teaching composition in fall; 2 courses in spring, teach one class. Declaration of major field of study at the end of spring.
Year 3: Fall: preparation for major field exam through tutorials and qualifying papers, teach 1 class. Spring: teach one class, take the major field exam at the end of spring.
Year 4: Fall: Dissertation Seminar; research; writing
The Graduate School requires 72 units (or credits) are required for the Ph.D. beyond the B.A. Most courses are three credits. In the first three years, up to 51 credits are earned by coursework, independent study, or directed reading. Beginning in the second year, students seek advice on enrolling for these extra credits in order to have completed formal requirements by year four.
Requirements
The department requires all graduate students to take thirteen courses overall, including:
- at least two courses in literature before 1780
- at least two courses in literature after 1780
- Introduction to Graduate Studies
- Practicum in Teaching Writing
- Dissertation seminar
At least three courses must be taken as 500-level seminars.
Dissertation Schedule
The fourth and fifth years are available for the writing of the dissertation, with the option of a sixth year if needed. Some students may decide to enter the job market in the fall of the fifth year, if they have much of the dissertation completed; others choose to wait until year six. Much depends on the person and the nature of the project, though in general those who go on the market with a finished dissertation have better chances of getting interviews.
Language Requirement
Across all fields of study, hemispheric and transnational approaches have moved to the fore. The department believes that work in one or more foreign languages is essential to preparing for Ph.D. in the English department. This is not only because all literatures have always interacted with a wider world, but also because inhabiting a foreign language promotes a linguistic awareness that can transform our thinking and writing in the native language. The department encourages students to study languages that are relevant to their academic interests and advises them on such study.
The requirement is either a demonstration of proficiency in one language or competence in two languages. Competence may be established either by taking the summer language courses that are offered to graduate students by the foreign language departments for this purpose, or, alternatively, by passing tests offered by the language departments. Proficiency may be established either by taking an advanced class conducted in the foreign language or, with the approval of the director of graduate studies, undertaking a substantial translation project that will be supervised by the dissertation advisor (or by some other supervisor designated by the advisor).