Graduate Program - Doctoral Program - Printable Version (handout)

Overview: Program Emphasis

The Department of Literature Ph.D. Studies Program is interdisciplinary in focus, although students may write dissertations on any topic or in any field in which members of the faculty do research. The Program allows students a large measure of independence; at the same time it encourages a community of scholar-critics whose concerns are not restricted to any single literature or critical tradition.

The Literature Ph.D. Program has three distinct phases with three distinct purposes.

In Phase I, students acquire the breadth of knowledge foundational to Ph.D.-level work. In this phase, students come to know the faculty, their research areas and methods. During these first two years of study (or, this first year, in the case of students with M.A. degrees who ask for transfer of graduate credits) students take twelve (or six) seminars. In the course of these seminars, they complete the required theory sequence in the first year, and the language requirements. Toward the end of the second year, they begin to identify their own specialized interests preparatory to the more focused study of Phase II.

In Phase II, students define the focus of their research programs and prepare for their qualifying examinations. Thus, the final quarter of the second year and the third year are divided between completing required courses, taking other seminars, and preparing for the qualifying examinations. Students should plan to complete their qualifying exams by the end of their ninth or tenth quarter of enrollment; they must have completed the exam by the end of the tenth quarter.

Overview: Program Emphasis (continued)

In Phase III, students research and write their dissertations. At the end of the tenth quarter, they file their dissertation prospectuses with the department. They defend their dissertations toward the end of the spring quarter of the fifth year of residence (or the fourth year, for students who enter with M.A. degrees).

Overview: Program Requirements year by year

Overview: Program Requirements year by year (continued)

Overview: Program Requirements year by year (continued)

Students may substitute for graduate seminars a maximum of three upper-division undergraduate courses, which are made equivalent to seminars through additional work agreed upon by the student and professor. It is strongly recommended that graduate students enroll in graduate seminars whenever possible. If graduate students take undergraduate courses for seminar credit, they must receive grades of A to maintain acceptable graduate status and continuation of funding.

Overview: Sectional Requirements

FOR COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

3 seminars: Introductory theory sequence
at least 4 seminars in literature 1*
at least 2 seminars in literature 2*
at least 1 seminar or upper division undergraduate course in literature 3*
at least 4 seminars in theory, cultural studies, literature 2 or 3, comparative literature, or composition studies*
4 seminars open to choice. Two of these will be independent study courses (LitXX 298) in preparation for qualifying examinations*

* At least four of these courses taken in any of these categories must be in LTCO (designated LTCO)

Seminars in literature 1, literature 2, and literature 3 must be substantially focused upon the relevant language and deal with materials in the original.

TOTAL 18 seminars; 5 years; 4 years for students with MA degrees

Overview: Sectional Requirements (continued)

FOR COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC

3 seminars: Introductory theory sequence
at least 4 seminars in writing, composition, or rhetoric
at least 2 seminars in literature 2
at least 4 seminars in cultural studies, sociology, ethnic studies, history, or science studies
5 seminars open to choice. Two of these will be independent study courses (LitXX 298) in preparation for qualifying examinations.

TOTAL 18 seminars; 5 years; 4 years for students with MA degrees

FOR CULTURAL STUDIES

3 seminars: Introductory theory sequence
at least 4 seminars in literature 1
at least 2 seminars in literature 2
at least 5 seminars in theory or cultural studies, literature 2 or 3, comparative literature, or composition studies.
4 seminars open to choice. Two of these will be independent study courses (LitXX 298) in preparation for qualifying examinations.

TOTAL 18 seminars; 5 years; 4 years for students with MA degrees

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Planning Your Course Work

To plan your course of study, you should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies, the head of your section, and faculty members whose interests you share. You may also want to consult the following publications:

The three-quarter spread is available early each Fall as the quarter begins. It provides a tentative schedule of classes and seminars offered by the Literature Department for the coming year.

The three-quarter spread is available early each Fall as the quarter begins. It provides a tentative schedule of classes and seminars offered by the Literature Department for the coming year.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Planning your Course Work (continued)

Seminars are offered by professors according to their current areas of interest. Therefore, specific topics may not be predictably repeated. You should be in contact with faculty members who work in the areas of your interests so that you can be informed about what they plan to teach in the future. You need not wait for a course to be offered to establish contact with a professor. Rather, plan to visit her/him during office hours to discuss intellectual interests and concerns. To become familiar with professors' research, you may consult the list of faculty publications.

You will find a wide variety of seminars open to you because of the Literature Department's interdisciplinary strengths. You should consider the seminar offerings in all sections of the department as you plan your enrollment during Phase I. You may also want to investigate graduate offerings in other departments or consider enrolling in upper-division undergraduate literature courses. (You may take a maximum of three undergraduate courses for graduate credit. It is strongly recommended that graduate students enroll in graduate seminars whenever possible. Graduate students who take undergraduate courses for seminar credit must receive grades of A to maintain acceptable graduate status and continuation of funding.)

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Academic Advisors

In the first two years of their programs, students are advised by the heads of sections or graduate advisers of sections, their faculty mentors, and/or the Director of Graduate Studies.

During your fifth or sixth quarter of study (and no later than the seventh), you should select a Ph.D. adviser from your section. Consult with the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the graduate adviser of your section about choosing this adviser.

The Ph.D. adviser supervises your work through the period of qualifying, organizes the Ph.D. committee, oversees the qualifying examination, serves as primary reader of the dissertation manuscript, arranges and conducts the dissertation defense, and offers advice about the job search.

Current Advisors

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Seminar Requirements

During the first nine quarters of graduate study students are expected to complete a total of 18 graduate seminars. These include required courses in theory, historical breadth, and language. Students are also required to teach for at least three academic quarters. (See below for explanations of each of these requirements).

The required full time course load is twelve units per quarter, which is usually met by taking two seminars (8 units) and receiving four units of 500 level credit as Teaching, Research, or Language Assistants. Students who have not requested support and those supported by fellowships should take three seminars or two seminars and an upper division literature course. Graduate students who take undergraduate courses for seminar credit must receive grades of A to maintain acceptable graduate status and continuation of funding. It is strongly recommended that graduate students enroll in graduate seminars whenever possible.

During the first two years of study, students should make every effort to complete the language and historical breadth requirements, leaving the third year free to devote to seminar work, more focused study, and preparing for the qualifying examinations.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Seminar Requirements (continued)

Courses that may be counted toward the eighteen seminar requirement are:

• Any 200-280 series literature graduate course.
• A maximum of two graduate seminars from other departments.
• Two 298 courses: one taken in the sixth or seventh quarter of study to prepare reading lists; one taken in the eighth or ninth quarter of study to work on the long qualifying paper.
• A maximum of three upper division undergraduate literature courses, made equivalent to graduate seminars through additional work agreed upon by the student and professor. It is strongly recommended that graduate students enroll in graduate seminars whenever possible. Graduate students who take undergraduate courses for seminar credit must receive grades of A to maintain acceptable graduate status and continuation of funding.
• For students with M.A. degrees from universities other than UCSD, up to six transfer classes, as approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Theory Requirement

All Ph.D. students must complete LTTH 200A, 200B, and 200C during their first year of study.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Historical Breadth Requirement

Ph.D. students are required to take two seminars dealing with literary or cultural issues prior to 1800. Seminars will satisfy the historical breadth requirement if at least 50% of their material deals with a period prior to 1800.

The two seminars taken to fulfill this requirement may be in the same period or in different periods, and may be literature seminars or seminars offered in another department, such as history, art history, or philosophy. Ideally, the seminars will be related in some way. For example, they might deal with a single national tradition, with different but related national traditions, or with different literatures written in the same language and sharing a certain history, such as French and Quebecois writing. On the other hand, the two seminars might deal with a problem, such as early modern intercultural relations (Europe and the Islamic world, or Spain and the New World) or slave cultures in the Americas in the 18th century.

Depending on their content, seminars taken to fulfill the historical breadth requirement may simultaneously fulfill the language requirement as well as the distribution requirements in the primary literature and in theory.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Language Requirement

Ph.D. students are required to take at least two seminars in a language other than that of their intended specialization. (The Comparative Literature section requires seminars or the equivalent in two foreign languages.) Competence in reading, understanding, and interpreting both literary and critical texts in a second language, and--when appropriate--ability to follow seminar discussions or lectures in a second or third language must be demonstrated by the end of the sixth quarter of study.

For practical reasons, students are strongly encouraged to work in languages taught by UCSD faculty members. Approval of languages not taught by UCSD faculty members is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Definition of graduate-level competence: Students entering UCSD's Ph.D. program are expected to demonstrate a graduate-level working knowledge of a language other than that of their specialization. For French, German, Spanish and Italian, this is generally construed to mean at least two years of undergraduate study; for Latin and Greek, at least three years; for Chinese, at least four years.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Language Requirement (continued)

Using undergraduate courses to fulfill the language requirement: With the approval of the director of graduate studies or the appropriate sectional adviser, students may satisfy the language requirement by substituting for a seminar an upper-division undergraduate course, enhanced by additional assignments, and which must be completed with the grade of A. This is normally done ONLY when there is no seminar offered in the chosen language. Whenever possible, the upper-division undergraduate course should be conducted entirely in the second language.

To take upper-division undergraduate language courses to fulfill the graduate language requirement, students must demonstrate through prior course work that they have already attained graduate-level competency in the literature and language in question.

The student is expected to read all texts in the original language and to demonstrate very high proficiency in the reading and interpretation of those texts in competing all the coursework required of other participants. The student should not be required to write papers in a language other than English.

Using 298s to fulfill the language requirement: As a last resort--that is, only when there are no graduate seminars nor upper-division undergraduate courses available--a student may enroll in independent study graduate work to fulfill the language requirement. Occasionally, an advanced student may combine work on an interdisciplinary project with satisfying the language requirement through an independent study course.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Language Requirement (continued)

To take a 298 to fulfill the graduate language requirement, students must demonstrate through prior course work that they have already attained graduate-level competency in the literature and language in question. They must obtain the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies to enroll in such a course.

Criteria for 298s of this sort are the same for seminars and undergraduate study courses. The student is expected to meet weekly with the supervising professor, to read all texts in the original language and to demonstrate very high proficiency in the reading and interpretation of those texts. The student should not be required to write papers in a language other than English.

Completing the language requirement: In each seminar or course taken to fulfill the language requirement, the student must pass a two-hour exam to be administered by the instructor (unless the instructor feels the exam would be superfluous, in which case the instructor must include a written explanation of why s/he has chosen to waive the exam). The exam will involve a substantial (approximately 2-page) exercise in translation, as well as answering questions about a text of approximately ten pages, written in the second language and related to the course topic. Questions will be posed in the second language, but may be answered in English. Students may use a dictionary during the exam.

A copy of the corrected exam must be submitted to the Graduate Office with a completed form reporting the outcome of the examination in order for the student to receive credit. (See below: Forms: Report on Language Requirements for the Ph.D. in Literature.)

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Teaching Requirement

The department requires that each Ph.D. student do some apprentice teaching before completing the degree. The minimum amount required is equivalent to the duties expected of a half-time teaching assistant for three academic quarters. This teaching includes conducting, with the guidance and support of a supervising professor, discussion sections and related activities in a variety of freshman and sophomore course. Academic credit is granted for the training given under the apprentice teaching program. Most students enrolled in the Literature Department Ph.D. program can expect to teach in one of the college writing programs or in the language or linguistics programs.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Independent Studies Courses

To register for an independent study course, please consult with the professor with whom you plan to work. Then obtain, fill out, and submit an Application for Special Studies Course Enrollment form from the Graduate Lounge. This form must outline the proposed plan. You, your professor, and the Director of Graduate Studies must sign the form before a course code may be assigned.

Students should be aware that faculty members agree to direct independent study courses in addition to their regular teaching loads, and therefore may restrict the number of students with whom they are willing to work.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Independent Studies Courses - Description (continued)

296: Research Practicum. Research project on a specific topic to be developed by a small group of students under the continued direction of individual faculty members. Primarily used as a continuation of a previous seminar. 296 courses DO NOT count toward the seminar requirement.

297: Directed Studies: Reading Course. This course may be designed according to an individual student's needs when seminar offerings do not cover subjects, genres, or authors of interest. Students may also design a 297 course in tandem with a seminar of particular interest so that special attention may paid to that subject. This course is primarily a reading course; it does not require a seminar paper. During the first six quarters of study up to two 297 courses may be taken as part of a student's normal course distribution. There is no limit on the total number of 297s a student can take. 297 courses DO NOT count toward the seminar requirement.

298: Special Projects: Writing Course. This course designed by the student to meet personal scholarly needs. A paper is required, and students frequently use this opportunity to work on qualifying papers. Students are strongly discouraged from taking 298's during their first year of graduate study. Students will register for two 298's to prepare for their qualifying examinations: one in the sixth quarter, to prepare the reading lists; and one in the eighth or ninth quarter to work on the long qualifying paper. More than these two 298 courses DO NOT count toward the seminar requirement.

299: Dissertation Preparation. This course is designed for those who have passed their qualifying examination and are writing their dissertations.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Language Requirement (continued)

To take a 298 to fulfill the graduate language requirement, students must demonstrate through prior course work that they have already attained graduate-level competency in the literature and language in question. They must obtain the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies to enroll in such a course.

Criteria for 298s of this sort are the same for seminars and undergraduate study courses. The student is expected to meet weekly with the supervising professor, to read all texts in the original language and to demonstrate very high proficiency in the reading and interpretation of those texts. The student should not be required to write papers in a language other than English.

Completing the language requirement: In each seminar or course taken to fulfill the language requirement, the student must pass a two-hour exam to be administered by the instructor (unless the instructor feels the exam would be superfluous, in which case the instructor must include a written explanation of why s/he has chosen to waive the exam). The exam will involve a substantial (approximately 2-page) exercise in translation, as well as answering questions about a text of approximately ten pages, written in the second language and related to the course topic. Questions will be posed in the second language, but may be answered in English. Students may use a dictionary during the exam.

A copy of the corrected exam must be submitted to the Graduate Office with a completed form reporting the outcome of the examination in order for the student to receive credit. (See below: Forms: Report on Language Requirements for the Ph.D. in Literature.)

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Grading and Seminar Evaluations

Students enrolled in department seminars receive credit for their participation on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. In addition to assigning a S/U grade, the instructor in a seminar or independent study project prepares a brief but specific Report on the Graduate Student evaluating each student's contribution and achievement. These reports are kept in the student's cumulative file. Copies of these evaluations are given to students by the graduate coordinator as a matter of record. Students may write comments in response to faculty evaluations. These will also become part of the file. These records constitute the basis for the department's annual report to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR) on each student's status.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Grading and Seminar Evaluations : Seminar Requirements

Each student in the seminar will participate by doing at least one project, such as an oral presentation, bibliographical work, seminar paper, or other similar project. The specific nature of the project or projects is set by the instructor and announced in advance. Seminar papers will not exceed 15 pages in length and must be submitted before the end of the quarter. Seminar papers should be relevant to the material covered in the seminar and not "recycled" from former seminars.

Students must strive to keep up with seminar readings, assignments, and papers. Failure to submit seminar papers in the quarter they are due will result in a U. Likewise, erratic attendance and failing to complete readings and other assignments will be noted in the narrative evaluation.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Grading and Seminar Evaluations : Grades

S/U: A grade of S indicates that the student has finished all the seminar requirements in a satisfactory manner and at a level equal to that of the other students enrolled in the seminar. A grade of U is understood to indicate that the student's performance was not on a par with that of the other students in the seminar. To maintain acceptable graduate status and continuation of funding, students may have no more than two Us on their record.

Incomplete: The Incomplete grade (I) may be assigned by the instructor when a student's work is of non-failing quality, but is incomplete for good cause. The student must obtain the instructor's approval on the "Request to Receive Grade Incomplete" form prior to the final examination week. Instructors are required to file the "Request to Receive Grade Incomplete and Removal of Grade Incomplete" form with their grade reports. They must fill out the portions stating the reason for the request and specify the work necessary for completion.

Graduate students assigned the grade of I will have one quarter to complete the necessary work or paper(s). If the work is not completed, the Incomplete will automatically be changed by the Registrar to an Unsatisfactory (U) or Failure (F) at the end of the quarter following the awarding of the Incomplete.

The department strongly discourages graduate students from requesting the Incomplete grade, since failure to remove the Incomplete will jeopardize both good standing and financial support.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Grading and Seminar Evaluations : Grades

Undergraduate courses taken for graduate credit: . It is strongly recommended that graduate students enroll in graduate seminars whenever possible. If graduate students take undergraduate courses for seminar credit, they must receive grades of A to maintain acceptable graduate status and continuation of funding.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Grading and Seminar Evaluations : Report on the Graduate Student

The faculty member's narrative evaluation (Report on the Graduate Student) centers on the nature of the student's participation in the seminar and completion of the projects assigned. It may include evaluation of a paper done in connection with work in the seminar. Faculty are expected to complete their narrative evaluations within 30 days following the close of the quarter in which the seminar was offered.

Phase I: Establishing Intellectual Breadth & Identifying Research Interests : Grading and Seminar Evaluations : OGS Annual Evaluations

The University requires the Department to evaluate each doctoral student annually.

Students who have not advanced to candidacy will be evaluated by a faculty member of their section, usually one who has taught or advised them. According to the Graduate Council, the evaluation will indicate "the degree to which students are, over-all, progressing satisfactorily in their studies, their strengths and weaknesses as students and, where applicable, as teaching and/or research assistants. These evaluations should contain cogent and clear advice to students."

Students who have advanced to candidacy are evaluated by a member of their Ph.D. advisory committee; the form is counter-signed by two other committee members. According to the Graduate Council, this evaluation will "cover the student's progress to date, recommended modifications to the dissertations scope or methodology, timetable for completion, and recommendation for support in the following year."

Before the annual evaluations are sent to OGS, students will be asked to read and sign their evaluations. They will also be asked to indicate whether or not they agree with the evaluation. Annual evaluations are retained by OGS as part of students' permanent files.

Preparing for Phase II: Forming a doctoral committee

Preparing for Phase II: Forming a doctoral committee : The Doctoral Committee

The student invites a tenured professor to chair her/his doctoral committee. (Non-tenured professors may co-chair committees with tenured professors.) The student and chair consult about the constitution of the rest of the committee. The chair invites prospective members to join the doctoral committee.

Ideally, the committee will consist of professors with whom the student has studied. Four members of the committee must be ladder-rank members of the Literature Department whose work relates to the student's project. One member of the committee must be a tenured member of another department who can consult with the student on the dissertation project. (Please consult the graduate coordinator for stipulations about other configurations of the committee [i.e., non-UCSD committee members]).

The committee advises the student on the areas for reading lists and the long qualifying paper, conducts and evaluates the qualifying examination, supervises the preparation of the dissertation prospectus, advises the student on dissertation research and writing, and conducts the dissertation defense.

When the committee has been constituted, the committee chair informs the graduate coordinator of the committee's membership. the graduate coordinator then files with OGS a form to establish the committee. This form must be filed no later than the second week of the quarter prior to the qualifying examination.

Preparing for Phase II: Forming a doctoral committee : The Doctoral Committee

Students must have completed at least three quarters of continuous academic residence prior to constituting a doctoral committee and must be currently registered and enrolled at UCSD.

Reconstituting the Doctoral Committee

When a change in the committee is necessary, the committee chair is responsible for the formal arrangements of finding another faculty member and informing the student and the graduate coordinator of the change. She then submits a request in writing to the Dean of Graduate Studies at OGS to reconstitute the membership of the committee. When the committee chair must be changed, the Director of Graduate Studies will advise the student and formally initiate the change with the department.

Preparing for Phase II: Forming a doctoral committee : The Paperwork

The form constituting the Ph.D. committee must be filed no later than the second week of the quarter prior to the qualifying examination.

The Ph.D. Requirements Worksheet must also be filed no later than the second week of the quarter prior to the qualifying examination.

Phase II: The Qualifying Exam : Preparing Reading Lists and Paper Topic

To prepare for the written examinations, students should enroll with a member of their committee (preferably their committee chair) for a LT/XX 298 during their sixth or seventh quarter. During this quarter, students will also determine a topic for the research paper and prepare a one-page abstract of that paper. Near the end of the sixth quarter or at the beginning of the seventh quarter, the student and committee will hold a pre-qualifying meeting, scheduled and conducted by the committee chair, to discuss and approve the lists and the topic of the research paper.

• Reading Lists
• The Research Paper

Phase II: The Qualifying Exam : Reading Lists

During the LTXX 298 course, students will compile individual reading lists of at least 50 works each in two areas of study. This will be done under the direction of their committee chair and in consultation with other committee members. In general, each list and the paper will be supervised by a specific member of the committee. There is no standard list of required works for individual sections or the department as a whole, although faculty members may insist on including certain texts at their discretion.

The two reading lists should cover two suitably diverse topics in terms of genre, author, historical period, a problem of theory or method, and/or national traditions. One of these lists must be framed within a historical period resembling those used to define jobs and divisions in the MLA. The two topics should not overlap in terms of the historical period covered, and students are strongly encouraged to cover as broad a range as possible.

The lists may focus on literature, film, theory, or other forms of cultural production, but in each case they must contain an appropriate mixture of primary and secondary materials, i.e., major critical and theoretical reflections on the works as well as the works themselves.

Students will preface each list with a brief (one- to two-page) statement that explains the logic behind the list and that answers questions such as these: Why did the student choose this particular topic? What broad questions guide research in this area? How do the texts on the reading list fit into contemporary scholarly/theoretical debates?

Copies of reading lists and rationales will be kept on file in the Graduate Office for students to consult as models in preparing their own lists.

The Research Paper

During the seventh or eighth quarters, students will register for one LTXX 298 with a member of their committee in which to work on the qualifying paper. In rare cases, the professor and student may jointly petition to pursue an additional LTXX 298 in which to work on the paper. This additional independent study may not be used to pursue topics unrelated to the qualifying paper.

The research paper should represent work in a third distinct area of study, with a minimum of overlap regarding materials prepared for the reading list exams. It should demonstrate the student's awareness of relevant research on the topic and make a clearly stated contribution to the field. Ideally, it should lead into dissertation research. It may be the source of a future publication, although this need not be the case.

The research paper is complete when it has been read and approved by two members of the student's committee.

The approved research paper should be submitted to the members of the committee by the end of the first week of the ninth or tenth quarter.

Copies of research papers will be kept on file in the Graduate Office for other students to consult as models in planning and writing their own papers.

1. A draft of two reading lists
   
2. A brief (one-page) description of the rationale, scope and focus of each list.
   
3. A one-page abstract of the qualifying paper, with an attached preliminary bibliography.
   
4. A brief statement detailing the relationships among the lists and the paper and their relationship to the proposed dissertation topic.

Phase II: The Qualifying Exam : The Qualifying Exam

Students should plan to take the qualifying examination during the ninth or tenth quarter of study. Under current Department of Literature policies, students must pass their exams by the end of the tenth quarter.

The reading list/research paper format for qualifying examinations applies to all students who enter in September 2001 and later. Some students who began the Ph.D. program before September 2001 may also be eligible to qualify under these guidelines. See the graduate coordinator for details.

In a narrow sense, the exam determines whether or not the student is qualified to produce the sort of original research required for the doctoral dissertation. From a broader perspective, the qualifying exam marks a turning point in a graduate career, as students complete their course work and move closer toward becoming members of the profession.

As future faculty members of research universities, students will be required to teach and publish. Thus, the exams are designed to enable students to demonstrate substantial knowledge in fields that they may draw on for future teaching, and to demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research and to write a paper of publishable length with a sustained argument.

The Department sponsors an annual colloquium, usually held in the winter or spring quarter, devoted to answering student questions about the qualifying examination. At this event, invited faculty members and advanced graduate students answer questions about the exam process.

Phase II: The Qualifying Exam : The Qualifying Exam (continued)

• two written examinations based on reading lists in two different subject areas;
  
• a research paper of approximately 30-35 pages in a third subject area;
  
• a two-hour oral examination covering both the written examinations and the research paper.

Each day's exam consists of one four-hour essay. Students and committee members will consult about possible questions for the examination, but faculty are not obligated to inform the student of a question's final configuration. The committee chair has the final responsibility to prepare the exam questions by soliciting questions from the committee members. From the suggested list of questions, the committee chair will choose two for each examination; the student will then write on one of these questions for each exam.

Phase II: The Qualifying Exam : The Qualifying Exam (continued)

Students may bring books and notes to the examination. If the examination is to be written in a language other than English, it must be specified in writing prior to the exam.

Students will either be assigned a room on campus in which to write the exams, or given the option to write them at home. If students choose to write the exam off-campus, they may receive the questions by e-mail. They then have five hours to write the exam and return it to campus. The completed exam must be emailed to the graduate coordinator and printed or typewritten and delivered in person to the graduate coordinator. When exams are completed, they will be date-stamped by the Department. The student is responsible for emailing and/or delivering copies of the exams to each member of their committee.

All members of the committee will read all written components of the exam (the two questions and the paper) within a period of two weeks following the exam. Committee members must unanimously agree that the student has passed the written portion of the exam (two written questions and paper). It is the chair's responsibility to poll the committee members for their responses.

The oral examination. If the student passes the written portion of the exam, the oral examination follows in two weeks. The oral examination will last for two hours and will cover materials on the reading lists and the topic of the research paper. Again, the committee must agree unanimously that the student has passed the examinations.

The oral examination is a private meeting. Students may invite no more than four observers, who usually attend to take notes on the examination.

Phase II: The Qualifying Exam : The Qualifying Exam (continued)

The C. Phil Degree

Upon passing the qualifying examination, the doctoral candidate may apply for the C. Phil. (Candidate in Philosophy) degree, a more advanced degree than the M.A. degree. To apply, the candidate needs to obtain two forms from the Department: the completed Report of the Qualifying Examination form, and the completed Degree and Diploma Application form. The student takes these two approved forms, with the candidacy fee, to the Cashier's Office for payment and then to OGS for approval.

Phase III: The Dissertation

The last written requirement before receiving the Ph.D. is the presentation of a suitable dissertation. This may be a critical and scholarly study of a single subject or it may consist of two or more integrally related essays. While there is no prescribed (or proscribed) length, the usual length is 40,000 to 50,000 words.

As examples and guides to conceiving a dissertation, students may consult dissertations previously completed in the Department. These are filed in the Special Collections area of Geisel Library.

• Preparing the Prospectus
• Change in Dissertation Topic
• Completing and Defending the Dissertation
• Filing the Dissertation

Phase III: The Dissertation : Preparing the Prospectus

Before the end of the quarter following the qualifying examination (the tenth quarter, in most cases), the student prepares a dissertation prospectus of 3-5 pages and a supporting bibliography. The student then meets with the committee to discuss the prospectus and bibliography and to plan the subsequent direction of research.

Phase III: The Dissertation : Change the Dissertation Topic

If, after passing the qualifying examination, advancing to candidacy, and presenting a prospectus, the student wishes to change the dissertation topic, s/he must prepare another prospectus and obtain approval for it from the Ph.D. committee. If deemed necessary by a majority of the committee members, the student will defend the new topic at an oral examination conducted by the committee.

Phase III: The Dissertation : Completing and Defending the Dissertation

To complete the dissertation, the student enrolls for 8-12 units of LTXX 299 each quarter, usually under the direction of one of the members of the Ph.D. committee.

Completion of the dissertation should require no more than six academic quarters after advancement to candidacy, since the three years of preparation (two for students who enter the program with M.A. degrees) for the qualifying examination is designed to involve work toward the dissertation in the form of the research paper.

The student is required to present a dissertation defense in the form of a colloquium that, by order of the Graduate Council, is open to the public. The final recommendation regarding award of the Ph.D. degree is to be decided by the Ph.D. committee in a private caucus at the end of the defense. If the committee approves the dissertation, they sign the necessary paperwork and endorse the signature page of the dissertation. (For instructions on preparing the signature page, see Instructions for Preparation and Submission of Doctoral Dissertations and Masters' Theses, available from OGS).

Phase III: The Dissertation : Filing the Dissertation

In preparing the final draft of the dissertation, the student should follow the guidelines contained in the booklet entitled Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses. It contains examples of the signature page which must be signed by all committee members at the defense. This booklet is available from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Before filing the final draft of the dissertation, students should make an appointment with OGS for a preliminary review of their dissertation manuscript.

The Department reports the outcome of the dissertation defense on the Report of the Final Examination and Filing of the Dissertation for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy form. Following the defense, this form and the dissertation are submitted to OGS.

Then the candidate files the final draft of the dissertation with the University Archivist (Special Collections), who accepts it on behalf of the Graduate Council. Acceptance of the dissertation by the Archivist fulfills the final requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Phase IV: After the Ph.D. Applying your Degree

Phase IV: After the Ph.D. Applying your Degree (continued)

The MLA job lists (the primary source for information about academic employment) are posted annually on line beginning in late September. The Department subscribes to this service and will make available to students who plan to pursue a job search passwords to the website information.

As well, the Department offers financial support to aid in the job search process. These funds may be used either to establish a Career Services Center dossier file or to offset travel costs to attend the MLA convention. Students wishing to receive these funds should notify the Graduate Office early in Fall quarter of the year in which they plan to pursue a job search.

Joining the Modern Language Association

The Modern Language Association (MLA) is the primary professional association for academics in the fields of languages and literatures. The MLA publishes a journal, Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, and serves as the clearinghouse for job announcements and professional issues for the colleges and university systems. The Association publishes an annual list of conferences and grants, circulate calls for papers, and maintains an ongoing list of available academic jobs.

The Department of Literature is a member of the MLA and receives their publications. Students engaging in a job search may access the MLA job list through the departmental membership by obtaining the access code from the Graduate Office. Individual students may wish, however, to become members of the MLA, thus receiving information specific to their own research and teaching specialties. The MLA offers special student membership rates. More information about the MLA is available at http://www.mla.com or http://www.mla.org.

General Information : The Literature Department

The Department is governed by a chair and vice-chair, elected by the ladder-rank faculty. They are advised and assisted in their duties by an Executive Committee of elected representatives of the ladder-rank faculty.

Six sections comprise the Department of Literature: Literatures in English, Spanish, German, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition. Although all students receive a Ph.D. in Literature, each of these sections has its own set of requirements that students must fulfill to earn the degree. Each section is responsible for ensuring that courses are included in the yearly curriculum that will aid students in fulfilling these requirements.

Students enter the program as members of a particular section. For the first phase of their study (until they begin to prepare to qualify), they are advised by the section head and/or graduate adviser for their section; they may also seek advice from the Director of Graduate Studies.

General Information : Faculty Advisors

The chair appoints the faculty member who serves as the Director of Graduate Studies and the faculty members who serve as Section Heads and Graduate Advisers for each section.

Faculty Office Hours are posted next to the elevators in the main lobby of the Literature Department. Faculty who are on leave are not expected to be available for advising, reading papers, supervising independent studies, or attending qualifying examinations or dissertation defenses. Likewise, faculty are not available for these activities during the summer months.

General Information : Staff

The Department staff with whom graduate students work most closely are:

Nancy Ho-Wu, the department's Management Services Officer, who supervises the staff;
Nancy Daly, the Chair's assistant, who arranges the Chair's schedule and compiles the monthly departmental newsletter;
Debbie Morrow, the System Administrator, who manages the computer room;
Danica Chan, the Department's financial officer, who processes reimbursement requests;
Thom F. Hill, the assistant to the Graduate Coordinator;
Erin Burgoon, Graduate Coordinator

• the section adviser from each of the six sections of the Department (Literatures in English, Spanish, German, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition);
• one graduate student from each section. This student representative is elected annually by the graduate students in each of the respective sections; and
• one representative of the M.A. students.

General Information : The Graduate Studies Committee (continued)

Among its responsibilities, the GSC

• acts as an advisory body concerning all departmental policy decisions affecting graduate students.
• appoints one of its members as representative to the Departmental Executive Committee. The representative attends Executive Committee meetings at the invitation of the Chair; the representative may also initiate Executive Committee discussions of matters affecting graduate students and attends those meetings where such matters are discussed.
• makes suggestions on seminar offerings based on a survey of student opinions. It takes the responsibility, where necessary, to ask the Department Chair to modify section offerings to accommodate student needs.

• the registered time by which a student must advance to Ph.D. candidacy;
  
• the registered time during which a doctoral student is eligible for support;
  
• the registered time by which a student must complete all Ph.D. requirements.

For purposes of calculating when pre-candidacy and total registered time limits are reached, accrued time is the elapsed time from first enrollment as a graduate student at UCSD less (a) time withdrawn or on approved leave of absence, and (b) time between completion of one graduate program at UCSD and first registration in another. For the support time limit, a maximum of three quarters of approved leave or withdrawal may be deducted from elapsed time in calculating accrued time.

General Information : PH.D. Time Limits (continued)

Time spent in graduate study at another institution or UC campus prior to beginning graduate study at UCSD will not count toward accrued time. All of the following will count toward accrued time: time spent at UCSD as a master's, non-degree, or intercampus exchange graduate student; time spent on leave beyond three quarters; time spent between completion of or withdrawal from a graduate program at UCSD and re-registration in the same field of study. Pre-candidacy and total registered time limits will not accrue during periods of leave of absence and/or withdrawal in excess of three quarters.

Further information may be obtained from the Erin Burgoon or from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.  

General Information : Academic Warning/Probation

If the annual spring review reveals that a student's performance is not within departmental guidelines, the student will be placed on departmental warning. The student is given one quarter to remedy the situation before being placed on academic probation. Once placed on probation, the student is ineligible for support. Students on probation who do not remedy their situation in one quarter are subject to dismissal.

General Information : Transfer of Graduate Credits

Students who have completed graduate work at other institutions may request transfer credit for up to six seminars. In most cases credit will be recognized only for students who have received an M.A. degree or its equivalent from a University or College other than UCSD. The determination of course credits and the recognition of papers will be made by the Graduate Adviser and/or the head of the appropriate section in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. Students who receive transfer credit will shorten their period of study at UCSD accordingly.

General Information : Full-Time Status

To receive support in the form of grants and fellowships and to be eligible for student loans, insurance, housing, and 50% time teaching assistantships, students must be enrolled full time.

In order to be considered a full-time student, a student must be registered for at least twelve units each quarter until the degree is completed. Failure to register constitutes evidence of withdrawal from graduate studies.

General Information : Normative time to Ph.D.

Normative time is a standard established for the period in which students, under normal circumstances, are expected to complete their requirements for the Ph.D. degree in a particular discipline. Normative time for the Ph.D. in Literature is five years. Normative time for students who enter the doctoral program with M.A. degrees and who receive transfer credit for six seminars is reduced by one year.

Normative time policy requires that graduate students be continuously registered--unless on an approved leave of absence--from the first quarter of enrollment to completion of degree requirements. A student may continue in a doctoral program after expiration of the normative time period, but registration after twenty quarters will be approved only in exceptional circumstances by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

General Information : Summer Arrangements

The Department does not support its graduate students during the summer months.

General Information : Summer Validation Stickers

If you are doing research or working on campus during the summer, you will need to obtain a summer validation sticker from the Graduate Office. These stickers authorize you to use campus facilities such as the libraries and campus recreational facilities.

General Information : Summer Health Care

If you were a teaching assistant or research assistant during the academic year, summer health care is provided. However, if you want to use the Student Health Center on campus, you must pay an additional fee. Additional information is available from the Student Health Center at 534-3300.

General Information : Leave of Absence

A Ph.D. student in good academic standing is eligible to take three quarters of approved leave. Three additional quarters of maternity/paternity leave is also available.

To take a leave of absence, a student must have completed at least one quarter of academic residence, be in good standing (see above, Good Academic Standing), and not owe the University any money. The student must return all borrowed library materials.

Prior to the end of the second week of instruction of the quarter in which leave is to begin--and before leaving campus--the student must complete the Graduate Student Request for Leave of Absence, Extension and/or Withdrawal Form, available from the graduate coordinator. S/he must obtain the proper approvals before the Department can process it.

During the period of leave, the student may not be employed by the University. S/he may not hold a fellowship, traineeship, or other similar appointment administered by the University. S/he may not use University facilities (i.e., the library). Nor may s/he complete qualifying examination for advancement to candidacy nor place demands on faculty, including requesting feedback on written work, discussion of thesis or dissertation work (either directly, by e-mail, or by correspondence).

A student on leave may remain in student housing for one additional quarter if the person has been a full-time student for three consecutive quarters immediately prior to the leave.

General Information : Leave of Absence (continued)

A California resident who decides to go on leave and moves out of state (losing his California residency status) will be responsible for his own tuition upon return to UCSD.

When you take a leave of absence, please ask a friend to check your mailbox and keep you informed of graduate matters.

When you take a leave of absence, be sure not to forget to apply for jobs for the following year. Students apply for jobs in spring quarter. Be sure not to miss the deadline. Contact the graduate coordinator for updates.

NOTE: Failure to arrange for an approved leave of absence constitutes automatic withdrawal from the University.

Extending a Leave of Absence

Students may request an extension of an approved Leave of Absence prior to the expiration of the Leave (at least two weeks prior to the end of the quarter in which the Leave terminates). They may request a maximum of three quarters leave. They must re-file the Graduate Student Request for Leave of Absence, Extension and/or Withdrawal Form, available from the graduate coordinator.

NOTE: Failure to file the necessary paperwork to extend an approved leave of absence constitutes automatic withdrawal from the University.

General Information : Part-Time Study

Part-time enrollment is discouraged, especially for students in the Ph.D. program. All quarters of enrollment, whether full- or part-time, count toward normative time limits.

Approval to enroll on a part-time basis is granted for reasons of occupation, family responsibilities, or health. Part-time graduate students are eligible, at the discretion of the Department, for 25% TA-ships and readerships. Graduate students who are approved for a program of half-time study enroll for six units or less. Graduate students who are receiving financial aid must be enrolled full time. Be sure to check with the Financial Aid before applying for part-time status.

General Information : Withdrawal from the Ph.D. Program

In order to withdraw from the Program, a student must complete and file with the Department the Graduate Student Request for Leave of Absence, Extension and/or Withdrawal Form, available from the graduate coordinator.

If a student withdraws in mid-quarter, but intends to return at a later date, s/he may request a Leave of Absence by checking the appropriate box on the form. S/he will be required to request formal readmission and pay a readmission fee if the Leave form is not processed at the time of withdrawal.

A student registered for coursework who leaves prior to the last day of instruction of any quarter without filing a formal withdrawal form will receive a U grade in each course and will be considered withdrawn from graduate study. This will jeopardize her/his eligibility for readmission to the Program.

General Information : Intercampus Exchange

UCSD graduate students may enroll for course work at other University of California campuses. Consult with the graduate coordinator for details about these programs.

Informal arrangements should be made between department faculty on both campuses several weeks before the student submits an application for Intercampus Exchange in order to assure that space in the course, seminar, or facility will be available. Obtain the Intercampus Exchange Application form from the Graduate Office and have it signed by the appropriate faculty adviser. The form must also be signed by the Dean of the Graduate Division before it is forwarded to the host campus.

The Application form does not enroll the student in classes at the host campus. S/he must obtain and fill out a signed add card and submit it to the Registrar of the host campus.

Library, infirmary, and other student privileges are extended by the host campus.

Students participating in Intercampus Exchanges should register and pay all required fees at the UCSD campus. Then they present their valid student photo ID to the Office of Graduate Studies on the host campus. In turn, the registrar of the host campus will issue an ID card for that campus.

Upon completion of the course(s), grades are transferred to the home campus and entered on the student's official transcript.

General Information : Off-Campus Study

In order to retain full-time active status while away from campus, a student is required to remain registered at UCSD and to carry 12 units of coursework or research. Please contact the graduate coordinator or OGS for additional information on paying fees and application procedures.

General Information : Residency Reclassification

Students who are not residents of California when they enroll for graduate study at UCSD are expected to establish California residency during their first year of enrollment. This is not an automatic process. Immediately upon arrival on campus, you should investigate the procedures for establishing residency. Consult the Residence Deputy at 534-4586 or log on to http://registrar.ucsd.edu/residency/reclasspage.htm.

General Information : Student Health Insurance

The graduate student health insurance plan is mandatory. Premiums for students holding Teaching Assistantships at 25% time or greater are paid by the University. Please contact Student Health Services at 534-2123 or log on to http://www.renaissance-inc.com for information about these programs.

Student Financial Support: Student Support while in the program

The Department offers support in the form of Teaching, Language, and Research Assistantships or Fellowships during the five years of normative time enrollment. Support depends upon the funds available, the number of students eligible, and their satisfactory rate of progress through the program.

Student Financial Support: Tuition

Non-California residents are required to pay tuition. The Department covers the cost of non-resident tuition for international students for five years. It pays tuition for non-California residents for one year. Out-of-state students must establish California residence after their first year at UCSD. If a student fails to establish (or elects not to establish) California residency after one year, the student will be responsible for paying tuition.

In-candidacy tuition reduction: When non-resident students advance to candidacy, they receive a reduction in tuition fees. They receive this reduction in fees until the total time of their enrollment exceeds twenty quarters.

Student Financial Support : Fees

All UCSD graduate students pay fees. Fees may be paid through a Teaching Assistant fee deferment. To have fees deducted from their paychecks, students must file a deferment form with OGSR.

Most full-time graduate students hold 50% teaching assistantships. Students who hold a teaching assistantship or readership at 25% time receive a partial fee waiver and health insurance.

In-candidacy fee reduction: After advancing to candidacy, students who are California residents receive a fee reduction. They continue to receive this reduction until the total time of their enrollment exceeds twenty quarters.

Full-time doctoral students are eligible for 50% TA-ships until the end of their tenth quarter of enrollment. By that time, they must have passed their qualifying exams in order to continue to teach up to the maximum of fifteen quarters. Ph.D. student who are beyond the fifteen-quarter limit may still be eligible to teach, but will be considered for positions only after all doctoral students with less than fifteen quarters of support (including incoming doctoral students) have been offered financial support.

Student Financial Support  : Teaching Assistantships (continued)

Entering Ph.D. students and students early in their courses of study generally find employment in one of the five campus Writing Programs or in language courses taught in Linguistics or Literature. All of these programs offer pedagogical training.

More advanced graduate students (usually those who have passed their qualifying examinations) also are eligible for teaching assistantships in special University programs (i.e., Critical Gender Studies, Ethnic Studies) and in the Department. These positions are assigned each Spring, based on information solicited from continuing students regarding their interest in particular TA positions.

Student Financial Support : Readerships

Each quarter the Department hires a number of readers to assist professors who teach large courses by marking papers and examinations. Their workload is prorated according to the enrollment of the courses. Readers also may sometimes be asked to hold consultation hours for students. Readers are paid an hourly rate for their work.

Students who are employed as 50% teaching assistants and who wish also to work as readers must obtain permission from the Director of Graduate Studies.

To be considered for a readership, please notify the graduate coordinator of your availability and interests.

Student Financial Support : Other Employment

The Graduate Office regularly receives requests during the academic year for outside tutors, editors, writers, translators, and the like. Please check the bulletin boards outside the Graduate Office and in the Graduate Lounge for announcements of these sorts of positions.

Student Financial Support : Union Information

Students working as teaching assistants are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the University and the UAW. Their names and addresses will be released to the UAW each term that they are employed in the bargaining unit.

Student Financial Support : Fellowships

Students are encouraged to seek financial assistance through the University and through other granting institutions.

Extramural Fellowship Support

A number of national fellowships are available annually. Information about these fellowships is available from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. The OGSR website at http://www-ogsr.ucsd.edu/finsupport.html lists a wide variety of information about UCSD and UC need-based and merit-based financial assistance. http://www-ogsr.ucsd.edu/fellowships.html opens links to information about numerous extramural fellowship opportunities, as well. These sites are regularly updated. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies and Research for information on extramural fellowships (858/534-3556).

Information about extramural fellowships and awards is also available in the reference section of the Central University Library under Contracts and Grants.

For a useful listing of Literature- and language-related extramural fellowships, see the September issue of PMLA.

Student Financial Support : Fellowships

UC Fellowship Support

In addition to extramural funding, a wide variety of local (system-wide and UCSD) awards are available from various agencies, departments, and programs. Enrolled graduate students receive regular notification about available fellowships from the Graduate Office and from OGS.

Departmental fellowship support: Depending on availability of funds, the Department of Literature annually awards one-quarter dissertation fellowships that include a stipend, fees, and health insurance. Students who receive these awards must have passed their qualifying examinations and begun substantial work on their dissertation research and writing. These awards are available subject to funding and are awarded competitively. Calls for application are circulated annually during the winter quarter to eligible applicants.

Post-doctoral support

The sources listed above also offer information about post-doctoral support.

Student Financial Support : Fee Deferments and Loans

For students holding Teaching Assistantships, fee deferments and loans are available from the departmental graduate office. Applications for assistance from OGS are on a quarterly or an annual basis.

Student Financial Support : Tax Liability

Teaching, language, research assistantships, and most fellowships are taxable. For information on how salary, fellowships, and fee payments are taxed, please obtain the guide compiled by OGSR for U.S. and for foreign students.

Information about nonresident tax obligations is available from the Office of the President at http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/cao/paycoord/taxation.html.

Student Financial Support : Research and Travel Grants Intercampus Travel

The Department of Literature administers and allocates funds for graduate students research projects and/or for the presentation of a paper at a scholarly meeting. Each student is entitled to--but not guaranteed-- $1000 support over the course of her/his enrollment in the Department. Students may not request more than $400 per quarter from this fund. We recommend that students plan to use this money following their qualifying examinations.

To apply for funding, complete a Research and Travel Grant Form (available in the graduate lounge). Applications require documentation, in the form of an invitation letter to present a paper at a conference. The form must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies before the trip. Please plan ahead and apply for funds well before you anticipate using them. Requests filed after the trip has been completed may not be approved.

Passenger receipts or itinerary (which shows the amount you paid for travel) should be submitted to the department's financial officer for reimbursement.

Funds are also available for travel to other University of California campuses to conduct research. For more information, contact the graduate coordinator.

General Information : The Literature Department

The Department is governed by a chair and vice-chair, elected by the ladder-rank faculty. They are advised and assisted in their duties by an Executive Committee of elected representatives of the ladder-rank faculty.

Six sections comprise the Department of Literature: Literatures in English, Spanish, German, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition. Although all students receive a Ph.D. in Literature, each of these sections has its own set of requirements that students must fulfill to earn the degree. Each section is responsible for ensuring that courses are included in the yearly curriculum that will aid students in fulfilling these requirements.

Students enter the program as members of a particular section. For the first phase of their study (until they begin to prepare to qualify), they are advised by the section head and/or graduate adviser for their section; they may also seek advice from the Director of Graduate Studies.

General Information : Forms

Reports on Language Requirements for the Ph.D. in Literature | WORD | PDF

• Comparative Literature | WORD | PDF
• Composition & Rhetoric | WORD | PDF
• Cultural Studies | WORD | PDF
• Literature in English; Spanish | WORD | PDF