Frequently Asked Questions, continued.

What is your policy on deferring admissions?

If you decide to defer, you must submit a new online application which will be reviewed the following year along with all the new applications we receive. You are not guaranteed admission.

Do you accept letters of recommendation from a credential service such as Interfolio, or a career services office such as my educational institution?

Although we will accept letters via Interfolio and other credential services, it is not our preferred method.  We strongly prefer that you use the online application and have your recommenders use that system to submit their letters.  It is easy for the recommender, greatly facilitates the processing of your application, and ensures  that the department receives all materials at the same time.  We do not accept any other documents through Interfolio and other services.

How can I check to see if my application is complete?

Check your account in GradApply for missing documents. Plan to apply at least a month before the application deadline to allow enough time to track down delayed or missing documents.

I do not speak a foreign language. Can I start studying one once I get into the Program?

Once you are in the program, it is very difficult to start learning a language. Learning a language requires many hours of study, and you run the risk of getting behind in the program.

Students entering the Literature 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. 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.

Can I contact some of your students? I would like to ask them some questions.

A list of our graduate students and contact information can be found on the Graduate Student Profiles Page. Please be respectful of the students' time.