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Summary of Requirements and Expectations ||
Language Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree ||
The Ph.D. Examination ||
The PH.D. Dissertation
- Summary of Requirements and Expectations
- Students in the Ph.D. Program must complete, beyond the
M.A. course requirements specified above, 12 graduate course
credits at the 600-800 level (excluding dissertation credits),
of which 6 must be in Comparative Literature. That is:
- 21 credits in Comparative Literature, 6 of which must be
at the 600 level or above
- 6 credits in the literature of primary concentration
- 6 credits in the literature of secondary concentration
- 3 credits in the literature of tertiary concentration (third
language requirement)
- 9 credits of electives, 6 of which must be at the 600 level
or above
- 1 credit of Teaching Workshop (for teaching assistants; not
part of academic course requirements)
In addition to coursework, all students must register for
a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 18 dissertation credits
(see Graduate
School Bulletin).
In individual cases, the Graduate Studies Committee may require
particular courses.
- Students in the Ph.D. Program with M.A. degrees from other
programs or institutions may petition the Graduate Studies
Committee for exemption from particular M.A. course requirements.
- Up to six credits of independent study courses may be
counted toward the fulfillment of the requirements of the
literatures of primary and secondary concentration and the
Comparative Literature requirements (maximum of 3 credits
toward any one distribution requirement) provided that the
student has obtained formal written permission from the Graduate
Program Director prior to the end of the add-drop period
for the course in question.
- Literature in translation courses may not be counted towards
the literature components of the Distribution Requirements
unless special arrangements are made to complete required
readings in the original language. Up to three credits of
graduate coursework in Comparative Literature may be counted
toward fulfillment of the requirement of the literature of
secondary concentration, provided that the student has obtained
formal written permission from the Graduate Program Director
prior to the end of the add-drop period for the course in
question.
- Candidates for the Ph.D. must:
- fulfill language requirements
- pass the Ph.D. Examination
- complete a Ph.D. dissertation
- pass the dissertation defense
- Candidates for the Ph.D. are expected to take the Ph.D.
Examination no later than the fourth year of graduate study
at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
- Language Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
- In each of two languages, successful completion of two
graduate literature courses in which works are read in the
original.
- In the third language, successful completion of one graduate
literature course in which works are read in the original.
- We expect our students to be able to read and address complex
ideas in their three primary languages. We encourage them
to acquire facility in writing and speaking those languages
as well.
- The Ph.D. Examination
- Selection of the Ph.D. Examination Committee
- During the second year of study, the student selects, in
consultation with the Graduate Program Director, the chairperson
of his or her Ph.D. Examination Committee, who then becomes
the student's primary adviser.
- With the approval of the Graduate
Program Director, a co-chair may occasionally be appointed
from among the Associated Faculty of the Department.
- The committee chairperson and candidate then select the rest
of the committee, which consists of at least four members
of the graduate faculty: at least two from the Department
of Comparative Literature and at least one from another department (see
Graduate
School Bulletin). The fourth member may come from either inside or outside
the Department.
- Purpose of the Ph.D. Examination
- The examination, based on six topics (see C below), serves
to determine the candidate's competence in a literature of
primary concentration and one or more literatures of secondary
concentration; as well as in critical, theoretical, or philosophical
methods relevant to, and bibliographic skills in, Comparative
Literature and the candidate's areas of specialization.
- After consultation with individual committee members, the
entire committee meets with the candidate to review and approve
the topics list. It is the responsibility of the committee
to ensure that the six topics are formulated so as to cover
the above areas. The committee's approval is communicated
in writing to the Graduate Program Director.
- Formulation of Six Topics
- A topic is a conceptual issue of considerable breadth that
touches on, or has implications for study in, more than one
linguistic or cultural tradition. The student develops topics
in close consultation with the chair and members of the Ph.D.
Examination Committee.
- The purpose of the individual topic
is to permit the exploration of a critical problem with a
literary-historical, interdisciplinary, or theoretical focus,
using appropriate primary and secondary sources from more
than one linguistic or cultural tradition.
- Candidates are
encouraged to relate theoretical issues to close textual
analysis, but the overall examination should not be devoted
to developing a single critical approach.
- Candidates are
also encouraged to formulate topics with a concern for their
potential as conference papers, a dissertation area, and
course syllabi.
- The six topics as a whole should reflect
a knowledge of the historical range of the primary literature
and should draw upon primary texts in three language areas.
Texts read as primary material for a topic must be read in
the original language.
- For each topic, the student submits
an abstract of 1-2 pages indicating its purpose and coherence
and a selected bibliography not to exceed 3 pages. The topics
list, once agreed upon by student and committee, is submitted
to the Graduate Program Director no less than 30 days before
the Ph.D. Examination, and may not be altered without the
consent of candidate, committee, and Graduate Program Director.
- Forms of the Ph.D. Examination
The candidate presents each topic for examination in one
of three modes, whether by written examination, paper (or
papers), or oral exam. The examination must incorporate each
of these modes as specified below. A final review of all
components of the examination will be scheduled as part of
the oral examination.
- The Written Examination
- The candidate presents at least two topics in a written examination
of about 2-l/2 hours' duration per topic.
- The Examination
Committee provides relevant texts, as necessary.
- It is expected
that students will take the examination in the Department,
and they may request use of Department computers for the
purpose of the exam.
- Papers
- One or two topics are presented in the form of a paper or
papers.
- The extended paper option: in one 50-80 page paper directed
toward the dissertation the candidate may address the critical
problems suggested by the combination of two related topics.
- The shorter paper option: in either one or two 25-30 page
papers, the candidate addresses the critical problems suggested
by either one or two topics, respectively. One of these papers
may be a comprehensive annotated bibliography with critical
introduction, or a bibliographic essay.
- The candidate must submit paper(s) to the Examination Committee
at least 30 days before the date scheduled for the written
examination (or the relevant portion of this exam), which
cannot be administered unless this requirement has been met.
- Oral Examination of Individual Topics and Final Review
- There will be an oral examination of approximately three
hours. Part I of the examination covers any of the topics
not tested by written examination or by paper. Part II constitutes
the final review. This examination takes place not more than
one week after the written exam.
- The final review, included in the oral examination, has the
following components:
- A review of the candidate's written work, including any
topics presented in the form of a paper or critical bibliography.
- A review of the candidate's achievement in critical, theoretical,
or philosophical methods as well as bibliographic skills
in Comparative Literature and related disciplines in the
candidate's area of specialization.
- A review of the candidate's ability to do textual analysis,
based on his or her analysis of a passage in the candidate's
first foreign language.
- Examination procedures
- The Examination Committee bases its decision on the candidate's
performance over the entire exam, both written and oral portions.
The recommendation of all but one member of the committee
is necessary for the student to pass or fail the exam. The
Committee Chair makes known to the candidate the decision
immediately after the examiners have conferred at the conclusion
of the oral exam. The committee chairperson, at that time,
provides an explanation for the decision of the Committee.
- In the event of a negative decision by the examiners, the
student's committee consults with the Graduate Program Director
during the week following the examination. The Graduate Program
Director thereupon informs the student either that permission
to take the examination a second and final time has been
granted, or that termination of graduate studies is advised.
- Upon passing the Ph.D. examination, Ph.D. candidates who
did not enter the Ph.D. program with an M.A. degree are granted
an M.A. on request.
- The PH.D. Dissertation
- Dissertation Committee
By the end of the semester in which the student successfully
completes the Ph.D. examination, the student:
- selects, in consultation with the Graduate Program Director
and the prospective chair, a chair of the dissertation committee
from graduate faculty in the Department
- selects, with the chair of the dissertation committee,
a Ph.D. dissertation committee of at least four members of
the graduate faculty, of whom at least two are from the department
of Comparative Literature and at least one is from another
department (see Graduate
School Bulletin)
- arranges for and holds, in consultation with the chair
of the dissertation committee, a preliminary meeting of the
entire committee.
- Dissertation Prospectus
By the end of the semester following the successful completion
of the Ph.D. examination, the student presents and defends
a Ph.D. prospectus with bibliography. The prospectus should
describe, in about 15 pages, the aims, method, and scope
of the proposed dissertation; the accompanying selective
and briefly annotated bibliography should not exceed 10 pages.
The oral defense of the prospectus, no less than one hour
in duration, takes place in the presence of the student's
full dissertation committee. After a successful defense,
and within the same semester, the student files the approved
final version of the prospectus, signed by the Graduate Program
Director and the Department Chair, with the Graduate School,
and provides a copy to the Graduate Program Director. Graduate
School regulations stipulate that a dissertation prospectus
be formally filed at least seven months before the dissertation
defense.
- Kinds and Subjects of Dissertations
The dissertation offers sustained inquiry into topics of
literary-theoretical, literary-historical, or interdisciplinary
importance, including cross-cultural literary and film analysis;
it should deal in a substantial way with texts in at least
two languages, and, when appropriate, take into consideration
diverse cultural and linguistic contexts. A translation thesis
with substantial critical introduction and apparatus may
also be presented.
- Schedule for Completion: Preliminary Approval
In preparing the dissertation, the candidate submits units
of written work to the members of his or her committee as
agreed upon in prior consultations with them. The final oral
examination, which constitutes the dissertation defense,
is scheduled "when all of the Dissertation Committee
members and the Department Head/Chair agree that the dissertation
is sufficiently complete to stand defense." (See Graduate
School Bulletin.)
- The Dissertation Defense
In accordance with Graduate School regulations, "attendance
at the final oral examination is open to all members of the
candidate's major department and any member of the Graduate
Faculty. However, only members of the Dissertation Committee
may cast votes." The Graduate School directs that the
oral be "primarily upon, but not limited to, the contents
of the candidate's dissertation." In order to pass the
examination, the candidate must receive unanimous approval
from the Dissertation Committee. If there is one negative
vote, the degree will be held up pending action of the Graduate
Council (see Graduate
School Bulletin).
The outcome of the examination is to be made known to the
candidate immediately after the members of the Dissertation
Committee have conferred at the conclusion of the Defense.
Note: Download the Comparative
Literature Statement of Procedure for graduate programs (PDF file)
for a printer-friendly version of these pages in one document. University
entrance requirements and other Graduate School regulations can be found
online in the Graduate School
Bulletin.
For further information, call (413) 545-0929
or write to:
Graduate Program Director
Program in Comparative Literature
Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
University of Massachusetts
Amherst MA 01003-9312, USA
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