Timeline

First Year

During your first year as a doctoral student, you will focus on your academic coursework and developing your teaching skills as a TA, working alongside a faculty mentor and leading discussion sections for a faculty-led lecture course.  A standard courseload for doctoral students is three graduate courses (9 credits) per semester, in addition to the 1-credit TA workshop or language study.  You are expected to complete all course-related requirements in the semester in which they are due; you are permitted at most one active incomplete (INC). All first-year students meet regularly with the Graduate Program Director (GPD) who serves as their official advisor; the GPD approves first-year students' course selections each semester.

Second Year

Second-year doctoral students continue to fulfil their course requirements and to hone their teaching skills; under some circumstances second-year TAs may be permitted to teach stand-alone courses in which they design and implement their own syllabus for one of our Gen-Ed courses (Good and Evil, Spiritual Autobiography, International Short Story, etc.). The decision will be taken by the Program Director in consultation with the Graduate Program Director and the Undergraduate Program Director. In September, second-year students fill out the program's "Green Sheet" (a worksheet to help students plan out how they will meet the course distribution requirements) and discuss this with the GPD. Mid-way through the second year (in January or February) students begin to select a faculty member to serve as chair of their comprehensive exams. By June, students should communicate their choice of advisor to the GPD.

Third Year

Third-year students focus on completing their course requirements and preparing for the comprehensive examinations. In consultation with their advisor, students constitute the committee for the comprehensive exams in the fall semester and begin to draft three rationales or areas. Third-year students who entered with an M.A. in a related field must pass the Comprehensive exams by June 15 of the third year. (These students must defend and file their Prospectus by December 15 of their G4 year). Third-year students may be eligible for Pre-Dissertation Research Fellowships from the Graduate School.

Fourth Year

By October 15 of the fourth year, doctoral students must have passed the Comprehensive exams. Fourth-year students then constitute their dissertation committee with the assistance of their chair and in consultation with the GPD;  their focus then turns to drafting the dissertation prospectus. By April 15 of the G4 year, students must have defended and filed their prospectus. Once the prospectus is filed, G4 students become eligible for Dissertation Research Grants from the Graduate School.

Fifth Year

By September 31, fifth-year students should have completed at least one chapter of the dissertation and have had at least one dissertation meeting with their full committee. Fifth-year students are encouraged to attend the professional development workshops offered through the program and the Graduate School. 

Sixth Year+  

Students who are completing their dissertations are expected to meet with their full committee at least once each year. In order to remain in good standing, students must produce at least one acceptable dissertation chapter each year. Chapters generally are understood to be between 30 and 60 double-spaced pages. Exceptions are at the discretion of the GPD. Funding for doctoral students beyond the fifth year is at the discretion of the program; students should note that there is no guarantee of continued support through teaching assistantships beyond the fifth year and they are advised to seek alternative sources of funding. Only students in good standing will be considered for further funding (if available).