These sample schedules offer only a suggested guideline, taking into
consideration variables of practical life in the department (such as teaching
load and departmental deadlines) which are not apparent from the program
requirements listed above. You should modify this sample schedule according to
your needs while fulfilling the program requirements and keeping in mind the
points discussed below.
Year 1
___ First semester: Register for 10 hours of courses. Required: W554 (Teaching Creative Writing, 2 hrs.); one workshop (W611 fiction, W613 poetry). Take W664 (Topics in Current Literature), W680 (Theory and Craft of Writing) or one English course in language or literature.
___ Second semester: Register for 8-12 hours of courses. Workshop (W612 fiction or W614 poetry). Take W664 (Topics in Current Literature) or W680 (Theory and Craft of Writing), and/or one language or literature course.
Year 2
___ First Semester: Register for 10 hours of courses. Required: W501 (Teaching of Composition in College, 2 hrs.). Repeat workshop (W611 or W613). Take one graduate English course or W511 (Writing Fiction), W513 (Writing Poetry), W615 (Writing Creative Nonfiction), W664, or W680.
___ Second Semester: Register for 8-12 hours of courses. Repeat workshop (W612 or W614). Take one graduate English course and/or W511, W513, W615, W664, W680, and/or an elective.
___ Choose Thesis Director. Before starting work on your thesis in the third year, you will need to find a director and two additional readers. In most cases the two readers will be from the M.F.A. program but need not be.
___ If you wish, apply for research fellowships research connected to the thesis.
Year 3
___ During this year, you should take any courses which remain from the four course English literature and language requirement and take any workshops you have skipped during the first two years.
___ First Semester: Register for up to 12 hours of thesis (W699). These hours are by no means restricted to just this semester, and you should used them to provide ample writing time to complete your thesis when they are needed.
___ Talk with advisor about career plans. If interested in academic work, participate in the M.F.A. Job Forum as well as departmental job-training sessions and practice interviews.
___ Second Semester: Register and complete thesis hours (W699). Complete any remaining course work.
Finish thesis and submit for grade. Consult university guidelines about filing requirements, available from the departmental secretary.
___ File for degree.
M.A. Checklist:
Naturally, the following checklist can serve only as a general guide; students should see the Director of Graduate Studies if they have questions about their individual programs of study. A few caveats from seasoned grad students: Most incoming students are advised not to take a seminar in their first semester unless they have prior experience writing a long (20-30 page) researched essay and/or they have a strong background in the topic. Students should think carefully about their stamina before taking a seminar and L506 in the same semester or taking more than one seminar per semester.
NOTE: This list is specific to the M.A. with a concentration in literature. Students interested in pursuing an M.A. in language or writing, or an M.A.T. degree should see the Director of Graduate Studies.
Year 1
___ Submit final transcripts from your undergraduate institution to the University Graduate School. Until they have those transcripts, they will not grant you a degree.
___ Register for 12 hours of courses during the first semester. You should be concentrating at this point on fulfilling your distributive requirements while exploring possible areas of interest.
___ Register for 12 hours of coursework during the second semester.
___ If you intend to pursue the Ph.D. here, take L506 as part of those 24 hours of coursework
___ Also as part of the 24 hours of coursework, take one L680 or a 700 level seminar. Note that these courses should fulfill distributive requirements.
___ Apply for a departmental associate instructorship. An informational meeting for all new students will be held, usually in January. The deadline for all materials is typically February 15th.
___ If you are not awarded an associate instructorship, pursue other forms of support. (See Financial Aid, below).
___ Fulfill one language requirement. Many students choose to complete the language requirement over the summer.
Year 2
___ If you are teaching this year, you have to attend the pro-seminar conducted in the two weeks before classes begin. You also need to be registered for W501, a one- or two-credit course in "The Teaching of Composition in College," this fall.
___ Start teaching. You will probably have one course to teach your first semester and two courses in the second. (In later years this arrangement may switch, depending on your course schedule, exams, etc.)
___ Register for eight hours of additional coursework in the third semester. According to this plan, you should have completed 32 hours by the end of the third semester; the M.A. requires 30 hours. Be sure that you have fulfilled the distributive requirements. Note that M.A. candidates may elect to write a thesis worth four hours of credit.
___ If you have an AIship worth twelve hours per semester, and if you plan to remain for the PhD, you should register for up to four hours of L799 each semester in addition to the eight (or more) hours of coursework you will actually take. By buying dissertation hours now, you will save yourself some money later, should your funding run out before you complete the dissertation.
___ Take L506 if you have not already and if you intend to apply to the Ph.D. program here.
___ Take an additional 700 level seminar if you intend to apply to the Ph.D. program here. Start thinking about your major and minor areas of study.
___ During your final semester of M.A. coursework, pick up an application for the M.A. from Donna Stanger, the Graduate Secretary.
___ If you are not yet funded and plan to continue, you can reapply for an associate instructorship. Talk with the DGS about this possibility. (Students who already have AI-ships do not reapply.)
Ph.D. Checklist:
___ Submit a memo to the Director of Graduate Studies requesting admission to the Ph.D. program.
___ Fulfill the second foreign language requirement, either by demonstrating reading knowledge in a second language or by proving in-depth proficiency in the first language.
___ Take at least sixteen hours of coursework beyond the 30 required for the M.A.; these ought to include at least three 700-level departmental seminars. By this time, you should know your eventual area(s) of specialization and select courses to satisfy your minor and prepare you for exams.
___ Consult with faculty and with Alice Eads and Kathy Smith about your teaching assignments for next year.
Ph.D Exam and Dissertation Checklist
Year Three:
___ Teach three courses.
___ Complete the course requirements for either an internal or an external minor. Check with appropriate director of minor for approval (see p. xxx)
___Pick up from the Graduate Studies Secretary and read a copy of the Description of Qualifying Exams Procedures. During last semester of coursework, make an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss exam.
___Approach a faculty member to be chair of your examination committee. In consultation with this faculty member, form a three-person committee, and settle on scope and focus of exam. (You may want to do this even as you are finishing coursework, but certainly between six months and one year before you intend to take the exam).
___Prepare a 5-6 page statement of research interests and three bibliographies which form the basis of the exam: those three bibliographies usually cover a literary period, a genre or major author, and a critical problem. (For more details, see the Description of Qualifying Exams). This statement, with the accompanying bibliographies, will be read first by the chair and serve as the basis for revision by all committee members.
___Once the statements and bibliographies are approved by all committee members, meet with the entire exam committee to discuss the conduct of the exam and determine the dates for the 2 parts. Submit the documents to the Graduate Secretary, along with the appropriate form signed by the committee. At this point, set dates for the exam (written and oral) with the Graduate Secretary. (N.B.: You can schedule your exam anytime, except during summer months and holidays).
___ Consult with faculty and with Alice Eads and Kathy Smith about your teaching assignments for next year.
Year Four:
___ Teach three courses.
___Several weeks before you are scheduled to take the exam, meet with your exam chair to discuss the structure of the exam, both written and oral.
___After preparing for the exam, take the five-hour written section. (This is usually done in the fourth year). According to your pre-sceduled time (one to two weeks after the written), take the two-hour oral portion of the exam. A single grade will be awarded for both oral and written portions. The exam can be retaken once.
___When the exam has been passed, see that the department puts through a "nomination to candidacy" certifying that you have completed all requirements for the Ph.D except the dissertation. See graduate secretary for this form. You will also receive at this point a booklet outlining procedures for completion of the dissertation.
___Form the research committee for your dissertation, consisting of no fewer than three members of the English Department and one representative of the minor. This committee may overlap considerably with your advisory committee. The Graduate School requires that at least two members of the research committee be full members of the graduate faculty (check with Director of Graduate Studies or faculty themselves about this status). One of the committee members, preferably a full member of the graduate faculty, must agree to serve as the dissertation director.
___Write the dissertation prospectus (about 6-10 pages) and bibliography. (See dissertation booklet for specifics).
___When you and your director are satisfied with the prospectus and bibliography, it will be circulated to the other members of the committee.
___Set a date for the presentation of your prospectus to your dissertation committee. At this presentation, you will spend 20-30 minutes examining the topic, the materials to be used, the critical methodology to be employed, and other pertinent information. The committee members then ask questions, make suggestions, and offer advice.
___Make sure that your dissertation director notifies the department that you have presented the prospectus. Prepare and submit 5 copies of a dissertation proposal (4-6 pages) to the Graduate Secretary. This proposal and bibliography will the be circulated for approval to the Graduate Studies Committee.
___Following approval by the Graduate Studies Committee, you should submit a 500-word description of your dissertation project to the Graduate Secretary, who will then forward it to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval.
___ Establish with your director a schedule for the research and writing of the dissertation. Establish with all the members of your committee a method for circulating, reading and revising chapters of the dissertation.
___ If you're still on contract, consult with faculty and with Alice Eads and Kathy Smith about your teaching assignments for next year.
Year Five:
___ Teach three courses (if you're still on contract).
___Research and write the dissertation, meeting regularly with your committee members.
___Submit an announcement of the oral defense of the dissertation to the Graduate School at least one month before the defense itself takes place; this announcement must include a summary of the thesis. See the Graduate School's "Guide to the Preparation of of Theses and Dissertation," available from the Graduate Secretary.
___Submit the final copy of the thesis to the research committee for approval at least one month before the oral defense.
___Defend your dissertation in conference with your committee. Bring to the defense at least three copies of the approval sheet for the dissertation (see "Guide to Preparation"). Committee members must sign each copy of the approval sheet (one for each bound copy).
___ Apply for your degree by contacting the Ph.D. recorder of the Graduate School.
Congratulations!
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