Reading Lists, Portfolios, and Prospectuses
Guidelines for Ph.D. Written-Exam Reading Lists
This document offers Ph.D. students guidance on compiling a reading list for the first (written) candidacy exam.
Ph.D. students should have their reading lists approved by their Advisory Committees by the middle of the fall semester of the third year so that the students can take the written exam by the end of that semester.
Guidelines for M.A. Portfolios
This document offers M.A. students guidance on completing a portfolio for the final project of the degree program, if that option is chosen. (The other option is completing a thesis.)
M.A. students who choose the portfolio option for their final project must take ENGL 5213/Portfolio Workshop the spring semester of their second year in the program (typically, the semester of graduation). Each student must receive a passing score on his or her portfolio, by a committee of three faculty members, to complete that requirement for the degree.
Guidelines for M.A. Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertation Prospectuses
This document offers guidance on writing a prospectus for an M.A. thesis and for a Ph.D. dissertation.
M.A. students must have their thesis prospectuses approved by their Advisory Committees, usually by the end of the fall semester of the second year, before they begin writing their theses.
Ph.D. students must have their dissertation prospectuses approved by their Advisory Committees, usually by the end of the spring semester of the third year and often as part of the second (oral) candidacy exam, before they begin writing their dissertations.
This link connects to a secure SharePoint site that can be accessed only by current graduate students in the Department of English.
M.A. students can access the site to review sample thesis prospectuses that have been developed by past M.A. students and approved by the department faculty.
Ph.D. students can access the site to review sample written-exam reading lists that have been compiled by former Ph.D. students and approved by the department faculty. Ph.D. students can also access the site to review sample questions that department faculty have used on past written exams. Finally, Ph.D. students can access the site to review sample dissertation prospectuses that have been developed by past Ph.D. students and approved by department faculty.