RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND THE GRADUATE SCHOOL GOVERNING GRADUATE STUDIES IN ENGLISH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT CARBONDALE
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Student's Responsibility
The Department of English and the Graduate School of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale require graduate students to assume full responsibility for their academic progress by keeping an up-to-date record of courses taken, by knowing the regulations specified in the current Graduate Catalog, and by checking regularly with the Director of Graduate Studies and an additional adviser if one is designated. Since advice is always available upon request, responsibility for errors in a student's program or in the interpretation of the regulations of the Graduate School or the regulations of the Department of English rests entirely with the student.
Interpretation of Rules and Policies
The Graduate Studies Committee of the Department approves and interprets all rules and policies governing graduate study in English. Petitions for course equivalency, for waiver of requirements or for any approvals not specifically covered in these Rules and Regulations should be addressed in writing (with any necessary documentation such as course descriptions, syllabi, graded papers, etc.) to the Director of Graduate Studies, who will act upon them or, if they involve a matter of policy, bring them to the attention and vote of the Graduate Studies Committee.
Advisement
The Director of Graduate Studies advises all new graduate students. After the first enrollment, students may be assigned by the Director to individual advisers for course registration and general program planning. Students should consult with faculty for advice specific to areas of specialization, particularly in the fields of Composition/Rhetoric and Creative Writing. However, students must meet with the Director of Graduate Studies to ensure all courses satisfy Department and Graduate School requirements. The Director of Graduate Studies must approve all decisions concerning program planning and other academic matters such as course enrollment, course equivalency, scheduling of examinations, and fulfillment of requirements according to Graduate School rules. The Director of Graduate Studies advises students enrolling for English 599 (Thesis), English 600 (Dissertation), and English 601 (Continuing Enrollment). Graduate School rules prescribe that students who have not fulfilled all requirements for their degree program (e.g., the thesis or dissertation) must show intent to complete their degree by enrolling each semester (summers excluded) for one credit hour of English 601, even if they have satisfied the twenty-four-credit-hour residency requirement for dissertation credit.
Registration
- During the pre-registration period of each semester, each student must make an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies or the Director's designate for advisement and course registration.
- At the time of the appointment, the Director or designate will sign the registration form and retain the pink copy for the Department's files.
- Any student registering for an independent readings course (English 499 or English 589), or any student registering for thesis hours (English 599), must have the appropriate forms signed by the faculty member(s) involved (i.e., the director of the readings course or the members of the thesis committee) before coming to the registration appointment. All these forms are available in the Graduate Studies office and online: ENGL 589 Readings Request Form and ENGL 499 Readings Request Form
- The student then completes university registration procedures through the Registrar's Office in Woody Hall B-104.
- Each graduate student is expected to plan the course of study carefully; hence, program changes after registration should seldom be necessary. Such changes must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and, if they involve late registration, by the Dean of the Graduate School.
- Courses listed with a span of hours (e.g., "1 to 9," "3 to 12") may be taken in multiples of the first figure for a total of the second over different semesters as the topic varies.
- For further information on registration deadlines, refer to the current Schedule of Classes online.
To save time at your advisement appointment, please study and complete the appropriate academic checklist before you arrive. It will help you determine any required courses for which you should register.
Change of Course Registration from Credit to Audit
During a specific period (see the "Schedule of Classes"), students may change course registration from credit to audit. Such changes must be initiated with the Director of Graduate Studies and will be screened by the Dean of the Graduate School to prevent misuse for the purpose of avoiding poor grades. Normally, teaching assistants must always be registered for 6 credit hours in English courses per semester. Any exceptions must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and, if the Director deems appropriate, by the Graduate Studies Committee.
Hours Carried Per Term
Normal course work for graduate students during a regular semester is 12 hours; the maximum, 16 hours. The Department believes, in accordance with the Graduate School, that when an assistant is teaching two classes, a reasonable course load is 6 hours. Normally, the minimum load for all graduate students holding half-time assistantships is 6 credit hours in English; the maximum, 12 hours. All exceptions to the 6-12 credit hour limit for graduate assistants require special permission (see the preceding paragraph). Courses taken to satisfy the research tool requirement do not count toward those 6 hours.
Waiving Requirements
To waive a requirement for the MA, MFA or PhD, a student must petition the Director of Graduate Studies, who will confer with the Graduate Studies Committee if the waiver involves a matter of policy. If the requirement is a departmental one, the recommendation of the Director of Graduate Studies and/or Graduate Studies Committee shall be final. If the requirement is within the jurisdiction of the Graduate School, the Director of Graduate Studies will forward a petition of waiver to the Dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final ruling. Copies of all letters and recommendations concerning the petition for waiver will be placed in the student's file.
Extension of Deadline Requests
All requests for the extension of deadlines that regulate the time span within which an MA degree (six years) or a PhD degree (five years after admission to candidacy) must be completed shall be addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.
Courses Taken outside the Department of English
A student may offer toward the MA or PhD degree course work from outside the Department provided that such work is relevant to the regular degree requirements (e.g., research tool requirements). Such credits are not figured in the 30-hour requirement or GPA for the MA degree. Course work from outside the Department offered toward the MFA degree must be approved by both a faculty member in Creative Writing and the Director of Graduate Studies.
Grading Policies and Meaning of Grades
Students pursuing the MA must maintain an average of B (3.0) in all courses taken for graduate credit. Students pursuing the PhD must maintain an average of 3.25. Grades are officially recorded by the letters A, B, C, D, and F. Individual instructors, however, may use plus (+) and minus (-) signs; these are recorded by the Department, but they do not appear on the student's SIUC grade sheet or transcript. A grade of B- is regarded as the minimum acceptable graduate performance.
In an entire graduate program, the student may accumulate up to three hours of work below B, so long as an average of 3.0 (MA) or 3.25 (PhD) is maintained. If the student earns more than three hours below B, he or she must, in addition to maintaining the required average, replace the hours of C or lower with an equal number of hours of A or B. In effect, the number of semester hours of course for the degree may thereby be increased from 30 to a maximum of 36. A student who accumulates more than nine hours of C will be dropped from the program.
An instructor of a graduate course may refuse to allow the grade of INC in the course. If this is an instructor's policy, it should be made clear to students at the beginning of the course. The graduate student who is granted the grade of INC should complete the course work by the end of the next semester. An exception to this rule will be made through written petition to the Director of Graduate Studies. A student who has accumulated more than 6 hours of INC will not be allowed to register for more course work until the total of INC work is reduced to not more than 3 semester hours. Deferred or incomplete work will be regarded as finished when a student has submitted all exams, papers, etc., and a grade has been recorded; the grade of DEF in English 595 and English 600, which are PhD courses related to preliminary exam preparation and the writing of a dissertation, and the grade of DEF in English 601, are not included in the above regulations.
Course Levels
See the current Graduate Catalog under "English" for course numbering and descriptions.
At the heart of the MA and especially the PhD program are courses numbered 500 to 599, which are chiefly seminars open to graduate students only. The primary purpose of these courses is the exercise of graduate study itself, namely to guide the student into independent investigation of a scholarly and critical nature.
Courses numbered 400-499 are intermediary courses that afford training in tools and techniques of historical, critical, and theoretical knowledge, investigation, and expression that are applicable not only to the subject of seminars but also to other areas in English language, literary research, and creative writing. Students planning to enroll in 400- and 500-level courses should consult the course descriptions prepared by the Department each semester.
English 502-Introduction to Graduate Study and Teaching College Composition
All graduate assistants who have not had previous college teaching experience must, in their first term as assistants, take English 502. The Director of Writing Studies is in charge of the teaching duties of all graduate assistants. Should a graduate assistant have prior teaching experience, the Director of Writing Studies will determine whether or not the student will be exempt from enrolling in English 502.
All new graduate assistants are required to attend a pre-semester workshop-orientation to learn about the Department's policies, grading, syllabus preparation, teaching strategies, etc.
Graduate students not serving as graduate assistants may elect to enroll in English 502 with the consent of the instructor.
Independent Study Courses: ENGL 499 and 589
Ph.D. Students
- Students may include only one Independent Study course in their Program of Study.
- Students may take other Independent Study courses once the Program of Study has been submitted and approved in order to supplement classroom study and prepare for the dissertation.
- Students preparing for preliminary examinations should take ENGL 595, rather than ENGL 589, Independent Study. (See Graduate Catalog for details about 595.)
MFA Students
- Students may take no more than nine-credit-hours of Independent Study total in the degree program (i.e., nine of the 48 total hours)
- Students may take no more than three-credit-hours of Independent Study with any one professor during the course of the degree program
MA Students
- Students may take an Independent Study only when the student needs a 500-level course to graduate but only 400-level classroom courses are offered. In such a case, the student will enroll in an Independent Study course but take the 400-level classroom course with the same professor
Department Policy on Reappointment of Graduate Assistants
The following conditions regulate the reappointment of graduate assistants:
- A minimum GPA of 3.5 in the degree program
- No more than one grade of INC
- No need for an extension of more than 3 months of support beyond the regular 24 months for MA students, 32 months for MFA students, and 48 months for PhD students
- No evidence in a student's record of problems with teaching performance
Department Policy on Appointment of Summer Graduate Assistants
- Half the total summer GAs shall be given to MA students, half to PhD students.
- Applicants who have had no previous summer support within the time of their programs shall have priority over applicants who have had previous summer support. If the number of applicants requires giving a summer GA to an applicant who has had previous summer support, (a) applicants who have had shorter appointments (l or 1.5 months) shall have priority over applicants who have had longer appointments (2 months) and (b) applicants who have had less recent appointments shal1 have priority over applicants who have had more recent support. Support shall be defined as any contract paid through the Graduate School, whether or not in the Department of English, including interim appointments, ORDA-funded appointments, etc.
- More than one INC shall disqualify an applicant for a summer GA.
- A GPA below 3.5 shall disqualify an applicant for a summer GA; differences in GPA above 3.5 shall not be relevant.
- After criteria 2-4, seniority gives priority unless a summer GA would require an exceptional extension for the following AY contract. Seniority shall be defined first as months of support used at the end of the semester prior to the summer in question, and then as time in program (including progress toward degree). If the criterion of seniority does not make a decisive distinction between any two applicants, and if one of these applicants has one INC, the INC shall be decisive.
- After criteria 2-5. teaching performance. conference presentations, and publications shall be used, in that order, as criteria.
- An applicant's experience or training in a particular departmental site (computer lab, writing center, etc.) shall not be relevant in decisions on summer appointments.
Department Policy on Removing a Student from the Graduate Program
The Student Code of Conduct presented in the Graduate Catalog (pp. 32-42) governs student behavior generally. However, a student may be removed from the graduate program in English if he or she chooses not to observe the procedures stated in these “Rules And Regulations”; refuses to follow procedures documented by a faculty member or the Director of Graduate Studies as key to his or her creative, academic, or professional success; or fails to make satisfactory progress toward graduation.
- If a faculty member recommends removing a student from the program, then that faculty member will submit a letter to the Director of Graduate Studies that specifically identifies the behavior, complaint, or problem and explains why the student should not remain in the program.
- If the Director of Graduate Studies recommends removing a student from the program, then the Director will submit a letter to any faculty directly involved (and, if applicable, the student’s committee) that specifically identifies the behavior, complaint, or problem and explains why the student should not remain in the program.
- The Director of Graduate Studies will meet with the student to discuss the matter and determine possible solutions short of removal.
- If the Director of Graduate Studies concludes after that meeting that the student should be removed from the program, then the Director will present the case to the Graduate Studies Committee for a recommendation.
- If the Graduate Studies Committee recommends removal, then the Director of Graduate Studies will submit a letter to the English Department Chair explaining the process to date and requesting a response from the Chair.
- The Chair will respond to the Graduate Studies Committee’s recommendation in writing.
- If a student is to be removed from the graduate program, the Director of Graduate Studies will notify the student in writing at the end of the semester.
MASTER'S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
For hours required and distribution of courses for the MA in Literature, the MA in Rhetoric and Composition, and the MFA in Creative Writing, refer to the current Graduate Catalog or to the Pre-Advisement Checklists.
Master's Reading List and Master's Qualifying Examination
Copies of the Master's Reading List are available in the Graduate Studies office. The MA Qualifying Examination is based entirely on this list of readings. Copies of past examinations are also on file in the Graduate Studies office.
The MA Qualifying Examination is given once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester for literature students only. To be eligible to take the Examination, a student must have completed, with not less than a "B" average, at least 24 hours of graduate work toward the MA in English and must have satisfied all other degree requirements, including the foreign-language requirement. (Exceptions must be granted by the Director of Graduate Studies.) Not later than the second week of the semester in which the student plans to take the examination, he or she must file an application with the Secretary of Graduate Studies (forms are available in the Graduate Studies office or online: MA Qualifying Exam Request Form). Announcements of the dates of the MA Qualifying Examinations will be posted in the Department at least one semester in advance. Students who are absolutely unable to be on campus for the examination may arrange for a proctored examination elsewhere with the consent of the Director of Graduate Studies.
Students taking the MA Qualifying Exam will choose six preferred areas on which to write a five-hour examination. (These six areas must be declared when the application form is filed.) The Director of Graduate Studies will narrow the list of six to four and inform the students who applied to take the exam of those four areas. Students may expect questions on specific works as well as questions that cross from genre to genre and/or from period to period. All questions, however, will be based entirely upon the readings in this list. The examinations will be evaluated by an MA Exam Committee of at least four members of the graduate faculty, and a majority vote determines pass or fail for the entire examination. A student who fails the examination may take it a second time. A third examination may be allowed, but only by special permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. If the examination committee deems it useful an oral examination may be scheduled after the written examination to determine the grade for the examination. The entire examination will be given a qualitative grade as follows:
1 – Pass with Distinction
2 – Pass
3 – Low Pass
4 – Fail
Number grades will be forwarded to students in the results letter along with a brief explanation of the grade’s meaning. If the student has applied to the Ph.D. program at SIU, the examination results will be placed in the student’s file and forwarded to Graduate Studies Committee. The grades will have specific meaning when the Graduate Studies Committee reads the file:
1 – Equivalent to a “Strongly Recommend” endorsement
2 – Equivalent to a “Recommend” endorsement
3 – Equivalent to a “Recommend with Reservations” endorsement
Any student choosing to take the MA Qualifying Examination must also file with the Graduate School a clean and properly formatted research paper which has earned the grade of B or better in a 500-level English course. For specific instructions, refer to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations, Theses, and Research Papers, available in the Graduate Studies office. For deadlines, see Graduation Deadlines for Graduate Students, regularly posted in the Department. The research paper must be cleared with Graduate School Records well in advance of the deadline.
Application for Advanced Graduate Standing (Admission to PhD-Level Work)
MA students who intend to continue work at SIUC toward the PhD after completion of the MA should apply for advanced graduate standing at least one semester before they expect to complete requirements for the MA. At that time, they should confer with the Director of Graduate Studies concerning their eligibility and the appropriate admission procedures for the PhD program. All work done prior to completion (but in addition to the required 30 credit hours for the MA) will appear on the student's transcript as MA-level work. Upon petition through the Director of Graduate Studies, the Graduate School may count the hours beyond the 30 credit hours for the MA toward the fulfillment of the PhD requirements.
Thesis
MA students who do not elect to take the MA Qualifying Examination and who have a GPA of 3.5 and no more than one grade of INC are eligible to register for English 599 (Thesis) as long as they have constituted a Thesis Committee consisting of a Thesis Director and two readers. An application form with the signatures of the Thesis Committee members and the tentative title of the thesis shall be filed by students at the time they register for English 599. (This form is available in the Graduate Studies office and online:Thesis Request Form). The Director of Graduate Studies will approve eligibility of the Thesis Committee and obtain Graduate School approval.
The student has full responsibility for working with the Thesis Committee in writing the thesis and obtaining approval of drafts.
Human Subjects Committee's Rules for Research
Before beginning research for the thesis, the student must make sure than his or her plan of work is in full compliance with the stipulations of the Human Subjects Committee's rules for research. If the thesis involves any gathering of information from individuals through interviews, questionnaires or other means of oral or written communication, the researcher must seek the Graduate School's approval of the research plan before the actual research begins. The Graduate School will not approve or accept dissertations which have not followed these rules.
Thesis Defense
Upon completion of the thesis and its acceptance by the Thesis Director and Thesis Committee, the student shall register a date agreeable to the members of the Thesis Committee with the Chair's secretary for the defense of the thesis so that logistical arrangements for the defense and the necessary announcements can be made. The defense of the thesis is public and may be attended by any interested parties. The students should be aware of the application for graduation deadlines and thesis submission deadlines set by the Graduate School and should also make sure that the thesis follows the format prescribed in the Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations, Theses, and Research Papers. Templates are also available online here.
The Graduate School requires that all students make an appointment to have a consultant review their thesis prior to making the final copy.
Theses/Dissertations: Ratna Sinha (618-453-4570), Woody Hall B114
For general questions concerning graduation and fees, please call: Pamela Durso (618-453-4523), Woody Hall B114. For details regarding online submission of theses, see the Graduate School’s Guide.
PhD REQUIREMENTS
Refer to the current Graduate Catalog for information detailing admission procedures, course of study, and research tool requirements.
The Pro-Seminar
All doctoral students must take a pro-seminar in their first year of doctoral study. The purpose of the pro-seminar is to provide thorough, extensive practice in research methods and bibliography and in the mastery of criticism and/or scholarship on some relatively narrow topic. The pro-seminar is not primarily a theory seminar; it therefore will not count toward the doctoral theory/cultural studies requirement. Rather, the pro-seminar will emphasize research techniques and the understanding of critical and/or scholarly writing. For PhD students in Literature, this requirement will be fulfilled by a single seminar offered each fall and designated as the doctoral pro-seminar. For PhD students in Rhetoric and Composition, English 501, offered each spring, will be the designated pro-seminar in Rhetoric and Composition. Any student wishing to take both the Literature and the Rhetoric and Composition pro-seminars may do so. Here are the principles governing the scheduling and teaching of pro-seminars. First, in any given academic year (excluding summers), a pro-seminar offered in a certain historical area will normally replace the regular yearly seminar offered in that area. Second, pro-seminars should be taught on a voluntary basis, not assigned. Third, the opportunity to teach the literary pro-seminars should be offered in regular rotation to faculty in each area, so that in the long run no area uses up a disproportionate number of its regular seminars with pro-seminars. These principles assume that at least one faculty member from each area will want to teach a pro-seminar when that area's turn comes round. Otherwise adjustments must be made so that over a span of several years regular seminars in all the areas continue to be offered.
The Prelim/Advisory Committee and the Program of Study Proposal.
Following admission to the PhD program, and before the completion of the second year (i.e., fourth semester) in doctoral residence, the PhD student is required to form an academic advisory committee (hereafter referred to as the Preliminary Examination Committee) and to prepare a Program of Study Proposal for inspection by the Director of Graduate Studies and approval by the Graduate Studies Committee. The Preliminary Examination Committee will consist of four members of the graduate faculty in English. The Chair of the Committee and one other member must represent the student's major area of interest; each of the remaining two members will normally represent one of the minor areas of interest. Within the limits of this distribution, the student may, usually upon consulting the Chair of the Preliminary Examination Committee, change the particular membership of the committee at any point. Normally the Preliminary Examination Committee will comprise the nucleus of the Dissertation Committee. As soon as the Preliminary Examination Committee is formed, it becomes the responsibility of all its members to oversee the student's program and academic progress.
The Department offers interdisciplinary PhD studies on a co-operative basis with departments that deal with pertinent subject matter and are interested in such interdisciplinary co-operation, e.g., the Departments of Philosophy, Foreign Languages and Literatures, History, Fine Arts, Cinema and Photography, Speech, Theater, Sociology, etc. Permission for an interdisciplinary course of study must be approved by the student's Preliminary Examination Committee, the Graduate Studies Committee and. if necessary, the Graduate School.
All Ph.D. students should seek the advice of the Director of Graduate Studies and faculty members while composing their Program of Study. At least one or twice a year, Ph.D. students should meet with their committee members (or prospective members) to discuss their Program of Study, plans for future coursework, and research goals. Moreover, students should ask their committee members to visit their classrooms at various times during their degree program to ensure that committee members can address both scholarly and pedagogical development and potential in letters of recommendation. Students must bring a draft of their Program of Study to the Director of Graduate Studies for review before requesting signatures from committee members.
The Chair's earliest official act will be to call the Preliminary Examination Committee together to approve, reject or amend the student's Program of Study Proposal. The written proposal shall:
- Summarize the student's graduate work to date, including course work already completed.
- Indicate research tool preferences. Any research tool option, especially the substitution of a collateral field of knowledge or special research technique for one foreign language, must be approved by the student's Preliminary Examination Committee and by the Graduate Studies Committee.
- List one major and two minor areas of study and propose a program leading to the Preliminary Examination. For concentrators in Literature, at least one of the minors should be closely related historically to the major.
- The Graduate Studies Committee shall review and approve a student's Program of Study Proposal before it is considered official. A copy of the approved Program of Study Proposal will be filed with the student's academic record in the Graduate Studies office.
Residency Requirement The residency requirement for the PhD must be fulfilled after admission to the PhD program and before formal admission to doctoral candidacy. The residency requirement is satisfied by completion of 24-semester-hours of graduate credit on campus as a doctoral student within a period not to exceed four calendar years. No more than six hours of deferred dissertation credit may be applied toward fulfillment of the 24-semester-hours residency requirement. No doctoral student will be permitted to sign up for more than six hours of dissertation until candidacy has been achieved. Any dissertation hours registered for above the six permitted prior to candidacy will not be counted toward completion of the doctoral degree. The residency requirement may be met in either of two ways, at the option of the student.
Option 1 The 24-credit-hours residency requirement may be satisfied by enrollment as a full-time (12 credit hours) PhD student on campus for two consecutive semesters. During this period of residency the student may not be employed more than half-time by an outside employer, the University or both. Teaching Assistants hold half-time appointments with educational training objectives and will, therefore, satisfy the residency requirement as soon as 24 credit hours have been accumulated.
Option 2 The residency requirement may be satisfied by earning over a period not to exceed four calendar years at least 24 semester hours of graduate credit as a PhD student on the Carbondale campus under the following conditions:
- The student must complete during each term of residence on campus at least one graduate course or seminar other than individual study, individual research, readings, practicum, internship or dissertation.
- The student must earn at least a total of three semester hours during each term of residency.
- A student who holds more than half-time employment must submit to the Graduate Dean through the Director of Graduate Studies in advance of the semester(s) for which residency credit is to be granted, an analysis showing that the duties of employment have relevance to doctoral study.
Preliminary Examinations
To be admitted to PhD candidacy, the student must pass the three-part preliminary examination. Students on a fellowship or a teaching assistantship will be expected to take this examination no later than seven semesters (or three and one-half years) after entering the PhD program. No student can be admitted to candidacy by the Graduate School before passing all parts of the preliminary examination and completing all course and research-tool requirements. A student is eligible to take the preliminary examination upon completing the prescribed residency requirement and course of study beyond the MA degree, including all required courses, fulfilling the research-tool requirement, and receiving the approval of the Preliminary Examination Committee and the Graduate Studies Committee. Typically, preliminary examinations are given in October and March. Summer preliminary examinations are permissible with the consent of all members of the Preliminary Examination Committee.
The preliminary examination is prepared and graded by the student's Preliminary Examination Committee. The major-area examination consists of one six-hour written exam. There is one three-hour written examination for each of the two minors. The entire examination is given within the period of one week. The dates of preliminary examinations are set at the discretion of the student's committee, but they must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in English.
In the major-area examination, the student is expected to show a thorough mastery of the historical period and/or subject matter in breadth and depth-major and minor works, bibliography, historical and intellectual background, and the relevant critical and theoretical scholarship.
Appropriate examinations for each of the two minors depend upon the specific material to be covered. The identification and definition of the minors is left to the student and the committee to work out together (e. g., Renaissance drama for a student preparing to specialize in the Restoration; Romantic and Victorian literature for a student preparing to specialize in Modern British; Victorian literature for a student preparing to specialize in modern fiction, etc.).
The individual sections and the entire examination will be given qualitative grades. Each member of the Preliminary Examination Committee may assign different grades for each section; however, the entire committee must agree upon one grade for the entire examination:
1 – Pass with Distinction
2 – Pass
3 – Low Pass
4 – Fail
The committee may require the student to complete further work or testing for any section receiving a “Low Pass” grade. The committee must require further work or testing for any examination that receives a “Low Pass” grade. At the discretion of the Preliminary Examination Committee, for instance, a two-hour oral examination may follow the three written examinations if circumstances warrant such an examination. The student will be informed of the committee’s decision only after the committee reaches consensus on the grades.
A student who fails the preliminary examination may request to take it a second time.
Dissertation
A dissertation showing high achievement in independent and original scholarship shall be submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD program.
While the student is working on the dissertation, he or she must register for English 600. The student is encouraged to dedicate at least one academic year of full-time work to complete the dissertation; in any case, the student must register for at least 24-semester-hours of dissertation credit. The dissertation must be completed within no more than five years after admission to candidacy.
Preliminary Choice of Dissertation Topic and Adviser
Since the major area of the Preliminary Examination must cover the field in which the candidate's dissertation is to be written, the student has to decide fairly early in the program on the general area of the dissertation topic. As early as practicable, the student should seek the consent of a member of the graduate faculty to serve as Dissertation Director and should secure the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee of that arrangement through the submission of the Program of Study Proposal.
Dissertation Committee
The Dissertation Committee will consist of the Dissertation Director and four other members of the graduate faculty, including one from outside the Department of English. This arrangement complies with the Graduate School's requirement of a five-member Dissertation Committee. The Committee will be chaired by the Dissertation Director.
In the following paragraphs, Dissertation Director may also mean co-directors if a Dissertation Committee is set up to be co-directed by two members of the graduate faculty of the Department. If it is an interdisciplinary dissertation, one of the co-directors may be from another department.
Supervision and Materials for Research
As the work on the dissertation proceeds, the candidate will keep in close touch with the Dissertation Director and the committee members, at least on a chapter-to-chapter basis. Should the candidate need materials that are not in Morris Library, the library, whenever possible, will buy, obtain on film, or borrow those materials through interlibrary loan.
Human Subjects Committee's Rules for Research
Before beginning research for the dissertation, the student must make sure than his or her plan of work is in full compliance with the stipulations of the Human Subjects Committee's rules for research. If the dissertation involves any gathering of information from individuals through interviews, questionnaires or other means of oral or written communication, the researcher must seek the Graduate School's approval of the research plan before the actual research begins. The Graduate School will not approve or accept dissertations which have not followed these rules.
Dissertation Prospectus
Before undertaking the dissertation, the candidate must submit a prospectus written under the guidance of the Dissertation Director to the five members of the Dissertation Committee (Dissertation Prospectus Approval Form). All copies should be signed to show approval of the prospectus by the Dissertation Director and Committee members.
The prospectus is to contain:
- The tentative title of the dissertation
- A statement of the central problem to be solved
- A statement that a thorough investigation has been made to determine that the topic has not been explored before
- A review of literature and materials relevant to the scholarly investigation of the subject
After the members of the Dissertation Committee have stated their suggestions and comments to the candidate's Dissertation Director, the Committee will meet with the student to discuss the prospectus. When it receives final approval, a copy of it and a letter of approval signed by all Committee members is sent by the Dissertation Director to the Director of Graduate Studies to be placed in the student's academic file.
So that the student can be provided with the most direct and timesaving guidance, the student's Dissertation Committee, under the leadership of its Director, will oversee the student's progress regularly.
Changes in Membership of Dissertation Committees
Once the five-member dissertation committee has been formed and the official notice of the dissertation committee has been approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate School, any changes in the membership of the committee should be made only for the most compelling reasons.
If a student wishes to replace the chair of his or her dissertation committee, the student will first meet with the chair of the committee to discuss the change.
- If this meeting is conclusive, the replaced chair of the committee will notify the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of this fact, after which the student has the responsibility for enlisting another member of the faculty as the new chair of the committee. That accomplished, the new chair will inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of the full membership of the dissertation committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
- If this meeting is inconclusive, the Director of Graduate Studies will meet with the student and the chair of the committee in an attempt to resolve the problem. If this second meeting does not resolve the problem, the student has the responsibility for enlisting another member of the faculty as the new chair of the committee. That accomplished, the new chair will inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of the full membership of the dissertation committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
If the chair of a dissertation committee wishes to withdraw from that role, he or she will first meet with the student to discuss the withdrawal.
- If this meeting is conclusive, the withdrawing chair will notify the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of this fact, after which the student and the remaining four members of the committee will meet to decide upon a plan for replacing the chair of the committee. The replacement accomplished, the new chair will inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of the full membership of the dissertation committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
- If this meeting is inconclusive, the Director of Graduate Studies will meet with the student and the chair of the committee in an attempt to resolve the problem. If this second meeting does not resolve the problem, the student and the remaining four members of the committee will meet to decide upon a plan for replacing the chair of the committee. The replacement accomplished, the new chair will inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of the full membership of the dissertation committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
If a student wishes to replace one of the other members of his or her dissertation committee, or if a member of the committee wishes to withdraw from the committee, the student, the chair of the committee, and the committee member will first meet to discuss the change. The chair of the committee will then notify the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of this fact and of the full membership of the new committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
Service of Emeritus or Adjunct Faculty on Dissertation Committees
According to the Operating Paper of the Graduate School:
Emeritus and adjunct faculty may serve on or co-chair students' theses and dissertation committees, serve on students' program committees, and/or evaluate students' preliminary examinations, upon the request of their respective department chair or director of graduate studies and the approval of the Graduate Dean. No more than one emeritus or adjunct faculty shall serve on such committees except on cooperative agreements with other universities. (§2.I.A.k)
If a retirement makes it necessary to replace the chair of a dissertation committee, the retiring chair of the committee will notify the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of this fact and of the full membership of the new committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
If a retirement makes it necessary to replace one of the other members of a dissertation committee, the chair of the committee will notify the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of this fact and of the full membership of the new committee so that a revised notice can be submitted for Graduate School approval.
Submission of the First Draft of the Dissertation
When the draft of the dissertation is acceptable to the Dissertation Director, the candidate is to submit the draft to each member of the Dissertation Committee for suggestions and comments. The members of the Committee should read the draft. within a reasonable period of time. Critical reactions to the draft should be sought and discussed in individual conferences with Committee members and, ultimately, with the Dissertation Director. The candidate should revise the draft according to the cogency and validity of suggestions from Committee members, seeking the Dissertation Director's guidance in these as in all related matters.
Preparation of the Final Draft of the Dissertation
When the revised draft is fully approved by the Dissertation Director, the candidate is to prepare the dissertation in the format prescribed in the Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations, Theses, and Research Papers, available online, although it is of course possible that further suggestions for or requirements of changes may be made in the dissertation defense. Templates are also available here.
Then, after a conference with the Director of Graduate Studies, the candidate should arrange for the Chair's secretary to schedule a time for the Dissertation Committee to convene for the candidate's defense of the dissertation. As soon as final draft copies of the dissertation are ready, the candidate is to submit these to the members of the Dissertation Committee, in no case later than two weeks before the scheduled defense.
Dissertation Defense
The Dissertation Committee will examine the candidate orally, primarily on the methods, presentation, and conclusions of the dissertation as presented in its final draft form. Since the defense is open to interested parties, its date will be published within the Department and University at least one week in advance of the date of the defense itself.
The Dissertation Director, as chair of the Dissertation Committee, will see to it that all assessment and rating forms will be available for members of the Dissertation Committee and that they be signed and returned to the office of the Director of Graduate Studies immediately after the conclusion of the defense.
The Dissertation Director is also responsible for the implementation of changes recommended or required by the Dissertation Committee before the dissertation is submitted in its final version to the Graduate School and the Department.
Final Dissertation Copy
According to Graduate School stipulations, the dissertation must also contain an abstract of 350 words or fewer and a brief curriculum vitae. Arrangements concerning copyright and microfilming must be made with the Graduate School.
The Graduate School requires that all students make an appointment to have a consultant review their dissertation prior to making the final copy.
Theses/Dissertations: Ratna Sinha (618-453-4570), Woody Hall B114
For general questions concerning graduation and fees, please call: Pamela Durso (618-453-4523), Woody Hall B114]. For details regarding online submission of dissertations, see the Graduate School’s Guide.
(Updated December 2005)
