PhD Program

Typical PhD Schedule

See the PhD Program Departmental Policy PDF for information about taking additional courses, language courses, and other courses not traditionally falling within the graduate program of study.

Year One

  • Fall Semester
    • Three 4-credit courses (12 credits).
      • At least two of these 4-credit courses should consist of 500-level offerings taught within the English Department. Exceptions can be requested by petitioning the DGS.
    • ENG 500 Graduate Colloquium (1 credit).
  • Spring Semester
    • Three 4-credit courses (12 credits).
      • At least two of these 4-credit courses should consist of 500-level offerings taught within the English Department. Exceptions can be requested by petitioning the DGS.
    • Either take, or prepare to take, the Language Exam (you are strongly encouraged to complete this by the summer after year one).

Note: Students who arrive with an MA degree may petition the DGS to transfer up to 24 credit-hours toward their programs of study, thus essentially reducing the required period of coursework from two years to one. Talk with the DGS early on if you are interested in pursuing this path. Transfer credit will not be considered until your first year of coursework is successfully completed.

Note: Students who are native speakers of a language other than English are exempt from the language exam.

Year Two

  • Fall Semester
    • Coursework for those students in the program without credit transfers (8 credits) - at least four of the eight credits taken this semester should be at the 500-level.
    • Departmental Teaching Apprenticeship, ENGL 580 Pedagogical Training (4 credits).
    • PhD Research, for those students in the program with transfer credits ENGL 595 (4 credits).
    • Begin thinking and talking to the DGS and your advisors about your Qualifying Exam if you have not done so already.
  • Spring Semester
    • Coursework for those students in the program without credit transfers (8 credits) - at least four of the eight credits taken this semester should be at the 500-level.
    • Departmental Teaching Apprenticeship, ENGL 580 Pedagogical Training (4 credits). Students may petition the DGS for an alternative assignment in a digital humanities project (this is dependent on department needs).
    • PhD Research, for those students in the program with transfer credits ENGL 595 (4 credits).
    • Complete Language Exam no later than the end of this academic year. Students who fail to meet this benchmark will be on academic probation.
    • Compile your Qualifying Exam lists and consult with your examiners to finalize those lists before the summer.
  • Summer 
    • The Scheduling Form for the Qualifying Exam (to which a preliminary draft of both reading lists must be appended) is due June 1st at the end of your second year.
    • Use the summer to read and prepare for the Qualifying Exam.

Year Three

  • Fall Semester
    • Departmental Teaching Apprenticeship (ENGL 580 Pedagogical Training [4 credits]) of ENGL 581 Digital Apprenticeship (4 credits).
    • PhD Research for exam preparation, ENGL 595 (11 credits).
    • Students will take the Qualifying Exam this fall.
      • Students must complete the exam, including potential retakes, by January 15 in order to ensure their enrollment in the Dissertation Practicum.
      • Students will automatically be on academic probation if they have not completed the Qualifying Exam by the end of this semester. 
    • Students should begin planning to complete the Dissertation Prospectus, if they have not done so already.
    • Attend WSAP informational sessions (emails will be forthcoming).
  • Spring Semester
    • Dissertation Practicum ENGL 585 (4 credits).
    • The Dissertation Prospectus must be filed absolutely no later than the end of the spring semester of the third year.
      • Students who fail to meet this benchmark with be automatically placed on academic probation.
    • PhD Research, if needed, ENGL 595 (variable credits - consult with Graduate Coordinator).
    • For those intending to teach for the WSAP in the fourth year (strongly encouraged), now is the time to apply; deadlines (usually the very beginning of the spring semester) and details are set by the WSAP.
      (If, for some reason, you are already certain you will not be entering a profession that involves teaching, talk with the DGS about alternative options for department service.)

Year Four

  • Fall Semester
    • Dissertation Writing: Students generally register for ENGL 999, receiving 0 credits but retaining their full-time status. 
      • Students should aim to draft one chapter per semester, including summer.
    • If teaching for the WSAP, register for Writing Pedagogy, ENGL 571 (5 credits).
      • Teach one course through WSAP.
    • PhD Research, if needed, ENGL 595 (variable credits - consult with Graduate Coordinator).
    • Consider inviting your advisor to observe your teaching at some point this year, so that they may comment on it when recommending you for jobs. 
  • Spring Semester
    • Dissertation Writing: Students generally register for ENGL 999, receiving 0 credits but retaining their full-time status. 
      • Students should aim to draft one chapter per semester, including summer.
    • If teaching for the WSAP, register for Practicum in Teaching Writing, ENGL 572 (2 credits).
      • Teach one course through the WSAP.
    • If appropriate, begin assembling job-application materials for next fall, in preparation for placement workshops. (See your advisor, the DGS, and/or this year's faculty placement officer for more details.)
    • Begin researching external funding sources: in order to apply (in Fall of Year 5) for a competitive Dean's Dissertation Fellowship to cover Year 6, you will need to have applied for external funding first. See DGS for more information.

Year Five

  • Fall Semester
    • Dissertation Writing: Students generally register for ENGL 999, receiving 0 credits but retaining their full-time status. 
      • Students should aim to draft one chapter per semester, including summer.
    • Prepare materials to apply for a competitive Dean's Dissertation Fellowship for next year (NOTE: requires that you also apply for external funding - see DGS for information).
    • In addition, students may teach or engage in some other form of professionalization.
    • Students on the job market will participate in faculty-led placement workshops.
    • Apply to teach for the WSAP in your sixth year as a Dudley Doust Fellow; deadlines and details set by the WSAP. Note that the Doust is fairly competitive; fifth-years who anticipate needing a sixth year of funding, then, should also apply for external fellowships and other support (see the Department website for more details; talk also with the DGS, your advisor, etc.).
  • Spring Semester
    • Apply for a Dean's Dissertation Fellowship for next year (requires that you also apply for external funding). (Note: this internal fellowship through GEPA application falls very early in the spring semester).
    • Dissertation Writing: Students generally register for ENG 999, receiving 0 credits but retaining their full-time status.
      • Students should aim to draft one chapter per semester, including summer. 
    • In addition, students may teach; engage in some other form of professionalization.
    • At the end of this year your two-year contract with the WSAP will expire. You will now need to decide whether to re-apply to the WSAP (and continue on to receive the WSAP's supplemental stipend Doust fellowship).

Year Six and beyond

  • Fall Semester
    • Dissertation, as above.
    • Apply for competitive WSAP Doust Fellowship, competitive Dean's Dissertation Fellowship (early spring semester), or other external funding as described above.
  • Spring Semester
    • Dissertation, as above.
    • Prepare to defend or discuss continuation with the DGS.
      • Students are expected to defend by the end of the 6th year (students should discuss their dissertation timeline with the DGS if they are not on track to defend in or before year 6).