Course Requirements
1. Five required courses (15 s.h.). You should complete these courses as soon as possible. When a required course is offered, if at all possible, register for it because normally courses are offered on an every third semester rotation.
· ENGL 8601 Advanced Research Methods[1]
· ENGL 8605 Advanced Discourse Analysis (3 s.h.)
· ENGL 8615 Advanced Rhetorical Theory (3 s.h.)
· ENGL 8630 Advanced Cultural Rhetoric and Writing (3 s.h.)
· ENGL 8780 Advanced Theory of Professional Communication (3 s.h.)
2. Five elective courses in the English department (15 s. h.). These courses will be selected in consultation with your mentor, Dissertation Committee chair, and/or Dissertation Committee members. These courses will focus on the department’s emphases in:
· Discourses and Cultures
· Writing Studies and Pedagogy
· Technical and Professional Communication
As part of your electives within the English Department, you may complete ENGL 8100 Directed Reading (3-6 s. h., can be repeated once if topic differs) and/or ENGL 8200 Cooperative Research Assignment (3-6 s. h., can be repeated once if topic differs). These courses should supplement your coursework and advance your research interests and career goals.
3. An additional 4 elective courses (12 s. h.). These electives may be chosen from graduate courses offered in the Department of English, from similar courses in Affiliate departments, or from any combination of these sources. In the spirit of this broad-based, interdisciplinary doctorate, you should consider English courses outside of your primary area(s) of emphasis as well as courses in Affiliate departments, according to what best prepares you for your dissertation research and career goals.
4. ENGL9000 Dissertation (minimum of 18 s. h.) Dissertation credits account for a minimum of 18 s. h. in order to allow you sufficient time for original and independent research. The number of semester hours (18 s. h. or equivalent of six courses) indicates the amount of work that the dissertation involves; your dissertation research is to be a substantive endeavor. You may complete more than 18 s. h. of dissertation, but only 18 s. h. count toward your degree. Too many dissertation hours can affect your eligibility for departmental support and some forms of financial aid.
Special Conditions Applicable to Course Requirements
You need to be aware of the following special conditions related to the course requirements:
· Since it is likely that this degree will attract students from a range of academic backgrounds, the Director of Graduate Studies, in concert with the Graduate Admissions Committee, will evaluate each applicant’s academic history to ascertain if earlier work can be used to waive certain courses or to suggest additional work to remedy deficiencies.
· If you are a teaching assistant, you will be required to take ENGL 6625 Teaching Composition: Theory and Practice (3 s. h.) as a condition of your employment. If you have completed a similar course and/or have previous post-secondary teaching experience, you may request a waiver for this course from the Director of Graduate Studies. If you are a foreign national, you should be aware of the Immigration and Naturalization Service requirements that mandate 12 s. h. per term.
Plan of Study
You, along with your mentor/Dissertation Committee chair, should create a plan of study. Consult your Dissertation Committee members as needed.
Language Requirement
Since you may find yourself reading research published in languages other than English, the Ph.D. requires that you demonstrate competency in a language other than English. See Language Requirement form. That requirement can be fulfilled by
· Passing the GRE Foreign Language Examination
· Completing a translation project with a faculty member competent in the language[2]
· Completing FORL 6000 · Presenting evidence that you have completed five semesters of college-level study with an average grade of B
· Providing evidence that you have completed a comparable language requirement as part of a graduate program In some instances, it may be more germane to demonstrate knowledge of a contemporary quantitative or social science programming language. You should consult with your mentor/Dissertation Committee chair to select the best approach for your research needs. This language requirement must be completed before submitting your prospectus.
[1] You are strongly encouraged to complete an additional research methods course, counting it in category 2 or 3. This second course may be one offered by the English Department, or a graduate-level research methods course offered in another, related program such as sociology, psychology, or statistics. Talk with your mentor/Dissertation Committee chair and Dissertation Committee members about research methods courses and your options.
[2]For the translation project, a student in consultation with the faculty who is supervising the translation project chooses a work related to the student’s research interests. The student should translate a passage equal to 10 double-spaced pages and be able to discuss (in English) the work. The faculty is the final authority in guiding this translation project.
