Doctorate in Rhetoric and Theory Degree Requirements
Course Requirements:
90 hours of course work.
60 hours of course work must be in formal classes, excluding ENGL 5995, non-ENGL courses and tutorials.
10 hours maximum for tutorial courses.
5 courses distributed over three periods: before 1700; 1700–1900; and after 1900. Students must take at least 1 course in one period and at least 2 courses in the other two periods.
Before 1700:
• ENGL 4125 Old English
• ENGL 4130 Advanced Studies in Medieval Lit
• ENGL 4150 Special Topics in Medieval Lit
• ENGL 4200 Special Topics in Early Modern Lit
• ENGL 4212 Genesis of the Novel
• ENGL 4213 Advanced Studies in Early Modern Lit
• ENGL 4220 Seminar Studies in Shakespeare
• ENGL 4240 Shakespeare Festival Seminar
1700–1900:
• ENGL 4300 Advanced Studies 18th Century Lit
• ENGL 4321 Special Topics 18th Century Lit
• ENGL 4424 Special Topics 19th Century Lit
• ENGL 4522 Advanced Studies 19th Century Lit
• ENGL 4700 Antebellum American Lit
• ENGL 4720 Advanced Studies: Post-Bellum Lit
• ENGL 4730 American Romanticism
• ENGL 4731 Seminar: Genesis American Self
• ENGL 4732 Special Topic Antebellum American Lit
• ENGL 4735 Seminar James and Wharton
After 1900:
• ENGL 4600 Advanced Studies 20th Century Lit
• ENGL 4621 Advanced Studies 20th Century Lit
• ENGL 4650 Special Topics 20th Century Lit
• ENGL 4736 African-American Literature and Criticism
4 rhetoric and theory courses:
• ENGL 3815 Studies in Rhetoric
• ENGL 3817 History of Rhetoric
• ENGL 3818 Composition Theory
• ENGL 3820 Lit Criticism: Plato–19th Century
• ENGL 3821 Lit Criticism: 19th Century–Present
• ENGL 3822 Lit Criticism: 20th Century
• ENGL 3823 Interpretation Theory
• ENGL 3825 Cultural Criticism
• ENGL 4600 Adv Studies 20th Century
• ENGL 4621 Adv Studies 20th Century
• ENGL 4650 Special Topics 20th Century
Graduate teaching seminars:
• ENGL 4830 Seminar in Teaching
• ENGL 4831 Seminar in Teaching
• ENGL 4832 Seminar in Teaching
Other requirements:
• ENGL 4000 Graduate Colloquium
• ENGL 4100 Graduate Tutorial
Non-Course Requirements:
Preliminary advancement to candidacy.
Advancement to candidacy.
A dissertation of publishable quality that makes a significant contribution to its field. This will take the form of EITHER an extended scholarly and critical work (usually between 150 and 250 pages) OR a body of creative work (usually between 150 and 250 pages) that includes a critical/scholarly apparatus that places the dissertation within a context of research and professional development.
Oral examination. When the dissertation is completed, it must be defended by the candidate. The defense must take place before May 1 for a June graduation. No dissertation defenses will be held during the summer quarter. The candidate is therefore advised to set the defense date as far in advance as possible. The defense takes the form of a discussion with the committee concerning the content, context and implications of the work. The dissertation committee consists of the director, two other readers from the English department and an outside chair.
Tool (reading knowledge of one language) proficiency may be established by completing one of the following:
• Passing a standard reading examination accredited by the department.
• Passing, with a grade of B or better, a 3000-level literature course in the language.
• Successful completion of the Bibliography and Research Methods class in the English department.
• Selection and successful completion of a cognate course in another department that will augment specific skills. This course must be approved by the graduate committee.
• Successful completion of Old English, followed by a 2-hour Beowulf tutorial, followed by an intermediate Old English tutorial. (This option will no longer require a petition to the graduate committee.)
• Successful completion of a graduate translation class (students must secure approval of instructor). The language requirements must be completed 1 quarter before graduation.
Prospectus review. By the end of the winter quarter of the third year, students must submit a Dissertation Area Proposal to the director of graduate studies. This proposal is a brief description of the proposed area of the dissertation; it must be signed by at least two dissertation committee members. Before the end of the second quarter of the third year of study, all students should schedule the prospectus review. This is an oral discussion based on the written dissertation prospectus and conducted by the director of graduate studies and a committee consisting of the first two readers of the dissertation. The prospectus should be approximately 2,500–3,000 words and should be presented to the review committee well in advance of the exam. For literature and rhetoric/theory students, the prospectus should outline the relevant scholarship and describe an original thesis for the proposed work. It should also include a working bibliography for the project.
Written comprehensive exam. At the beginning of the third year of study, and after 60 hours of completed course work, all students will take a written comprehensive exam covering four areas of study: 1) an author or major figure; 2) a genre; 3) a period; and 4) a second period or special topic. All choices must be approved by examiners and the graduate director. Students will prepare a reading list for each area in consultation with examiners. All lists must be signed by both examiners and on file with the graduate director by March 30 or the student will not be allowed to take the exam the following fall.