Fall: 

• Take three electives and the introductory seminar on Literary Studies and Graduate Research.

Spring: 

• Take four electives. 
• Review options for mentored teaching experiences in the fall of year 2 and apply for one or more.

Summer: 

• First-year review by the English faculty. 
• Language study, if needed. 
• With the help of potential future advisors, compile a list of major works in your field and begin study toward your major field. 

Fall: 

• Take three electives.
• Review options for mentored teaching experiences in the spring and apply for one or more.
• Find a dissertation director. Under the guidance of your dissertation director, form your research advisory committee (three faculty, including the dissertation director) and submit the RAC form by the end of the semester.
• Under the guidance of your dissertation director and with input from the other research advisory committee members, develop a major fields reading list. 
• Enroll in directed reading for spring (Elit 5900, 6 credits)

Spring: 

• Take one elective. 
• By February 15, submit a complete draft of the major fields list, including a brief rationale, to the Graduate Committee for review.
• Regularly meet with your dissertation director to discuss the readings for your major field exam. 
• Enroll in the Pedagogy Seminar (Writing 5990) for the fall of year 3, which will prepare you for teaching College Writing.
• Enroll in ASGS 9000 (continued graduate study) for the fall.

Summer: 

• Second-year review by the English faculty. 
• Prepare for the major field exam, which must be taken by October 1 of the third year of graduate study. 
• Begin attending meetings of the Pedagogy Seminar.
• The language requirement must be fulfilled by the close of this summer.

Fall: 

• Take the Major Fields exam by October 1. Failure to do so will place you automatically on academic probation, during which you will have 60 days to take the exam and restore good standing.
• Begin teaching College Writing.
• Continue to attend meetings of the Pedagogy Seminar. 
• Begin drafting a dissertation prospectus. 
• Attend the dissertation prospectus workshop in late fall.

Spring: 

• Teach one section of College Writing
• Submit your dissertation prospectus to your faculty advisory committee. Complete the dissertation prospectus interview by March 1. Failure to do so will place you automatically on academic probation, during which you will have 60 days to complete the prospectus interview and restore good standing.
• Review options for mentored teaching experiences in the fall (including co-teaching) and apply for one or more.

Summer: 

• Complete the first chapter of your dissertation.

Fall:    

• Research and draft the second chapter of your dissertation.
• Review options for mentored teaching experiences in the spring and apply for one or more.

Spring:

• Research and draft the third chapter of your dissertation.
• Complete the mentored experience requirement.
• Submit to the English department Graduate Coordinator a formal Title, Scope, and Procedure Form for the dissertation, to be signed by the Major Field / Research Advisory Committee members and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Summer: 

• Research and draft the fourth chapter of your dissertation

Fall:

• Continue work on the dissertation.
• Attend job market workshops organized by the Placement Committee

Spring:

• Complete and defend the Ph.D. dissertation by April.

The English Department requires a minimum of competency in one foreign language, ancient or modern, for all doctoral candidates. “Competency” is understood as a basic comprehension of the grammar, structure, and core vocabulary of a language. Native speakers of another language or students who have had two full years of undergraduate language study with a grade average of B+ or better will be considered to have satisfied the competency requirement. Other students may demonstrate competency either by taking an introductory reading course designed for graduate students or by passing a translation exam administered by the appropriate language department.

Given the academic demands of Years 1 and 2, introductory language courses are usually best taken during the summer after the first or second year of graduate study. All graduate students who do not enter the doctoral program having already satisfied the competency requirement may expect funding for one summer language course whether or not it is directly related to their proposed field. Students may elect to take additional summer language courses, but to be eligible for full funding such courses must be field-related. Students may also take languages courses (on a fully funded basis) during the academic year.

The minimum competency requirement is precisely that: a minimum. Students working in certain historical periods or pursuing particular dissertation topics may need to build upon basic competency in depth (by studying a single language further) and/or in breadth (by studying multiple languages). In some cases, additional language study might be pursued in the 3rd and/or the 4th year as the requirements of a student’s field or dissertation topic come into greater focus. The degree of language study appropriate in a particular case will be determined by the student and his or her advisor according to what is judged necessary or desirable for the student’s professional development as a scholar and teacher. 

Reading knowledge of one foreign language, ancient or modern. 

Normally, Ph.D. candidates in the combined programs enroll in the Mentored Teaching Experience for three or six units in Comparative Literature, and as many units in the major language as are normally required for a Ph.D. in that literature. In order to be qualified as a Mentored Teacher in a language department, students will be required to take the relevant course in language pedagogy. Courses taught in Comparative Literature will be monitored by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Students are encouraged to spend time abroad either for language study or research or both. Extended periods of study may be supported from by University grants or by funds from external sources, such as Fulbright fellowships and grants from the US and other governments. Through its faculty and graduate programs, Washington University has a wide range of connections in universities, research institutes, and libraries abroad who can assist our students in locating archival and other materials, as well as scholars who can offer guidance in their research.

All courses must be at the 400 level or above. Students will take courses in two literatures and Comparative Literature, in accordance with this general outline:

• 48 units in English, including the Introduction to Graduate Studies and the distribution requirements for the Ph.D. in English. A minimum of 24 units will be taken at Washington University, and the rest may be transferred from an M.A. program elsewhere.
• 12 units in Comparative Literature seminars or core courses, including Comparative Literature 402 (the Comparative Literature Methodology course).
• 12 units in literature courses in one or more languages other than the major literature. This requirement may take one of two forms: either 12 units in the literature of one language other than English, and a reading knowledge of one additional language; or 12 units comprised of a combination of literature courses in languages other than English (e.g., 6 units in French and 6 units in Spanish) at the 400 level or above.

Mark Longden
Campus Box 1122
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
Phone: 314-935-5120
Email: mark.longden@wustl.edu