Graduate Handbook in PDF

Doctor of Philosophy — Degree Requirements

Students are admitted to the Ph.D. program after the successful completion of an M.A. degree in Slavic studies or a related field. In consultation with the graduate advisor, Ph.D. students design an individualized program of study that includes a major field in one Slavic-area literature (any national literature currently offered by the department), study in a second Slavic-area language, and a minor field.

1. Coursework
Completion of at least 40 hours of graduate course work beyond the requirements for the M.A. degree. 20 hours must be in graduate-level courses in the major field, completed in the Slavic department. 12-16 hours must be in graduate-level courses in a minor field (three courses in a single area, or two courses each in two distinct areas) and may be completed outside the department.

2. Languages
Demonstration of knowledge of a second Slavic-area language and a research language (French, German, or another language chosen in consultation with the graduate advisor) is required before students are advanced to the preliminary examination. The Slavic-area requirement can be satisfied through four semesters of language study or the successful completion of a translation examination. The research language requirement can be satisfied by completion of FR 500 and 501 or GER 500 and 501, the equivalent courses in another language, or a translation exam.

3. Examinations
Successful completion of the written and oral preliminary examinations for admittance to the thesis stage.

Ph.D. Preliminary Examination Committee
The Ph.D. preliminary examination committee generally consists of four faculty members, three of whom must be members of the Slavic department. (Please see the Graduate College requirements for details on how the Ph.D. committee should be constituted.) All members of the committee prepare and read the written examinations and pose questions at the oral examinations.

Preliminary Written Examinations
The preliminary written examinations consist of three three-hour exams, covering the student’s major and minor fields, and the area of specialization (to be pursued in the dissertation). The examinations are comprehensive, testing the student’s critical abilities and familiarity with subject matter and methodology. The exams serve to indicate whether the student has adequate preparation and ability to carry out independent scholarly research and teaching.

1st. The major field examination focuses on one national literature and covers two or more related periods as defined by the profession. For example, a student specializing in Soviet film should choose Russian 19th and 20th century literature and culture as their field of concentration. Other examples include modern Polish literature from 1795 to the present; modern Czech literature from 1775 to the present; Russian Romanticism and Russian Realism. The field should be defined in consultation with the Ph.D. examination committee. This exam is intended to test the student’s comprehensive knowledge.

2nd. The area of specialization exam focuses in depth on a topic within the major field of study or comparatively within the major and minor field. Here, the specialization may be in a single author or movement, genre, specific historical period or event (1917, for example). This exam may be related to the student’s dissertation project.

3rd. The minor field examination focuses on an area of research supplementary to the student’s major field of concentration. Possible minor fields include but are not limited to study in another Slavic-area literature and culture, including Yiddish-language literature; Jewish studies; the visual and performing arts; critical theory; gender studies; cinema and related media; philosophy; history. This exam is intended to situate the student’s comprehensive knowledge and specialization within the broader framework of comparative or theoretical studies.

A reading list for each examination is established by the student in consultation with the appropriate members of the Ph.D. preliminary examination committee. The grading of written examinations is on a high pass/ pass/ fail basis. In case of a failure on any one part of the examination, the committee will decide whether the student shall be permitted to repeat that part before the student is advanced to the oral examination.

Preliminary Oral Examinations
The preliminary oral examination is one to two hours long, administered after the successful completion of the written examination, and serves to further test the student’s knowledge of the national literature and the related fields of specialization. Upon successful completion of the preliminary oral examination, the student is admitted to candidacy for the thesis stage.

4. Dissertation
Completion and defense of a Ph.D. dissertation.

Ph.D. Dissertation Committee
The Ph.D. dissertation committee generally consists of four faculty members, one of whom will direct the dissertation. Two of the members must be Slavic department faculty and at least one an outside member. (Please see the Graduate College requirements for details on how the Ph.D. committee should be constituted.) This committee may be the same as the Ph.D. preliminary exam committee.

Dissertation Prospectus
Early in the semester following advancement to candidacy, the student meets with the Ph.D. thesis committee to discuss the dissertation prospectus. At least one week in advance of the meeting and with the approval of the dissertation advisor, the student should present the Ph.D. committee with a dissertation prospectus (10-15 pages in length, including a statement of purpose and method, a chapter outline, and a bibliography).

Ph.D. Dissertation
The dissertation is a significant work of scholarship of 180–300 pages that engages a scholarly tradition and advances knowledge and/or interpretation in the field. The dissertation should be on a topic that is likely to be accepted for publication as a book by a university press. The dissertation is written in close consultation with the dissertation advisor, who will schedule regular meetings with the student and assist in setting goals and deadlines for work on the dissertation. Students are encouraged to pursue funding for dissertation research abroad.

Ph.D. Oral Defense
Students are expected to meet with members of the Ph.D. dissertation committee prior to scheduling a defense.

The Ph.D. final examination consists of the public defense of the completed dissertation. Public announcement of the defense should be made in advance, and a one-page abstract of the dissertation provided to the departmental faculty and graduate students. The dissertation, as approved by the dissertation advisor, must be made available to each member of the Ph.D. committee at least three weeks before the final examination is to take place. The final version of the dissertation, incorporating any changes deemed necessary by the committee, must conform to all requirements of the Graduate College.