University: University of Connecticut
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Not
Listed
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
There is one examination time for all MA students: January in the second
capstone for earning an
year.
M.A.)
This is a six-hour examination, though students may choose to take less
time. The morning session centers on Sections 1 and 2 and lasts 3 hours
(9:00AM-12:00PM). There is a lunch break between noon and 1:00 PM. The
afternoon session centers on Sections 3 and 4 and also lasts 3 hours
(1:00PM-4:00PM). Whereas the morning session is organized around closereading, the afternoon session tests analytical skills more widely.
Each exam is read by two members of the Examination committee, who
award it a grade of "high pass," "pass," "low pass," or "fail." If the readers
split, a third reader from the committee is to be consulted. All final grade
decisions are made by the committee.
Section 1: Close reading of Poetry or Prose (1.5 hours):
It will be important for the committee to remember that "close reading"
might be interpreted in very different ways by different readers. The term
might mean either close historical, formalist, or thematic reading, for
instance. The key is that students must show an ability to analyze carefully
and in a sophisticated manner the specific text that they are given.
Section 2: Close reading of Criticism (1.5 hours)
The committee must provide excerpts of criticism from the chosen theory
reader on the MA Examination List (for this three-year cycle, the entries are
from Criticism: Major Statements, 4th ed., ed. Charles Kaplan and William
Davis Anderson [Bedford St. Martin's, 2000]).
Section 3: Period-Based Question (1.5 hours)
Questions will require students to demonstrate a) a sense of the historical
uniqueness of certain literary movements, styles, or themes; b) an ability to
analyze multiple texts in relation to the historical factors that influenced
and are influenced by them; and c) an ability to analyze how texts speak to
one another synchronically.
Section 4: Trans-Historical Question (1.5 hours)
Questions will define "genre" somewhat loosely as referring to everything
from traditional literary categories such as "Romance" to thematically
linked texts (i.e., wartime literature) to broad categories like "drama" and
"lyric poetry." The point is that students must now demonstrate an ability
to analyze how texts speak to one another diachronically.
Official MA Examination is available at
http://english.uconn.edu/graduate/gradhandbook/maexam.html
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing
a dissertation)
No information provided.
The Doctoral Examination reading list consists of two parts: Field and
Specialist. The purpose of the Field list is to establish a professional working
knowledge of the candidate's selected field (Medieval, Renaissance, Theory,
Rhetoric, etc.). The Specialist Examination list focuses on those secondary
materials that provide an intellectual and theoretical basis for the
dissertation. The Graduate Executive Committee recommends the following
timeline for completion of the Doctoral Examination:
1. In consultation with the Advisory Committee, create Exam lists in
the spring semester of the final coursework year.
2. Submit Exam lists and the Doctoral Examination Approval Form to
the Graduate Office for approval by May 1.
3. Submit Plan of Study to the Graduate School in summer or early fall
semester in the third year.
4. Take the Doctoral Examination no later than February 28th of the
fourth year for M.A./Ph.D.s, or third year for Ph.D.s. The Executive
Committee recommends that students take exams in the late Fall.
5. Submit dissertation prospectus and schedule the Prospectus
Colloquium no later than April 1st of the fourth year for
M.A./Ph.D.s, or third year for M.A./Ph.D.s.
Creation and Submission of Examination Lists
Reading lists are to be drawn up by the candidate in consultation with his or
her dissertation Advisory Committee. Each list should be accompanied by a
brief statement (1-2 paragraphs maximum), known as a "rationale," which
explains their content. There should be no overlap of texts from the Field
List to the Specialist List. The candidate is responsible for making copies of
his/her lists and rationales and depositing them, along with the completed
Doctoral Examination Approval Form, in the Graduate English Office no
later than April 15th of the final year of coursework. All reading lists will
then be referred to the Graduate Executive Committee for approval.
The Field list consists of 60-80 primary works in the selected major field.
Students whose dissertations cross periods or fields may be permitted to
combine works from 2 fields, such as nineteenth-century American
Literature and Children's Literature, or twentieth-century American and
twentieth-century British literatures. A primary "work" refers to a play, a
long poem or prose piece, a selection of multiple poems, short stories, or
essays, a novella, or a novel; for fields such as Rhetoric or Theory, primary
works refer to key books and essays that together capture their historical
development. Generally speaking, excerpts are not permissible, though
standard excerpts of exceedingly long or multi-volume works may be
permitted with the approval of the Advisory Committee and the Graduate
Studies Committee. In assembling selections of poems, essays, excerpts,
etc., candidates should not use undergraduate-oriented anthologies such as
the Norton or Bedford anthologies; instead, candidates should research and
choose an authoritative scholarly edition that surveys adequately--for a
Ph.D.-level exam--each author's writings. All items should be numbered
clearly, and lists should be arranged chronologically or in some other
systematic fashion.
The Specialist list consists of 35-45 secondary works that will inform the
dissertation. A secondary "work" can refer to a book, a long essay, or a
group of short essays. The candidate's list will reflect both breadth and
depth of reading and a sense of the history of criticism throughout the
specialty field as well as contemporary critical approaches to the works. The
Graduate Executive Committee expects that the Specialist list will be
focused mainly on secondary work. It is intended that this list will help the
candidate to move toward the writing of the dissertation prospectus.
Students whose ideas about the dissertation continue to change during the
reading period may, of course, update their lists with the approval of the
Advisory Committee.
Taking the Examination
Examination questions are to be drafted by the candidate's Committee and
approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, but the Major Advisor is
responsible for overseeing the exam. Candidates are not permitted to view
the questions prior to the examination. The questions in the Examination
are organized into three distinct sections:
The first tests the candidate's knowledge of works on the Field List.
Candidates must answer one of two questions
The second tests the candidate's knowledge of works on the Specialist List.
Candidates must answer one of two questions.
The third tests the candidate's ability to synthesize material from both lists
in the service of a single comprehensive argument. Candidates must answer
one of two questions.
This open-book, take-home examination must be written over a 72-hour
period, between the hours of 8 AM on day one, when the exam is
distributed, and 8 AM on day 4, when the exam must be emailed to the
major advisor and Graduate Program Assistant. The Graduate Executive
Committee strongly recommends that all candidates consult their entire
Advisory Committee about their personal understanding of the examination
process and expectations for each part of it--both early in the process of
studying the lists and at a later stage just prior to scheduling the
examination. Committees and candidates may wish to establish
recommendations or guidelines for how candidates will ideally approach
the examination over the 72-hour test period. For example, candidates who
feel they require more structure may ask their major advisor to collect each
response at a designated time (e.g., essay 1 on the first evening, essay 2 on
the second evening, and essay 3 on the final evening). The point of the
take-home examination is NOT to suggest that candidates should be
working non-stop or obsessively on an examination for the entire time;
rather, the point is to allow candidates to demonstrate adequately their
knowledge of a sizable body of material and to articulate this knowledge
without feeling rushed. The Executive Committee assumes that each essay
will be approximately 10-15 pages of double-spaced prose (with limited
block quoting); that each essay will answer the question asked by the
Advisory Committee, however creatively; that each essay will establish a
clear argument and seek to back it up with textual evidence; and that each
essay will be clearly written and appropriately revised. Pre-written essays
are strictly forbidden.
University: University of Houston
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Students will take three written examinations:
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
Students will take one examination in a historical period from a list
dissertation)
established by the faculty in that area.
Students will take an examination in a historical period related to their
primary historical period, literary theory, or rhetoric. A related historical
period denotes either a historical period immediately before or after the
primary historical period, and the trans-Atlantic counterpart of that
period. (For example, the related historical periods for Renaissance
Literature are Old and Middle English Literature, Restoration and 18th
-century literature and the trans-Atlantic counterpart, American
Literature before 1865.)
Students will take an examination in a specialized area of inquiry
developed from a reading list established by the student and two faculty
mentors. The reading list for this examination will be comparable to the
established lists in length and scope.
Specialized area of inquiry
The subject and scope of the comprehensive examination in a specialized
area of inquiry is determined by the student in consultation with two
members of the faculty in the Department of English and submitted to
the Office of Graduate Studies for approval. The reading list for this
examination should be consistent in length and variety with those of
the established examinations. This examination should cover a subject,
theoretical issue or genre, and may be related to the student’s
prospective dissertation research. It should not be focused exclusively on
the dissertation topic, but should prepare students for writing the
dissertation by developing their understanding of the background or
context of their dissertation topic. The subject of the examination should
be comparable to a disciplinary or teaching specialization rather than to a
limited body of literary texts or a highly specific research question. In
designing the reading list for the examination, the student and consulting
faculty should include both primary and secondary readings that enable
the student to gain both breadth and depth of knowledge in the area of
inquiry.
The reading list for the examination in a specialized area of inquiry will be
submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.
If the student has chosen to take the written comprehensive
examinations over two semesters and because of failures must extend
the examining period beyond two semesters, in no case will that student
be permitted to exceed three semesters as the time limit in which to pass
the three doctoral written comprehensive examinations. Students who
do not satisfactorily complete all three sections of the comprehensive
examinations within the allotted time will be dismissed from the doctoral
program.
University: University of Louisville
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
(Rhetoric and Composition )
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Non-Thesis Option: 30 hours of coursework + a culminating project
capstone for earning an
Students who choose this option may, as a culminating project, select
M.A.)
one of their strongest seminar papers or creative writing projects to
revise; the purpose of the project is to give students the opportunity to
revise a seminar paper with publication in mind. To this end, students will
write a brief prospectus (2-3 pages plus bibliography) detailing the types
of revisions they will make to the paper. A screening committee will
evaluate the prospectus and, upon its approval, the student will make
the necessary revisions under the guidance of a faculty advisor.
I cannot find mention of an examination.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Memphis
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
(Creative writing)
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Students entering without a master’s degree in English or 30 hours of
exam given early on as a
appropriate graduate work, as determined by the Graduate Coordinator,
condition for continuing
must take a qualifying examination the semester after accumulating 30
pursuit of the doctorate)
hours of graduate work through graduate transfer credit and/or graduate
courses completed at The University of Memphis. Qualifying
examinations are designed to ascertain that the range of knowledge is
appropriate at this level. These written exams will be tailored to the
individual student’s course of study. The Graduate Coordinator will
appoint an appropriate committee with expertise in the course of study.
The qualifying exams are equivalent to the MA comprehensive exams.
The MA comprehensive exams test the student's course work; however,
the MA comprehensive exams in Composition Studies and Professional
Writing also include a reading list. Examinations are graded high pass,
pass, or fail. Students who pass the exam will be allowed to advance to
doctoral-level study. However, a student who fails one section of the
qualifying examination will be given one opportunity during the same
semester or not later than the following semester to retake that section
with a different question. A student who fails more than one exam
question will be given an opportunity to take a different exam no later
than the following semester.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
There will be three written comprehensive exams and one oral exam:
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
1. One four-hour proctored written exam will cover the Ph.D.
dissertation)
student’s concentration. The objective of this exam is to
demonstrate that the student has a command of 75-100 seminal
texts, in his or her concentration, that are not, for the most part,
included in the reading list for exam # 2. This list will be
determined by each committee.
2. A second proctored four-hour written exam will allow students to
demonstrate that they have enough background / reading
knowledge to qualify them to teach upper division and graduate
courses in the student’s chosen area of specialization within the
concentration. This area will be determined by the student in
conjunction with his or her committee. The student will develop
the reading list in conjunction with his or her advisor and / or
committee, and the reading list for this portion of this exam will
consist of between 50-75 texts (i.e., books, book chapters, and /
or articles).
3. A third written exam, a take-home exam, must consist of 3,5005,000 words that test the student’s command of his or her
knowledge of his or her proposed dissertation area. The objective
of this exam is for the student to demonstrate that he or she has
enough background / reading knowledge and an ability to write a
sophisticated essay concerning a literature review of the
student’s prospective dissertation area. This essay will cite at
least 20-25 texts. The take-home exam should take no more than
seven (7) days to complete.
To allow time to study for the exams, students should take their
first written exam within two semesters after completing all
Ph.D. coursework (including the foreign language requirements).
Students could then take one exam per week over three weeks. A
student will have a maximum of two months to complete all of
the comprehensive exams.
4. After the written exams have been completed and graded, there
will be a two-hour oral exam based upon the written exams.
5. A student who fails one section of the comprehensive
examination will be given one opportunity during the same
semester or not later than the following semester to retake that
section. A student who fails more than one section of the exam
will be given an opportunity to take a different exam (with all
new questions) no later than the following semester. A student
who fails the second comprehensive exam will be dismissed from
the program.
University: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAM
capstone for earning an
All literature students face the same exam questions on each day, with
M.A.)
some question choices. Question subject matter can range from aspects
of literary form and genre to theme, characterization, and the place of a
text within an author’s work or a larger context.
Day One (3 hours, 50 minutes total): 2 short essay answers for each of
the 4 sections of the year’s Reading List (8 short essays total). All answers
for a section should be about works from that period alone; the same
work also cannot be used to answer more than one question on Day One.
These essays will be a few paragraphs at most and therefore cannot be
comprehensive. But students will be evaluated on their ability to answer
the questions with reference to specific features of the texts, the more
specific the better. While answers should be in grammatical prose, they
need not be well-polished essays with thesis statements, development,
and conclusions, and should spend as little time as possible on
introduction.
Day Two (3 hours + 30 minutes to review the work): All students write
one 1-hr. essay and one 2-hr. essay (with question choices for
each). Some questions are open as to works discussed and approach
taken; others give authors or titles to choose among.
Students will still be evaluated for their reference to specific features of
the texts.
Some of these broad essay questions are designed to elicit connections
and comparisons between works from distinct historical eras and
contexts.
In at least one essay, students are expected to demonstrate the ability
to engage critical theory.
As far as possible given the subject matter, the essays
should incorporate a diversity of male and female authors, ethnicities,
colonial, post-colonial, or Commonwealth contexts, genres, and historical
eras.
The Common List is divided into four sections of roughly 1020 authors each. Students are tested on all four sections on both exam
days:
Literature Before 1660
English and American Literature, 1660-1800
English and American Literature, 1800-1900
Literature Since 1900
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Written Exam
Each examiner will compose one question. These will probe for breadth
and synthesis and may indicate specific texts or a number of texts that
the student must consider, although there is no set format prescribed.
The student will choose two of these questions and write a 10-pp.
double-spaced essay responding to each; at least one question must be
taken from the two submitted by examiners in the comprehensive field,
but the other can be selected from those submitted by special topic
examiners. The exam will be an open-book take-home, completed within
72 hours. The two essays will then be circulated to all four examiners.
There will be no formal evaluation of the written until the conclusion of
the oral. All students will proceed to the oral.
Oral Exam
The exam will consist of four modules: a 45-minute discussion of the
comprehensive field, with both examiners in open discussion with the
student; two 30-minute discussions, one conducted by each examiner of
the special topic lists; and a 15-minute concluding conversation involving
the student and all members of the committee, which should aspire to
make connections between and among the exam topics and lists. The
sequencing of the first three modules will be at the discretion of the
student. The written essays may serve as points of departure for
appropriate sections of the oral exam, although the amount of time
devoted to discussion of the essays is at the discretion of the examiners.
The oral should not be conceived narrowly as a defense of the written.
The student's performance on the examination as a whole will be judged
on a pass/fail basis. In the event of failure, the student may petition the
Graduate Director for permission to take the relevant part(s) of the
examination a second time, but approval is not automatic and this may
not be done more than once.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Southern Methodist University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Currently
Suspending
All
Applications
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The purpose of Qualifying Examinations is both to prepare the doctoral
exam given early on as a
student for future scholarship and to evaluate his or her readiness to
condition for continuing
begin the dissertation. By the beginning of the spring semester of the
pursuit of the doctorate)
second or third year (depending upon plan), the student will choose a
Director for the written exams. This person is often, but not always
someone who may serve as the Director of your dissertation. Whether
she or he serves in this role or not, the student should choose this person
carefully. The Director will help you in selecting the topics for the exams,
preparing for the exams, and in selecting two other members of the
examination committee from the Department of English.
Near the end of their fifth or seventh semester students sit for the
written qualifying exams, detailed below (“Qualifying Exams”). The
qualifying exams involve a two-stage process: first, written exams in
three fields; second, in the following (sixth or eighth) semester, an oral
defense of a prospectus for the student’s dissertation.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of South Florida
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
During their final term of coursework, students will take a comprehensive
capstone for earning an
written exam on literature from the six areas of historical distribution:
M.A.)
 Medieval and Early Modern
 Eighteenth-century British and Early Literature of the Americas
 Nineteenth-century British and colonies
 Nineteenth-century of the Americas
 Twentieth-century British and post-colonial
 Twentieth-century of the Americas
Students will prepare for the exam by reading the list of identified works
(available at the start of the program). The list will be established and
published with a clear expiration date (five years); the succeeding list will
be ready at least one year prior to implementation in the exam.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
After completing 30 hours of coursework, the language requirement, and
all incomplete grades, a student may take the Ph.D. examination. The
standardized exam will be offered twice each academic year for all
eligible students and consists of:
 A 24-hour take-home exam divided into four written sections
(1,000 words apiece), the content of which corresponds to the
four core courses: Composition Theory, Research Methods,
Rhetoric and Technology, and Historical Rhetorics. Questions will
be available in Canvas at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the exam.
Questions will be digitally submitted to the exam chair by 9:00
a.m. on the following day for SafeAssign (or other software as
approved by University and Department) submission in Canvas.
 A manuscript suitable for publication in a specified scholarly
journal (7,000?8,500 words) to be turned in at the same time as
the 24-hour exam. The topic of the manuscript should be based
on the student's specialization in Rhetoric and Composition. This
manuscript can be a revision of a course paper or conference
paper or an extension of their project from the Scholarly Writing
and Research class. It must contribute to the discipline by
advancing scholarly discussions in Rhetoric and Composition
studies and offering new knowledge.
Both parts of the exam carry equal weight. All exams will be assessed by a
rotating committee of at least 3 Rhetoric and Composition faculty
representing different areas of disciplinary expertise. Every exam
question will be graded by each member of the committee, although
emphasis will be placed upon readers' areas of specialization when
determining the final score for each question.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Temple University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Nothing is listed for MA students aside from the “Qualifying Paper,”
capstone for earning an
which looks exactly like a thesis.
M.A.)
MFA Students aren’t as lucky:
The M.F.A. exam is administered once a year, due on the Friday
immediately preceding the day on which the spring semester begins. The
exam is based on two fixed and comprehensive lists of major works, one
in poetry and one in fiction. Students are examined in their genre.
The M.F.A. exam requires the student to write a ten-to-fifteen-page
paper discussing four-to-five authors/books of fiction or five-to-eight
poets/books of poetry from the reading lists that the students have
found connect with their practice and ideally will be relevant to
their thesis plans.
The essay should address issues of craft and aesthetics, but may include
other points of reference. The paper should demonstrate a facility for
critical discourse and indicate a breadth of knowledge of literary
traditions. It should not delve at length into the students’ own writing or
personal issues. Outside research or citations from other sources
are not required.
M.F.A. exams are set up for a blind reading by 2 graders (both members
of the Creative Writing Executive Committee) or 3 if the original readers
do not agree on passing or failing it. Exams are graded "Pass" or "Fail."
Students are allowed to see the reports on their exams.
If a student fails the exam they are given the opportunity to make
“revisions.” If a student’s revisions are deemed inadequate the student is
dropped from the Creative Writing program. Appeals are accepted.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
Following the completion of coursework, students must pass a
preliminary examination, before proceeding to the dissertation stage.
The exam is usually taken within one year of the completion of
coursework. It covers two distinct areas of research related to the
student's interests. The subject areas are determined, in advance, by the
student and the Dissertation Committee. The examination consists of a
written examination on each of the two fields, followed by an oral
examination a few weeks later. The exam in its entirety is evaluated by
the student's Dissertation Committee.
University: University of Central Florida
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The comprehensive examination is a written exam based on four of the
capstone for earning an
core courses (excluding ENG 5009) and two concentration areas designed
M.A.)
by the student. (The website says four courses, but when they describe
the core courses there are only three?)
 ENG 5009 Methods of Bibliography and Research
 ENG 6078 Contemporary Movements in Literary, Cultural, and
Textual Theory
 ENG 6950 Capstone Course (Described as: Systematic and
comprehensive revision of previous graduate writing with special
attention to use of theory and professionalization towards the
goal of publication and/or conference presentation.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Boston College
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Every student must pass a three-part comprehensive examination which
capstone for earning an
measures his or her mastery of skills integral to advanced literary studies:
M.A.)
Textual analysis (Part I), historical placement (Part II), and a theory exam
(Part III). The examinations are offered in December and May. Students
typically take Part I in their first year and Part III at the end of the
semester in which they take their required theory course. Students may
not take more than two exams in one semester, and it is not
recommended to save more than one exam until May of their final year.
Students should consult with the M.A. program director and other faculty
to plan an appropriate course of study in anticipation of the examinations
and in keeping with their academic goals.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Recently, the doctoral program has streamlined its exam system to
exam given as a capstone
improve 'time to degree.' Students now proceed through a sequence of
prior to writing a
three examinations: a minor field examination completed before the end
dissertation)
of the second year; a major field examination; a dissertation field
examination. In collaboration with faculty members, candidates design
examinations that will prepare them to work in a variety of periods,
genres and literary approaches. Examinations can take a variety of forms:
they may focus on teaching, literary theory, a single author or group of
authors, a literary genre, or a literary period. Recent exam topics include
Medieval Women Writers, Ecocritical Theory, The American Renaissance,
Romanticism and Colonialism in the Caribbean Atlantic, The Gothic, a
theory exam on the body, and a teaching exam on English Romanticism.
The dissertation field exam allows students to explore the area in which
their dissertation is likely to take place.
University: Clemson University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Required for both thesis and non-thesis routes.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
You will be judged on three basic points. The degree to which you meet
these criteria will determine whether an honors, pass, or fail is awarded.
The three points are these:
1. What is your command of the texts on the M.A. in English Reading List?
Do you furnish correct data in response to the questions?
2. How well do you handle yourself during the examination? You should
be articulate and able to provide lucid, well-organized answers.
3. How well do you interpret the data given in response to the questions?
You should be able to comment on the significance or the artistic feature
of the work under discussion; you should be able to make connections
among works based on theme or genre or other elements of the works.
In order to provide some uniformity to the oral examination procedures,
the following rationale and ground rules are given to all graduate faculty
and students:
• Initial questions should be broad and open ended. Follow-up questions
should deal with information already elicited from the students. If a
student has found a theme in a work, the examiner may encourage
discussion but may also ask about other themes.
• The examiner is interested in learning quickly and efficiently what a
student knows or does not know. If the student obviously cannot talk
about a work, the examiner will move on to something else.
• Once the examiner is satisfied that the student has read the work with
intelligence and understanding, he or she will move on.
• Students will be asked to make connections—to other works within the
section, to works in other sections, and to larger themes expressed by
the list.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
• Students are not expected to know critical scholarship on the works
contained on the reading list; however, students should know basic
literary terms such as allegory, naturalism, elegy, tragedy, ode, etc., and
should be able to speak critically about these terms as they apply to the
works on the reading list.
N/A
N/A
University: Duke University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Duke does not provide specifics related to particular programs; they only
capstone for earning an
give a general explanation of exams for a “MA in the Humanities.”
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
See above
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
See above
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Florida State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
FSU does not mention a comprehensive exam in their student handbook;
capstone for earning an
instead, they list a “final requirement.” For MA students, a capstone
M.A.)
course is required to earn a degree, and the MFA students must create
and defend a portfolio.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
To be formally admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D., the student must
exam given early on as a
pass the preliminary examination at least 6 months before the degree is
condition for continuing
to be granted. The examination consists of a 12-hour written test given
pursuit of the doctorate)
over 3 days (8 hours on the major area, 4 hours on the minor area), and a
1- to 2 hour oral examination by the supervisory committee, normally
held within three weeks after the written test.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Georgia Institute of Technology
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Digital
Media
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Maryland
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The MA Writing Project serves as a capstone to the program. A delimited
capstone for earning an
study that can be done relatively expeditiously, the Writing Project
M.A.)
provides students with excellent experience in producing a professional
article-length essay.
The Writing Project involves revision of a paper written in one of the ten
courses required for the MA. The goal is to improve the paper
significantly by revising it as if for publication. To that end, the student's
revised paper should attempt to contribute to the field of study on which
it focuses, to develop an original argument, and to make good use of
primary and secondary sources. The paper should be article-length
(approximately 25 pages or 10,000 words).
The one-hour defense of the Writing Project begins with the student
giving a brief presentation of the paper, focusing on the revision process;
the presentation is followed by an open discussion of the paper by the
committee members and the student.
At the conclusion of the discussion, the committee assigns to the Writing
Project one of three grades: "High Pass," a recognition of truly exemplary
work requiring agreement of all committee members; "Pass," a judgment
by at least two committee members that the paper fulfills the main goals
of the Writing Project; and "Fail," a judgment by at least two committee
members that the paper does not fulfill those goals. Students who
receive a "High Pass"or "Pass" will make final revisions at the discretion
of the Director; the final revision must be submitted to the Director no
later than the end of the semester. Students who receive the grade of
"Fail" may resubmit a revised paper in a subsequent semester. A second
"Fail" will disqualify the student from receiving the MA.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The Reading List
The Qualifying Examination is based on a reading list compiled by the
student in consultation with his or her committee. The list will include
roughly 80-120 works, chosen to cover two of the following categories: a
literary period; a recognized field; the proposed area of the
dissertation. For students planning to work in literature, it is assumed
that a 100-year period will be covered. The field may be interpreted as
any discrete literary concern that has accrued a body of serious critical
thought, and may include such diverse subjects as genre; literary,
linguistic, or theoretical criticism or methodology; a sub-period.
Typically, students develop a literary period or field list of approximately
75 works and a more focused list of 25 works on the proposed
dissertation topic; also typically, around 80 percent of the list consists of
primary texts and 20 percent of secondary titles. But there are wide
varieties in lists (some will be longer than others; some will have more
criticism than others; etc.) The reading list must be approved by the
committee chair and one other committee member eight weeks prior to
the examination. A copy of the reading list, signed by your chair and one
other committee member, must be turned into the Graduate Office prior
to scheduling the exam. The deadline to have the reading list turned into
the Graduate Office will be announced every semester and there is no
required form to turn in - the committee members can sign the list
directly.
The Exam
The exam consists of two 60-minute parts: 1) an oral presentation by the
student and follow-up discussion of the presentation; 2) a general
examination on the reading lists.
Working in consultation with other members of the committee and the
student, the committee chair prepares 2-4 topics for part one of the
exam, the student's oral presentation. The student will receive the topics
from the graduate office one week before the oral examination. The
exam begins with the student's 15-20-minute oral presentation on the
selected topic. The student may bring a copy of the reading list and brief
notes to the exam. Students may also use Power Point or any other
technological aid for their presentation. A 35-40 minute discussion
follows the student's presentation.
Part two is an approximately one-hour examination on the student's two
reading lists. The emphasis here is on breadth.
At the conclusion of the examination the student leaves the room, and
the committee discusses and votes on the student's performance. Three
passing votes constitute a passing grade on the exam. If the student fails
the exam, s/he can retake the exam the following semester. The student
will receive a written assessment from the chair of the committee
indicating the reasons for the failure. The examination committee and
reading list should remain the same from the initial to the second
attempt. Changes must be requested, in writing, to the DGS, and may be
made only upon approval by the DGS. Failing the exam a second time
disqualifies the student from continuing in the PhD program. The DGS or
a representative from the Graduate Studies Committee will be present at
the second attempt to ensure procedural fairness. The chair of the
examining committee informs the Director of Graduate Studies in writing
about the result of the exam.
University: University of Miami
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
During the final semester of coursework, the student will draft the three
exam given as a capstone
reading lists for which s/he will be examined and will outline the
prior to writing a
dissertation proposal. Three English Department faculty members, who
dissertation)
will constitute the student’s supervisory committee, will participate in
this process.
The supervisory committee will assist the student in compiling three
reading lists: Two on standard, general knowledge areas (such as listed
below), and a third on the dissertation topic.
The lists should include material that is primary, historical, critical, and
theoretical. The reading lists should be drafted before the end of the
semester; final copies of the lists, signed by the student and faculty
members, must be filed with the Graduate Studies Director at least one
month before the examination. No changes may be made to any signed
list without the knowledge of the student and permission of the
examiner for that area.
General Knowledge Areas for the Qualifying Examination:
19th-Century American Literature Victorian Literature; 20th-Century
American Literature; 20th-Century British Literature; African American
Literature Caribbean Literature
Old and Middle English Literature Irish Literature
English Renaissance Literature Literary Theory
17th
-Century English Literature Ethnic Literatures
Restoration and 18th
-Century English Literature Transnational Literature4
5. Qualifying Examination Procedures
a. In consultation with the Director of Graduates Studies, the student
chooses a
dissertation director and two other members of the faculty to serve as
the supervisory
committee. The student and the supervisory committee set a tentative
date for the written
examination.
b. In consultation with the three faculty members, the student puts
together three lists for
three specific fields, each of 20-25 titles. The lists should, in general, be
oriented around
the dissertation proposal and also be seen as dynamic and not finalized
until a month
before the written examination. The composition of the lists, the balance
between primary
and secondary sources, and the weighting of theoretical and practical
criticism are left to
the student in consultation with the committee.
c. The student will work with the dissertation director to produce a draft
of the prospectus
that is then distributed to the other committee members at least one
week before the
examination date. At this time the date for the written examination will
be finalized. The
dissertation director gives copies of the proposal to the two other
members of the
committee. These two members prepare the examination questions from
the two lists
over which they have supervised the student; the combined written
examination should
be about 4 hours. The questions and responses are shared by all the
members of the
committee prior to the oral examination.
d. A week after the written examination the student meets with the
committee for the oral
part of the examination. This discussion includes both the results of the
written
examination and the proposal.
e. The possible passing grades on the qualifying examination are “pass”
and “pass with
distinction.” The latter grade may be awarded only by a unanimous vote
of the
supervisory committee. Upon successful completion of the qualifying
examination, the
student should be able to move directly to the writing of the first
dissertation chapter.
f. If the student fails to complete the entire examination or if, in the
judgment of the
examiners, the student’s performance on any part of the examination is
unsatisfactory, the
examiners may require that the student retake all or part of the
examination; alternatively,
the supervisory committee may recommend to the Graduate Studies
Director that the
student not be admitted to the final stage of the program.
University: North Carolina State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Communication,
Rhetoric, and
Digital Media
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students are required to complete a capstone project (thesis). NCSU’s
capstone for earning an
website does not mention any comprehensive exams for M.A. students.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The written portion of the preliminary examination will be geared toward
exam given as a capstone
assessing mastery of both core requirement subject matter and areas of
prior to writing a
specialization chosen by the student. The specific content will be based
dissertation)
on reading lists developed in conjunction with the advisory committee. It
will consist of three questions designed by that committee, focusing on
the areas of specialization; answers to these questions are to be
completed in a 72-hour period.
The oral portion of the preliminary examination follows successful
completion of the written portion and includes a representative from the
Graduate School. This portion will last approximately two hours, and
while it may include material covered in the written examination, it
should not be limited to the written work and will usually include
discussion of the dissertation prospectus. A unanimous vote of approval
of the advisory committee is required to pass the preliminary
examination.
University: University of North Carolina
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Typical comprehensive exams; however, they do allow for substitutions.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Examples of approved substitutes are capstone courses, technical reports
or independent research projects. Typically, capstone courses can only
substitute for comprehensive exams, not for a formal thesis. These
capstone courses should synthesize all material studied in the program –
not just in a review format but through a set of discussions and
assignments where all material from the program is brought together to
complete the students' learning. Variations on research papers and
projects should be similar to a traditional research thesis but may be
more targeted or practical as suited to the discipline. The Graduate
School will provide examples of approved substitutes on request.
Proposals for substitutes are taken to the Academic Policy Committee of
The Graduate School for feedback and approval. Senior Staff (dean,
associate, and assistant deans) of The Graduate School should be
involved as early as possible to provide guidance in the planning process.
While there is no standard format for requesting a substitute, programs
should address the following issues in submitting their proposal to The
Graduate School:
ƒ Provide the motivation and background for the proposed substitute.
ƒ Confirm the proposal has been created and approved internally by the
appropriate parties.
ƒ Describe the proposed structure for the change, including academic
requirements, faculty involvement, administrative support, and
resources.
ƒ State if the proposed change is for the comprehensive examination
requirement, the thesis requirement, or both.
ƒ Submit the Request for Curriculum Change forms for approval through
the normal process, if new courses are to be created.
ƒ Confirm students will still meet all registration requirements (i.e. at least
three credit hours of thesis/thesis option registration (393/392),
registration in the semester in which the exam/approved option is taken,
and registration in the semester in which the thesis is defended or thesis
option is completed).
ƒ Provide any other supporting materials to assist with a thorough review
of the request.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
UNC does not provide much information:




assess the extent and currency of the candidate's knowledge in a
manner that is as comprehensive and searching as the best
practices of that field require;
test the candidate's knowledge of all transferred courses;
discover any weaknesses in the candidate's knowledge that need
to be remedied by additional courses or other instruction; and
determine the candidate's fitness to continue work toward the
doctorate.
University: University of Pittsburgh
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Film Studies;
Critical and
Cultural Studies
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students must write a thesis.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
At the end of the third year, students develop a critical project in Film
exam given as a capstone
Studies (e.g., film, television, photography, video, or new media) that
prior to writing a
functions as the comprehensive examination required to achieve
dissertation)
doctoral candidacy. This project defines an area of study sufficiently
broad in scope to suggest a range of long-term intellectual goals that
build on previous coursework and prepare them for more focused
dissertation work. At least one member of a student’s three-member
project committee) must be a member of the Film Studies graduate
faculty in English (generally, the committee chair). Additionally, more film
faculty from English may comprise the student’s two other committee
members.
The first phase of the project involves a project proposal, a 10-page
document with bibliography developed in consultation with a studentformed project committee. Between the end of the third year and the
end of the fall term of the fourth year, students write a 30-page project
paper or papers that explore some of the problems and issues laid out in
the proposal and developed in the course of their research. The final
phase of the PhD project is a written and oral exam, which takes place
before the second term of the fourth year. The exam phase of the project
builds on the proposal, the bibliography, and the project paper.
The overarching goals of the PhD project are to prepare students for the
broadly informed yet in-depth inquiry required of a dissertation, and to
facilitate participation in the critical intellectual activity of Film Studies.
Critical and Cultural Ph.D. students must do the same. This is in addition
to the completion and defense of a dissertation.
University: Syracuse University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Students submit and defend a dossier of three papers—initially written
capstone for earning an
during coursework—and present them as a culminating work. The
M.A.)
website does not mention an exam.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Three-Hour Written Examination
exam given early on as a
Students will take a three-hour closed book examination on a reading list
condition for continuing
in ONE of the following four fields: British Literature, American Literature,
pursuit of the doctorate)
Film and Screen Studies, and Theory. The student¿s examination field will
be selected in consultation with the faculty advisor in accordance with
the student¿s research plans for the Ph.D. The four set, general Ph.D.
Exam Reading Lists will be provided to students upon entering the
program so that they can begin to prepare for the exam well in
advance. From the set reading list, each student will choose, at the end
of the semester preceding the semester in which the examination is to be
taken, 60-70 texts upon which to be examined.*
*Typically, students are waived from the 3-hour, written exam in their
intended field of study upon admission, conditional upon completing
certain coursework. Students who switch fields of study after beginning
their studies can petition the Graduate Committee for a waiver from the
new exam field.
Field Exam Essay
Students submit what they believe to be their best, revised 20-30 page
critical paper drawn from their first three semesters of Ph.D. coursework
in English at Syracuse. The paper need not be located in a student¿s
intended field of study. Before submission, the student should revise
his/her paper based on a detailed, written reader¿s report provided by
the faculty member for whose course the essay was originally
submitted. There is no expectation of further faculty supervision of Field
Exam Essay writing beyond this initial report. Students must submit the
reader¿s report, along with their Field Exam Essay, by April 15th of their
second year in the Ph.D. program.
Evaluation
Each part of the exam is graded pass/fail. All exams in a given field for a
given sitting of the three-hour, written exam will be composed and
graded by a committee of three, appointed by the Graduate Committee,
comprised of field specialists and/or other faculty members with relevant
expertise. The evaluation committee must render a grade for each exam
as a committee. All Field Exam Essays in a given year will be graded by an
anonymous five-person faculty evaluation committee. This committee
will be appointed each year by the Graduate Committee from among the
English faculty. It is acceptable for faculty who wrote a reader¿s report
for one or more essays being submitted that year also to serve on the
evaluation committee. The evaluation committee must render a grade for
each essay as a committee.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
Ph.D. Qualifying Examination
This three-hour oral examination is taken: after the third year of
coursework for those entering with a B.A., typically in the fall of the
seventh semester; and after the second year of coursework for those
entering with an M.A., typically at the start of the fifth semester.
Students will be examined on two fields.
 The first field focuses on the literary, critical, and/or
cinematic/media texts of a major period.
 The second field may focus on a particular topic, genre, or mode
of inquiry to establish the student's competence for writing the
dissertation. Its scope and rational will be determined by the
student in consultation with the faculty exam committee.
A combined reading list for the exams will be composed by the student in
consultation with the faculty exam committee and will be approved by
the Graduate Committee. The exam committee will be comprised of
three faculty members chosen by the student with the approval of the
Graduate Committee.
University: University of Virginia
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
A one-hour oral examination, conducted by two faculty members
capstone for earning an
appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies, on a topic and list of
M.A.)
readings submitted by the student. Lists normally consist of ten primary
texts and two or three secondary texts taken from the departmental list
in the student's chosen area. Alternatively, students may devise an
examination list of the same scope with its own principle of coherence
(thematic, generic, or the like). Such improvised lists must include a onepage proposal, explaining the choice of texts and rationale for bringing
them together. All orals lists must be approved by an area committee
head or other appropriate faculty member as well as the Director of
Graduate Studies.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
In consultation with faculty and after a summer's directed reading, the
exam given as a capstone
student should compile balanced and comprehensive reading lists
prior to writing a
consisting of about forty-six works in each of two areas: historical Period
dissertation)
and additional research and teaching Field. The reading lists must be
approved by the appropriate faculty members and submitted by
September 15, together with the application form, to the Director of
Graduate Studies, who assigns two faculty examiners. The Graduate
Office will then contact the examiners to arrange a two-hour
exam, typically late in the fall of the third year. Students are responsible
for informing examiners and the Graduate Office of minor emendations
in the lists.
University: Virginia Tech
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Rhetoric
and
Writing
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Aside from a form, no information is provided about the final exam that
capstone for earning an
is referenced for M.A. students.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Nothing listed.
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Wake Forest University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students are required to create and successfully defend a thesis.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Baylor University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Non-thesis track:
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
The candidate must undergo a one-hour oral examination after all of the
above requirements have been satisfied in order to demonstrate mastery
of the field and capacity for independent thought.
The examining committee will be made up of a minimum of four faculty
members (at least three from the English Department) with a terminal
degree and who have taught the candidate. The fourth member will be a
Graduate Faculty member from outside the English Department. All four
committee members must be present. One professor shall be designated
as chairperson of the examining committee and shall assist the candidate
in forming an examining committee and discussing possible test content.
The candidate should arrange the time of the examination with the
chairperson of the examining committee and secure approval of the date
from the Graduate School. Deadlines for oral examinations are published
each semester by the Graduate School. Responsibility lies with the
student for both establishing the time of the examination and making
sure an examining committee is assigned. See the Graduate Program
Administrative Assistant in the English office to make these
arrangements. The Announcement of Master's Oral Examination form
specifying the date must be sent to the Graduate School at least ten days
before the examination. Also, the Chairperson must take the Results of
Oral Examination form to the oral and have the four members present
sign it at the conclusion of the oral.
The content of the oral examination will consist of questions covering
major works, figures, periods, and concepts from the student's Baylor
coursework. At the candidate's request, professors may provide general
information prior to the examination about the range and scope of
questions they expect to ask. The student is expected to demonstrate
competence in each of the areas examined and to engage in an
intellectually informed conversation with his/her professors.
A candidate who fails the oral examination may take a second
examination only with the approval of the departmental graduate
committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. In no case will this
examination be given in the same semester as the original examination. If
the candidate fails twice, no further examination will be allowed.
Time Limitation
The maximum time limit allowed is five years from the date that the
student is first enrolled in the master's program at Baylor University. The
student may petition for an extension of time provided there are
extraordinary circumstances. The maximum time permissible may not
exceed six years
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
The preliminary examination will be constituted of three 3-hour parts,
and will cover three areas chosen by the student with the advice and
consent of his/her director. The areas will be:
A. One area from those listed under "Specific Course Requirements," as
the student's major area (e.g., Old English, Middle English, Renaissance,
Seventeenth Century, Restoration and Eighteenth Century, Romantic,
Victorian, Modern British, Contemporary British, Colonial American
Literature to 1800, Nineteenth Century American, Modern American,
Contemporary American);
B. The historical area consisting of the following:
1. One historical area contiguous with the major area (90 minutes);
2. Another historical area (90 minutes);
C. One open area: e.g., an interdisciplinary topic, a genre, a major author,
critical theory, a special topic, rhetoric, or linguistics.
The student and the director will select approximately fifteen major
works of significant length over which the student will be examined in the
major area. For the other two areas, the candidate will select twelve-tofifteen works for each (24-30 total), again with the approval of his/her
examiner. The examiner will have the final say in approving the list of
works for his/her particular area. Note: B1 and B2 should have from six to
eight works each.
The examination will be taken over a period of eight working days (two
consecutive work weeks). The exam is nine hours, three hours for each
part.
The order of procedure for the preliminary examination is as follows:
A. The student should consult the director of his/her committee to
arrange times for the written examination. They must consult the
Graduate Program Administrative Assistant to set the times.
B. The director, after consulting with the Graduate Program Director,
should notify in writing the appropriate professors, asking them to
submit a question(s) that requires an answer(s) of about three hours'
length (but ninety minutes each for B1 and B2). Copies of the request
letter should be sent to the Chairperson of the Department of English as
well as to the Graduate Program Director. The Supervisory Committee is
responsible, in an advisory capacity, for reviewing the appropriateness of
the entire examination.
C. The director of the committee is responsible for administering the
exams. The student is not to see any questions until the time of
administration for each area, nor is he/she to receive any advance
information regarding the questions.
D. The director should return the examination answers to the
appropriate professors for grading. Each in turn should assign a grade of
either "Pass" or "Fail" and return the examination to the director.
E. The director, in consultation with the other members of the
Supervisory Committee, should then evaluate the final results of the
written examinations. Examinations should be returned to the Graduate
Program Director for permanent filing. The director of the committee
must fill out the Result of Preliminary Examination form and sign it:
he/she should leave it with the Graduate Program Administrative
Assistant to secure the signatures of the other examiners, as well as that
of the Graduate Program Director.
F. If the student fails any area of his/her written examination, he/she
must make up that deficiency no sooner than four months after his/her
first attempt. The privilege of taking a second examination will be given
at the discretion of the Supervisory Committee. This committee may
decide (a) that the initial failure is terminal, (b) that the student must
take the entire written examination again, or (c) that the student must
repeat only those area examinations failed at the first attempt. Under no
condition, however, will the student be allowed to take any area
examination more than two times. The director is responsible for
arranging any makeup parts of the examination.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Iowa State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Applied Linguistics &
Technology; Rhetoric &
Professional Communication
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
No information given on examinations.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
No information given outside of three essays exhibiting a grasp of the
exam given as a capstone
material.
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Kansas
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION
capstone for earning an
If the student elects to take the final oral exam rather than write a thesis,
M.A.)
he or she will ask a member of the graduate faculty of the Department
(preferably his/her advisor) to be the chairperson of the examining
committee. The other two members of the committee will be chosen in
consultation with the committee chair. To be eligible for the examination,
the candidate must have completed coursework. It is the obligation of
the candidate to advise the Graduate Director that he or she plans to
take the oral examination and confirm coursework completion; this must
be done at least one month before the date of the examination.
At least three weeks before the examination, the student must submit to
each member of the examining committee lists, prepared in consultation
with the chair of the examining committee, of -items” on which he or she
wishes to be examined (see notations for -exam option,” above). At the
same time, the Graduate Secretary should be given a copy of the
student’s list.
The oral examination is normally one and a half hours long. It is based on
the student’s reading lists and assesses the student’s understanding of
the works on it and his or her ability to make analytical, critical, synthetic,
and historical judgments. The candidate should regard the examination
as an opportunity to demonstrate his or her highest scholarly
achievement.
The procedure of the exam usually allows for rounds of questions from
each committee member. The chair generally divides the ninety-minute
period into two sections of sixty and twenty minutes, leaving the final ten
minutes for committee deliberation. In the first hour, each of the three
committee members has twenty minutes to pose questions. The second
round provides five to eight minutes for each committee member to
pursue follow-up questions or ask about new material. The candidate
usually consults with the chair and committee to determine the order of
committee members and so forth. Note that this procedure is a matter of
tradition and experience, but not a formal requirement. If the candidate
and committee agree on an alternate procedure, they may pursue it. For
the student’s official University record, the examiners will report one of
two grades: Satisfactory, or Unsatisfactory.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The comprehensive oral examination has the following purposes:
1. To establish goals, tone, and direction for the pursuit of the Ph.D. in
English for the Department and for individual programs of study;
2. To make clear the kinds of knowledge and skills that, in the opinion of
the Department, all well-prepared holders of the degree should have
attained;
3. To provide a means for the Department to assess each candidate’s
control of such knowledge and skills in order to certify that the candidate
is prepared to write a significant dissertation and enter the profession;
and
4. To enable the Department to recommend to the candidate areas of
strength or weakness that should be addressed.
In consultation with the Graduate Director, a student will ask a member
of the Department’s graduate faculty (preferably his/her advisor) to be
the chairperson of the examining committee. The choice of examination
committee chair is very important, for that person’s role is to assist the
candidate in designing the examination structure, preparing the
rationales (see below), negotiating reading lists and clarifying their
purposes, and generally following procedures here outlined. The other
three English Department members of the committee will be chosen in
consultation with the committee chair. (At some point an additional
examiner from outside the Department, who serves as the Graduate
School representative, will be invited to join the committee). Any
unresolved problems in negotiation between a candidate and his or her
committee should be brought to the attention of the Graduate
Director, who may choose to involve the Graduate Committee. A student
may request a substitution in, or a faculty member may ask to be
dismissed from, the membership of the examining committee. Such
requests must be approved, in writing, by the faculty member leaving the
committee and by the Graduate Director.
The student will write a substantial (minimum 6 double-spaced pages)
rationale for each of his/her lists. The three rationales together should
not exceed 25 double-spaced pages. Each rationale should demonstrate
an advanced awareness of the current critical and/or methodological
tendencies and the dominant debates that guide work in the
field. To achieve this goal, the rationale will include an overview of critical
discussion of the defining attributes of the field, as well as a recent (past
30-40 years) history of major issues and debates in the field. For example,
for a literary period, the student might include an overview of critical
definitions of the period as a coherent -field” (i.e. an overview of primary
formal and thematic elements, of the relationship between literary and
social/historical developments, of prominent movements, etc.) as well as
of recent critical debates and topics. If one were doing a genre, the
rationale might include major theories of its constitution and its
significance, as well as of its changes over time.
The rationales will not be produced in an exam context, but in the
manner of papers that are researched and developed in consultation
with advisors. Final exam lists need to be approved and signed by the
committee at least 12 weeks prior to the prospective exam date. The lists
should then be submitted to the graduate secretary.
Rationales need to be approved and signed by the committee at least
three weeks prior to the exam date. Failure to meet this deadline will
result in rescheduling the exam. No further changes to lists or rationales
will be allowed after official approval. Copies of some approved reading
lists and rationales are available from the Graduate Secretary.
Despite the goal of fairness and equity, some unavoidable unevenness
and disparity will appear in the length of these lists. It remains, however,
the responsibility of the examining committee, and especially the
student’s chair, to aim toward consonance with the most rigorous
standards and expectations and to insure that areas of study are not
unduly narrow.
Each portion of the oral examination must be deemed passing before the
student can proceed to the Review of the Dissertation Proposal. If a
majority of the committee judges that the student has not answered
adequately on one of the three areas of the exam, the student must
repeat that portion in a separate oral exam of one hour, to be taken
within one month. Failure in two areas constitutes failure of the exam
and requires a retake of the whole. The comprehensive examining
committee will render a judgment of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory on
the entire examination. A student who fails the exam twice may, upon
successful petition to the Graduate Committee, take it a third and final
time.
During the oral examination (not to exceed three hours in length), a
student will be tested on his or her comprehension of a literary period or
movement, including all genres and groups of authors within that period
or movement. In addition, the student will be tested on two of the
following six areas of study:
1. An adjacent or parallel literary period or movement,
2. An author or group of related authors,
3. A genre,
4. Criticism and literary theory,
5. Composition theory, and
6. English language.
N.B.: No title from any field list may appear on either of the other two
lists.
Comprehension of a literary period (e.g., British literature of the 18th
century; Romanticism; US literature of the 19th century; Modernism)
entails sufficient intellectual grasp of both the important primary works
of and secondary works on the period or movement to indicate a
student’s ability to teach the period or movement and undertake
respectable scholarship on it.
Comprehension of an author or group of related authors (e.g., Donne,
the Brontës, the Bloomsbury Group, the Black Mountain Poets) entails
knowledge, both primary and secondary, of a figure or figures whose
writing has generated a significant body of interrelated biographical,
historical, and critical scholarship.
Comprehension of one of several genres (the short story, the lyric poem,
the epistolary novel). To demonstrate comprehension of a genre, a
student should possess sufficient depth and breadth of knowledge, both
primary and secondary, of the genre to explain its formal characteristics
and account for its historical development.
Comprehension of criticism and literary theory entails a grasp of
fundamental conceptual problems inherent in a major school of literary
study (e.g., historicist, psychoanalytic, feminist, poststructuralist, etc.). To
demonstrate comprehension of that school of criticism and literary
theory, a student should be able to discuss changes in its conventions
and standards of interpretation and evaluation of literature from its
beginning to the present. Students will be expected to possess sufficient
depth and breadth of theoretical knowledge to bring appropriate texts
and issues to bear on questions of literary study.
Comprehension of composition theory entails an intellectual grasp of
fundamental concepts, issues, and theories pertaining to the study of
writing. To demonstrate comprehension of composition theory, students
should be able to discuss traditional and current issues from a variety of
perspectives, as well as the field’s historical development from classical
rhetoric to the present.
Comprehension of the broad field of English language studies entails a
grasp of the field’s theoretical concepts and current issues, as well as a
familiarity with significant works within given subareas. Such subareas
will normally involve formal structures (syntax, etc.) and history of the
English language, along with other subareas such as social linguistics,
discourse analysis, lexicography, etc. Areas of emphasis and specific sets
of topics will be arranged through consultation with relevant faculty.
University: Kansas State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The final oral examination is a 50-60 minute defense and discussion of
capstone for earning an
the writing project (or thesis) and the relationship of the project to the
M.A.)
student's intellectual interests. The purpose of the exam is to give the
student an opportunity to articulate the project's ideas and aims. In
general, the oral examination is an extension of the process of inquiry
which the project initiated, a discussion of promising ideas and perhaps a
conversation about the student's future work.
In the case of a creative writing project, the oral examination is a
discussion of the student's creative work and an exploration of the work's
aesthetic and aims. The student may discuss authors, artists, books, and
other sources that have influenced the project in some way.
Prior to the examination, committee members and the student may
discuss the examination and possible questions to establish initial
grounds for conversation. Students may begin the examination with a
prepared statement that summarizes the project's significance and work.
Students who have written a passing project and who can intelligently
discuss their project, explain the process that produced it, and respond to
questions directly related to the project will pass the oral examination. A
pass in the final oral examination will signify the Supervisory Committee's
and Department's acceptance of the final writing project. Two of the
three committee members must vote to pass for the student to pass the
examination.
Students may also Pass with Distinction, a relatively rare honor. The
Supervisory Committee's decision to Pass with Distinction is an
acknowledgment that the performance on the final oral examination was
outstanding and that the writing project or thesis itself is distinguished.
The Supervisory Committee's decision to Pass with Distinction must be
unanimous.If the Committee decides to Pass with Distinction, the Major
Professor notifies the DGS, who sends the student a letter informing her
or him of the Pass with Distinction. A copy of this letter will become a
part of the student's record in the Graduate Studies office.
Students will fail the oral examination, if the project itself does not meet
departmental standards, according to two of the three committee
members. Students may also fail because they are generally unable to
discuss the major ideas in the project or unable to respond to questions
directly related to it. Students will not be penalized for the inability to
answer questions not related or obliquely related to the project. Students
will not be penalized for having opinions or interpretations that differ
from one or more committee members. According to Section J3 ("Failure
and Repetition") of the University's Graduate Handbook, "Negative votes
by two or more members of a three- or four-member committee
constitute failure. A candidate who fails a master's examination may take
a second examination no sooner than two months nor later than 15
months after the failure, unless an extension is granted by the Dean of
the Graduate School. No third trial is allowed."
In general, much of the testing and evaluation of the student's
performance is handled with individualized responses, oral and written,
to the student prior to the oral examination. If committee members feel
that the project is deficient, inadequate, or misguided in some way, they
should inform the student, preferably in writing, prior to the
examination. The oral exam itself is an opportunity for the student to
synthesize and articulate for a small, informed audience the nature of the
work in the master's project.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Oklahoma
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The M. A. Examination is the culmination of the student's coursework in
capstone for earning an
the program. It should therefore test: (a) the overall knowledge of his or
M.A.)
her chosen area(s) that the student has acquired cumulatively up to that
point through coursework and independent preparation; and (b) his or
her skills as a researcher, scholar, and critic.
Students must file the Admission to Candidcacy form according to the
Graduate COllege's deadline. This deadline is characteristically around
October 1 for a spring exam date, and April 1 for a fall
exam.Deadlines and forms can be found on the Graduate College's
website.
The M. A. Examination will have two portions: written and oral.
Optimally, the exam should be taken in the semester immediately after
the one in which coursework is completed, and no later than the second
semester after completion of coursework.
As early as possible in their career, but not later than the semester prior
to that in which the examination is taken students in the Exam Option
should develop with their advisor
(a) two fields in Literary and Cultural Studies(one designated primary and
the other secondary). With approval of the examination committee, a
student may choose Composition, Rhetoric and Literacy as the minor
field;
(b) a three-member Comprehensive Examination Committee. In
particular students in literary and cultural studies should have at least
two members from the major field with one of these members serving as
chair; and
(c) a reading list of 30 items from the primary area in the Concentration
and 10 items from the secondary area, with a balanced selection of booklength primary texts and scholarly books and articles.
Students will draft three exam questions for the primary area and two
questions for the secondary area and submit them, first to their Chair,
and then to their Committee. These questions should cover all the items
on the list, without citing each of them.
Once the Committee approves final versions of the questions, the exam
must be taken no more than 30 days later. The Exam will require three
essay-type answers. The Committee will choose two questions from the
primary area and one from the secondary area for the student to answer.
No answer should exceed 10 double-spaced typed pages (approximately
2500 words).
Oral Component The oral component, scheduled by the Chair after the
successful completion of the written component, will provide an
opportunity for both the student and his/her Committee to review,
analyze, contextualize, and supplement the written component. Students
should expect to be questioned on items from their reading lists not
covered in the written component of the exam. Ability to demonstrate to
the exam committee familiarity with and comprehension of all the works
on the reading lists is expected for the successful completion of the oral
component.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The written component will have two parts: (a) Part One based on a
reading list of at least 50 items in the Primary Field; (b) Part Two based on
a reading list of at least 30 items in the Secondary Field. Both parts may
also call for at least 25 items in Literary Criticism and Theory.
Specifically, doctoral candidates draft three exam questions for the
Primary Field and two questions for the Secondary Field and submit them
to their Committee. These questions should exhaust the materials on the
reading lists, but they need not necessarily "cover" the whole list.
Students will still be responsible for books not discussed in the written
exams during their orals.
When the Committee approves final versions of the questions, the exam
must be taken no more than 30 days later. The Committee will choose
one question from each set of exam questions (Primary and Secondary)
for the exam. The two parts of the written component will be presented
to the student at 8am on a workday morning and the written answers to
their questions shall be returned to the Graduate Office at or before 5pm
on a workday four consecutive days following the day the exam was
received (for a total of 5 consecutive days).
Oral Component
The oral component should be about 2 hours long and should focus on
the reading lists for the Primary and Secondary Fields. The oral
component will provide an opportunity for both the student and the
Committee to review, analyze, contextualize, and supplement the written
component. Students should expect to be questioned on items from their
reading lists not alluded to in the written component of the exam. Ability
to demonstrate to the Committee familiarity and comprehension of the
works on the reading lists is expected for the successful completion of
the oral component.
University: Oklahoma State University (one of the worst websites)
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
M.A. students can take comprehensive exams in 3 or 4 subject areas
capstone for earning an
instead of writing a thesis.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Ph.D. students must take exams in two subject areas.
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Texas Christian University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Where master's degrees require a final oral examination the exam will
capstone for earning an
cover all work taken for the degree, including the thesis, if any. The
M.A.)
examining committee will be composed of the candidate's advisory
committee, and others as may be designated by the major department.
The examination may not take place later than the date listed in the
deadlines for graduate students each semester.
The candidate must show satisfactory completion of all courses in the
degree program, except those in progress, before the oral examination
may be given. Only one re-examination on a failed oral will be permitted,
the date to be set at the discretion of the examining committee. In
addition to the final oral examination, written examinations may be
required at the discretion of the major department.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The website only says that Ph.D. students “must take some form of
qualifying or preliminary examinations.” I can’t tell if this means they
have the option of one or the other? They don’t specify.
University: University of Texas
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
M.A. students must complete a M.A. Report (thesis).
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The QR will be supervised by a panel consisting of three members of the
exam given early on as a
GSC: the supervisor of the master’s report, and two faculty members
condition for continuing
(one of whom may be the second reader of the master’s report)
pursuit of the doctorate)
appointed by the Graduate Adviser after consultation with the student
and the GSC chair. The review will not only consider the quality and
promise of a student’s master’s report, but involve a stock-taking of the
student’s preparation and discussion of the student’s direction and
future work in the doctoral program. To this end, all students will
assemble a portfolio containing the following material: their master’s
reports; their personal statements discussing their experience in the
University’s English graduate program and plans for completing the
doctoral degree; and transcripts of their graduate course work in English
at the University and, if relevant, at other universities. The QR will last
approximately one hour.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Field Examination
exam given as a capstone
The Field Examination (FE) is designed to test students' general
prior to writing a
knowledge of primary and secondary texts in their chosen field of study
dissertation)
as well as to help them advance toward their dissertation projects. In the
FE students will be tested over individualized lists composed of
approximately 60-80 primary and/or secondary texts. ("Secondary text"
here may mean a complete book, a very substantial article, or a set of
articles.) The faculty in a given field will have the primary responsibility
for preparing the general lists of texts and determining the specific
protocols for the FE in their area. The general lists (including the specific
protocols decided on) will be given to students when they first enter the
Graduate Program. Students, working within the protocols for the FE
established by the faculty in their field, and in consultation with the
members of their examining panel, will determine their final
individualized lists for the FE. (General reading lists by interest groups)
Students who choose to work in two fields at once will compose their
final lists based on the general lists of both fields. They will work under
the guidance of their examining panel and will produce final
individualized lists that represent both fields adequately. Students may
identify themselves as working in no more than two fields for the
purposes of the FE. There must be at least one faculty member on the
examining panel from each of the two fields.
The FE will be supervised by an examining panel consisting of three
members of the GSC proposed by the student being examined and
appointed by the Graduate Adviser. The chair of the panel will likewise be
proposed by the student and appointed by the Graduate Adviser. The FE
will be oral and will normally be one and one-half to two hours in length.
Students are expected to take and pass the FE sometime during their
sixth long semester of study in the Program, and no later than the twelfth
class day of their seventh long semester (or during their fourth long
semester of study in the Program, and no later than the twelfth class day
of their fifth long semester if they entered the Program with an M.A.).
Students may petition the Graduate Adviser for an extension of the
deadline (if they should, for example, switch fields). In order to have time
to prepare for the FE, students may take a three-hour Credit/No Credit
conference course at some time during the year before they take the FE.
Prospectus Examination
The Prospectus Examination (PE) will consider in detail students’
preparation and plan for completing the doctoral dissertation they have
presented in their prospectus. The latter will consist of a substantial
description of their project, a summary of its chapters, and a full
bibliography of both critical and primary works that are directly relevant.
The PE will be supervised by an examining panel composed of three
members of the GSC who are likely to serve on the student’s dissertation
committee, including the student's prospective supervisor or supervisors
(those supervisors will be ineligible to serve as the chair of the examining
panel).
University: Texas Tech University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis is required for all M.A. students.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
No information provided online.
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
No information provided online.
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: West Virginia University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
During the spring semester preceding a student’s entry into the Ph.D.
exam given early on as a
program, a Qualifying Examination Committee will be appointed to
condition for continuing
administer next year’s exam. The Committee will set a general topic,
pursuit of the doctorate)
solicit suggestions for texts from the graduate faculty, and establish a
five-book list. The Committee will then write three questions, from which
students will choose one on which to write their exam essays. Although
students taking the exam will register for three credit hours (ENGL 799
Graduate Colloquium), these hours cannot be applied toward the
degree. Formal admission to the Ph.D. Program is contingent upon
passing the Qualifying Examination, at which point students’ provisional
status will be changed to regular.
During the summer, incoming students will receive the topic and the list
of five texts. Early in the fall semester, students will meet with the
Qualifying Exam Committee to receive the questions and discuss the
exam. Students will then have until late in the fall semester (normally,
until the Monday after Thanksgiving break) to write the exam, which will
consist of a substantial, independently researched essay of not more
than 7500 words (about 30 pages) on one of the three questions. This
essay must deal with at least two of the five texts and should refer to
additional critical, historical, and/or theoretical materials where relevant.
While students may confer with members of the graduate faculty, faculty
may not read or comment on drafts of the exams.
The exam will be graded by the Qualifying Exam Committee; authors of
the exams will remain anonymous to the Committee.
A student who fails the exam in the fall may retake it in the spring. A
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
second failure warrants dismissal from the program. The administration
of the retake will be as follows: The Committee will provide the student
with a set of written comments on the failing exam. For the retake, the
student must write on one of the other two questions. The student will
have until the first Monday in April to submit the retake exam
Format of the Exam. The Exam will be closed book/one page of notes per
section. The Exam will be based on a list of 30 books, divided into three
categories containing approximately 10 books each. Four articles can be
considered equivalent to a book. The student and Exam Committee
together will determine: 1) how the three categories are to be
constituted; 2) whether any category is to include relevant historical
“primary” texts; 3) how each category is to be labeled. The student, in
consultation with the Exam Committee, will develop a preface explaining
the dissertation topic and the constitution of the categories in relation to
his or her dissertation research. The combined preface and booklist
should total no more than 10 double-spaced pages. The list and preface
will be submitted to the Ph.D. Supervisor for approval. Once approved, a
copy will be placed in the student’s file.
The written examination will be constructed by the Exam Committee
chair, who will solicit questions from the other members, draw up the
exam, secure the Committee’s approval, and administer the exam. The
exam itself consists of nine hours of writing, usually three hours on
each category. Alternative distribution of these nine hours must be
approved in advance by the Graduate Program Committee. When the
written exam has been administered, evaluated, and judged acceptable
by the Exam Committee, the original copy will be placed in the student’s
permanent department file. Should the student fail the exam (or any part
of it), the Exam Committee will decide when and how a reexamination is
to be given.
After passing the written exam, the student takes the oral exam, about
two hours long, which permits the Exam Committee to pursue issues
raised by the written exam and the student to clarify responses and to
raise questions about the texts and topics treated in the examination.
The oral exam is also designed to identify additional materials and issues
the student might find useful in writing the dissertation.
After the student has passed both the written and the oral exam, the
Exam Committee chair will file a letter to that effect with the Eberly
College of Arts and Sciences’ Associate Dean for Research and Graduate
Studies, a copy of which will be placed in the student’s file. The student
is thus formally admitted to candidacy
University: University of Illinois
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Cannot find any relevant information.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an The Graduate Studies Committee has endorsed the following traditional
exam given as a capstone
fields in literature and film:
prior to writing a
Medieval Language and Literature; Renaissance Literature; Restoration
dissertation)
and Eighteenth-century Literature; Nineteenth-century British Literature;
Modern British Literature; Early American Literature; Later American
Literature; African American Literature; Anglophone Literature (other
than British and American); The Novel; Poetry; Drama; Theory and
Criticism; The English Language; Film;
The Graduate Studies Committee has endorsed the following traditional
fields in Writing Studies:
Cognition and Composition; Computers and Composition Studies;
Classical Rhetoric; Critical Theory; Discourse Processes; Gender and
Writing; Literacy Studies; Technical Communication; Writing Across the
Curriculum; Writing in the Disciplines; Writing Assessment
Alternative Special Fields in Literature, Film, and Writing Studies
Candidates are invited to propose special fields outside the standard list
of approved fields. Such alternative special fields, like traditional ones,
should be (1) intellectually coherent; (2) comparable in scope with the
traditional fields; (3) in accord with job opportunities in the field; and (4)
more comprehensive than the dissertation project. If more than one field
is included, the number of items will need to be reduced in each of the
two fields.
In literature, such fields might overlap traditional historical divisions (e.g.,
British literature 1880-1960); deal with a genre spanning two or more
traditional periods (e.g., the American novel, 1840-1940); span two or
more literatures (e.g., American and British modernism); concentrate
upon a developing area in which special subdivisions are appropriate
(e.g., modern critical theory); or combine two or more disciplines (e.g.,
nineteenth-century literature and visual culture). In film, an alternative
field might combine Film and Literature (e.g., Film and the Theory and
Practice of Film Adaptation). In Writing Studies, proposed fields may span
areas (e.g., Gender, Collaboration, and Technical Communication in the
Workplace); may concentrate on an area where subdivisions are
appropriate (e.g., the use of portfolios in writing assessment); or may
combine two or more disciplines (e.g. African American Literature and
Literacy Studies).
THE READING LIST: REQUIREMENTS
The reading list in the Special Field Proposal should:
1) represent the major texts/films/books and essays in the field along
with a generous selection of non-canonical materials and the major
strains of scholarship and criticism on those texts.
2) reflect the candidate's own particular critical orientation, individual
strengths, and potential dissertation topic and contributions to the field.
Good proposals will express not just a stock conception of the field but
will fit--and shape--the candidate's developing professional identity. The
list may include a number of items outside of the field proper-historically, generically, even disciplinarily. Lists in film or writing studies
might include some literature. Literature, film, or writing studies lists
might include theory, history, anthropology, visual art or art history. All
lists must be prepared in close consultation with the Director of the Exam
Committee.
An examination that is solely oral should be a minimum of two hours. No
maximum is specified.
 Preliminary examinations may be oral or written or both,
depending on the unit's policy, and generally evaluate the
student's overall and specific knowledge in the field.
 Preliminary examinations also usually include an oral
presentation to review the feasibility and appropriateness of a
student's dissertation research proposal.
 The doctoral degree program prescribes the scope, format and




procedures associated with the examination, including the
composition of the committee. The program must clearly
communicate information about the format and rules (e.g.,
closed-book) to all students in advance.
The process for selection of committee chairs varies by unit, but
the chair must be a member of the Graduate Faculty. At the
department’s discretion a co-chair may be appointed. If
appointed, a co-chair must meet all the requirements that apply
to the chair. The role of the committee chair is described below.
The student, committee chair, and at least one additional voting
member of the committee must be physically present for all oral
components of the examination (i.e., presence by video or
teleconference is not acceptable). If the committee has more
than one chair, all chairs must be physically present; in these
cases, no additional voting member is required to be physically
present.
All voting members of the committee must be present in person
or participate via teleconference or other electronic
communication media during the examination, deliberation and
results determination of all oral components of the examination.
University: Indiana University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
A four hour written exam is required for M.A. students with a
capstone for earning an
concentration in language, only. For additional information the website
M.A.)
directs you to Director of Graduate Studies for details, but there isn’t
anything about the exam there.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Step 1
exam given as a capstone
By no later than January of her third year, a student will have asked two
prior to writing a
faculty members to serve on her exam committee; one of whom will act
dissertation)
as chair. She will report this information to the DGS, who will assign a
third member to the committee for the first portion of the exam process.
To this committee of three the student will submit by April 1 a reading
list of primary and secondary materials that delineates her general field
of scholarly expertise. Her committee will need to meet with the student
at least once and approve this list before the end of that spring semester.
It is assumed that the student will also meet with her committee
members individually as she prepares for the exam.
A reading list will cover a clearly defined field of scholarship in English
and illustrate a command of that field. (This should not prevent a student
designing an exam from joint or combined fields. In fact, the exam is
meant to facilitate study of non-conventional or innovative fields within
English.).The reading list will not exceed 100 book-length items. A certain
portion of the list will be devoted to significant secondary works in the
field. The graduate office will keep a file of approved reading lists for the
help of students preparing for exams.
Step 2
Before the beginning of classes the following fall, the beginning of her
fourth year, the student will, in consultation with her committee and the
DGS, schedule an exam date sometime in September.
At 9:00 on the morning the day before the exam, the student will receive
from the graduate secretary several questions prepared by her
committee. If the exam has been scheduled for a Monday, then the chair
of the committee will arrange for the student to receive the questions on
Sunday. The questions will follow the model of essay questions. The
student will prepare a roughly 20-minute presentation in response to one
question selected from the list. She may consult books and notes, and
she may prepare her answers in the place most convenient to her.
On the following day, the student will meet with the committee for a
two-hour examination. The first hour of the exam will consist of the
student’s presentation and the committee’s questions in response to that
presentation. Notes are allowed, but the presentation is to be primarily
an oral performance. The second half of the exam meeting will be
concerned with questions about the student’s chosen field, in an effort to
assess the student’s knowledge of the works on her list, her agility with
the leading concepts in her field, and the quality of her ideas about the
field.
At the completion of two hours, the student will leave the room to give
the committee time to consult. After a short consultation, they will call
her back into the room and report whether she has failed, passed or
passed with distinction this part of the qualifying exam. The chair of the
committee will report this news in writing to the DGS.
If a student passes, she will take the second part of the exam the
subsequent spring. In the case of a failed exam, the student will meet
with each member of the committee for feedback and advice. The
committee chair’s report to the DGS will include a justification for the
failing grade. The student will schedule a retake for the beginning of the
following semester. Students are allowed one re-take for each section of
the exam.
Step 3
Having passed the first part of the exam, a student will enroll that coming
spring in W795, the prospectus-writing workshop. (This workshop is an 8week, 2-credit course taught by the DGS). The student will also report the
names of the research committee, typically four members of the faculty,
to the DGS at the outset of the spring semester.
Students should enter the workshop with a research project and draft
prospectus and bibliography for the dissertation in hand. Over the course
of the semester, and in consultation with their respective committees,
students will each prepare and write a dissertation prospectus, no longer
than 18 pages + bibliography. When the prospectus is ready to be
approved, the student will submit it to his exam committee and arrange a
time for the second exam meeting, to be held no later than the second
week of May. Note: submission of the prospectus must happen at least
three weeks prior to the exam meeting.
This second meeting effectively serves as a defense of the prospectus
and a completion of the exam process.
Step 4
The second exam meeting will last between one and two hours. For this
meeting, the four committee members will have read and reviewed the
prospectus and prepared questions to determine a) whether the student
is ready to conduct a long-term independent research project that would
qualify as a dissertation and b) whether the topic and methodology
proposed for the research project meet current scholarly standards. The
committee may also raise questions about the written quality of the
prospectus. Most of the meeting will be devoted to examining the claims
and aims of the prospectus as well the dissertation it imagines.
University: University of Iowa
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
No exam required. M.A. students must complete a thesis or a portfolio.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The department requires that a student fill out an Application for
exam given early on as a
Candidacy (see GPC). This provides an opportunity to reflect upon
condition for continuing
progress so far through the degree program. The form should be typed
pursuit of the doctorate)
and on it you should indicate your progress towards the language,
distribution, and seminar requirements and explain how you plan to
complete these requirements. This is also an opportunity for you to
formulate your plans for the Comprehensive Examination. While plans
may be tentative at this stage, students must include the names of at
least two faculty members, including one designated as “interim
adviser,” with whom they have discussed the Comprehensive Exam and
who have expressed provisional agreement to work with them.
Students must also submit a sample paper of 15+ pages, written in an
English course at the 008:200-level (ENGL:5000-level) or above. The
sample paper may be revised, based on the professor’s comments at the
time of the course, as long as the original graded paper with the
professor’s comments accompanies it. Revision is an option, however,
not a requirement. We do not intend to encourage students to polish an
already strong paper but, rather, to address certain challenges that may
arise regarding the essay requirement. As examples, the following two
circumstances might render revision an attractive option:
a) The student's strongest work was written for a readings course and is
shorter than fifteen pages. The student can use the revision option to
lengthen the essay.
b) The student's best work meets the page requirement for qualifications
and has potential but also has substantial problems. The student can use
the revision option to address some of those problem areas. The sample
paper need not concern your expected area of expertise. However, it
should demonstrate promise regarding such literary critical skills as:
pursuing a lucid argument, drawing upon sustained research, providing
nuanced and careful readings, engaging with theoretical methodologies,
and contributing to ongoing scholarly debates.
You will be evaluated on your progress through the PhD program as
indicated by your course grades (candidates should have a GPA of 3.67
[A-] or above in graduate English literary studies courses with no
outstanding incompletes), by your progress toward the requirements, by
the feasibility of your plan for future work, and by faculty evaluations of
your course work, added to your file after each course. Your abilities at
PhD-level research and writing will be assessed through faculty
evaluations of course work and through the sample paper.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
Once a student has accumulated 54 s.h. in graded courses above the 008:
100-level (ENGL:3000) and has received the DGS go-ahead to begin
preparing for comps, he or she should enroll in three 2 s.h. independent
studies (selecting appropriate courses from the 008: 500-level
series(ENGL:7000-level), one with each of his or her comprehensive exam
area directors; please note that the department does not offer
independent study credit for reading groups. Enrollment in these
independent studies may be concurrent or staggered over semesters,
provided that the student hits the 60 s. h. mark by the end of the
semester in which he or she takes the comprehensive exam. Students
should discuss expectations for exam preparation with their area
directors, and these expectations should be summarized on the
independent study approval form, which should be signed by the exam
director and DGS in the first weeks of the semester; this form is available
in the GPC’s office. Students often prefer to assemble various
components of the portfolio concurrently and over the summer months,
when they may not be enrolled—the six independent study credits may
thus be regarded as a tally of work completed toward comps.
Reading for the Examination and crafting of the Portfolio (which
includes writing the introduction, developing the two course syllabi,
drafting the five questions, writing the review essay and annotated
bibliography, and final revision of the article) will usually take about six
months. No later than three weeks before the date of the oral exam, the
completed Portfolio, including the signed and approved reading lists and
article and the two completed , should be turned in to the GPC for final
approval by the DGS; at this time you should also contact the GPC to
schedule your oral examination. The department will provide free
photocopying of five copies of the Portfolio for all students who meet the
three-week deadline.
Overview
A. The Comprehensive Examination is taken after a student has fulfilled
the foreign language, seminar, and distribution requirements, and no
later than five semesters after admission to candidacy (although if a
student has fewer than 24 s.h. of total graduate credit at the end of the
semester of qualification, he or she is allowed five semesters after the
completion of 24 s.h.). Students are eligible to take the examination
during the semester in which they will have completed 60 s. h. of work
at least 54 of which should be in regular graded courses (i.e., no more
than six of the 60 s. h. should be in Independent Study or S/U courses). In
most cases, 58 s. h. should have been completed in the semester before
the student sits for comps.
B. Preparation for the Comprehensive Examination may begin soon after
admission to candidacy, with serious work starting six months before the
proposed date of the oral exam.
1. Coverage:
The Comprehensive Examination contains three parts, each under the
supervision of one of three principal members of the committee. These
parts carry equal weight and represent the culmination of work done
over a period of time in different courses as well as independent work
done especially to prepare for the examination. The three parts of the
examination are as follows:
a. Historical period: This part of the examination requires broad
knowledge of writings in at least three different genres from a clearly
defined historical period. Although other periods of at least 100 years
may be approved by petition to the Director of Graduate Studies, the
standard historical periods for this part of the examination are the
following:
• British literature before 1500
• British literature 1500-1660
• British literature 1660-1800
• British literature 1800-1914
• American literature to 1914
• British and/or American literature, 1914-present
b. Special area: This part of the examination requires specific knowledge
of the literature, criticism, and/or theory that constitute a particular field
of study. This area, which must be demonstrably distinct from the
Historical Period and Article, may be a second historical period, a literary
genre, a body of theory, a major author or group of authors, a theme or
topic, writing theory and/or pedagogy, or an interdisciplinary subject.
Like the Historical Period, the Special Area allows candidates to develop
and demonstrate their grasp of a field in which they hope to write and
teach.
c. Article: This part of the examination is a 25-35 page essay of
publishable quality written in consultation with a faculty member,
approved by that faculty member and submitted as part of the Portfolio.
The article might start from scratch or begin with a paper written for a
previous course, but in its final form it should elaborate a sophisticated
critical position with respect to a literary theme, issue, author, period,
text, or group of texts and should ideally become part of the dissertation
The file cabinets in the Graduate Studies office suite (329 EPB) contain
portfolios from past comprehensive exams for student review. Below
are four examples of Comprehensive Portfolio areas, offered for the
purposes of illustration:
• American literature to 1914
• Feminist theories of criticism
• "Feminist Perspectives on Emily Dickinson"
• Medieval literature
• Victorian visual culture
• "Pre-Raphaelism and Victorian Culture"
• Modern British & American literature
• 19th-& 20th-century British political essays
• "The Rhetoric of Homage to Catalonia"
• American literature 1850-1950
• Representations of ethnicity in the era of immigration (1875-1925)
• "Constructing White America"
2. The Committee: The Comprehensive Examination committee consists
of five tenure-track faculty members, at least two of whom must be
tenured faculty. In addition to the directors of the three principal areas of
the examination, who form the core of this committee, each candidate
asks two additional faculty members to serve as at-large examiners.
Students whose doctoral programs include substantial interdisciplinary
work should consider asking a faculty member from a related department
to serve as a fifth member of their committee.
3. Reading Lists: In consultation with the directors of the Historical
Period and Special Area, students will prepare two lists of readings for
the examination. The Historical Period list should consist of 70-100 items
covering 100 years and at least three different genres; a small number of
the items (usually no more than ten) should be key historical or critical
works about the period. The Special Area reading list should include 3540 items, and is typically heavier on critical and theoretical texts.
Oral Exam: The Portfolio should be given to the Comprehensive
Examination committee at least two weeks before the two-hour oral
exam. Some fifty minutes of the oral will be devoted to an examination of
the Historical Period, and another fifty minutes will review the Portfolio's
additional sections, which have been prepared in advance. Although each
examiner may raise questions about any portion of the Portfolio and
reading lists, a typical Oral Exam might begin by asking the candidate to
respond to one of the five prepared questions; thereafter, any of the
remaining four questions, as well as all the items on the Historical Period
list and the proposed survey course would be open to discussion.
Similarly, discussion of the Special Area's essay might begin with the
Portfolio, as the committee inquires about the texts chosen for review,
those annotated from the list of thirty-five to forty entries, and those
contributing to the advanced course proposed from the area. Finally, the
discussion of the Article could productively lead to advice on publication
Students are strongly advised not to read from notes during the oral
exam. At the conclusion of the oral examination, each member of the
committee votes "satisfactory," "satisfactory with reservations," or
"unsatisfactory." The Graduate College Manual of Rules and Regulations
states, "In the event of a report with two or more votes of 'satisfactory
with reservations,’ the exact stipulations of the committee should be
recorded with the report form. The statement must specify the time
allowed for satisfying the stipulations, and must be specific in defining
the area if further examination in a particular area is required, or in
describing any additional courses or other procedures that are required."
Two "unsatisfactory" votes constitute a failure of the examination. At the
option of the department , a student may repeat the examination once,
but only once, and not within the same term. By regulation of the
Graduate College, a student has five years, following successful
completion of the comprehensive exam, in which to finish all substantive
requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Please note, too, that the Graduate
College does not permit the comprehensive examination and the defense
of the dissertation to be scheduled in the same semester.”
University: Michigan State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
In their final semester of study, students assemble a portfolio of five
capstone for earning an
papers drawn from coursework in the Master’s program. They then write
M.A.)
an integrative, reflective essay that demonstrates their ability to
synthesize a broad range of material, identify a coherent issue or set of
issues inherent in the coursework, and identify and apply a theoretical
argument or perspective. An examination committee of the faculty
assesses the portfolio and the reflective essay. The goal is to have
students reflect upon and synthesize coursework, as a step toward
continuation in a Ph.D. program or as a thoughtful summation in
preparation for a career in another professional field of study.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Doctoral education in the humanities belongs to a long tradition of
exam given as a capstone
demonstrating the acquisition of knowledge and skills through the
prior to writing a
comprehensive examinations and the writing and defense of
dissertation)
dissertations. These instruments, as they are defined and practiced in the
Department of English, are designed to set more independent and
individualized tasks for doctoral candidates as a gradual segue from
student to expert.
The process of the comprehensive examination occurs in two parts. The
first part sets students the task of defining, formulating and defending
both a field of study and a critical problem. The resulting proposal is read
by both the student’s Guidance Committee and the Department’s
Graduate Committee. The second part is the performance of expertise in
both written and oral examinations based on the materials defined in the
proposal. The oral component prepares students to discuss and defend
their work with faculty in a manner similar to that of an MLA job
interview.
This examination process reveals the following:
-The extent of field knowledge
-The ability to synthesize materials, employ theories, and perform critical
and interpretive tasks
-Facility in forging and writing compelling arguments
-Readiness to engage in critical conversations as an expert
University: University of Michigan
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No? There is only
information
pertaining to MFA
and Ph.D.
MFA
Ph.D.
Yes
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Preliminary Examination: During the second year, each student chooses
exam given as a capstone
three faculty members to serve on his or her Examinations Committee.
prior to writing a
During the third year, each student must successfully complete one oral
dissertation)
examination administered by the Examinations Committee. I tried
accessing the graduate handbook to see if there was more information
printed in there but it is password locked. You need a student ID and
password to gain access.
University: University of Minnesota
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The oral exam for the M.A. shall last approximately one hour and tests
capstone for earning an
your knowledge of the research or creative area mapped out in your Plan
M.A.)
B papers. Your committee will be made up of the faculty members who
sponsored your Plan B papers (Plan B papers are alternatives to theses. It
is a reworked version of a paper submitted for a class, and is roughly
5,000 words long.). In the case where one faculty member sponsored two
papers, a third faculty member must be chosen to complete the
committee. Pick up the departmental oral exam form from the Graduate
Office. At the completion of the oral exam, the committee will sign this
form, which should then be returned to the Graduate Office. The DGS will
then sign the Graduate School's "Report of Committee" form (GS 4) and
forward it to the Graduate School.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Written Exam
exam given as a capstone
1. Create the booklist for your preliminary exam in consultation with your
prior to writing a
advisor and committee. All committee members sign must your booklist
dissertation)
(either the same list or two or more cover sheets depending on logistics).
You should submit your signed booklist to the Graduate Office at least a
month before taking your preliminary exam. Committee members should
not be adding things to your list after this point.
2. Schedule your preliminary written exam with your committee, and
inform the Graduate Office of the time you will be picking up the
questions. It should be scheduled so there is no less than two weeks
between turning in your exam and taking your preliminary oral exam.
3. Pick up the exam questions from the Graduate Office secretary. If you
are having the quesitons emailed to you, be sure that the Graduate Office
secretary also receives the questions. You will have one week to write
the exam essay, or up to two weeks if you are an international student
whose first language is not English.
4. Distribute a copy of your exam to all committee members, and give a
copy to the Graduate Office for your file.
5. Committee members will turn in a copy of their evaluations, which will
be put in your file. The committee has one week before they must tell
you whether you have passed, and an additional week before distributing
comments on the exam.
6. Be sure that the Graduate Office secretary knows that you have
passed, as a Written Examination Report form needs to be signed by your
advisor and DGS and submitted to the graduate school, no later than one
week before your oral exam.
Oral Exam
1. Preliminary oral exams must be scheduled with the graduate school by
the student.
2. The Graduate School will mail the Report of Preliminary Oral
Examination to your advisor. Following the exam, the committee signs
this form and the student must deliver it to the Graduate School within
24 hours. If a committee member has attended via speakerphone the
form must be sent via express mail to that person. You should inform the
Graduate School of this fact so they know that the report form will be
arriving in their office a few days late.
University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
MA students doing Option II or III must satisfy the comprehensive
capstone for earning an
examination requirement through an oral examination of 1-2 hours. The
M.A.)
student will select an examination committee of 3 English professors with
whom the student has worked. (If the student has completed an Option II
minor in another department, one of the examining professors may be
selected from the minor department.) It is the student’s responsibility to
contact the professors, attain their agreement to serve as oral examiners,
and schedule the exam at a mutually agreeable time. In preparation for
the exam, the student might meet with examining committee members
to discuss topics and questions for the exam. After filing the Final
Examination Report form with Graduate Studies (at least 4 weeks before
the exam), the student will provide the examination committee with
a statement of 1200-1500 words summarizing and analyzing the
student’s main intellectual work during the MA and posing the key
questions that have emerged during that work. The oral examination will
explore the student’s work through the MA, the understanding of English
Studies the student has developed, and the connection of this
understanding to the student’s future career path.
Final Examination Report. MA students must file a Final Exam Report with
the English Graduate Office at least 4 weeks before graduation (3 weeks
in the summer). We make sure the report is completely filled out and
then send it on to Graduate Studies. The report certifies that the
examination or thesis procedure has been approved and that
incompletes have been removed in all courses except the thesis. Students
do not have to have taken the comprehensive examination or
completed the thesis when they file this form. In the case of an exam,
students should have settled the area on which they will be examined
and the exam date. In the case of a thesis, the adviser must have
approved the final draft of the thesis, and the oral exam date must be set
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
General Description: Students take comprehensive exams after they have
completed all coursework and generally after they have completed the
language requirement. The comprehensive exams are normally taken in
the student's third or fourth year and consist of three parts: two written
exercises based on Field and Focus Reading Lists, and one Capstone Oral
given by the Supervisory Committee. The comprehensive exams are
supposed to feed into the dissertation and prepare the student to begin
work on it, while insuring that the student will be able to teach survey
and specialized courses at a number of educational institutions. The Field
Reading List should, therefore, reflect a general knowledge of the area in
which the student will likely be seeking employment and contain primary
texts that she or he is likely to be expected to know, as well as critical
material central to the Field. The Focus Reading List should be based on
the student's special interests and contain texts, both primary and
critical, relevant to that focus.
Field and Focus Reading Lists: The student's Supervisory Committee
should advise the student on identifying Field and Focus areas and
discuss options before the student plans the comprehensive exams. The
areas should be related to the kind of job the student wants to obtain
after graduation. The Field is generally broader and may be a category
that is used in the MLA Job List or one that is of general familiarity to the
profession (for example, "20th Century American and Canadian
Literature," "Renaissance Literature," or "Composition and Rhetoric").
The Focus area should be a more specialized area leaning toward the
subject of the student's dissertation (for example, "20th Century
Canadian Women's Literature," "Shakespeare," or "Literacy Studies").
Creative Writing students design lists in literature, composition and
rhetoric, and/or literary theory that complement the creative work they
do in their dissertations.
After a student has identified Field and Focus areas, she or he constructs
a reading list for each area comprised of 30-40 substantial items,
including both primary and critical works. The student works with two
faculty members on each list, who also agrees to assess the written exam
or portfolio. The faculty members will probably, but not necessarily, be
members of the student's Supervisory Committee. The student can work
with different faculty members for each of the reading lists. Once the
faculty readers have approved each list, both lists are submitted to the
Graduate Committee for approval. The student should send: 1) a cover
letter explaining the intellectual rationale for the "Field" and "Focus"
designations; 2) both reading lists, with "Field" and "Focus" areas clearly
specified and complete bibliographic information (use MLA formatting
style) on each item; 3) how and when the student plans to meet the
comprehensive exam requirement for each list (Written Exam or
Portfolio Option); and 4) the names of the readers with a place for the
readers to sign indicating approval of the lists and agreement to assess
the comprehensive. If the Supervisory Committee Chair is not a reader
for either of the exams, she or he should sign as well, showing agreement
with the student's plans. student can work with different faculty
members for each of the reading lists. Once the faculty readers have
approved each list, both lists are submitted to the Graduate Committee
for approval. The student should send: 1) a cover letter explaining the
intellectual rationale for the "Field" and "Focus" designations; 2) both
reading lists, with "Field" and "Focus" areas clearly specified and
complete bibliographic information (use MLA formatting style) on each
item; 3) how and when the student plans to meet the comprehensive
exam requirement for each list (Written Exam or Portfolio Option); and 4)
the names of the readers with a place for the readers to sign indicating
approval of the lists and agreement to assess the comprehensive. If the
Supervisory Committee Chair is not a reader for either of the exams, she
or he should sign as well, showing agreement with the student's plans.
Format: Students may choose to be assessed on their Field and Focus
Reading Lists by any of the following formats, as long as the readers
approve the format.
Written Exam: The student is responsible for setting up a testing time
with the Graduate Secretary. The Graduate Office schedules summer
exams on a case-by-case basis(but see remark regarding summer above).
Students sign up to take the exam in the English Graduate Office
approximately six weeks before they plan to take it; they also resubmit
names of readers and their reading lists at that time. This can be done by
stopping in the Graduate Secretary office or sending an email with the
date of the exam, readers names, and a copy of the reading list to be
tested. Students will take the exam by computer. The two faculty readers
will construct the 3 1/2 hour exam based on the student's approved
reading list, but the student may submit study questions to the faculty as
soon as the list is approved; the faculty can use these questions or
variations of them if they feel it is appropriate to do so. Readers judge
the exam as a pass or a fail. If the student fails the exam he or she can
retake it in the same or another format. Students who fail the
comprehensive twice must petition the Graduate Committee in writing
for permission to take it a third time.
Portfolio Option : Students sign up for the Portfolio Option in the
Graduate Office at least six weeks before they plan to hand in the
Portfolio. Students should get the agreement of the faculty readers to
ensure that they can meet the student's elected portfolio submission
date. The student compiles the Portfolio with the guidance of the
two faculty readers, based on the student's approved reading list. The
Portfolio should be 50-60 pages in length, maximum. The Portfolio must
include: 1) a cover letter describing the major ideas, themes, and issues
represented in the portfolio and giving an overview of its contents; 2) a
20-page scholarly essay, which is a focused essay with a thesis that
brings together major texts from the reading list, both critical and
primary; 3) an annotated bibliography of all items on the reading list not
covered by the essay; 4) a statement of teaching goals; 5) sample course
syllabi based on the reading list, with assignments and class activities;
and 6) professional writing that is informed by material on the reading
list but that has not been used to satisfy course requirements (this might
include conference papers; published, accepted, or circulating articles or
creative writing; grant proposals, and other materials demonstrating a
knowledge of the area). The readers of the Portfolio guide the student in
writing and revising the essay and other parts of the Portfolio; the
student should consult with them early and often. On the agreed-upon
date, the student submits the Portfolio in triplicate to the English
Graduate Office. The Graduate Office distributes the Portfolio to the
faculty readers.
The two faculty readers assess the Portfolio and judge it a "pass," "no
pass," or "revise and resubmit." In the case of a disagreement between
the readers, the Graduate Chair selects a third reader. The English
Graduate Office gives the faculty members' assessment and comments to
the student. If the student fails or is asked to revise, she or he will do so
with specific comments from the readers as to what needs to be done to
meet the comprehensive examination standards. If a student fails a
Portfolio twice, he or she must petition the Graduate Committee in
writing for permission to revise and submit it a third time or to take the
exam in a different format.
Combined Portfolio: In some cases, the Supervisory Committee and
faculty readers may decide that one large portfolio covering the two
reading lists is appropriate, should the Field and Focus lists dovetail to a
manageable extent. In that case, the student writes a 40-60 page
Scholarly Paper over both lists, and submits all other materials required
for Portfolio Option. As with the Portfolio Option, the student must get
the agreement of two faculty members to be readers for the Combined
Portfolio.
The Capstone Oral Exam: Whatever format is selected for the
comprehensive exams (written exam or portfolio) a capstone oral follows
completion. The Supervisory Committee minus the member from
another department administers the Capstone Oral, but the Committee
can add other examiners with the student's approval. If other faculty
were involved in compiling the student's reading lists and reading the
comprehensives, the Supervisory Committee and student may want them
to take part in the Capstone Oral as well. The Capstone Oral should take
place as soon as possible after the student completes the written exam
requirements. The student contacts all the faculty members involved and
arranges a meeting time and place (but see remark about summer
above). Then the student informs the Graduate Office about who is on
the examining committee, as well as the time and place of the Capstone
Oral. The Graduate Office sends the faculty members copies of the
reading lists, as well as formal notification of the meeting. If faculty
members wish to review the student's written comprehensives, they can
obtain copies from the Graduate Office. The Capstone Oral normally lasts
1 hour. Its purpose is to give students the opportunity to articulate
connections between texts and issues central to their written field and
focus exams or portfolios. As the examining committee explores topics
from the written examinations via critical and interpretative questions,
the student can articulate and expand on aspects of his or her thinking on
the Field and Focus areas. This helps orient the student's work on the
comprehensives toward his or her dissertation, teaching goals, and
research projects. The Capstone Oral can also serve as an opportunity for
the Committee and student to discuss the student's dissertation plans.
After the Capstone Oral, the chair of the Supervisory Committee
completes a consensus report, the "Capstone Oral Examination Report,"
which deems the examination results as "pass," "no pass," or "conditional
pass," and submits it to the Graduate Chair. Students who receive a
"conditional pass" must do further work to pass the Capstone Oral, the
nature and extent of which will be clearly delineated in the "Examination
Report." Any examination committee member may write a dissenting
report to the Graduate Chair as well. The Graduate Chair will inform the
student in writing of the results of the exam, with a copy of the
"Capstone Oral Examination Report."
University: Northwestern University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
I wasn’t sure how to list Northwestern’s Ph.D. exams. They have part one and part two. The first part is
taken during the second year of the doctoral program and the second part in the third year. I wasn’t
sure if this was a Quals and a Prelim or one big test spread out.
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an
Master’s thesis.
exam given
as a
capstone
for earning
an M.A.)
Ph.D.
Reading Lists available online:
Qualifying
http://www.english.northwestern.edu/graduate/grad%20documents/QE1%20Reading%2
Exam (an
0Lists.pdf
exam given
early on as The purpose of the Qualifying Exam as a whole is to test your command of the primary
a condition literature and your grasp of the relevant historical and theoretical contexts in the fi eld in
for
which you intend to write your dissertation. The Qualifying Exam is thus designed to cover
continuing an area larger than your dissertation and to qualify you generally to teach in a given fi eld.
pursuit of
The Qualifying Exam is divided into two parts: the first part is an oral exam, administered
the
at the end of your second year, that asks you to demonstrate in-depth familiarity with a
doctorate) list of core texts in your field; the second part is a take-home written exam, administered
at the end of the fall quarter of your third year, that asks you to demonstrate critical
engagement with a selection of texts and research approaches that will inform your
dissertation prospectus. The department sets the texts and examiners for the first part of
the exam; you draw up the list for the second part of the exam in consultation with a
committee of three faculty members you have chosen.
2.2.4.1. The Qualifying Exam: Part One (Oral)
In the spring of your second year, you will take the first part of the Qualifying Exam in a
specified field. The department currently offers qualifying exams in the following fields:
• Medieval English Literature
• British Literature from 1500-1650 (also referred to as
“Renaissance” or “Early Modern” Literature)
• Eighteenth-Century British Literature
• Nineteenth-Century British Literature
• American Literature
• Twentieth-/Twenty-First Century Literature in English
• Drama in English
• Poetry & Poetics
By the summer of your fi rst year, you will select one of these fields and begin reading the
standard field list. These lists are available from the first day you enter the program, and
the DGS will have distributed the lists in all fields to you during your first year. The list that
is in place when you matriculate is the list you can expect to be examined on.
All second-year students will take the exam during reading week of Spring Quarter of the
second year. The two-hour oral exam is administered by a committee of three faculty
members appointed by the DGS. Students are encouraged to meet with the DGS if they
have questions and will be notified about the composition of the exam committee during
the early stages of the Spring Quarter.
The oral component of the Qualifying Exam covers a list of core texts in the broad field you
have selected. The list does not attempt to include every text important in the field or to
establish a comprehensive canon. Instead, it designates a reasonably small set of texts
that provides minimum competency in the literary forms of the period, national culture, or
genre. Keep in mind that you will read more extensively and widely in preparing for the
second part of the exam.
The first part of the Qualifying Exam is designed principally to test—and to help you
demonstrate—detailed knowledge of the texts stipulated on the reading list. It focuses on
the interpretive reading of these texts. You will be asked to show specific, detailed recall
of literary works and an ability to offer a textured reading of the works at hand. You will
also be expected to understand the basic terms and concepts necessary for literary study
(epic, novel, fi gures of speech, and poetic terms). Questions will deal with the thematic
patterns and artistic characteristics of individual works on the list and with significant
interrelations among works. Broader questions about literary history (“discuss the main
forms of Renaissance drama”) and about the relations of works to their historical,
biographical, and cultural contexts are allowable, but only to the degree that they are
immediately relevant to the understanding of, and are illustrated by, works on the list. “In
what sense is The Woman in White a ‘sensation novel’?” is thus more suitable than
“Discuss the relations of the ‘sensation novel’ to other styles of Victorian fiction.” You will
receive a grade of Pass or Fail for the oral exam. If you fail the exam, you have one chance
to retake it before the beginning of the following Fall Quarter. In the case of a failed exam
the committee will provide written comments in order to inform both the student and the
committee appointed to give the second exam a sense for what was considered lacking in
the first. Such comments will be collectively written by the original exam committee
within two weeks.
In exceptional cases, students may petition the DGS and the
Graduate Committee for an alternate Qualifying Exam field. To do so, a student must fi nd
three faculty sponsors and put together an alternate reading list during the fall of his or
her second year. The Graduate Committee must then approve the alternate list before the
student takes the oral exam at the end of the second year. Alternate fi elds must have a
breadth and scope comparable to the standard fields.
Ph.D.
The Written Qualifying Exam
Preliminary No later than two weeks prior to the Qualifying Examination Part Two, all students must
Exam (an
convene their exam committees for a 30-45 minute conversation about their reading lists,
exam given identifying areas of particular interest and avenues of further inquiry. At such meetings,
as a
which are not part of the examination itself, potential questions for the written exam may
capstone
be discussed or developed.
prior to
writing a
The written exams are based, then, on this conversation and your reading list, and are
dissertatio intended to determine that you have read widely and intelligently enough in your field to
n)
be able to formulate arguments that go well beyond the interpretation of individual texts.
This second part of the exam is a take-home examination, which must be completed in 10
days, with distribution the first morning and submission by noon on the last. It will
normally be given to you on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in the fall quarter of your
third year and will be due the Friday of Reading Week. Ordinarily, the exam will consist of
three or four questions, two of which you'll address in separate response essays. The
combined page length for the essays ideally will be 25 pp. (6,000 words) and must not
exceed 28 pp. (8,000 words; double-spaced, standard margins); all essays must be handed
in at the time specified when the exam is distributed.
Your committee will not expect the argument of these essays to have the conclusive
character of a dissertation chapter, nor will your essays necessarily represent elements of
your eventual dissertation. Nonetheless, it is important at this point for you to think
ahead, as you prepare for this exam, to the prospectus writing stage, at which time you
will need to have tentative hypotheses in hand in order to determine the direction of your
research. When the time comes for drafting the Prospectus, you need to be confident that
the provisional hypotheses guiding your reading during this later period will not lead to
wild-goose chases or reinventions of the wheel. You must also be sure that claims of
distinctiveness are not being made for texts that are in fact rather typical and
representative in the period, or, vice versa, that claims of representativeness are not being
made for texts that are in fact anomalous or idiosyncratic.
In order to avoid such misjudgments, you will need to have a good grasp of the diversity,
character, and scope of the literary and critical texts that define the period you are
studying; it is your grasp of this landscape that the second exam is intended to evaluate.
While crafting sustained arguments, your answers should also demonstrate specific
command of texts and their critical reception and should give evidence of careful thought
about the issues that you and your committee identify. Different exam committees and
different research projects will call for appropriate variations in principles of selectivity of
coverage and in the kinds of questions likely to appear on the exam; students and
committees must work toward a shared understanding of these matters ahead of time.
There is no oral component to this exam, and it is graded simply Pass or Fail. You may
appeal a failing grade to the DGS or (if the DGS is a member of your exam committee) to
the Chair of the Department. The DGS or Chair will then convene an ad hoc committee
composed of her/himself and two other faculty members, who will give your exam a fresh
reading and decide whether or not they concur with the initial decision. This committee’s
ruling will be final.
University: Ohio State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
1. A Preliminary Program of Study (PPOS), signed by the student’s
capstone for earning an
adviser (see separate page).
M.A.)
2. A short Statement about the student’s pursuit of interests outside the
regular curriculum and the major field (e.g., attendance at workshops,
lectures, readings, and other such activities).
3. A Research Project, which can be a traditional academic essay, a new
media composition, and so forth, as determined in consultation with the
student's faculty adviser.
Typically, the Research Project will have begun in a course and been
subsequently revised with a broader academic audience in mind and with
a clear articulation of how its argument and methodologies fit within
ongoing conversations in the relevant field or fields. The student should
be working toward potential publication of the project, and/or toward its
integration into her or his dissertation.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The Candidacy Examination must be taken no later than two
semesters after the completion of required coursework. Students must
register for English 8996 with the Chair of the Exam Committee while
preparing for the Candidacy Exam.
The Candidacy Exam consists of a take-home written portion and a twohour oral portion. The "Notification of Doctoral Candidacy Examination"
form must be filed with the Graduate School at least two weeks before
the oral examination. If the Exam Committee includes a faculty member
with "M" status (typically, an untenured Assistant Professor), the form
requires the signature of the Director of Graduate Studies. The written
portion is a three-day take-home exam, with an upper limit of no more
than 5000 words total. Failure to adhere to the word limit constitutes
failure of the entire Candidacy Examination. No notes of any kind are
permitted (i.e., no footnotes or endnotes), but in their answers to the
exam questions students should cite relevant primary and secondary
works from their Reading Lists and use parenthetical citations.
The written portion of the Candidacy Exam should address two
questions, one of which is dedicated to the student's Major Field and one
of which is dedicated to the student's Minor Field or Fields. The questions
are written by the student's Exam Chair in consultation with the other
members of his or her committee. The questions are given to the student
only at the time the written exam is administered. The written exam
must be taken over a seventy-two hour period; it must be picked up by
4:00 p.m. on the first day and turned in to the English Graduate Office by
4:00 p.m. on the last day of that period. Students may opt to pick up the
exam on a Monday, Tuesday, or Friday, so that it is due in the English
Graduate Office, respectively, the following Thursday, Friday, or Monday.
The oral portion of the exam must follow no sooner than one week
but within two weeks (i.e., 7-14 days) after the written portion is
completed and turned in. The written exam should be regarded as the
beginning of a discussion that will be continued during the oral exam.
Prior to the oral, the student should meet with the Candidacy Exam Chair
to clarify expectations for the oral exam. The oral exam lasts two hours,
and it covers both the candidate's Major Field and Minor Field or Fields.
The Chair of the committee should ensure that at least 60 minutes are
devoted to the Major Field. The final 30 minutes of the exam can include
a discussion of the draft Dissertation Prospectus.
The Candidacy Examination Committee consists of 4 faculty members,
chaired by a member of the Graduate Faculty who holds "P" status
(typically, a tenured Associate or Full Professor). The student selects the
members of her or his Committee in consultation with the Chair. The
Committee must include faculty representation for both the Major Field
and the Minor Field or Fields. Typically, this will mean 2 faculty members
representing the Major Field and 2 faculty members representating the
Minor Field, or 2 faculty members representing the Major Field and 1
faculty member representing the first Minor Field and 1 faculty member
representing the second Minor Field. Only in unusual circumstances
should a faculty member represent both the Major and a Minor Field for
the purposes of the Candidacy Exam. The Committee meets with the
student prior to the exam to discuss the Reading Lists for the Major and
Minor Fields.
Students are responsible for distributing the following materials to all
members of the Committee at least one week before the written exam:
* The draft Dissertation Prospectus.
Students are responsible for distributing the following materials to all
members of the Committee at least one week before the oral exam:
* The Final Program of Study
* The written exam
* The student's Major Field and Minor Field or Fields reading lists (if
updated from the POS)
* The official description of the Candidacy Exam, available from the
English Graduate Office
(optional).
Failure of the Candidacy Examination occurs if the Committee considers
either of the following to be the case: A) the written and/or oral portions
of the exam indicated that the candidate is not ready to proceed to a
dissertation, owing to insufficient knowledge of the field; B) the
candidate is insufficiently focused on a dissertation project, which makes
it unlikely that he or she will be able to submit an approved prospectus
within two months. In case of failure, the Committee can specify the
nature of a repeat examination, but it, too, must contain a written and an
oral portion. A second failure means dismissal from the Ph.D. program
(see Graduate School Handbook).
A successful pass must be a unanimous decision of the Committee. The
Chair of the Committee is required to submit a written report on the
Candidacy Examination to the Graduate Director. Failure, in whole or in
part, may occur if any one member of the Committee is not satisfied with
the results. In the case of failure, each individual faculty member of the
Committee may specify areas or material on which a re-examination
must take place and so instruct the student. The Chair of the Committee
will then submit a written account of what will be required of the student
to repeat the exam. The Graduate School will assign an outside
representative for all second examinations.
University: Penn State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Writing Project
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Near the end of their second semester in the program, all PhD students
exam given early on as a
will be reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee. As part of its
condition for continuing
review, the Committee will consider the candidate's first semester grades
pursuit of the doctorate)
and instructors' comments and will also seek the views of each
candidate's second semester instructors. Closest description provided on
the website.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an At the end of the second semester of the PhD program (and after
exam given as a capstone
successful completion of the candidacy review) the student will form a
prior to writing a
doctoral committee consisting of at least three members of the English
dissertation)
graduate faculty and, in accordance with Graduate School regulations, at
least one graduate faculty member from another department. (See
Guidelines for Doctoral Committees on page 10-11.) The student must file
a form in the Graduate Office establishing the committee by the end of
his or her second semester in the PhD program. The student should meet
periodically with the assembled committee, which will assist in the
development of a coordinated program and in the preparation for the
exam. The list of proposed examinations should be filed with the
Graduate Studies Committee, though students in consultation with their
committees are free to modify their programs prior to the semester in
which they take the exam. The comprehensive examination should be
taken by the end of the second year of the program. Exams are scheduled
by the student through the graduate office (two weeks prior to the exam)
by filing an Exam Request Form with The Graduate School. Students must
be in registered status and have all missing and incomplete grades
resolved before taking exams.
2. Examination Format
The exam is devoted to at least three areas:
Area #1 (5 hours)*
Major Area
(Historical Period, African American
Literature and Language
or
Rhetoric and Composition)
Area #2 (3
Area #3 (3
hours)*
hours) *
Historical
Period
Historical
or
Period
Literary Genre or
or
Special Topic
Literary Theory
* If both the student and his or her committee agree, one of the following
alternatives may be substituted for one section of the exam: a) an oral
examination; b) a 24-hour take-home examination; or c) a one-week
bibliographic essay. In the event that students and faculty cannot work
out a mutually acceptable alternative format, the examination will revert
to the 3/3/3/2-hour written format. The final form of all PhD
examinations, including the reading list and the format, will be
determined no less than one month prior to the date of the examination.
Definitions:
1. Major Area: The major area examination (Area #1) will be
composed of two parts: Part I (three hours) on the area as a
whole; Part II (two hours) on a particular author(s), genre, issue,
or topic within the Major Area.
2. Historical Period: A historical period is defined as a combination
of any two chronologically consecutive segments (e.g. Old English
and Middle English or Victorian and Modern British to 1945) or
any two contemporaneous segments (e.g., Modern British and
Modern American Literature or Modern American and Modern
African American Literature and Language).
Old English
l|
Middle English
2|
16th Century, including Shakespeare
3|
Early 17th Century, including Milton
4|
Restoration 17th Century American
5 | | 10
18th Century 18th Century American
6 | | 11
Romantic 19th Century to 1865
7 | | 12
Victorian Later 19th Century
8 | | 13
Modern British to 1945 Modern American to 1945
9 | | 14
Contemporary British and Contemporary American Commonwealth
3. Literary Genre: Poetry, drama, narrative fiction, nonfiction prose
(including theoretical works and writings from each historical area).
4. Special Topics
l) Rhetoric and Composition (if not chosen as the major field);
2) African American Literature and Language (if not chosen as the major
field);
3) Literary Theory (if not chosen for exam #2);
4) Literary Genre (if not chosen for exam #2);
5) Textual Bibliography;
6) Foreign Language and Literature;
7) Literature of Gender, Race, Region, or Ethnicity (i.e., one specific area
of study, which is chosen by the student in conjunction with advisers);
8) Area of official PhD minor.
Grading: Each of the three area examinations will be given one of the
evaluative terms used by the Graduate School:
Superior (A+), Above Average (A or A-), Average (B+ or B), Below Average
(B-), Failure (C or below).
The minimum standard for Honors is one grade of Superior and two of
Above Average.
After the examination, the committee chair notifies the Graduate Office
of the results. In the event that the student fails one or more parts of the
exam, the doctoral committee will decide whether the student should
retake the exam in its entirety or only those parts that he or she has
failed. It may also recommend against retaking the exam and ask the
Graduate Studies Committee to review the student's overall performance
in the program.
University: Purdue University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
This examination, based as it is on a variety of British and American texts
capstone for earning an
covering the spectrum of these literatures, represents the capstone of
M.A.)
this stage of graduate study.
M.A. students are advised to take the exam no later than the spring
semester of their second year of residency.
The exam is designed to allow students to demonstrate an ability to
synthesize materials, to draw parallels between or among texts, and to
read closely for particular details. Examination questions or topics for
exploration draw on a variety of ways to read texts (plot, genre, gender,
character, relation to critical issues).
The first part of the examination will last 4 hours, with one-half hour for
studying the questions and organizing answers, 3 hours for writing, and
one-half hour for proofreading and editing the answers. Students in
Literary Studies write for 3 hours, usually on 3 questions chosen from a
list of 5 or 6 options. The questions may deal with any of the 24 books on
the list, or any combination of those books.
Students in Rhetoric and Composition, English Language and Linguistics
and English Language Studies/ESL write for 1 hour on a question or
questions dealing with any book on the short list, or any combination of
those books, and for 2 hours on questions drawn from their area of
specialization.
The second part of the examination, taken by all M.A. candidates,
consists of the explication of a passage of poetry, with 15 minutes for
study and organization, 1 hour for writing, and 15 minutes for
proofreading. Students write on 1 of 3 short poems, printed in full. Titles
will not be announced in advance. The instructions will read: “Write a
careful literary analysis of one of the following poems. Your essay should
interpret the poem and support that interpretation with evidence drawn
from the text.”
No notes, texts, or reference works other than a standard college
dictionary may be used.
5. Preparing for the Exam:
Those studying for the exam should take courses in as many periods as
they can, but should supplement course work with extra preparation of
their own. This preparation ought to consist primarily of several
thoughtful readings of the assigned texts. In addition, the careful reading
of 2 or 3 critical works on each text is strongly recommended. Students
are encouraged to seek help from their Advisors and other members of
the faculty in this preparation. Copies of earlier exams are kept on file in
the English Graduate Office and are available upon request.
6. Answers:
Students should study the questions carefully and be certain that their
answers offer thoughtful, well-organized, and detailed responses to
those questions. They should avoid clichés, dead metaphors, vague
generalities, plot summaries, and oversimplifications. Relevant criticism
should be cited and incorporated into responses. Examiners look for
evidence that students have thought carefully and critically about the
texts and topics on which they choose to write.
7. Grading:
Results of the M.A. Examination will be reported to examinees and the
Chairs of their Advisory Committees by the Director of Graduate Studies
within ten working days of the examination date.
Faculty members of the examination committee meet to discuss the
individual parts of the exam and to determine an overall grade (High
Pass, Pass, Low Pass, Fail).
Students wishing to review their performance on the examination may
ask to meet with the M.A. Examination Committee. This request should
be made within 2 weeks of the report of examination results. The
Department considers the M.A. Examination Committee's determination
of the grade to be final. Students who may wish to appeal the decision of
the examining committee may do so according to the guidelines
established by the Graduate School of the University as articulated in its
Policies and Procedures for Administering Graduate Student Programs
(Section IX: Graduate Student Responsibilities and Rights).
8. Re-examination:
A candidate who fails the M.A. examination may take it a second time,
preferably during the next examination period, and certainly within the
calendar year. A student who has failed the examination twice may not
take it a third time A student who has failed the examination may not
then switch to the thesis option.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
In a student's Primary Area of Study, the student will complete a two-part
examination, allowing for different scholarly approaches and treatments.
The two parts are:
1: A written examination to test the breadth of knowledge in a primary
area of study. This will be a 24-hour take-home exam. The maximum
length of this examination is 21 double-spaced pages not including
Endnotes and “Works Cited.” For Literary Studies and Theory and Cultural
Studies, the student's advisory committee forms the examination
committee. For Rhetoric and Composition, the examination is designed
by the Departmental Preliminary Examination Committee appointed by
the Head. For English Language and Linguistics and Second Language
Studies/ESL, students may opt to take an examination designed by the
Departmental Preliminary Examination Committee appointed by the
Head, or they may elect the procedure outlined in option 4 in section e:
“Administering the Examination”.
2: An essay (about 25 pages plus documentation) designed to test the
student’s ability to develop and argue a more specialized topic or issue
within the examination area. Students in Rhetoric and Composition and
those students in English Language and Linguistics and Second Language
Studies/ESL who opt for a Departmental examination will submit to the
Director of Graduate Studies two sub-areas within the examination area
when signing up for the examination. The examining committee will
create directives for the 7-day take-home essay based on these subareas.
University: University of Wisconsin—Website provides little to no explanations on the specifics of the
examinations.
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: East Carolina University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Technical and
Professional
Discourse
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students are required to complete a thesis or a Comprehensive
capstone for earning an
Assessment Project. The website does not provide any direct information
M.A.)
as to what a CAP , as they call it, is comprised of, but judging by the form
I am under the impression it is a research project as opposed to an
examination.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Florida International University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students are required to complete a thesis.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Florida Atlantic University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Comparative
Studies
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students must complete a thesis.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The exam consists of a written and an oral component. The written
exam given early on as a
portion is based on a reading list that includes, but is not limited to,
condition for continuing
course assignments, and will consist of a series of written essays. The
pursuit of the doctorate)
successful completion of this written component will be followed by an
oral exam within two weeks.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Louisiana Tech University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Students in the non-thesis plan will take a written exam in one of four
capstone for earning an
areas of study (Pre-1660 British Literature, Post-1660 British Literature,
M.A.)
American Literature, or Composition & Technical Writing). The graduate
student will notify in writing the Graduate Coordinator of English during
advising week of the quarter that precedes the one in which he or she is
going to take the comprehensive exams, stating the intended area of
examination. (A sample letter can be found on page 14). The Graduate
Coordinator must approve the area of study and provide the date of the
exam. The Graduate Coordinator will then inform the student who the
examiner will be in the selected area of study, at which time the student
should consult with the examiner to determine the exam’s specific
emphases.
The examiner will write and grade the exam in the selected area of study.
The Graduate Coordinator will also read and grade all the comprehensive
exams. The student will receive one of three grades: Pass, Fail, or Pass
with Distinction. If there is disagreement between examiner and the
Graduate Coordinator, the Director of the School of Literature and
Language will arbitrate any dispute in the grading and render a final
decision. The graduate written exam will be based upon the Reading List
in the designated area of his or her choice. The list may be updated at the
beginning of the fall quarter of each academic year. However, a student
will be responsible only for the works on the list during the quarter in
which he or she enters the program. A student should obtain a copy of
this list (found in the Graduate Handbook) from the Graduate
Coordinator of English or save the file posted during his or her entrance
year and provide that year’s list to the examiner before he or she
generates exam topics. This is the student’s responsibility. Otherwise
examiners will use the Graduate Reading List that is current for the given
year.
Examinations will test students using two methods: essay and
identification. Essay sections will test the breadth of the student’s
knowledge of an overall period as well as knowledge of specific readings,
while the identification sections will demonstrate the student's
knowledge of specific factual information of a period as well as an
understanding of literary terms and concepts. The exam for the area in
which the student chooses to test will be three hours. Approximately
two-thirds of the exam will be essay and one-third will be identification,
although the specific number of essays question options, identifications,
and time a student is allotted for each section may vary and be
determined by individual area examiners. If a student does not pass a
written exam, he or she may retake the exam once. The student must
notify in writing the Graduate Coordinator of English in the first week of
the following quarter, asking permission to retake the exam. The student
will follow the same schedule and procedure as outlined above. If the
student does not pass the exam a second time, he or she cannot retake
the exam and may be dropped from the program.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Marshall University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
They have the option, but they don’t provide any information about the
capstone for earning an
exam on their website.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of North Texas
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The comprehensive exam is required for all M.A. students (even those
capstone for earning an
completing a thesis).
M.A.)
MA candidates must pass the master’s comprehensive examination. This
examination is administered by the Department of English and is given
each fall and spring semester. Students must register for this examination
at the appropriate time in the Graduate Studies in English office. Students
should consult with the graduate advisor early in their programs to learn
of the specific nature of the comprehensive examination. The
comprehensive examination may be taken twice. If the candidate fails the
examination on both occasions, then permission for any retake of the
examination must be granted by the graduate admissions committee. No
student will be permitted to take the exam a fourth time. Students must
first pass the comprehensive examination in order to register for thesis
hours.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Ideally, the student will take the PhD qualifying examination during the
exam given as a capstone
first term/semester after the completion of organized course work. The
prior to writing a
PhD examination will be administered by the student’s dissertation
dissertation)
committee.
The PhD examination may be taken twice. If the student fails the
examination on both occasions, then permission for any retake of the
examination must be granted by the graduate admissions committee.
The student must pass the following:
 one four-hour written comprehensive examination in the primary
area,


one four-hour written examination in a secondary area, and
one two-hour oral examination.
The student must pass these examinations before being permitted to
register for dissertation hours.
The student’s major advisor and committee will determine the nature of
the examinations and prepare and administer them. The student will be
expected to have expert knowledge of the primary area and general
comprehensive knowledge of the secondary area.
After the student passes the written comprehensive examinations in both
the primary and the secondary area, the student will then take one twohour oral examination that covers both areas.
After the student passes the written and oral examinations, the student
must file a PhD Comprehensive Examination Form with the Graduate
Studies in English Office.
University: Rice University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes (does not
have a terminal
M.A. program)
MFA
Ph.D.
No
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an All students will devote the Spring semester of Year 3 to the qualifying
exam given as a capstone
examination process, which must be completed by the final day of the
prior to writing a
Rice examination period for that semester. Students will compile two
dissertation)
readings lists—one devoted to a field/period, and one devoted to a
critical or theoretical approach or orientation which will frame the
specific mode of critical intervention in the field. Each list will be
accompanied by a “qualifying paper” of about 15-20 pages which should
make clear the rationale for texts included in and excluded from the list,
summarize past and current key debates and motifs in the period or
critical approach, and so on. Once the reading lists and the qualifying
papers are approved by the committee, the student may proceed to the
final stage of the examination process--an oral examination of 2 to 3
hours on material covered in the readings lists and qualifying papers. The
student receives a passing grade on the qualifying examination when the
committee deems that all elements of the examination process—reading
lists, qualifying papers, and oral examination--have been completed
satisfactorily. Students who are unable to complete the examination
process successfully by the end of the spring semester of Year 3 are
required to repeat the process and complete it successfully by the end of
fall semester of Year 4.
University: University of Southern Mississippi
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The First Year Comprehensive exam will be given to ALL MA and PhD
capstone for earning an
literature students. It will serve as the Masters Comprehensive Exam for
M.A.)
MA literature students, and as the PhD Qualifying Exam for all PhD
literature students. The exam will be given twice a year, once in August
for students entering the program in the Fall and again in December for
students entering in the Spring. All students sitting for the exam will take
it at the same time. Full-time students will be expected to take the exam
after their first year of study (for most students, this will be in August). If a
student fails any one portion of the exam, he or she will have to retake
that portion when the exam is offered again. If a student fails two or more
sections, the whole exam will have to be retaken. You may only retake the
exam once. Any student who fails the exam a second time will be
dismissed from the program.
Sample Exam: https://www.usm.edu/english/sample-first-yearcomprehensivequalifying-exam
Reading Lists: https://www.usm.edu/english/first-year-comprehensiveexam-reading-list
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
See above.
In the course of the third year of full-time study for those admitted to the
program from the BA, or in the course of the second year of full-time
study for those admitted to the program from the MA, students will begin
to organize an examination committee. The committee must consist of
five faculty members, one of whom will serve as chair. (This committee
may also serve as the student’s dissertation committee, but it does not
have to be so.) With the advisement and approval of the committee and
the director of Graduate Studies, the student will identify his or her areas
of study.
In creating his/her areas of study, the student will compile reading lists,
one for each of three categories: a Comprehensive Field area, a
Methodological area, and a Genre/Movement/Figure area. In the Field
area, the student will be asked to demonstrate mastery of a broad field of
study; in the other two areas, the student will be asked to demonstrate a
coherent research agenda and a coherent articulation of a process of
critical inquiry.
Comprehensive Field Area: This field should span an historical period of at
least 100 years and emerge from our curriculum’s distribution areas. The
Field area should identify the historical and literary context for the
student’s anticipated area of specialization and dissertation project. In
articulating the Field area, the student should be able to “justify” the time
frame in terms of historical, social, generic, and stylistic parameters. This
reading list would consist of approximately 50 primary texts and 20
secondary texts.
Methodological Area: This area should be an expression of the student’s
methodological and theoretical approach to his/her project. As with the
Field area, the student should be able to thoroughly justify both the
methodological approach and the texts that support it. This reading list
would consist of approximately 30 texts and articles.
Research Focus Area: A third area defined in terms of genre, movement
or major figure. In this area the student’s more specific primary
text/research interests will be articulated. As in the other areas, the
student must be able to justify this area and the texts he/she is including
on the list. The reading list should consist of approximately 30 texts, both
primary and secondary.
The reading lists for all three examination areas must be finalized a
minimum of three months prior to the expected Ph.D. examination date
by the student and the full committee.
The Exam: The exam is in two parts: a take home written exam on the
Comprehensive Field area, and an oral exam on the methodological and
research areas. The Comprehensive Field Exam will be administered as a
TAKE-HOME WRITTEN exam, with 72 hours allotted for completion. The
exam itself will ask the student to write on three questions (from a choice
of six). Questions will require students to engage both primary and
secondary material.
No more than two weeks after the student completes the take-home
exam, he/she will sit for an ORAL EXAMINATION covering (primarily, but
not exclusively) the second and third areas. This 2-hour oral exam will
consist of: one 45-minute section on each of the remaining areas, and a
20-minute section that will allow questions concerning the relationships
between the Methodological and Research Focus areas and the manner in
which those two areas illuminate the Comprehensive Field area. There is
allowance for a 10-minute break. Committee members may designate a
specific faculty member to take the lead in one or more of the exam
sections.
University: Tulane University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The information provided on Tulane’s website appears primarily directed
capstone for earning an
at prospective students, as opposed to current students. No detailed
M.A.)
explanations of the requirements for the degree are posted where I can
find them, but I was able to discover that they do not offer a thesis
option.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Students who are admitted to the doctoral program with a B.A. degree
exam given early on as a
will undergo a mid-program review conducted by the graduate faculty at
condition for continuing
the end of their third semester; those entering with an M.A. will have
pursuit of the doctorate)
their mid-program review at the end of the first semester (in either case,
the review is to be completed by January 10). Students may be strongly
encouraged to continue in the program, recommended to remain in the
program, placed on probation, or asked to leave the program as a
consequence of this review. This review considers the whole of the
student's work to date, including attendance, participation,
comprehension, and writing as well as any other factors deemed
important by the faculty. The review assesses the student's potential for
success at the examination and dissertation levels. All students will be
notified by letter of the results of this review; every student so reviewed
should make an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies to
discuss the results. Students who do not pass the review will be
dismissed from the program, effective at the end of the academic year
(or the semester in which the review results are reported to the student).
[The purpose of the new deadline is to give students who are unfavorably
reviewed time to apply to other programs.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The examination consists of two parts, written and oral. The written
exam given as a capstone
examination is based on three lists: one from a primary historical field,
prior to writing a
one from the dissertation topic, and one supplementary list (often a
dissertation)
contiguous historical field, a genre, or a theoretical list). All committee
members must come to a consensus about the lists. The written
examination, taken by February 1 of the spring after completion of
coursework, is given in three sections, one for each list: the candidate
writes on each section for 24 hours, with a 24-hour rest period in
between each section. If the candidate passes the written test, he or she
will take an oral examination within two weeks: the oral examination
lasts up to three hours. It is possible to fail a part of the written or oral
examination, which may be retaken. Only when the entire written test
has been passed will the candidate be permitted to take the oral
examination. Both the written and the oral tests may be retaken once, in
part or in their entirety. The entire committee must come to a consensus
on the evaluation of the examinations.
University: University of Tulsa
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The M.A. is a non-thesis program: in place of a thesis each student elects,
capstone for earning an
in his/her final term, an independent research project, defined by the
M.A.)
student in consultation with the graduate director and a member of the
faculty. These projects are meant to build upon the student’s individual
interests and program of courses, and so range widely in subject and
approach.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
No particulars mentioned.
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The examinee will choose one of these passages as the starting point of
capstone for earning an
his or her essay; the essay itself will address the following question:
M.A.)
Choose one of the following passages and write an essay that (1)
establishes—based on the chosen passage—some significant literary,
intellectual, and/or cultural context and presents a thesis having to do
with that context; 2) explains, by a close reading of the text, why the
chosen passage is important both to the work from which it is taken and
to the thesis of the present essay; and (3) discusses the context and thesis
in relation to at least two other works form the area reading list.
Note that this question will be identical for all area exams except
linguistics—the passages will change, but the question will always be the
same.
Sample exam: http://www.uab.edu/cas/english/graduate-studies/areasof-study/5-grad/grad/3218-Plan-II--Sample-Literature-Exam
Reading lists for UAB’s three plans are available at:
http://www.uab.edu/cas/english/graduate-studies/areas-of-study/
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Texas at El Paso
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Rhetoric and
Writing
Studies
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis option or the practicum option which requires the completion of a
capstone for earning an
supervised experience in addressing, responding to, and resolving a
M.A.)
professional or academic communication problem through the
preparation of an appropriate written document. The student submits a
practicum proposal and the names of a practicum director, English
Department reader, and an outside reader to the Graduate Advisor for
approval, and then follows the Graduate School guidelines for preparing
and submitting the practicum paper.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Texas at San Antonio
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
MFA
Ph.D.
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
A candidate for a thesis or nonthesis master’s degree must, in addition to
capstone for earning an
other requirements, pass (according to department standards) the
M.A.)
comprehensive examination, which may be oral, written, or both.
Students must be registered during any semester or term in which they
are taking required examinations. If registered for no other courses,
students must be enrolled in 6961, Comprehensive Examination.
To satisfy the comprehensive examination requirement, candidates for
the M.B.A. degree are required to complete MGT 5903 with a grade of
“B” (3.0) or better, candidates for the M.B.A. degree in International
Business are required to complete MGT 5903 with a grade of “B” (3.0) or
better, candidates for the Master of Accountancy degree are required to
complete ACC 6993 with a grade of “B” (3.0) or better, candidates for the
Master of Science degree in Information Technology are required to
complete IS 6813 with a grade of “B” (3.0) or better, and candidates for
the Master of Social Work degree are required to complete SWK 5433
with a grade of “B” (3.0) or better.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
All students seeking a doctoral degree must pass a qualifying
examination. This examination consists of questions to test the
candidate’s knowledge and command of the major field. An examination
covering support work is not a University-wide requirement, but it may
be required at the discretion of the Graduate Program Committee or the
Dissertation Committee.
University: United States Military Academy
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Brigham Young University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students must take a final oral exam, which consists of two parts.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Part One: The first hour of the oral exam covers the context of the thesis
including coursework and area of specialization, based particularly on the
reading list. Each member of the committee has a copy of the student’s
transcript. Students should prepare for rigorous discussion with the
committee.
Part Two: The second hour cover the contents of the thesis and its
implications. Because the committee has already made comments on the
thesis, students may expect follow-up on these comments.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Idaho
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The University of Idaho does not require a comprehensive exam for its
capstone for earning an
students. M.A. students either complete a thesis or two papers suitable
M.A.)
to be submitted for publication, an abstract for each paper, and a concise
explanation of initial and additional research and revisions (3-5 pages),
accompanied by an annotated bibliography.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: United States Naval Academy
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: New Mexico State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Rhetoric and
Communication
Studies
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
All students take a two-hour oral examination. In that exam, students are
capstone for earning an
expected both to defend their thesis or Master's Essay and to answer
M.A.)
questions regarding their course work. Students should form their
examining committee by the end of their third semester of course work.
The committee consists of at least two members of the graduate English
faculty (including the thesis or Master's Essay adviser) and one member
of the graduate faculty from outside the department.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
During the second semester of coursework, students will submit a
exam given early on as a
portfolio to the Rhetoric and Professional Communication faculty for
condition for continuing
purposes of review and evaluation. The qualifying portfolio allows
pursuit of the doctorate)
students to demonstrate that they have the requisite reading, writing,
and critical skills to successfully pursue the Ph.D. Students will discuss and
begin to prepare the Qualifying Portfolio in English 610. The Qualifying
Portfolio consists of a file compiled during the first six months of doctoral
study and submitted on March 1. The Rhetoric and Professional
Communication faculty will assess the portfolio in the form of a first-year
review by April 15. Students will then meet with their advisors to discuss
the portfolio and first-year review letter. The portfolio will include:
 an academic profile in which students assess their relevant
professional background and their previous, current, and future
graduate level work. This includes a discussion of the students'
plans and goals related to coursework, research, teaching and
professional development;
 a critique of a scholarly article (the selection of which is approved
by the Engl 610 instructor) within the field of rhetoric and
professional communication, not to exceed 1500 words
Through this portfolio, students will:
 establish a plan shaping their academic careers;


Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
provide evidence of specific research interests and a clear
research trajectory;
demonstrate the reading, writing, research, and critical skills
required to successfully pursue the Ph.D.
The comprehensive exam consists of two parts: a written exam and an
oral exam. The written exams cover the student's work in the core areas
and in a more specialized area. For the written portions of the exam, the
student chooses three of the four core areas to focus on along with an
area of specialization. The oral exam covers the written portion of the
exam as well as coursework. The exam process is described in more detail
below. The Comprehensive Exam Process
1. The comprehensive exam process begins when the student has
fulfilled all coursework requirements. First, the student should
develop readings lists and exam questions in preparation for the
two-part written exam. This work is done in conjunction with the
advisor and then the committee as a whole. Generally, this work
and the exam can be completed in 4-6 months. Some students
take longer.
Reading lists are typically designed to include reading from
coursework in addition to readings that the student, advisor, and
committee feel are important in preparing the student for
doctoral research. The content and length of the readings lists are
determined by the student and committee with the advisor
overseeing the process. Reading lists should be approved and
signed by all committee members at least a month prior to the
start of the written exam and copies of the lists should be filed
with the Graduate Secretary.
The written exam consists of four questions—three questions are
based on three of the four core areas (i.e. composition, cultural
studies, professional communication, or rhetoric) and one
question is based on the specialized area. The student selects the
three core areas to focus on as well as a specialized area. Each
response should be 1500-2500 words. The student has thirty days
to complete the exam. The advisor and Director of Graduate
Studies administer the exam.
The exam questions for the three chosen core areas are selected
from the core area question lists (a set of 3-5 questions for each
area) that are maintained by the RPC faculty chair. Using this set
of questions, the student adapts one question for each of the
three core areas. The revisions made to the questions should
reflect the student's focus on the specialized area while
maintaining the integrity of the core area. The exam question for
the specialized area is initially drafted by the student. All four
questions (three for the core areas and one for the specialized
area) are then revised by the student in consultation with the
advisor and committee. Once the advisor and committee approve
the questions, the advisor files them with the Director of
Graduate Studies. Please note: Copies of the readings lists and
the exam questions are often made available to other graduate
students in the program (as those students prepare for their own
exams).
During this time, the student typically enrolls in English 600 and
works primarily with the advisor, consulting the committee only
after revising based on the advisor's review of materials. The
student is responsible for scheduling regular meetings with the
advisor and communicating with the committee.
2. Following successful completion of the written exam, the student
takes the oral exam, which covers coursework and the written
portions of the comprehensive exam. The oral exam is mostly a
conversation with the committee in which students are expected
to demonstrate familiarity with rhetoric, composition, cultural
studies, and professional communication and answer questions
about key issues and important texts in the field. Passing the oral
exam signals that the student is prepared to undertake research
in a particular area of the field. Students must file paperwork
with the graduate school at least 10 days in advance of their oral
exam, confirming their adviser's approval to proceed with a
signature, as well as the date, time and location of the exam.
University: University of Notre Dame
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
A written examination covering a reading list of three literary texts and
capstone for earning an
selected criticism. The written exam is taken at the conclusion of
M.A.)
coursework, normally at the end of the spring semester of the second
year.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Written examinations, followed by an oral exam in:



One historical field
Either a second historical period or a genre (poetry, fiction,
drama, non-fiction prose)
One examination in the field of literary criticism, theory. or
methodology. One of the fields is designated as the major field.
The exam committee is made up of a chair and three examiners.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
An oral examination on the proposal for the dissertation and a sample
chapter. The committee for the candidacy exams as well as for the
dissertation is made up of a chair (or, in certain circumstances, two codirectors) and two readers.
University: University of Akron
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Does not mention if students are required to take a comprehensive exam
capstone for earning an
on the website.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Ball State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or research project.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The only information provided by the website is that it is a written and
exam given as a capstone
oral comprehensive exam.
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Bowling Green State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Rhetoric and
Writing
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Capstone Portfolio or thesis.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
The preliminary-examination process for the Rhetoric & Writing Ph.D.
(an exam given as a
Program has three parts: a written General Examination based on a
capstone prior to writing required reading list, a Specialized Portfolio Examination, and an Oral
a dissertation)
Examination taken after successful completion of the first two
components. The following highlights some information explained in more
detail in the Rhetoric & Writing Ph.D. Program Handbook.
General Preliminary Examination
This is a written examination based on the General Exam Reading
List. Typically, students write on three or four questions (selected from a
number of options) in the course of a weekend (Friday AM to Monday
AM).
Specialized Portfolio Examination
The specialized element of the Preliminary Examination for Rhetoric &
Writing PhD students is a portfolio developed by the student and evaluated
by the student's Committee. The Specialized Portfolio consists of four
sections:
A. Professional Revising Project. This section will include (1) the original of a
R&W Program seminar paper; (2) one or more substantial revisions of that
paper intended for conference delivery or for submission to a journal or
book editor, and (3) an Afterword (1000-1500 words) that discusses and
illustrates the nature of the revision--and the reasons for changes during
revision. The final version should, ideally, reflect a present-tense vision of
the project--within a few months of finishing the portfolio--rather than
revision completed some time in the past--and it should represent the
student’s strongest writing.
B. Professional Curriculum Project. This section will include the syllabus for
a writing course (either taught or anticipated) and an Afterword (1000-1500
words) that discusses, in light of Core List readings and other sources, the
principles that ground and shape the syllabus.
C. Initial Dissertation Reading List. With an eye toward future dissertation
research, the student will work with the Committee Chair to develop an
Initial Reading List of 30-40 works, not duplicating any works on the Core
Prelim List. A version of this list will be reviewed by the whole Committee at
the prelim planning meeting, and the final version will be approved by the
Chair before work begins on the Bibliographic Essay.
D. Bibliographic Essay. Working with the approved Initial Reading List, the
student will develop a bibliographic essay (2000-2500 words) showing
understanding of individual works in the list, key relationships and
differences among works, and important issues, questions, and needed
research in the area of the future dissertation. The Essay need not deal with
every item in the Initial Reading List, but should work with a substantial
number of those works (e.g. 15-20 sources).
The Specialized Portfolio may be developed on paper or in a web
environment. It will be developed by the student in close consultation with
the Committee Chair. With this in mind, the student should discuss plans for
the Portfolio with the Committee Chair before the prelim planning meeting
and consult the Chair about broad approaches and strategies once work on
the Portfolio begins.
The Specialized Portfolio will be evaluated individually by the members of
the Committee and during the Orals component of the Preliminary
Examination. The date for submitting the complete Portfolio will be decided
on by the Committee in relation to the scheduling of Orals, which should
take place within three weeks of the General Examination. (Usually,
Portfolios are submitted before the weekend of the Core Exam or by the
Friday following that weekend.)
Reading List Sample:
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/english/rcweb/file135761.pdf
University: University at Buffalo
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
As an alternative to writing a thesis, MA students have the option of
capstone for earning an
taking an oral exam based on a semester-long reading list, along with a
M.A.)
modest written project of between 25-35 pages. This option tends to be
preferred by students who have not yet decided to specialize in a
particular field. Note that the project option is no less rigorous than the
thesis option. The 25-35 pp. writing assignment may result in a polished
writing sample for further graduate applications and/or a submission for
journal publication. The aim of an oral exam list is to study a literary
period, genre, theme, or author(s) in depth without the need to produce
a thesis on the topic. The list is compiled in consultation with the
professor you have chosen to direct your study. Lists vary in length
depending on the material to be covered – lists of poetry will necessarily
be longer than lists of Victorian novels, for example – but you should aim
to challenge yourself while also limiting the list to what can be covered
realistically in the course of a semester. Your professor will help you be
the judge of this. A list should have a well-defined theme and a focus –
which can be as broad as “experimental fiction” or as specific as
“postcolonial readings of Jane Eyre” – and should include some critical
and historical (or theoretical) works.
Once the texts on the exam list have been approved by the supervising
professor, the onus is then on the student to keep up with the reading
schedule and make appointments with the supervising professor to
discuss the material. Patterns of supervision differ from professor to
professor; typically, you will set up a schedule of four or five meetings to
discuss blocks of reading during the semester.
At the end of the semester, you will be examined orally on your list. The
exam takes about one hour. Questions are asked by the supervising
professor with a second professor sitting in as an observer. The
examination seeks to determine not just how well you have absorbed the
material, but the degree to which you can create links among texts and
synthesize your thoughts about the list as a whole. [The structure of this
exam (and of the PhD oral exam) is under review by the Graduate Review
Committee and may change during the coming academic year.]
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
The project is an extended essay on a topic of your own choosing that
complements your orals list. Though the project must be entirely new
work and may not replicate work you have handed in for other seminars,
it might be something that has grown out of seminar reading, or a
response paper. The above advice on research for the thesis applies here.
Again, the onus is on the student to approach a professor to supervise
this piece of work.
In preparation for your PhD Qualifying Examination, you will schedule
three supervised readings with three different faculty members who are
specialists in your chosen fields of interest. Select one of these three,
with his or her permission, as the chair of your committee, and inform
the DGS of your choice. As soon as you have selected a chair for your
exam committee, this person becomes your official academic advisor and
will be responsible for your annual evaluation.
Each supervised reading consists of a list of works that you will discuss in
a series of meetings with the faculty member over the course of a
semester. The supervised readings themselves take place in your third
year, and students normally do two lists in the Fall and one in the Spring,
or one in the Fall and two in the Spring. Supervised readings may not
count as intensive seminars.
The general purpose of the PhD Qualifying Examination is to assess your
knowledge of -- and ability to think critically about-- all of the texts on
your three lists. The lists are designed to help you prepare for the
dissertation and to help you develop your teaching range for the job
market--in which the ability to teach survey courses is increasingly crucial
(be they surveys of Nineteenth-Century American Literature or Medieval
and Early Modern Drama).
Ideally, then, one of the three lists will be organized around a potential
dissertation topic. Your work on this particular list should be instrumental
in helping you to move swiftly from the Qualifying Examination to the
dissertation-writing stage. It is worth noting here that your dissertation
prospectus is due to your dissertation committee no later than August
25th of your fourth year (that is, just a few months after you pass your
exam).
The other two lists should be structured as period surveys. One survey
might focus on the same period of the potential dissertation topic/area
of specialization but expand to demonstrate scope and coverage (should
you have a dissertation-topic list on modernist poetry, for example,
another list might focus on modernist prose, or should you have a
dissertation-topic list on sixteenth-century drama, another list might
focus on Renaissance English poetry and politics). A third list might focus
on a historically continuous period (so that a modernist might have a list
on nineteenth-century or indeed late twentieth century literature, an
early modernist might have a list on classical and medieval texts and
traditions), or a contiguous period (someone planning to specialize in
nineteenth-century British fiction might also have a list on nineteenthcentury American fiction)
Qualifying exams usually last about ninety minutes. Each faculty member
questions you about his/her list for around twenty to thirty minutes.
These questions may or may not stem from conversations you have had
during your supervised readings, but they will pertain to the readings on
your lists and to possible relations between the lists. Upon successful
completion of the examination, your committee members sign the
appropriate form that you will have brought to the meeting (see
Appendix). If you do not pass your exam, the Chair of your exam
committee will meet with the DGS to discuss appropriate procedures.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Central Michigan University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Research project or a thesis
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Eastern Michigan University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Options for programs tailored towards a thesis or a comprehensive exam,
capstone for earning an
but I can’t find any particulars.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Kent State Universit
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or a culminating project both with an oral defense.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Ph. D. students select 3 graduate faculty for the Examination Committee
exam given as a capstone
and prepares a Reading List for each examination. Candidates will write 1
prior to writing a
“major” (4-hour) exam and 2 “minor” (3-hour) exams distributed across
dissertation)
two focus areas and are permitted 5 hours to complete the major exam
and 4 hours to complete each minor exam.
The Exam Committee meets individually with the candidate and reviews
and advises on the exam rationales, reading lists, and target dates for the
examination. The candidate and committee members are likely to meet
often. When the committee members and candidate reach consensus on
the reading lists, the candidate may schedule the exam with the
Graduate Office.
Throughout the preparation process, the candidate is expected to consult
with the Exam Committee and individual faculty on the preparation; the
candidate may be asked to prepare sample questions as a preparation
strategy.
University: University of Massachusetts
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
No information for either the terminal M.A. program nor the pre-doctoral
capstone for earning an
M.A. program.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
A two-hour oral examination, to be taken in the fourth semester of the
exam given as a capstone
Ph.D. program and to be administered by a committee of four faculty:
prior to writing a
one the student's chosen advisor for a First or Major Research Area, one
dissertation)
the student's chosen advisor for a Second Area, and two appointed by
the Director of Graduate Studies. In advance of the examination, the
student will present work in writing for each area. The scope and
substance of this work will vary somewhat, depending on the degree to
which the student has already defined a major area for the dissertation,
one that will therefore be more prominent than the second area, which
might be (for example) a secondary field of research and/or teaching. As
a rough guide, the student should submit a combined maximum of 30
written pages defining the two areas, and a pair of bibliographies for the
areas consisting of a minimum of 60 works.
The First Area should be seen as defining an area of research that the
student hopes will lead to a dissertation. The work submitted for the
exam will be a carefully written essay with an attached reading list. The
essay will not be a formal dissertation proposal but will describe as
searchingly as possible a field of interest, define the important issues,
take stands, and consider possible methodologies. The student will be
expected to defend and elaborate on the essay's argument and to speak
knowledgeably about the reading list, especially as its items bear on the
argument.
The work submitted for the Second Area will be an essay--also with a
reading list--defining this second area of interest and describing current
issues in the field. It may also include, where appropriate, a syllabus for
an advanced undergraduate course in this area, prefaced by a course
description of no more than one page. In this case, the syllabus should be
a secondary document during the examining process: it should seem to
arise naturally from the interest described in the essay, and might be
conceived as an answer to a hiring committee's question, "And how
would you hope to make use of this research in teaching for us?"
Accordingly, the syllabus should be "teachable"--a course that might be a
legitimate undergraduate draw whether at UMASS Amherst or at some
other institution the student has in mind.
University: Miami University at Oxford, Ohio
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
In literary fields, the M.A. written examination should encourage
capstone for earning an
students to think about the relationships between literature and the
M.A.)
larger cultural context. Toward this end, students work with their M.A.
examination committees to generate reading lists in the areas they have
chosen to prepare for the examination. The two lists, one for each area,
should be broad enough to accommodate both the student’s specialized
interests and the committee’s sense of the period in which those
interests are embedded. To achieve that breadth, students should form
lists of 20 to 25 works each, including criticism currently of significance.
[A “work” is defined as a book-length production or its equivalent; thus a
group of plays or a collection of poems or essays might be counted as a
single work in a literary field, while three critical essays will count as the
equivalent of a work.] Students should be prepared to answer questions
about the relationships among works and about the periods they
represent.
Areas that may be represented on the exam are:
• English Literature to 1500
• Renaissance and Seventeenth-Century English Literature
• Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English Literature
• Nineteenth-Century English Literature
• American Literature to 1900
• Twentieth-Century English Literature
• Twentieth-Century American Literature
Devised fields
In addition, a student may, in consultation with both the Director of
Graduate Studies and her/his M.A. examination committee and with the
approval of the Graduate Committee, devise a field not included on the
above list. The Graduate Committee encourages students to incorporate
the rationale for a devised field in the reading lists that they submit,
rather than make the proposal for a devised field a separate stage of the
process.
The devised field can cut across or modify the standing literary historical
fields listed above. In recent years, for example, the Graduate Committee
has approved a devised field in nineteenth- and twentieth-century
African American literature and another in nineteenth- and twentiethcentury American women’s writing. Students should note, however, that
even devised fields with a specific content-based focus must cover an
historical range roughly equivalent to the standing fields that they cut
across. And, as for lists submitted for standing fields, students should give
careful attention to including works of fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfictional prose in order to achieve a representative balance of genres in
the devised field.
Alternatively, rather than study the literature of a discrete historical
period or the literary production of a particular group, a student might
devise a field that emphasizes a particular genre: fiction, poetry, drama,
or non-fictional prose. Such a field could range across national or
chronological boundaries: e.g., the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century
English novel, postcolonial theory and fiction, narrative poetry, or
autobiography of the Americas. Since every devised field must include
both historical range (as described above) and formal diversity (even
within a genre), a student should make sure that her/his rationale
specifically addresses the ways in which a proposed field fulfills this
requirement.
Reading list format and submission procedure
Each field represented on a list should be clearly identified, and the list
itself supported by a persuasive rationale. Works should be cited in
standard bibliographic style. The student should also name the faculty
members serving on the committee, and secure their signatures on the
cover-sheet form submitted along with the list. Along with the signed
cover-sheet form, the list will be submitted to the Graduate Committee
for review and must be approved by the Graduate Committee at least
three months before the final examination for the M.A. degree. The
Graduate Committee may require alterations in the reading list. The chair
of the student’s examination committee, but not the student, will be
present for the meeting with the Graduate Committee.
Examination procedure
For the written examination, the student will answer one question from
each of the two fields represented on the approved reading lists. For
each field, the student will have a choice of at least two questions. The
questions for the written portion of the examination will be given to the
student two weeks before the date of the oral examination. The student
will return her/his completed essays to the committee chair no more
than 72 hours after she/he has received the questions. The maximum
acceptable length of the examination will be approximately 3,600 words,
divided as evenly as possible between the two essays.In the examination
essays, students should employ conventional MLA citation format: i.e.,
parenthetical references by author’s last name and page number. A
bibliography is not required, but if the student uses a text not on the
reading lists, the full citation should be provided parenthetically. While
students are permitted to consult relevant print resources, they may not
share a draft of the essay with others for review, editorial suggestions, or
proofreading. If they incorporate ideas from conversation with others,
these must be fully documented in the essay itself, just as references to
print sources would be. An examination essay, whatever its critical or
theoretical orientation, will be expected to respond directly to the
question asked and to show detailed and accurate command of the
pertinent reading.
In the days before the oral examination, the M.A. examination
committee will read and evaluate the written portion of the examination.
No decision to pass or fail will be rendered until both the written and oral
examinations have been completed and the student’s total performance
can be taken into account. Should a student fail the examination in one
field, the committee may at its discretion allow the student to retake a
portion of the exam.
The oral examination will be conducted over a period of 90 minutes, with
the time divided equally between a discussion of the examination essays
and follow-up questions about them, and a discussion of other works on
the reading lists. Students should be prepared to answer specific
questions about the works on the lists, about relationships among them,
and about the fields they represent. Students should expect that each
examiner will not be restricted to questions in a single field, but may well
ask questions about either of the student’s prepared areas. No materials
other than the approved reading list and the written examination essay
may be consulted during the M.A. exam.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Two of the three committee members must approve for the examination
to be passed. Students who fail the final examination may be given a
second examination to be taken no earlier than the next semester or
summer session. No third attempt is permitted.
5.4 Permission to Proceed
1. All first-year doctoral students will be asked to keep copies of all
written work produced for their seminars in English. Faculty teaching
graduate seminars should retain copies of all written work produced by
first-year students whose capacity to complete the doctoral program is,
in their view, questionable, as well as any written comments on that
work.
2. During the first week of the Spring term, all faculty who taught
graduate courses that included first-year doctoral students during the
preceding semester and each student’s First Year Advisor will meet with
the Director of Graduate Studies. They will discuss whether or not any of
these students has produced written work that seems to call into
question the student’s capacity to complete the doctoral program.
Whatever is said at this meeting will be strictly confidential. If faculty
agree that a student may have difficulty completing the program, the
Director of Graduate Studies will notify the student of that assessment in
writing, providing specific information about problems identified by
faculty. If deemed necessary, he/she will assist the student in obtaining
additional guidance from his/her FirstYear Adviser concerning his/her
current coursework.
3. After the end of the Spring Semester, the Director of Graduate Studies,
each student’s First-Year Advisor, and all faculty who taught first-year
doctoral students during the Spring Semester will meet to discuss the
progress of first-year Ph.D. students. Whatever is said at this meeting will
be strictly confidential. Unless explicitly informed to the contrary by the
Director of Graduate Studies within 5 working days after this meeting, a
student in automatically granted permission to proceed. If faculty agree
that a student may have difficulty completing the program, the Director
of Graduate Studies will notify the student in writing that he/she is under
review, providing specific information about problems identified
by faculty.
4. Any student designated for review will be invited to submit written
work and/or address faculty concerns in writing to the Director of
Graduate Studies within five working days of being informed that he/she
is under review.
5. The Director of Graduate Studies will convene a meeting of available
members of the graduate faculty and the Permission to Proceed
committee, who will then meet for discussion as soon as possible after
the student under review has submitted his/her work. This meeting must
take place no later than 10 working days after final grades for the spring
term are due. At this time, the Graduate Committee will render a
decision either to permit the student to proceed, to deny such
permission, or to defer permission for no longer than one academic year.
It will render its decision as a whole based solely on careful reading and
discussion of the student’s work. The Director of Graduate Studies will
provide specific information in writing about problems identified by
faculty to students to whom permission to proceed is deferred or denied.
6. If permission to proceed is deferred, the Director of Graduate Studies
will discuss the student’s status at the following semester’s Permission to
Proceed meeting.
7. If permission to proceed in the Ph.D. program is denied, the student
has the right of reconsideration. To be reconsidered, the student will
submit to the Director of Graduate Studies, the available graduate
faculty, and the department chair a written statement and/or other
materials within five working days of being informed that permission to
proceed has not been granted.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
8. If reconsideration is unsuccessful, the student may appeal by filing a
grievance in accordance with the Graduate School Grievance Procedure.
Comprehensive Examination Format and Procedure
The Ph.D. comprehensive examination itself will consist of two sections,
one written and one oral. The first section of the examination will be the
written portion, in which the student will respond to one question,
chosen from among at least four formulated by the Ph.D. Advisory
Committee on the special topic designated by the student. The student is
expected to produce 15 to 25 pages in response, demonstrating a
working knowledge of the pertinent texts but going beyond summary.
While perhaps not as original as a published article or conference paper,
the essay should nonetheless offer commentary, interpretation, and
synthesis of the materials used. Conventional MLA citation should be
employed: i.e., parenthetical references by author’s last name and page
number. No bibliography is required; but if the student uses additional
texts, the full citation should be provided parenthetically.
Students may not share a draft of the essay with others for review,
editorial suggestions, or proofreading. If they incorporate ideas from
conversation with others, these must be fully documented in the essay
itself, just as references to printed sources would be.The questions will
be given to the student two weeks before the date of the oral portion of
the examination, and the student’s essay will be returned to the
committee chair one week before the date of the oral. In the week
before the oral examination, the Ph.D. Advisory Committee will read and
evaluate the written portion of the exam. The committee will consider
the written exam as a single entity, but the decision to pass or fail will not
be rendered until the oral section of the examination has been
completed, and until the committee has discussed the essay with the
student and has taken into account the student’s total performance.
The oral section of the examination will be conducted over a period of
two and a half to three hours. Two hours must be devoted exclusively to
the 50 works that were part of the student’s description of his/her area
of concentration. The oral section of the examination is to be followed by
a discussion of the essay. The chair of the examination committee, in
consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, may choose to
reverse the order.
During the two-hour period, the student should be prepared to answer
questions about the relationships among the works on the list and the
area of concentration they represent.
After a 10-minute break, the examination committee will meet with the
student for another 30 to 50 minutes to discuss the essay on the special
topic and to ask the student to elaborate on his/her response.
Subsequently, the student will be excused, and the committee will meet
to evaluate the entire examination and to vote a “pass” or “failure” for
each section. The committee will share its decision with the student
thereafter.
Students who fail either section or both sections of the comprehensive
examination may be given a second opportunity to retake that section or
both sections, and they may do so no earlier than the next semester or
summer session. No third attempt is permitted.
University: University of Northern Illinois
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Students in areas of study other than Rhetoric and Professional Writing
capstone for earning an
may opt to take a sit-down comprehensive examination rather than
M.A.)
writing a thesis. The department administers the comprehensive
examination twice yearly, in October and in March.
Examination Areas
Examinations are tailored to the plans of study in the M.A. program and
require the following:
British and American Literature
Analysis of approximately 6 texts (usually two from British literature
before 1660, two from British literature after 1660, and two from
American literature) and their place in historical and cultural context. The
list of texts changes with each offering of the exam and is published in the
first week of the semester in which the examination is given.
English Education
Questions on the theory, research, and methodologies of teaching the
English language arts in middle and secondary schools. The list of readings
changes with each offering of the exam and is published in the first week
of the semester.
Film and Literature
Three kinds of texts are set for this examination at the beginning of the
semester: literary and cinematic theory; American and international
cinema; and drama or fiction and their cinematic adaptations. The
examination tests the ability to understand and use critical theory in
literature and film analysis; to critique the literature-film relationship in
adaptations; and to focus the issues and texts of literature-film research
for pedagogical ends.
Linguistics
Demonstration of a broad fundamental knowledge of linguistic theory and
its applications. Subject areas include phonology, morphology/syntax, and
semantics/discourse analysis.
Literature and Rhetoric/Composition
A two-part examination, one part in literature and one part in rhetoric.
The literature section requires students to analyze selected texts, posted
the first week of each semester, and to place them in historical context.
The rhetoric section calls on students to relate selected rhetorical texts to
the rhetorical tradition and to composition theory.
Rhetoric and Professional Writing
An oral defense of the student’s thesis proposal and oral demonstration
of fundamental knowledge about theory and rhetoric of professional
writing; research methodologies; and specialized areas in professional
communication.
TESOL
Questions on TESOL theory and methodology; on core areas in linguistics;
and on specialized areas in linguistics.
Procedures for the Examination
Texts set for particular plans in the M.A. program are announced by the
department during the first week of the semester in which the
examination is given.
Students may consult appropriate faculty members and copies of past
comprehensive examinations (on reserve in Founders Memorial Library
Reserve Room) to prepare.
Each examination is prepared by at least three graduate faculty members
with expertise in the plan of study.
Four hours are allotted for the examination.
Students write the exam anonymously under an assigned letter code so
that their identity is unknown to the examiners.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
All Ph.D. students must pass three Ph.D. candidacy examinations: two
written and one
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
oral.
The two written examinations are selected from the following fields of
study:
I.
Linguistics or philology
II.
Medieval Literature (Old English and Middle English)
III.
English Literature 1500 to 1600
IV.
English Literature 1600 to 1660
V.
British Literature 1660 to 1800
VI.
British Literature 1800 to 1900
VII.
British Literature since 1900
VIII.
American Literature to 1865
IX.
American Literature since 1865
X.
African American Literature
XI.
British and American Women’s Literature since 1750
XII.
Film and Literature
XIII.
Rhetoric
A special field as determined by an examination committee and the
student in consultation (The student must submit a proposal, along with
the student’s plan of courses and other fields requested for the candidacy
exams, for the Graduate Director’s approval).
The oral examination shall be an explanation and defense of the student’s
dissertation proposal, including its relation to the larger body of relevant
knowledge and to the teaching of English or other professional pursuits.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Ohio University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or Master’s Essay.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The Ph.D. exam consists of two written sections and a subsequent oral
exam given as a capstone
defense of the dissertation prospectus. The written sections are takeprior to writing a
home exams written over a weekend. For doctoral candidates in
dissertation)
literature, the oral examination will be scheduled only after both written
exams have been passed. The exams are based on reading lists for each
section designed by the examining committee in consultation with the
student. Questions will be predicated on the lists; no additional research
will be expected in preparation for the exams. In the take-home portions
of the exams, the examining committee will stipulate an appropriate
length for each question.
Period of Specialization Section: The period of specialization section
establishes the candidate’s teaching competence in a period of literary
history. By means of this exam the candidate establishes his or her ability
to teach an undergraduate survey course in the chosen period. With this
in mind, the examining committee and the student should draft a reading
list that accurately represents the period, and it should cover all major
genres, phases, or movements within the period, and it should present
interpretation. The department has designated, for purposes of the exam
the following periods of literary history:
British Literature:
-Medieval (through fifteenth century)
-Renaissance
-Late Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century
-Nineteenth Century
-Early Twentieth Century (through WWII)
-Later Twentieth Century (post WWII)
American Literature
-Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
-Nineteenth Century
-Early Twentieth Century (through WWII)
-Later Twentieth Century (post WWII)
If the student wishes to work in a more narrowly circumscribed period,
he or she must present a rationale for the narrowing, which must be
approved by the examining committee.
Tradition Section: The tradition section requires that students select a
topic (a literary theme, cultural phenomenon, a genre, etc.) and, in
consultation with their committee, create a list of works relating to this
topic. This list must include works outside the period of specialization
that provide a broader historical context for the student’s dissertation.
The reading list for this section should include works from at least two
periods (as defined for the period of specialization section of the exam)
beyond the student’s period of specialization. These two periods need
not be contiguous to one another or to the period of specialization. For
example, a student planning to write a dissertation on Victorian
Arthurianism might construct a tradition list that includes Medieval or
Renaissance works.
University: University of Toledo
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The exam questions will require the candidate to be conversant about
capstone for earning an
texts on the list in the following ways:
M.A.)
 Thematic: what are the salient themes of each work, and how
might these be traced for their similarities or differences of
treatment in several works?
 Generic: how do one or several works operate through and on the
genre they represent? What generic codes are respected, which
stretched or broken and why?
 Historical: into what literary era do the works specified fall? How
representative of that era (renaissance, romantic, etc.) is the work;
does it define or defy the conventions understood to constitute its
time period?
 Formal: how are style and structure linked to content in one or
several works?
 Theoretical: what contemporary theories are particularly useful in
addressing the critical questions raised by texts on the list?
The examination is in written form, and is completed in one four-hour
session. It consists of four parts, each designed to take one hour.
 Part 1: The candidate will explicate one short poem, from among
three chosen by the examiners.
 Part 2: The candidate will choose one of the works from the thirtythree on the list and discuss in some detail the critical questions
about the work that are currently argued in the professional
literature. A good answer will not just list numerous stances, but
characterize and to some extent judge the importance of each.
 Parts 3 and 4: The candidate will answer two questions posed by
the examiners, each of which will require discussion of three or
more of the authors on the list (excluding what was chosen for
Part 2).
 Among the texts chosen for Parts 2, 3, 4, at least one must have
been written before 1800 and at least one must have been written
after 1800.
Reading List: http://englvm00.utad.utoledo.edu/english/?page_id=928
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Western Michigan
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Does not mention a comprehensive exam, but all M.A. students are
capstone for earning an
required to complete a capstone course in their final year of coursework.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Consists of three distinct exams, each covering one distinct field of
exam given early on as a
specialization, written in three different sittings, usually over the period
condition for continuing
of a week or ten days. Doctoral students may choose from the following
pursuit of the doctorate)
fields:
1. American Literature to 1865
2. American Literature 1865-1945
3. Early Medieval Literature
4. Late Medieval Literature
5. Renaissance Literature (through Milton)
6. Restoration and 18th-Century Literature
7. 19th-Century Romantic Literature
8. Victorian Literature
9. Modern British Literature (1900 to 1950)
10. Contemporary Literature
11. Postcolonial Literature
12. Literary Theory
13. The Theory and Practice of Teaching English
Doctoral students are required to develop focus areas in each of their
three chosen fields, one of which will be considered the student’s
“specialty area” and the other two “focus areas.” The only stipulations as
to choice(s) of areas are: Doctoral students in Creative Writing MUST
examine in Contemporary Literature of their own genre as their specialty
and Doctoral students in English Education MUST select a reading list
related to the Theory and Practice of the Teaching of English as their
specialty.
In preparing to specialize and eventually examine in any given field,
students, in consultation with faculty who also specialize in their chosen
area(s), will study both a core list created by the department and an
augmented list which students create and gear towards their individual
interests. The English Department website features core lists in each of
the areas (which students must adopt) as well as longer, more
comprehensive reading lists in each area, from which students may
choose texts for their individual interests. Students may also augment
using texts of their own choosing, based on their individual research,
provided faculty who specialize in the areas approve. Students should
augment each of their area core lists with at least 20 specialization texts
of their choosing. Though many students will have developed ways of
seeing their reading lists and interests as inter-related, for the purposes
of the qualifying examinations, no distribution requirement overlap
should occur between and/or among fields.
After passing their three written exams, students taking the new format
will have an oral exam. The oral exam provides an opportunity to discuss
the student’s three exam areas with faculty from each area. The oral
exam encourages student and faculty alike to elaborate on the written
exam; to pursue issues not addressed by the written exam; and, where
possible, to consider connections between the three exam areas.
Students should be expected to field questions that ask them to expound
further on their written responses, and to consider topics and texts from
the reading lists which might not have been addressed in the written
portion. The goal is for the student to demonstrate mastery of his or her
fields—a flexible breadth of knowledge that allows the student to answer
a range of questions with reference to various texts on the reading lists.
Each oral exam committee will have five faculty members: two from the
specialty area (one of whom should be the student’s advisor); one from
each of the other two areas; and either the Graduate Director or the
Graduate Advisor (who shall provide the tie-breaking vote). Each of the
three oral exam committees will choose one of its members for each oral
examination. The student can select the fourth person. This should be
the second person in the specialty field; however, students may consult
the Graduate Director if they have a reason to request a faculty member
from another area (e.g., for theoretical or methodological approach).
Faculty serving on an oral exam committee will read all three of the
student’s written exams (usually about 10 pages each).
The oral examination will last a minimum of one hour and a maximum of
two. Only the student, the oral exam committee, and the Graduate
Director or Advisor may attend. The oral exam will be graded Pass/Fail,
with all four committee members receiving one vote each, and the
representative of the Graduate Office having the tie-breaking vote.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: United States Air Force Academy
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Boise State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis, research project, or a portfolio.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Colorado State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or final research project
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: California State University—Fresno
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
No detailed information on the program is provided.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Hawaii at Mānoa
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or Research Project
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The University of Hawaii only describes one exam on their website, the
exam given as a capstone
area exam. It is hard to tell which heading this exam falls under through
prior to writing a
the description that they provide.
dissertation)
Written Exams
The student will take a 24 hour written, take-home exam on each area.
All three exams should be taken in sequence, with no more than one
week between any two exams. The committee and the candidate meet
two weeks (or less, at the candidate's request) before the first written to
work out a timetable for the exam, and to agree upon 3-6 major texts to
be used as points of departure for each area. Before this meeting can
take place, the student and each pair of examiners must have agreed on
the final list for the area. For each area, the pair of examiners will choose
1-2 texts from the final list, and the candidate 2, with the option of
adding 2 more). It is expected that the candidate will know these texts
thoroughly and will also demonstrate an ability to generalize using
appropriate examples from these texts.
Each exam will be read by two committee members and graded pass or
fail. In the event of a split decision the exam will be read by a third faculty
member chosen by the Graduate Director. Notification of pass or fail
should be given to the student within 3 working days after the exam. If a
candidate fails a written exam, he or she may opt to continue with the
scheduled sequence of exams or to resume the sequence after the failed
area is retaken. In either case, if a student fails a written exam, he or she
must meet with the advisor and the readers to discuss the reasons for
the failure and to schedule a second exam. Students who fail a written
area exam a second time will be dismissed from the program.
All work submitted for the written exam must be the candidate's own,
must be written for the exam, and must be properly cited. If an examiner
suspects or determines that documentation procedures are faulty to a
degree that calls the integrity of the examination into question or
determines that the examination is plagiarized, the examiner will fail the
examination, and give this as one, but not necessarily the only reason for
the failure. Regardless of the second examiner's determination, the
examination will be considered a failure. The Examination Director will
convene a meeting of the student, the examiners, and the Graduate
Program Director, to discuss the reasons for the failure, to determine
whether the student should be given an opportunity to retake the
examination, and if so, what changes need to be made to prevent a
similar decision, which would mean dismissal from the program.
Depending on the decision at this meeting, the student will either
reschedule the examination for a time agreed upon by the student and
the examiners, or be dismissed from the program.
Oral Examination
The oral exam cannot take place until all three written areas have been
passed. It will be a 90-minute examination, with one half hour devoted to
each area. The written exams (which should be copied and distributed to
all committee members by the advisor/chair) may provide a starting
point for the oral exams, but the oral should address major issues in the
area as a whole. The decision about whether the candidate passes a
given area is wholly up to the two members of that area committee. If
they decide that the candidate needs to retake their area, they should
meet with both the candidate and the advisor/chair to discuss the
reasons for the failure. The process continues until both examiners are
satisfied.
University: University of Nevada at Reno
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
In consultation with the MA committee chair, each student will put
capstone for earning an
together a reading list based on his or her particular topic or field of
M.A.)
concentration. The list should consist of 10 to 15 items, eight of which
should be book-length. The written portion of the comprehensive exam
will be designed to demonstrate the student's mastery of the materials
on this reading list. The student completes a one-day exam on the
reading list. The exam questions will be set by the members of the
student's MA committee, who will then evaluate the written exam.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Each student in the Literature emphasis will take comprehensive exams
exam given as a capstone
in four areas: period, genre, topic, and author or major work. The format
prior to writing a
for taking the exam is determined by the student and his or her advisory
dissertation)
committee. Exams, which are open book, are offered in two formats: the
student may write the exams in four areas in four hours each, over the
span of a few days, or they may take one full day for writing each of the
four exams. In either case, the questions will be designed to take about
four hours to write. Students also, in consultation with their committees,
may elect to write a formal paper in lieu of one exam. This paper will be
based on a reading list very similar to the one used otherwise for the
exam.
a) Period: Periods may be selected from the following list: Old English,
Middle English, Renaissance to 1600 (including all of Shakespeare),
seventeenth-century British (including all Shakespeare), eighteenth
century British, nineteenth-century British, twentieth-century British,
American to 1890, American since 1890, or a field of linguistics or
philology to be defined by the student and his or her advisory committee.
Students will be expected to be familiar with the literature, the literary
history, and the intellectual history of the chosen period.
b) Genre: Genres may be selected from the following list: poetry, drama,
fiction, intellectual prose, or a field of linguistics or philology to be
defined by the student and his or her advisory committee. Students will
be expected to know the major theories pertaining to their chosen genre,
and the literature within their genre in the historical periods immediately
preceding and immediately following their period of specialization.
c) Topic: The topic is a theme or focus selected by the student in
consultation with his or her advisory committee. Normally this topic is
suggested by the anticipated dissertation. The following list suggests the
range of possibilities for the topic exam: feminist criticism, the elegy,
rhetoric, stage history, literature and science, genre fiction, literary
theory, Western American literature.
d) Major work or author: The major work or author will normally be
chosen from the period and genre of specialization selected by the
student, and will be chosen in consultation with the student's advisory
committee.
The written comprehensive examinations will be followed by an oral
examination, as described under General Requirements. The student
must register for English 795, Comprehensive Examination, one credit,
the semester he or she will be completing the oral exam.
University: University of New Mexico
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The university requires all M.A. students to create and defend a portfolio
capstone for earning an
as the equivalent to a comprehensive exam. This portfolio is in lieu of a
M.A.)
thesis.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an To ensure a thorough and broad knowledge of English as a discipline, the
exam given as a capstone
Department of English requires PhD students to take comprehensive
prior to writing a
examinations in three different fields. Under the advisement of the COS,
dissertation)
PhD students should select their three fields of study early in the course of
their doctoral program, so that they can take course work that enhances
their understanding of their three fields.
PhD students must choose their fields from among the following
categories, each of which designates a typical field of study for which the
faculty have drawn up reading lists for the comprehensive examinations.
These reading lists include key works, histories, and critical and theoretical
works for each area of study. For the examinations, students must choose
at least one of the fields from the “Literary Historical Periods” category;
only one field may be from an individualized reading list.
Literary Historical Periods
Early Middle Ages (Old English)
Later Middle Ages (Middle English)
Early Renaissance
Later Renaissance
Restoration (Seventeenth Century)
Georgian Literature (Eighteenth Century)
Romanticism
Victorianism
Early American
Nineteenth Century American
Modern British and American
Contemporary British and American
Complementary Disciplines
American Indian and Indigenous Literature
Chicano/a Literature
Composition
Criticism and Theory
Language and Rhetoric
Postcolonial Literature and Theory
Genre
Individualized Reading Lists
Several individualized reading lists are available for PhD students to
review and to use as a basis for drawing up their own individualized lists.
Individualized lists enable students to focus upon new areas of study that
are not covered under the Literary Historical Periods or Complementary
Disciplines lists. A student’s COS must supervise and approve any
individual reading list. By the end of the semester before exams are taken,
students will submit the individual lists and a signature sheet, with
signatures of approval from all COS members, to the Associate Chair for
Graduate Studies for review. With the approval of the COS and the ACGS,
PhD students may use the available individualized lists for their own study
and examinations. The following is a sample of the individualized readings
lists available in the Graduate Office and on the department’s web site:
http://english.unm.edu/resources/index.html
Format of Examinations
Each field examination is four hours long, with extra time for preparation
and breaks. Formats vary and depend in part on discussions between
students and their COS. Examinations may include identification
questions, short essays, and longer essays.
University: San Diego State University (As of typing this SDSU’s English Department website is
inaccessible, I’ve tried to access it several times on my laptop, phone, and a friend’s laptop. Sleuthing
other parts of SDSU’s site I’ve been able to find references for their M.A. and M.F.A. programs in a
general Graduate Handbook but nothing for a Ph.D. program.)
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
???
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: San Jose State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The M.A. Comprehensive is a written exam required of all MA students and
capstone for earning an
is designed to test your critical skills and your knowledge of literary history,
M.A.)
literary theory, and rhetoric. It is given each semester in two parts (usually
on the first two Saturdays in November and on the first two Saturdays in
April after spring break for three hours each). Part I covers British and
American literature from Classical to late Eighteenth Century. Part II covers
British, American and World literature from late Eighteenth Century
(Romantics) to late Twentieth Century. Questions on the exams expect that
you have knowledge of and can discuss Criticism and Literary Theory also.
Links to reading lists (literature and theory) and sample exams are available
at: http://www.sjsu.edu/english/graduate/ma/macomps.html
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Nevada at Las Vegas
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
A Comprehensive Examination is required of each M.A. student, who will
capstone for earning an
choose either a three-hour written exam or a sixty- to ninety-minute oral
M.A.)
exam and prepare a reading list for the examination with the supervision
and approval of the advisor and the examination committee. The reading
list will comprise at least twenty authors, and the selections should
recognize diversity of genre, gender, culture, and period. At least
seventeen of those authors should be chosen from the master reading
list on the English Department website. Three other authors not on
the master list may be added. If taken during the semester of graduation,
the exam must be scheduled no later than three weeks before the end of
classes The Graduate College designates deadline dates for each
semester.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Reading List available here: http://english.unlv.edu/ma/reading-list
The Qualifying Examination consists of a twelve-hour, three-part, written
examination (administered on three different days), plus a 90-minute oral
examination. It is to be taken and passed after course requirements, the
foreign language requirement, and the Minor are completed and before
work on the dissertation is begun. With the exception of the Minor in
Composition Studies, this examination does not explicitly cover the
subject matter of the Minor, which is completed by course work alone,
although knowledge acquired through the Minor may well be used on the
examination. The student must pass the Qualifying Examination on the
first or second attempt or be disqualified from continuing the program.
In Part One of the examination the student will be required to show
intensive and detailed knowledge of the literature in English of one of the
following periods:



Old and Middle English
Renaissance
Restoration and 18th Century



19th Century British
American literature to 1900
20th Century literature
In Part Two of the examination the student win be required to show an
extensive and substantial knowledge of the literature (in English or in
translation) in one of the following literary forms:
 Drama
 Lyric and reflective poetry
 Epic and narrative poetry
 Prose fiction
 Non-fiction prose
In Part Three of the examination the student will be required to show an
extensive and substantial knowledge of
 an additional time period chosen from the list in Part One
 a major author chosen from outside of the student's selected
time period and genre areas
 a special topic, such as literature of the American West, satire, or
literary theory, that is approved by the student’s committee, or
Composition Studies, if that minor is selected.
The student's selection of a literary period, a literary form, and either an
additional period or a major author in which to specialize will reflect the
probable dissertation subject. A student planning a dissertation on
Dickens, for example, might elect 19th Century British and Restoration
and 18th Century as the periods of specialization and Prose Fiction as the
literary form, and would choose courses in English pertinent to those
periods and that form.
This exam is scheduled at some time after the student has completed
his/her 30 credits of required course work. The student chooses an
examination committee of three faculty members, the majority of whom
normally are in the student’s field of specialization. The student chooses a
faculty member from another department to be their Graduate College
Representative. The student is responsible for getting signatures on the
appropriate form (see http://english.unlv.edu/gradforms.htm) from
his/her Committee members that they are willing to serve on the
Committee.
Committees may or may not choose to provide the student with a reading
list of primary and secondary works in the student’s areas of examination.
If such lists are provided, they may serve as guides to the examining fields
rather than exclusive/exhaustive lists. How these lists are used is up to the
examination committee.
The student is responsible for finding a suitable date (in consultation with
his or her Committee) and room for taking his/her written exams.
(Departmental secretaries’ help may be sought here; FDH 608 is
frequently available if scheduled far enough in advance.) Three of these
exams must be taken and each lasts four hours. (Information about what
periods are covered in the exam may be found in the accompanying
description of the PhD program.) The number of questions and the kinds
of questions asked are determined by each committee. Many faculty
members have given these exams and may have sample questions that
can be provided to students.
After the written exams are completed, the student and her or his
Committee should schedule an oral exam in a timely manner (i.e., within
one or two weeks after the written exams); again, the student should
schedule a time and place for this exam in consultation with his or her
Committee. This exam may cover material discussed in the written exam;
it may also cover as well material not asked about on the written exams
but for which the student was responsible. A departmental form (there is
no Graduate College form) should be signed at this exam by all Committee
members, stating whether or not the students has passed their
Comprehensive Exam, written and oral. Designations of “Honors,” “Pass,”
or “Fail” may be given for the Comprehensive Exam.
The Chair of the Examination Committee sends to the Director of
Graduate Studies an assessment (300-500 words) of the student’s
performance on the exam.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Utah State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Theory and Practice of
Professional
Communication
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
M.A. students are required to create and defend either a thesis or a
capstone for earning an
portfolio.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Wyoming
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Reading List Exam is your chance to gain an in-depth knowledge of three
capstone for earning an
areas of interest. Many students use this opportunity to begin working on
M.A.)
their thesis; others use it to "fill in gaps" prior to taking the subject G.R.E's;
still others use it to prepare for classroom teaching. You will be examined
over three of the following categories:
 A period
 An author
 A genre
 A critical or theoretical approach

How you define these categories is entirely up to you. For instance, you
could choose to study Medieval French Literature (period), Arthurian
Romance (genre) and Post-Colonialism (approach); Charles Dickens
(author), the novel (genre) and the 19th century (period), or Digital Media
(genre), Contemporary Rhetoric (period), and Ethnographic Study
(approach).
In order to prepare to take your exam, you need to:
 Meet with the MA director by the middle of your second semester
to identify your categories and discuss your exam committee.
 Identify three committee members and work with them to
generate your lists.
 Submit the Reading List Form and your reading lists to the MA
director by the end of your second semester.
 Schedule your exam for no later than the second week of your
third semester.
Sample Reading List:
http://www.uwyo.edu/english/_files/docs/samplelist.docx
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Arizona State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The comprehensive/final exam is an oral defense of either a thesis or a
capstone for earning an
portfolio.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Students will give to the graduate program manager three copies of the
exam given early on as a
paper, an approved bibliography that will serve as the material for the
condition for continuing
exam, and the “Essay Review and Statement of Intent” form. This
pursuit of the doctorate)
material must be submitted at least a month prior to the date of the
exam, the date of which should be determined at the time of submission.
In other words, students will indicate the date of the scheduled exam
when they submit their essay. The committee will assess the paper and
judge it acceptable or unacceptable. If an essay is judged to be
acceptable, the committee will not submit a formal report; rather, the
essay will be discussed during the exam, where any suggestions for
revisions and further development will be made. The committee has the
option of awarding an extraordinary essay a "Pass with Distinction."
Students whose essay is judged to be unacceptable will not be allowed to
continue in the program.
Students preparing the essay are expected to work closely with the chair
of the supervisory committee as the primary source of advice in the
preparation of the paper. It is helpful to keep in mind that the essay’s
intent is to demonstrate that the student is able to produce scholarly
work at a level expected by the profession and consistent with the degree
program. The essay may be a revised version of work submitted in a
course, but it must bear no grade or comment. Because the paper
submitted will be read more critically than is often the case with course
work, students should not assume that a term paper favorably evaluated
in a course will meet the scholarly standard required of a successful PhD
essay (a student who expects to use a course paper might ask the
professor for whom it was written to read and evaluate it with that goal
in mind). In both length and in level of scholarship the paper should be
modeled after articles published in specific scholarly journals in the field.
The essay must be single-authored by the student.
If the essay has been judged acceptable, students will proceed to the
scheduled oral exam on the material included in the student’s
bibliography. (Under special circumstances, a student may petition for a
written exam in lieu of the oral exam; in that case, the committee will
provide written feedback on the essay along with their feedback on the
exam.) The bibliography should consist of 60-80 texts, both primary and
secondary, and should be constructed in close consultation with the
student’s director and committee. It is expected that approximately 70%
of those texts will be selected with an eye to breadth and will cover the
general range of the student’s primary field. The remaining 30% will
cover the student’s specialty, which should be chosen to advance the
student’s dissertation research.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The committee will prepare an oral examination based on the student's
bibliography and will be responsible for evaluating the student's
performance in that examination. Just as the essay is meant to test a
specific attainment, the ability to produce professional scholarly writing,
so the purpose of the written examination is to demonstrate that the
candidate has an appropriate knowledge of representative primary and
secondary works in the area of specialization and the dissertation topic.
The department expects that the examination will be broader in scope
than the dissertation (which is the subject of the third part of the
examination process, the colloquy on the dissertation
prospectus). Students can receive a high pass, pass, low pass, or fail.
The oral examination will last approximately one and a half hours and will
be conducted by the student’s dissertation committee. The examination
will be tape-recorded for documentation purposes. The tape will be kept
in the student’s file, accessible to the committee and the student, until
graduation. Students will not be allowed to bring in notes, though they
will be provided with a pad of paper and a pencil if they should want to
jot down ideas during the examination. Before questioning begins,
students will make a brief presentation (10 minutes) explaining the
rationale behind their bibliography. Committee faculty will take turns
asking questions, allowing for follow-up questioning. At the end of the
examination, the student will be excused from the room, and the
committee will discuss the student’s performance. Each committee
member will fill out the form using a number equivalent (3=high pass, 2=
pass, 1=low pass, 0= fail) to evaluate the student’s performance. The
student will be called back into the meeting so that the committee can
convey to the student its assessment of the examination. Students who
fail the exam may re-take it once. Depending on the circumstances and
reasons for failure, students are expected to re-take the exam no later
than the end of the following semester.
University: University of Arizona
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
This exam is based on the student's reading list. It consists of a four-hour
capstone for earning an
written examination followed by a one-hour oral. In order to make
M.A.)
satisfactory progress toward the degree, students must take the final MA
Examination shortly after completion of coursework, no later than
midway through the sixth semester in the program. The examination will
be graded pass or fail. A candidate who fails the MA Examination may,
upon the recommendation of the committee and Graduate Literature
Director, be granted a second examination. The results of the second
examination are final.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The Qualifying Examination for students who enter the program with
exam given early on as a
MA or an equivalent in hand:
condition for continuing
1. The candidate’s admissions file serves also as a Qualifying file; the
pursuit of the doctorate)
writing sample functions as the Qualifying paper.
2. A decision to admit the candidate to our program shall be
regarded as tantamount to a Pass on the Qualifying Exam.
3.
In keeping with the Graduate College policy mandating a
Qualifying Examination, the Program Director will hold an
interview with the new student early in the student’s first
semester in residence and will communicate to the student, as
appropriate, the Admissions Committee’s evaluation of the
student’s Writing Sample/Qualifying Paper.
Students who complete the MA degree in our Literature Program should
plan to take the Qualifying Examination within six weeks of the MA exam,
but in no case later than the semester following the term in which they
pass the MA exam. Students will not be permitted to register for classes
as degree candidates if they have not passed the examination within this
designated time period, though with the permission of the Program
Director they may subsequently take the examination and, if they pass,
may return to active status in the program. The examination may be
attempted only once.
For the Qualifying Examination in the Literature Program, four members
of the literature faculty meet to review the student’s performance in the
program and prospects for successfully completing the PhD The student
does not attend this decision meeting.
Procedure
1. The student selects two members of the literature faculty to
serve on the committee. The Director of the Graduate Literature
Program and a member of the Graduate Literature Committee
(GLC), appointed by the Director, serve as the other two
members of the committee. The Graduate Director appoints the
committee chair--normally the advisor/mentor of the student
under review.
2.
The committee reviews an article-length paper submitted by the
student. In addition, the committee takes into consideration the
student’s admission file, performance in course work in the
Literature Program, and any other evidence the committee may
wish to solicit (e.g. opinions of professors with whom the student
has done course work).
3. The chair of the committee will call the candidate immediately
after the examination to report the outcome. A positive vote of
the committee (4-0 or 3-1) qualifies the student to proceed in the
PhD program. A negative vote (2-2, 1-3, or 0-4) disqualifies the
student from the PhD program.
Within one week of the exam, the chair of the examination committee
will hold a conference with the candidate to discuss the committee’s
judgment of the paper and the student’s progress, regardless of the
outcome of the examination.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The Comprehensive Exam consists of a written and an oral portion. In
consultation with your committee members, you will define three major
areas of study (e.g. a period, a genre, and two major authors), and
prepare examination reading lists for each of these examination areas for
committee approval.
On the written and oral parts of the Comprehensive Examination,
candidates who pass are expected to have demonstrated -- in addition to
the ability to describe, define, and compare texts and conventions -- a
well-developed capacity to (1) analyze literature so as to bring out its
underlying dynamics, meanings, and conflicts and (2) conceptualize both
the assumptions that most fundamentally drive individual texts and the
ideas and problems by which the study and the teaching of literature
should be organized. Occasional lapses of memory are
understandable. But any graduate student who proceeds to complete a
Ph.D. has to have demonstrated analysis and conceptualization, not just
in individual class papers, but in the written comparisons and the oralinterview setting of the Comprehensive Exam. Such skills in such settings
are vital to the professional preparation that PhDs need to secure future
employment at the college or university level.
Written Portion
The written exam, based on questions prepared by your committee, is
composed of three parts, one covering each of your major areas of study.
You will have four hours to write on each of your areas. Each portion of
the written exam will be scheduled on a separate day. ( If you declare a
Minor, you may be required to take a fourth four-hour written
examination.). You should complete all the written portions within a one
month period.
The primary function of the writtens is to assess the candidate's
readiness to take the oral, which is the more important
examination. After reviewing the writtens, the committee will approve
proceeding to the oral if, in its judgment, the writtens suggest the
candidate has at least a reasonable chance of passing the oral
examination.
The oral examination may return to tests and issues raised on the
writtens, though it is, of course, not confined to these.
Face to Face Decision Meeting
The decision meeting to determine whether the candidate may move
forward from the writtens to the oral examination must be held in person
(or, if a face to face meeting is impossible, via conference call).
Oral Portion
Once you complete the written portion of the examination, the
committee meets to decide whether you should be permitted to go on to
the oral examination. If the decision is positive, you will proceed to the
oral, which should occur within two weeks after the writtens. If the
decision is negative, the committee may recommend that you retake one
or more portions of the written exam.
The oral examination lasts a minimum of one hour but no longer than
three. Committee members usually base their questions on the written
portions of the exam and on the reading lists. You are expected “to
display a broad knowledge of the chosen field of study and sufficient
depth and understanding in areas of specialization.” You will be notified
of the results of the examination immediately after the oral. If so
recommended by the committee, you may take the oral examination a
second time if you fail. The Graduate College allows no more than one retake of the oral exam
The Minor
The Graduate College requires all PhD students to declare a “major
subject” and at least one “minor subject.” Most of our graduate students
in the Literature Program declare both the “major” and the “minor” in
English. The “major” and the “minor” in these cases are distinguished
only by the paperwork that we file with the Graduate College.
It is also possible to develop a substantial minor outside our department.
If you wish to do so, talk with your committee chair and with the
Literature Program Director. You should also talk with the department
head in the “minor subject” to determine if any special procedures or
policies apply. The Graduate College requires a minimum of nine hours
(three courses) for a minor. If you develop a minor outside our
department, you may be required to take a fourth four-hour written
examination.
University: University of California at Berkeley
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The Qualifying Examination consists of three parts, or fields, of
exam given early on as a
approximately equal time, which should be about thirty minutes each.
condition for continuing
Two of these parts must be selected from the historically defined fields,
pursuit of the doctorate)
listed below, namely any two contiguous fields from this list, or any single
field and a related field chosen from other Anglophone literatures. In
most instances, the fields are contiguous if their numbers are
consecutive. Contiguity can also be met by crossing national borders;
thus, for example, field 4 (Seventeenth Century through Milton) counts
as a field contiguous with field 10 (American Seventeenth and Eighteenth
centuries). Students with special research interests must petition to the
Graduate Chair for approval to declare two noncontiguous fields.
Historical Fields
1.Old English 7. Romantic
2.Middle English 8. Victorian
3.Sixteenth Century 9. British Twentieth Century*
4.Seventeenth Century through Milton 10.American 17th-& 18thCenturies
5.Restoration and Early Eighteenth Century 11. American Nineteenth
Century
6.Later Eighteenth Century 12. American Twentieth Century*
* An emphasis in either modern or contemporary must be specified
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Colorado at Denver
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
MA Comprehensive Exam
capstone for earning an
Students taking the comprehensive exam must be registered for at least
M.A.)
one credit during the semester when they take the MA comprehensive
exam.
ENGL 6920, Directed Readings (one to three hours): This course is
preparation for the MA comprehensive exam, but it is not required.
Students must be registered for at least one credit hour in the semester
when they take the exam. Students who have completed their course
work and are taking the MA exam may register for Candidate for Degree.
This is all the information I could find on their site. There is not a link to a
handbook.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Oregon
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
No information provided on a M.A. comprehensive exam. Website and
capstone for earning an
graduate handbook do not mention one.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Written Component: Both written exams (one per breadth field) are to
exam given early on as a
be completed sequentially within the space of one week during
condition for continuing
September. On the day of the exam is to begin, the student will choose
pursuit of the doctorate)
which field he or she wishes to respond to first. He or she will receive two
questions in that field from the graduate secretary. The student will
answer one of these questions, writing an essay of about ten pages over
48 hours. Upon submitting his or her essay, the student will receive the
questions for the other breadth field from the graduate secretary; the
second essay is due within 48 hours of their receipt. Questions for each
section of the exam are written by the examiner and based on the
reading list. The Director of Graduate Studies and the graduate secretary
administer the exam, collecting and collating questions from the
examiners and essays from the students, and copying these materials to
the entire breadth committee (the student’s advisor and the two
examiners) as needed.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
Oral Component: The oral component will be scheduled by the graduate
secretary during the summer. If the student achieves a grade of Pass or
High Pass on both written exams, the written component is followed by
the oral component, administered within the first few weeks of the fall
term. The oral component constitutes more than just a defense of the
written portion: it is an opportunity for faculty to ask additional questions
based on the reading list. Each field will be discussed for 50-60 minutes.
The assigned examiner will take the lead in asking questions about each
field, but all faculty will participate in the conversation.
The PhD major field examination tests graduate students’ expertise
within the area that constitutes their specialization. Students are
expected to be conversant in the primary works and secondary criticism
dissertation)
of their fields and have a general grasp of major critical and theoretical
secondary criticism of their fields and have a general grasp of major
critical and theoretical issues in the discipline of literary studies as it is
constituted at present. The oral format is intended to encourage students
preparing for the exam to develop the skills necessary to present work at
conferences, to interview on the job market, and to converse effectively
with others in the discipline.
The major field exam has two parts, approximately one hour each:
1. A one-hour question period regarding the special field;
2. A 20-minute oral presentation (usually the reading of a paper) on
a topic related to the dissertation, followed by a question period
regarding the presentation and its contexts
University: Oregon State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or writing project
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Stanford University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an Other than PhD students have to take two exams it does not look like any
exam given early on as a
specifics are detailed on the site. There is a link to the graduate handbook
condition for continuing
but it is password protected. I was able to find a link to the reading lists:
pursuit of the doctorate) https://stanford.box.com/shared/static/kvqbs8wyb1zlf0mx5ixn.pd
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing
a dissertation)
University: University of California
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
UCLA seems to have two Quals given in separate years. I’m not sure if this is the equivalent of the Quals
and the Prelims.
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
As students near completion of the 14-course requirement (including the
exam given early on as a
breadth requirement), ordinarily sometime early in their third year, they
condition for continuing
should finalize the composition of their reading lists and the membership
pursuit of the doctorate)
of their examination committee. Under the supervision of the
committee, the student devises three reading lists, each consisting of
approximately 30 primary texts (or equivalent bodies of work, as in the
case of poems, short fiction, essays, etc.), and 10 critical texts that have
been important to the development of the field, each list representing a
coherent field of literary study. At least two of these fields must be
historical, chosen in most cases from among the widely-recognized
historical periods (e.g., Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, Renaissance, earlier
17th century, Restoration and 18th century, Romantic, Victorian, 20thcentury British and Irish literature, earlier American, 19th-century
American, 20th-century American, etc.) and including a substantial
number of canonical works by major authors. The third exam topic may
be an additional historical field (following the same requirements as the
other historical lists), a special topic (e.g., African American literature,
literary or critical theory, media studies), or one devised by the student.
Where the third field is a special topic or a newly-devised topic, its list is
to consist entirely of works not included on either of the two other lists.
Once the student and individual faculty members complete the lists, all
three lists together must be approved by the entire examination
committee. The lists are then submitted to the Vice Chair for approval.
The Vice Chair will appoint an examination committee chair, and the First
Qualifying Examination can then be scheduled. The date of the
examination will be no earlier than six months (two quarters) after the
lists are approved.
Two weeks prior to the examination, students submit to the committee
members written work from any two seminars that they believe best
reflects their performance. The committee's review of these papers
constitutes the first stage of this examination. The second stage of this
examination is a two-hour oral examination.
In order for a student to receive a Pass on the examination, all examiners
must agree that the student has passed all three sections of the
examination. If a student fails one section, the student will receive a Fail
and will be required to retake that section. If a student fails two sections,
the student will be required to take all three sections again. The
examinations may be retaken only once. Before any failed examination is
retaken, the Graduate Committee reviews the record as a whole and
offers, through the Vice Chair, advice on how students should proceed.
Faculty will be reminded of their responsibility to conduct a rigorous
exam, to be willing to judge that a student has failed, and to be willing,
when a second failure has occurred, to instruct the Vice Chair that the
student not be permitted to continue in the program.
Part I Exams should be completed no later than the end of the third year
of study and preferably earlier. Students must complete at least one
foreign language requirement and have no outstanding incompletes
before the exam can take place. Ordinarily the examination occurs after
the 14-course requirement is completed, but in some circumstances it
may occur before all course requirements are satisfied, provided that, at
the time of the exam, the student has completed at least one language
requirement, has no more than two required courses remaining, and has
no outstanding incompletes.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
After students pass the second language requirement, and once they and
their dissertation directors conclude students are sufficiently prepared
(but no later than three quarters after they pass the First Qualifying
Examination), they take the second qualifying examination, also known
as the University Oral Qualifying Examination. This examination is
administered by the student's doctoral committee, which must be
formally nominated and approved in accordance with Graduate Division
Standards and Procedures before the exam can take place. The
committee must consist of a minimum of four faculty members,
consisting of a chair and two other members from the English
Department and one member from outside the department. The
departmental members may be the same as those on the First Qualifying
Examination committee, but this is not required.
At least one month before the examination, students must submit their
prospectus to each member of the committee. The prospectus must be a
substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation, about 30
pages in length and including a bibliography. A sample chapter or partial
chapter may be submitted as well but is not required. It is in the
student's interest, of course, to have a draft read farther in advance by all
participants so as to identify any points of substantial doubt or
disagreement well before the exam.
The second qualifying examination, which normally lasts for about two
hours, focuses on the issues raised by the proposed dissertation and
attempts to ascertain both the feasibility of the project and students'
preparation for it. Though this examination concentrates on the
prospectus, students should be prepared to discuss a wide range of
works that bear on the proposed dissertation. Students are encouraged
to consult with their committee in advance of the examination. The
grading on the examination is pass or fail. The candidate may, at the
discretion of the committee, repeat the examination once only.
University: University of Southern California
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The Field Examination must be taken in the semester immediately
exam given early on as a
following the completion of coursework; the completed exam must be
condition for continuing
submitted to the committee chair by no later than December 1 (for fall
pursuit of the doctorate)
exams) and May 1 (for spring exams).
1. The Field Examinations are designed to help students develop a
mastery over three fields of critical inquiry before they begin the
process of preparing for the Qualifying Examination and the
dissertation prospectus.
2. Students will make an appointment with the Director of Graduate
Studies in their final semester of course-work in order to establish
a committee of three examiners who will set and grade the Field
Examinations in the following semester. The student will choose
the examiners. The Director of Graduate Studies must approve
the choice. One committee member will serve as chair. One
member of the fields committee may, upon occasion, be from
another department. This request should be made on a case by
case basis and will be up to the discretion of the DGS.
3. The student will choose three fields, over each of which one of
the examiners will preside. Two fields must be chosen from:
i.
(a) Medieval or (b) Early Modern
ii.
(a) Long Eighteenth Century or (b) Long Nineteenth
Century, Romanticism, Victorian
iii.
(a) Early Twentieth Century or (b) Post-World War II
iv.
(a) Critical Theory or (b) Area Studies
The third field is a free choice and may be any of the above, including
another alternative from the four listed (for example, Medieval in
addition to Early Modern). Area studies may be any one of the following:
 Literatures of the US-Mexican border and Latin America
 Afro-American Literature and African Diaspora
 Asian-American Literature and the Pacific Rim
 Literatures of the Circum-Atlantic World
 Media, Film and Popular Culture
 Media and Sound Culture
 Genre studies across historical periods (Romance,
Memoir, Travel Narrative, Gothic etc.)
 Native American Literatures
4. The student will, in consultation with the presiding examiner,
develop a bibliography for each of the three fields. The suggested
length of each bibliography is 25 to 30 works. In formulating these
bibliographies, the student and individual committee members
will agree upon a critical methodology or an area of intellectual,
theoretical, aesthetic, or political concern that will unify the
student's approach: examples could include (but are not limited
to) a focus on material culture, or gender, or cognitive science.
5. The student and the presiding examiner will together formulate a
question for each field. The question must be comprehensive and
applicable to many works, but will invite the student to respond
in terms of three to five representative works from each list. The
question for each field must be different from those for the other
two.
6. The student and committee will set a due date for the
examination. The student must complete the exam within a 10
day window of time.
7. Each question will be answered in an essay of no fewer than 1500
words and no more than 3000 words. The three examiners will
read all answers, but each will assign a grade only to the
examination over which he or she has presided. The grade may be
Pass or Fail. The committee chair will collate the grades and, after
consultation with the other examiners, assign an overall grade of
Pass or Fail. A student who fails the examination may retake it
once only, in the semester immediately following the one in
which it was first attempted, with the same committee of
examiners (unless an exemption is granted, in exceptional
circumstances only, by the Graduate Studies Committee). The
examining committee may determine that the student will have
to retake one, two, or all three fields.
8. Within two weeks of the end of the term in which the
examinations are taken, each examiner will write a report of
approximately one page detailing the strengths and weaknesses
of the answer that he or she graded. The Committee Chair will
then write a final report summarizing these responses to the
student's performance and suggesting avenues of inquiry that
could be pursued in the Ph.D. dissertation. The student will read
the final report.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
During the term following the Field Examination, students take the
departmental Qualifying Examination. Students form a committee of at
least five tenured or tenure-track faculty members, at least three of
whom must be from the Department of English, at least one of whom
must be tenured and one of whom must be from outside the department.
(Faculty with a joint or courtesy appointment in English cannot act as
outside readers.) One faculty member from English will agree to chair the
committee. To take the qualifying exam, the student will first sit a threehour on-campus examination in which he/she will be asked to produce
one of the following three documents: a 500-word abstract of the
prospectus; a list of three questions the student would ask himself/herself
about the prospectus; a syllabus for a class as inspired by the prospectus.
No more than two weeks after the completion of the written
examination, the student will sit a two-hour oral examination on the
written exam, the prospectus, and the accompanying bibliography that
will be attended by all committee members. After passing the qualifying
examination, the student will reduce the guidance committee to three or
four members, who will include the director and the outside reader. Led
by the director, this committee will oversee the student’s Ph.D.
dissertation. English 700: Theories and Practices of Professional
Development I, offered yearly, is an elective 2-unit seminar designed for
students preparing to take the qualifying exam. Its goal is to facilitate the
writing of the dissertation prospectus and the creation of the reading list.
University: University of Utah
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
This is a six-hour comprehensive open-book exam given in the spring,
capstone for earning an
based on a list of books announced in October. Students are asked to
M.A.)
explicate a poem and write essays on specific questions about previously
assigned texts in poetry, fiction, and drama. Students' anonymity is
preserved during grading of the tests by faculty. Scores of "fail," "pass,"
and "honors" may be awarded; students have three chances to pass the
exam. Students must be registered for at least three hours during the
semester in which the exam is taken.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Procedures for forming a Supervisory Committee, obtaining the Program
exam given early on as a
of Study form, developing reading lists, and preparing for qualifying
condition for continuing
exams are found in the Procedures and Requirements section of this
pursuit of the doctorate)
Handbook. Students must complete all required coursework and satisfy
the language requirement before scheduling their qualifying exams.
Students will be examined in three fields:
1. History: One examination field will cover one of the following historical
periods:
. British: -Chaucer through Spenser -Spenser through Milton -Restoration
and Eighteenth Century -Nineteenth Century -Twentieth Century
American: -Colonial and Early National -Nineteenth Century -Twentieth
Century
The reading list for the historical period should be comprehensive; they
may be adapted from Department reading lists available in the Graduate
Office.
2. For the second examination field, the student must study a second
period. This second field may be organized in one of two ways:
a) Period Option. The second field may cover a second period from the
above list. If so, the examination list may be adapted from Department
reading lists available in the Graduate Office.
b) Topic Option: In consultation with the Supervisory Committee,
especially the Committee Chair, the student may organize the second
field around a topic (such as a genre, theme, or cultural issue). The
examination list for the topic option must concentrate on materials not
falling within the historical period studied on the first examination list.
The list may include works from more than one historical period and,
when appropriate, may include non-literary works. Nonetheless,
although differently oriented, the topic-option list will emphasize literary
works and will be as comprehensive as a list for a traditionally defined
historical period.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
3. The third field engages works of criticism and theory. The list of works
for this field will be generated by each candidate, in consultation with the
Supervisory Committee. This field may be defined broadly (such as a
literary theory or cultural criticism) or more narrowly (such as feminism,
Marxist theory, minority studies, historicism, folklore, narrative theory).
This field may consider issues traditionally left to the other disciplines
and may include works from other disciplines.
Written Exam
Within two weeks of successful completion of the oral examination, the
student will take the written examination. The written examination can
focus on one field or some combination of fields, to be determined in
consultation with the Supervisory Committee immediately following the
successful completion of the orals. The written exam tests the student's
ability to make a sustained critical argument about the texts on the
reading list.
The student may receive a choice of questions from the committee and
has 72 hours (three days) to complete the exam. The student will write
on one question. The essay will be approximately 20 pages (5000 words),
exclusive of footnotes. Discursive footnotes are discouraged. The student
must work independently, with no consultation with others, but the
student may use library resources or other secondary sources, properly
footnoted.
The Graduate Advisor will distribute to the Supervisory Committee copies
of the examination questions and answer. The chair will convene the
committee to discuss and evaluate the student's answer. In the event of
a failure on the written examination, the student may be re-examined
only once. Re-examination will not take place until the committee is
satisfied that the student has completed further study.
Oral Exams
When the student and the committee agree that the student is ready to
take the qualifying exams, the examination date must be filed with the
Graduate Studies Office at least one month before the exams take place.
The oral exam tests students' knowledge of their lists. Students should
demonstrate strong familiarity with important details of the texts, as well
as the ability to make substantive connections among them. The oral
examination will take approximately two-and-one-half hours and will
cover material on each of the reading lists. Once the oral is completed,
the committee discusses it, and then votes by secret ballot to pass or not
pass, in each of the areas. A simple majority rules. In the event of a
failure, in whole or in part, the oral may be repeated once, but not before
the committee is satisfied that the student has had sufficient time for
adequate preparation, and in no case longer than six months.
University: University of Washington
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
The written examinations cover three areas: (1) major period of literary
(an exam given early on
history; (2) second area or special topic; and (3) theory, methodology, or
as a condition for
approach.
continuing pursuit of the
doctorate)
1. Major Period. This exam area is intended to help students develop
advanced competence within a period of literary history. The focus
of the list is on primary sources, although secondary materials may
be included.
o A “period” implies a substantial stretch of time, at least 5
decades.
o The selection of materials is frequently but not necessarily
limited by genre and/or nationality.
o The “major period” should be defined with an eye to the
specialties currently recognized by the MLA’s annual job list.
2. Second Area or Special Topic. This exam area is intended to help
students develop a second area of specialty or to delve deeply into a
more bounded topic. The focus of the list is on primary sources,
although secondary materials may be included.
o Second Area.
 A “second area” can be:
 A second period (significantly different
from, but defined according to the same
principles as, the major period).
 A literary genre, approached
transhistorically or with reference to a
historical period or periods.
 An interdisciplinary field;

o
Another comparable body of knowledge or
disciplinary formation that enables a
student to claim an additional and distinct
specialty.
 One source for possible “second areas” is the MLA
list of “divisions” and “discussion groups.”
Special Topic
 A “special topic” is a more narrowly delimited topic,
sometimes a significantly augmented subset of the
material covered in the Major Period list.
 “Special topics” are sometimes intended as a future
area of dissertation research.
3. Theory, Methodology, or Approach. This exam area is intended to
help students to elucidate how to think and write about selected
topics. The focus is on gaining knowledge of one or more recognized
theoretical approaches or philosophical developments that have
influenced the study and understanding of literature, language, and
culture. Ideally, the list should be broad enough to allow discussion
of more than one theme or topic and should not exhibit the same
narrowness as a “special topic” from List II.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing
a dissertation)
In terms of a final/comprehensive exam the only thing mentioned on the
website is the dissertation defense.
University: Washington State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The final exam for M.A. students is an oral defense of either a thesis or
capstone for earning an
portfolio.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The Qualifying Examinations for doctoral students in literature will consist
exam given early on as a
of three take-Home exams in the following three broad areas:
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
(a) Historical Periods – choose one of the following:
 Medieval to 1485 1485 to 1600 (including the works of
Shakespeare)
 Seventeenth-century British literature (excluding Shakespeare)
 Eighteenth-century British
 British Romantic and Victorian to 1885
 Modern British to 1945
 Contemporary British
 Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-century American
 Nineteenth-century American to 1865
 American literature 1865-1945
 Contemporary American

Note: all historical period exams should be based on a range of canonical
and non-canonical primary texts, as well as on key secondary studies.
(b) Choose either a second historical period, or a genre such as lyric
poetry, drama, the novel, the short story, prose non-fiction, etc., or a
defined field within literary theory such as gender study, postcolonial
theory, Marxist theory, race and ethnicity study, etc.
(c) Special Area. In general, the special area consists of a literary,
historical, or cultural topic whose study is necessary for the student's
successful completion of the dissertation.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
The supervisory committee conducts the Oral Preliminary Examination. It
concerns the dissertation prospectus and its relation to the Special Area
prior to writing a
dissertation)
topic, and it also reviews anything from the Qualifying Examinations that
deserves further scrutiny. The oral exam is a conversation among
colleagues in which the student has a chance to discuss his or her
dissertation project and to ask as well as answer questions.
By the principle of coherence noted above, a candidate changing plans
after the examinations – proposing a dissertation in a field where he or
she has not been examined – must submit for approval to the supervisory
committee an explanation of how he or she will become qualified to
write in the new field.
University: University of Alabama
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The M.A. Comprehensive Examination is a written exam whose
capstone for earning an
individualized questions are produced by each student in the fall
M.A.)
semester, and answered by their respective authors in the spring
semester. Both the questions and the answers are subject to the
evaluation of the M.A. Comps Committee, composed of three members
of the department's graduate faculty; membership on the Committee
rotates among faculty members, always including one member from the
previous year and one tenured member (these two members might or
might not be the same person); additionally, every member of the
committee will have taught at least one UA English graduate course.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The written preliminary examination will be of four hours in duration,
exam given as a capstone
and will require the student to demonstrate, in the subfield of the
prior to writing a
dissertation, a depth of knowledge suitable to an expert in that
dissertation)
subfield. A list of approved subfields and a process for proposing
alternative subfields shall be provided. Under the direction of his or her
preliminary examination committee chair, who will likely also serve as
dissertation director, and subject to the approval of the full exam
committee,


The examinee will be responsible for constructing and
demonstrating mastery over a reading list of approximately 100
primary and 30 secondary texts in the appropriate subfield; and,
The examinee will write roughly twelve questions, from which
the committee will choose a subset, to be revealed to and
answered by the examinee during the four-hour examination
period.
Exams will be closed book and closed note. Once the exam is completed,
the student’s committee will read all responses, talk collectively about
them, and then, on the basis of consensus whenever possible, and on the
basis of a majority that must include the chair if consensus is
unreachable, assign him/her a final grade of Distinction, Pass, or Fail.
University: University of Arkansas
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Candidates who choose the non-thesis option will be required to take and
capstone for earning an
pass a comprehensive written examination based on the department's MA
M.A.)
Reading List. This examination will require that candidates demonstrate
knowledge of 7 of the 9 areas on the reading list, which include the eight
areas in the above distribution requirements, plus a special topics area.
This test will be administered by a committee of three faculty members
appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies.
The written examination for non-thesis candidates will be graded on a passfail basis, though the examining committee may, at its discretion, award a
grade of "pass with distinction" to candidates whose performance on the
examination is genuinely outstanding.
A candidate who fails to pass the written examination may retake the
examination only once and must do so within one calendar year of initial
testing.
Reading List: http://www.uark.edu/depts/english/grad/ma_reading_list.pdf
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing
a dissertation)
Every doctoral student is required to pass a comprehensive take-home
written examination in the broad field of specialization. Students have 72
hours after receiving the questions to turn in their answers, typed, doublespaced. Answers should be submitted in the form of coherent, well-argued
essays, with a maximum overall length of 30 pages in a standard 12-pt.
font. Committees are encouraged to give students 3-4 questions, of which
two, of the student's choice, are answered. Any student who fails the exam
may retake it only once, and the retake must be within a year from the
failed exam.
University: Auburn University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Portfolio
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
A general examination, often called the "preliminary examination," is
exam given as a capstone
required of all applicants for the degrees of doctor of philosophy. Taken
prior to writing a
at the completion of coursework and after the student has met the
dissertation)
foreign language requirement, it consists of written and oral testing by
the student’s advisory committee or by an examination committee
designated by the student’s academic program in the student’s major
and minor. The written portion of the examination does not require
approval in advance by the Graduate School. The oral portion, however,
does require such approval. Arrangements for the oral examination must
be made by application to the Graduate School at least one week in
advance of the examination. The primary purpose of the general
examination is to assess the student’s understanding of the broad body
of knowledge in a field of study. The examination also affords the
advisory committee an opportunity to review the student’s proposed
research and understanding of research methods and literature in the
chosen field. If the general examination reveals deficiencies in any of
these areas, the advisory committee may recommend remedial work,
reexamination, or discontinuation of doctoral study. The general oral
examination should be conducted immediately after the successful
completion of the written examination. At least one complete
semester(preferably more than one)must intervene between the general
oral and dissertation defense. The two examinations thus cannot be
taken either in the same semester or in consecutive semesters.
Successful completion of the oral examination requires unanimous
support of the student’s advisory committee. If the general oral
examination is failed, a re-examination maybe given on recommendation
of the committee and approval by the dean of the Graduate School.
University: University of Florida
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
The Department requires two Area Exams, each with an appropriate
exam given early on as a
reading list. Because of Graduate School requirements for admission to
condition for continuing
candidacy, there must be at least one oral and one written portion. Each
pursuit of the doctorate)
committee has the right to tailor these exams to the student’s particular
circumstances. Normally the dissertation prospectus is discussed and
evaluated at one or more of these exams.
The minimum requirement for admission to candidacy is therefore
examination in the two areas in which at least part of one is written and
part of one is oral (to fulfill Graduate School requirements). The simplest
scenario would be to have one written exam plus an oral exam.
The maximum scenario would involve an initial formal meeting with the
entire committee prior to approval of the area reading lists, two written
exams with an oral portion to each. Exams should fall within these limits.
In order to promote maximum communication, prevent surprises, and
help the students practice for job interviews, oral exams may (but are not
required to) accompany each written exam. Students should be advised
to keep in contact with all members of their committees, even if periodic
orals are not scheduled. The GSC review of these exams is usually
delegated to the supervisory committee.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Georgia
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
At the end of their course work, students must pass an oral examination
capstone for earning an
over their course of study, a portfolio of three essays written in their
M.A.)
courses, and a selective list of major works studied. The student's major
professor will offer guidance on selecting the papers and compiling the
list.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
By the end of the third year, the student will sit written and oral
exam given as a capstone
Comprehensive Examinations. These examinations are administered by a
prior to writing a
three-member examining committee (the student's Advisory Committee)
dissertation)
appointed by the Graduate Coordinator in consultation with the
student's Major Professor. The examinations cover three areas chosen by
the student and approved by the Advisory Committee. For students in all
areas other than Creative Writing, two of the areas are drawn from the
following prescribed list of periods and subjects: English Language, Old
English, Middle English, Renaissance Drama, Renaissance excluding
Drama, Restoration and 18th Century, Romantic, Victorian, American to
1900, 20th-Century British, 10th-Century American, African American,
Rhetoric and Composition, and Literary Criticism and Theory. For
students in Creative Writing, the third examination is taken either in one
of the areas included in the foregoing list or in Forms and Crafts of
Writing. For all other students, the third examination area addresses a
proposed dissertation topic and constitutes a significant step toward the
preparation of the dissertation prospectus. Instead of sitting a third
written examination, the student writes a preliminary description,
roughly 5-7 pages long, of the subject on which he or she expects to write
a dissertation. The project description, which is developed in close
consultation with the Advisory Committee, defines a research question
that is worth pursuing and demonstrates the student's ability to answer it
University: University of Kentucky
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
A ninety minute oral examination based on thirty texts which, in diverse
capstone for earning an
ways, address a central focus. The texts should reflect the generalist
M.A.)
nature of the program and the structure of the course requirements, and
should include at least five texts each from British and American
literature. The student's committee consists of three faculty members
and must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. In
consultation with the committee, the student will construct a list of texts
and submit a rationale at least one month before the examination. The
examination will not be scheduled until the Master's committee and the
Director of Graduate Studies have approved the list and rationale.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Requirements:
1. An essay of publishable quality to be written under the guidance
of director (or core committee member)
2. Oral examination based on two lists (major and minor) to be
taken at the end of the first semester of the third year
3. Directed Study with either director or core member during the
first semester of the third year
4. Dissertation prospectus to be completed during the second
semester of the third year
5. Dissertation prospectus defended in an oral examination at the
end of the second semester of the third year
Publishable Essay:
The new exam requires an essay of publishable quality to be written
under the direction of the (typically but not necessarily) dissertation
director in a Directed Study during the first semester of the third
year. This essay will either be entirely new or based on a successful
seminar paper.
The Lists:
In consultation with the director and the two core members, the student
decides on two areas:
1) Major - which will likely but not necessarily be a historical period (70
texts)
2) Minor - which will be either historical, special topic, or genre (30 texts)
For example, the student might focus on 19th century British literature
along with a special topic such as gender studies or affect or postcolonial
theory. The two lists will be assembled by the student in consultation
with the committee members. While it is expected that most doctoral
candidates will be examined in at least one major historical period, in
certain circumstances a candidate may, with the approval of the doctoral
committee, petition the Graduate Committee to take qualifying exams in
a recognizable area other than a historical period.
Oral exam/part 1:
A week before the exam, student will be given 2 or 3 questions
formulated by their director (in consultation with the core committee)
from which the student will choose one. They will then prepare a
twenty-minute presentation for their exam. While the presentation
should not be read, students may use Powerpoint. Students are advised
to focus on roughly 6 central texts for the presentation. During the next
forty minutes, the committee members discuss the
presentation. Students should be prepared to reference in some detail
other primary and secondary texts during the question period—roughly
20. Followed by a short break, the second hour turns to the whole list
(including major and minor).
Prospectus
This should be from 12 to 15 pages with a (minimum) 3-page
bibliography.
Oral exam/part 2:
At the end of the second semester of the third year, the student will be
tested in an oral format for 2 hours on the dissertation prospectus.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Louisiana State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The examination committee will conduct an oral Final Examination of one
capstone for earning an
to two hours. You may take this exam no more than twice. If you fail your
M.A.)
second attempt, you are considered terminated from the program at the
end of the examination semester. You have the right to petition for
reconsideration.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
I. Portfolio Review: The portfolio review is done before the actual
exam given early on as a
meeting; the student submits the portfolio to committee members who
condition for continuing
individually review the material prior to the meeting. The contents of the
pursuit of the doctorate)
portfolio and the procedure here are identical with that of the NonThesis MA Examination.
II. Student Presentation: Drawing from the portfolio, the student orally
presents a summary of graduate-level work completed to date and plans
for future work and specialization: this is an exercise in scholarly selfarticulation and should take no more than 20 to 30 minutes. This
procedure is identical with that of the MA Examination.
III. Examination and Plan of Work: Questions or concerns about the
portfolio’s contents and the student’s presentation are addressed at the
meeting. The range of possible questions is identical with that of the MA
Examination. For students who entered without an MA, the Plan of Work
is a review of the Program of Study (see above) that students are
required to fill out with professorial guidance during their first year. For
entering students with an MA, the Plan of Work will produce the Program
of Study. Having examined the student’s previous coursework, the
committee recommends further coursework, where it is needed.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
1. Three distinct bibliographies on three areas related to the student’s
possible dissertation topic, areas to be chosen by the student in
collaboration with the four-person examining committee required for
every General Exam by the Graduate School. Copies of approved
bibliographies should be signed by committee members and submitted
to the English Graduate Office for filing.
Recommended Guidelines: The bibliographies should be created by
committee members and the student. Lengths may vary, but each
bibliography should include approximately 30-45 significant primary and
secondary texts. As the student prepares for the General Exam,
secondary bibliographies may be generated, building upon the original
bibliographies. Together these lists should function in part as the
beginnings of a bibliography that the student may use in writing the
dissertation. Should the committee choose, it may ask the student to
submit such secondary bibliographies with his or her essays (see below).
2. Three 15-page documented essays written by the student in response
to questions developed by the student and the examining committee
from these bibliographies. (Ordinarily, the General Exam Committee
members writing the questions should all be members of the English
Department; but exceptions may be made in certain special
circumstances with the consent of the committee chair and the DGS.)
3. Two course syllabi written by the student, one for a commonly taught
introductory course that would incorporate at least two of the three
areas of interest, and another for a more advanced (e.g., 4000- or 7000level) course in one of the specific areas of interest. The syllabi should
contain the following: 1) course title, 2) list of required texts, 3) list of
writing assignments and examination schedule, and 4) schedule of
reading assignments and discussion topics.
University: Mississippi State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The MA exam is a four-hour timed exam consisting of 4 one-hour essay
capstone for earning an
questions. The first essay is an explication of a set text, which will not be
M.A.)
announced ahead of time. The three remaining essays will be written in
response to questions about one or more works on a list of 16
representative works of literature written in English (MA Exam List). For
each essay, students may choose between one of two questions, which will
not be announced ahead of time. The MA Exam List will be revised each
calendar year and will be announced two years ahead of time. Each
student should consult with the Graduate Coordinator at the time of
enrollment to determine the appropriate MA Exam List for his or her
projected examination date.
Links to reading lists 2011-2015 (not a typo) and sample exam from 2011:
http://www.english.msstate.edu/graduate/maexam.html
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
(an exam given as a
capstone prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Missouri
Samuel Cohen
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The exam consists of three questions answered over a four-hour time
capstone for earning an
period. Students in Literature and in Literature with a Creative Writing
M.A.)
Emphasis are assigned to a three-member M.A. Comprehensive Exam
Committee and write on three literature-based questions. Students with
emphases in African Diaspora, Critical Theory, English Language &
Linguistics, Folklore & Oral Tradition, or Rhetoric & Composition are
assigned to a committee that includes two members from literature and
one member from the emphasis area. They write two literature-based
questions and one emphasis-area-based question
Students must have a reading list approved consisting of representative
English and American literary works grouped under the following
headings:
1. Medieval
2. Renaissance and Seventeenth Century
3. Restoration and Eighteenth Century
4. Early American (pre-1800)
5. Nineteenth-Century British
6. Nineteenth-Century American
7. Twentieth-Century British
8. Twentieth-Century American
In establishing the list, students will begin with the department’s core list
below. Substitutions and additions aimed at satisfying the student’s
particular interests are acceptable but must be approved by the
committee.
Five to eight works should be included from each category: shorter works
of poetry or prose, or various works by one author, can be assembled as a
single item. The aim is to indicate a broad yet balanced historical and
generic acquaintance with British and American literary traditions. To this
end the members of the committee may recommend substitutions and
will approve the final list based on their sense that it successfully meets
the criteria of breadth and balance.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
The Reading list for British and American Literature is available for review
at the bottom of the page of this link:
http://english.missouri.edu/graduate-program/ma-degree.html
The Qualifying Exam must be a formal meeting, scheduled by the
committee chair, with at least three of the four members present. The
outside faculty member need not be involved in this meeting, but all four
members of the committee must sign the D-1 form. The student and
committee chair should decide on a proposed Plan of Study to be
discussed and approved at the meeting. The student is responsible for
preparing the forms and bringing them to the meeting.
1. Committee and Reading List
Students will choose a faculty committee consisting of a chair, two
additional department members, and an external member from another
department.
In consultation with his or her committee, the student will specify reading
lists made up of one major field, one minor field, and one field in criticism
and theory.
 The major field list should reflect the student's area of
professional specialization (poetry, 16th-century British literature,
20th-century American fiction, rhetoric and composition, folklore)
and should take account of both the student's interests and job
market categories. If a candidate chooses a major field that is a
single genre (or has an otherwise delimited focus), then the
candidate's committee may mandate that the area should extend
over at least three centuries.
 The minor field list might be a related field (for instance, a
student with a major list in African American literature might have
a minor list in twentieth-century American fiction, or one studying
Romanticism might have a minor list in transatlantic colonial
literature), a secondary field (film or linguistics if the student is
studying a literary field; a literary field if the student is studying
rhetoric or folklore), a genre or sub-genre (creative non-fiction,
the sonnet, etc.), or an area of thematic focus
(Transcendentalism, nature poetry, etc.).
 The criticism and theory list will vary depending on the topics of
the major and minor lists. In cases where the major and minor
lists consist primarily of literary works, the criticism and theory list
must include sections covering the major works of criticism
and/or theory in those fields. The remainder of the criticism and
theory list, up to its entirety in cases where both the major and
minor list include substantial secondary reading, can be organized
around a major subfield of criticism or theory (poetics,
psychoanalysis, the history of the novel) or a particular theme
(Theories of the Middle Class; The Role of Religion in
Contemporary Fiction; Medieval Conceptions of Gender).
All three lists together should comprise approximately 100-120 book
length works or the equivalent in scholarly articles or works in other
media (as decided in consultation with the committee), with the major list
roughly equivalent in size to the combined minor and criticism/theory
lists. Where linguistics constitutes one of the fields, the relevant
committee member or members will assign, in addition to reading
materials, other materials intended to ensure competence in carrying out
analyses in phonology, phonetics, syntax, and other areas appropriate to
the student's background and interests.
During the semester in which the student begins drafting his or her
reading lists (ideally the second semester of PhD study), the faculty chair
will convene a meeting with the entire committee, during which the
student will present and defend their program of study and draft reading
lists. This meeting is known as the "Qualifying Examination." During this
meeting the committee members will sign the D-1 form; after the
meeting the student will prepare the D-2 form for program of study and
have it signed by the committee members.
2. Preparatory Essay
During the time a student is preparing for his or her exam, he or she will
write a Preparatory Essay of at least twenty-five pages. These essays are
typically not more than fifty pages. This Preparatory Essay constitutes the
written portion of the comprehensive exam, and is designed to give the
student the opportunity to demonstrate broad knowledge of his or her
fields, deep interest in specific topics relevant to those fields, and initial
plans for the dissertation (or, in the case of creative writers, the critical
introduction). After submitting a draft of the essay to committee
members for feedback the semester before submitting the final draft and
taking the exam, the student will submit the final version to the
committee, whose members will evaluate it for range and depth of
coverage, specificity of references to the works discussed, theoretical
grasp of the material and clarity of organization and style. A student
should also consider the Preparatory Essay an opportunity to address
what he or she has learned in the preparation process, and to indicate
what questions most interest him or her about the works on his or her
lists. The Preparatory Essay Essay is designed to be flexible, but each
essay should include the following, in a form agreed upon by the student
and the committee:
 Brief overviews of each of the fields represented by the lists,
discussing major issues raised by the three lists, and, where
relevant, connections among them; these overviews may preface
the body of the essay or be folded into it
 Answers to three or four substantive questions about the fields
(or, where relevant, problems in linguistic analysis) that were
developed in consultation with the committee, and that are
meant to serve as talking points for the oral exams
 A preliminary description of the dissertation or, for creative
writers, the critical introduction that demonstrates how it will be
informed by the student's reading
In order to pass the written portion of the exam the student must receive
no more than one dissenting or abstaining vote on the Preparatory Essay.
Within a week of receiving a copy of the exam, committee members will
submit evaluations discussing strengths and weaknesses of the
Preparatory Essay to the Graduate Studies Secretary, who will forward
them to the student and also place copies in the student's file.
If the student does not pass, the committee will offer advice on rewriting
and resubmitting the Preparatory Essay. If the student does pass, the
chair of the exam committee, in conjunction with other members of the
committee, will schedule the student's oral examination for no earlier
than one week, and no later than one month, following committee
members' reports on the Preparatory Essay. The graduate secretary
should be informed of the time and place of the oral examination.
Students must be enrolled during the term in which they take their oral
exam (to be administered only when MU is officially in session). The oral
exam must be completed at least seven months before the final defense
of the dissertation.
3. Oral Exam
The oral exam will be scheduled for two and half hours and will consist of:
 Two hours of questions, with format and time allotted to
committee members arranged beforehand by the chair of the
student's committee
 Fifteen minutes during which the committee deliberates about
the exam
 Fifteen minutes during which the committee informs the student
whether he or she has passed or failed, and discusses the exam
with the student
While discussion will be guided by the writing students have done in the
Preparatory Essay, the examinee should be prepared for questions on any
item on their list. Exams are commonly structured in two parts, with
discussion of the essay in the first hour and discussion of the lists more
broadly in the second.
During the fifteen-minute faculty deliberation period the chair of the
committee is responsible for taking notes, which will form the basis of a 12 page document discussing the exam, things the student did well on, and
things he or she might improve. The chair should give a copy of this
document to the Graduate Secretary, who will forward it to the student
and also place a copy in the student's file.
In order to pass the student must receive no more than one dissenting or
abstaining vote on the oral exam. Students who fail the oral examination
will be allowed to retake it, but cannot do so sooner than twelve weeks
after, or later than the end of the semester following, the initial
examination. If the student passes the oral examination, all members of
the committee must sign the D-3 or doctoral comprehensive examination
results form. The chair of the committee is responsible for submitting the
D-3 form to the graduate studies office, and the form must be filed with
the graduate school within two weeks after the final completion of the
exams. Per graduate school rules, failure to pass two comprehensive
examinations automatically prevents candidacy.
University: University of Mississippi
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
It looks as if all M.A. students are required to create a thesis. The website
capstone for earning an
does not mention a comprehensive exam and the link to the graduate
M.A.)
handbook is for a generic graduate student. It only tells you to refer to
the programs guidelines.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
Admission to candidacy follows the successful completion of the
exam given early on as a
Candidacy Examination. This examination, which is both written and oral
condition for continuing
in form, tests the candidate’s knowledge of two areas of inquiry,
pursuit of the doctorate)
consisting of: (1) an historical period in British or American or World
Anglophone literature and (2) a special topic. (Special topics include, but
are by no means limited to, the representative writings of a single author
or select group of authors, studied intensively and supplemented by
relevant secondary materials; the intensive study of a single genre,
supplemented by relevant theory, criticism, and literary history; issues of
rhetoric, structure, technique, gender, race, power, ideology, culture,
literary theory, methodology, intellectual history, canonicity, and
interdisciplinary.) The candidate and the Ph.D. committee will draw up
and agree upon an intensive reading list for each of the two areas of
inquiry. Both reading lists must be formally approved at a single meeting
of the Ph.D. Committee, at which copies of each list must be initialed and
dated by the student and each member of the committee for submission
to the Graduate Studies Director. This meeting must take place by no
later than one semester after the student completes classroom course
work for the degree. All members of the committee will participate in
evaluating the written and oral sections of the Examination, and in all
future responsibilities of the committee.

The written section of the examination is an original, articlelength (20-25-page) publishable* research paper on the special
topic area and its reading list. The essay is expected to address
the topic in a thorough, critically responsible manner, not to
provide a broad overview of the materials on the reading list.
This essay must be submitted to the Ph.D. committee within six
months of either the completion of the student’s final semester
of classroom course work or the date of final approval of the
reading lists, whichever comes later.The reading lists and the
topic of the written research paper should be arrived at through
consultation between the student and his or her committee. The
topic should be a fresh undertaking for the student, although
certainly it can be derived from course work. The topic should
reflect an interest in and knowledge of the exam area it is to
represent; that is, although narrow in focus, the topic should be
situated convincingly within the context of its area. It should
illuminate as well as be illuminated by the area of study in which
the student has located it. A kind of two-way street ought to be
apparent in the finished work: the research paper providing
insight into the special topic, the special topic expanding the
implications of the paper.Students and committees are
encouraged to work closely together, especially during the
formative stage of the topic. Some sort of outline or prospectus
may well be a part of this stage, although full or fragmentary
drafts should not be. Once the student submits the research
paper, the committee will respond in one of three ways:
acceptance, rejection, or request for revision. In the event of the
last option, a single revision will be permitted, to be resubmitted
according to a schedule agreed on by the student and the Ph.D.
committee but ordinarily within one month of the student’s
notification of the need to revise. If the research paper is
rejected, either at first or after revision, the student is not
permitted to continue in the Ph.D. program.*The concept of a
“publishable paper” should be understood as a descriptive rather
than a valuative term. Such a paper should be original,
demonstrating a familiarity with relevant secondary sources to
support that claim. It should constitute a complete argument
within the range of the 20- to 25-page paper.

The oral section of the examination, which must be formally
scheduled with the Graduate School, may be taken only after all
foreign language requirements have been satisfied and the
written section of the examination has been accepted. The
student must pass the oral examination within 18 months of
either the completion of the student’s final semester of
classroom course work or the date of final approval of the
reading lists, whichever comes later. Ordinarily 2 hours in length,
the oral is a comprehensive exam covering the historical period
reading list; the examiners will expect the candidate to be
familiar with all of the primary and secondary materials from this
list and to be able to discuss them critically and comparatively.
The exam is graded Pass or Fail. On passing the oral examination,
the student is admitted to candidacy. A failed oral may be
retaken once, at a time agreed on by the student and the Ph.D.
committee but within the time constraints described above. If
the student fails the oral again, s/he is not permitted to continue
in the Ph.D. program.
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of South Carolina
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
USC’s website is very informative: A comprehensive exam covering one
capstone for earning an
of the three areas of concentration
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
Doesn’t get any better in their explanation for PhD. students: A
exam given as a capstone
comprehensive exam that consists of two written exams, one in the
prior to writing a
major field and one in the minor field.
dissertation)
University: University of Tennessee
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
The comprehensive written examination for non-thesis MA students in
capstone for earning an
Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies is given three times a year, in the
M.A.)
Fall, Spring, and Summer. A file of old examination questions is available
in McClung 306. The examination is based in part upon the minimum
reading list for the Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies
concentration. This list is also available in the Graduate Office and online
at http://english.utk.edu/reading-lists/. Usually the written examination
takes place a little after the middle of the term. It is a three-hour
examination, with an extra hour allowed for planning and revision.
International students whose native language is not English may request
a fifth hour by written petition to the DGS two weeks before the exam.
The committee that draws up the examination is a standing committee
whose members serve for overlapping two-year terms. One member of
the committee proctors the examination as it is given and does not read
the examinations; all examination books are numerically coded so that
the exams are read and evaluated anonymously. Students should not
discuss their examinations with faculty members until after the exams
have been graded. Three members of the committee read all the MA
examinations together, deciding on a grade of Pass or Fail. MA students
who fail the written comprehensive examination may retake it once,
within one semester. A student who fails the MA written examination
twice will not be granted a degree and must leave the program. MA
students who pass the written exam then take an oral exam given by a
director, chosen by the student, and two other faculty members, selected
by the student in consultation with the director.
The orals committee decides whether the oral exam is a Pass. If a student
passes the MA written examination but fails the oral examination, he or
she may retake the oral examination once and must do so within one
semester. A second failure of the oral examination will remove a student
from the MA program.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
After completing all coursework and language exams, the student will
take three comprehensive examinations—two field exams followed by a
specialized exam.
1. General Instructions. For all the field exams, students should
compose their answers so as to demonstrate a broad familiarity
with primary texts and with the secondary, critical studies on the
core reading lists. Plot summary and repetition of the same
examples or texts from question to question should be avoided.
2. Word Count. The maximum limit for all field exams is 6,000
words, not including the Works Cited. Students must provide a
word count for each exam. This limit will be strictly enforced:
exams that exceed this word count will not be accepted until the
excess words are cut.
3. Time Limit. All students have 72 hours to complete a field exam.
The usual procedure takes place over a weekend: students
receive the exam questions via email from the Graduate
Administrative Assistant at noon on a Friday; they must then
email their exam answers back to the Graduate Administrative
Assistant by noon on Monday. Students who have family care
responsibilities may arrange to have their exams administered
during the week, but in such cases students must arrange to take
their exams during the week before the weekend that most
students are taking their exams (typically, such students receive
their exams noon on Tuesday and must submit their answers by
noon on Friday).
4. Coverage of the Customized Portion of the Reading List. As
described above (see “Reading Lists”), students are expected to
customize their reading lists by adding an additional 20% of
material to the core lists. Committees may stipulate that no
more than one question on the exam draw on material from the
customized portion of the reading list, and some exam fields have
codified this as a rule (see the list below for field exams that
specify questions on “thematic specialized material”). When
there are no specific instructions that refer to customized
material on an exam, students should observe the same
distribution of texts in their exam answers as on their reading
lists--that is, at least 80% from the core reading list and no more
than 20% from the customized material. The customization of
reading lists is intended to deepen a student’s knowledge of a
field, not to allow students to decline engagement with major
texts in that field.
5. Academic Honesty. Students taking field exams are bound by the
University’s Honor Code, which prohibits academic dishonesty.
Under no circumstances are students seek help from or to consult
with others in the writing of their examinations. Any infraction of
this code will result in dismissal from the program.
Grading. Normal grading on comprehensive field exams is Pass or Fail;
outstanding performance on an exam may warrant a grade of Pass with
Distinction. There is no grade of “Conditional Pass”—i.e., the
communication that an exam will or might pass if certain revisions are
made to it within a given window of time. Grades are normally submitted
by the chair of an exam committee to the DGS by the Friday following the
Monday when exams are due. Students who fail an exam should discuss
the results with their committee members, either individually or as a
group, as soon as possible so as to plan the best preparation for retaking
the exam. They should also meet with the DGS within two weeks of being
notified of the grade of Fail to discuss a revised plan. A student who fails
a particular exam must retake that exam during the next offering of
comprehensive field exams. If a student fails two exams in the same field,
he or she may elect to take an exam in a new field. If a student elects to
move to a new field, he or she may choose to take that exam either in the
first or second sitting following the second failure in the original area. To
remain in the program, a student may fail no more than two
comprehensive exams. Any student who fails three comprehensive
exams (including the specialized exam) must withdraw from the graduate
program.
Although each field exam is individualized for a particular student, every
exam in the same field will have the same number of questions and the
same principles governing what kinds of questions are asked. It is the
responsibility of the DGS, who approves each exam prior to its being
administered, to ensure consistency in the formats of individual field
exams. As of Fall 2013, the format for each field exam was established as
follows:

African American Literature. Three questions: one broad
theoretical question that has implications for the field as a whole,
and two questions that range over specific historical
developments within the field and specialized thematic material.

American Literature to 1829. Three questions: one on literature
through 1763, one on literature from 1763-1829, and one
specialized thematic question.

American Literature 1830-1914. Three questions: one on
literature from 1830-1865, one on literature from 1865-1914, and
one on broad thematic issues.

Composition. Three questions: one on the history of
composition, one on theoretical paradigms, one on contemporary
theory and practice.

Contemporary Literature. Four questions: one on prose, one on
poetry, one on drama, and one on criticism.

Critical Theory. Four questions: one on classical, medieval, and
Renaissance criticism and theory; one on criticism and theory
from 1660 through the nineteenth century; one on twentiethcentury criticism and theory; and one on contemporary issues.

Drama. Four questions: one on medieval or Restoration/18C
drama, one on Renaissance drama, one on
modern/contemporary drama, and one on drama in general that
draws upon a range of historical periods. Arrangements can be
made to accommodate specialized exam list material.

Feminist Studies. Three questions: one on feminist theory, one
on women writers, and one on specialized thematic material.

Linguistics. No information available at this time.
•
Medieval Literature. Three questions: one on Old English
literature, one on Middle English literature, and one specialized
thematic question.
•
Modern Literature. Four questions: one on literary modernism,
one on modern poetry, one on modern fiction, and one on
modern drama.
• 19C British Literature. Four questions, reflecting a broad coverage
of relevant historical developments, genres, and formal and
thematic concerns.
•
Novel. Four questions, all on broad thematic questions that deal
with some combination of literary history, politics and ethics, and
aesthetics.
•
Poetry. Four questions, reflecting a balanced focus on genre,
history, and broad thematic and aesthetic concerns.
•
Renaissance Literature. Four questions, one on broad thematic
issues that will require the student to range across historical
subfields and several genres; and three on narrower issues related
to literary history, genre, thematics, and aesthetics.
•
Restoration and 18C British Literature. Three questions, reflecting
a broad coverage of historical developments, genres, and
thematic concerns.
•
Rhetoric. Three questions, reflecting a balanced focus on theories
and practices of rhetoric, historical development, and
contemporary issues/applications.
•
Rhetoric/Composition combined. Three questions, reflecting a
balanced focus on the history, theories, and contemporary
practices of rhetoric and composition.
•
Southern Literature. Three questions: one on literature before
1914, one on literature after 1914, one on broad thematic issues.
•
20C American Literature. Four questions: one on prose, one on
poetry, one on on drama, and one on specialized thematic issues.
After successful completion of these two written comprehensive
examinations, the student, in consultation with a committee consisting of
a director and two other professors in the department, will determine the
third examination area. The student will prepare a statement of field,
including a research question and a bibliography of primary sources and
secondary works elaborating the student’s third and most focused area of
specialization. This area should constitute the background research for
the student’s dissertation topic. The content of the specialized
examination should be defined by the student and the committee, and it
should feature intensive investigation of a clearly defined topic. In the
past, topics have included medieval women mystics, pastoral utopias in
British literature from the Renaissance to the 18th century, the Harlem
Renaissance, ESL, American literary naturalism at the turn of the century,
postcolonial theory, and the modern British novel. The specialized exam
must exhibit historical scope beyond that of a single-author study.
Students electing to work in any field of English Language and Linguistics
on the specialized exam may not fulfill the foreign language requirements
using English 508/509. For those accepted into the doctoral creative
writing option, the third examination will be keyed to the critical
introduction of the dissertation project.
The student’s proposal and bibliography must be approved both by the
student’s committee and the Director of Graduate Studies by January 15
for the spring sitting and by May 31 for the fall sitting. The student and
committee must meet before that time, review the proposal, and discuss
expectations for the exam. The list may be revised, but a final list
approved by the committee must be filed with the Graduate Office four
weeks before the scheduled examination period.
The Specialized Examination will be written following the guidelines that
apply to the other two comprehensive examinations, and will be followed
within two weeks of the completion of the examination by a meeting
between the student and the committee in which the results of the
examination are reviewed and discussed. In some cases, the committee
may wish to use this meeting as an extension of the examination itself. If
this is the case, the committee should make its expectations clear to the
student.
University: Texas A&M University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
MFA
Ph.D.
Yes
No
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis or portfolio with an oral defense.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an The preliminary exam covers three areas: a major field and two
exam given as a capstone
supporting fields defined by the student in consultation with the advisory
prior to writing a
committee. Each of these fields should be a separate teaching field.
dissertation)
The major field should be the field in which the student plans to seek a
job. The student and the advisory committee agree on a reading list that
will give the student a solid grounding in that field, not only in terms of
the dissertation but also in preparation for future research and
teaching. The supporting fields need to be specified in such a way that
they're intelligible as "fields" not only to the student, but within the
profession. Like the reading lists for the major field, these lists should give
the student a solid grounding in two additional research and teaching
fields or sub-fields. One of the supporting fields is typically a theoretical or
critical or methodological field. This list should enable the student to
achieve mastery of the theoretical and/or criticial methodologies that will
be most useful in writing the dissertation, in preparing for future research
and teaching. The third field is often a second literary field, a second
theoretical or methodological field, a genre, or a subfield within the
primary field.
The three lists together should have 75-100 works.
A note on literary criticism: Students may or may not choose to list
literary criticism as part of their major field or supporting fields. Lists will
be longer if students do choose to place criticism on their lists. Literary
criticism of a particular field does not constitute a separate field for the
purposes of the prelim lists.
Examples from recent lists:



Theories of Culture and Nation
o Major Field: Twentieth-Century American Literature
o Supporting Fields: Cold War Literature, Culture, and
Criticism
Reformation/Counter-Reformation Studies
o Major Field: Seventeenth-Century Literature and Culture
o Supporting Fields: Philosophy/Theology
Performance Studies
o Major Field: Early American Literature and Culture
o Supporting Fields: American Drama, Beginnings to 1850
The reading list must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies at
least 30 days before the exam. Students should pick up the scheduling
paperwork from the Graduate Office at least two weeks in advance.
The Advisory Committee schedules, writes, administers, and evaluates the
exam, which should be taken near the end of the semester immediately
following the completion of coursework (normally November of the third
year). By the midpoint of the next semester after passing the exam
(normally mid-March of the third year), the student should have
completed a draft dissertation prospectus and scheduled a prospectus
defense with Advisory Committee members, after which the approved
prospectus is to be filed with OGS. Students entering the Ph.D. program
in fall 2010 or earlier have the option of combining the discussion of the
dissertation proposal with the preliminary exam, in which case the
completion of both elements may be scheduled for spring semester of the
third year.
Students who fail the exam may retake it after six months. No student
who fails the exam twice may stay in the Ph.D. program.
University: Vanderbilt University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Thesis
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
The Examination Fields
exam given as a capstone
The Written Examination covers two major fields and one minor
prior to writing a
field. Each candidate, in consultation with her or his committee
dissertation)
members, will define the fields for the exam. These fields may be
organized historically, generically, theoretically, or in other ways that
reflect a coherent argument.
At least one of the fields must cover an historical period.
The department does not impose numerical requirements on reading
lists; the length of each list will be determined through consultation
between the student and her or his exam committee members. Major
lists tend to fall between 75 and 100 texts; minor lists tend to fall
between 50 and 75. However, there has always been considerable
variation, depending on the field and the student. Each student should
have an early discussion with her or his exam committee members—in
the spring of Year Two, before submission of preliminary lists—that sets
target numbers.
A note concerning the third, “minor” list: the minor list generally
supplements the two major lists, and this can work in a number of
ways. The list sometimes provides context by taking the study of a
particular issue, movement, or genre back or forward historically; it
sometimes concentrates on a subgenre, development, debate, or other
focal group of texts; it sometimes assembles texts—theoretical,
historical, or otherwise methodological—that the student and committee
members anticipate will provide an analytic structure for the
dissertation. The department recommends that each student schedule an
early discussion with her or his committee members about the most
effective way to use this third list.
The three fields and the reading lists are subject to the approval first of
the candidate’s committee, and then of the English Department Graduate
Committee.
Students will choose to answer one from three questions in each
examination area and should write a conference-length paper (2500
words) for each of the three exam questions answered. The department
expects that these exam essays will show research skill and acumen,
strong critical familiarity with both primary and secondary texts, and the
ability to state and sustain a critical argument. The writing the student
submits to the department for the exam answers must be original writing
for that exam.
University: Arkansas State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
No information provided on degree requirements.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Georgia State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Looks like M.A. students have only an option for a thesis.
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
In the Literary Studies concentration, the primary specialization
exam given as a capstone
examination will be in the area in which the student plans to write the
prior to writing a
dissertation. The primary is a three-part examination involving (in this
dissertation)
order) a two and a half hour on-site written, a seventy-two hour off-site
written, and a ninety-minute oral. As described in the list of required
courses below, in order to take an examination in an area of primary
specialization, the student must have completed 12 credit hours (4
courses) in or strongly related to that area. The exam itself will be based
on a reading list composed of no fewer than forty texts, devised by the
student in consultation with the faculty adviser who will be the primary
reader of the exam. The examination reading list must be composed, and
approved by the faculty adviser, at least one semester prior to the
semester in which the student will take the exam. The examination
questions must be approved by the Director and Associate Director of
Graduate Studies.
The secondary specialization examination may be in an area that
compliments, augments, or contrasts with the primary area and will last
three hours. As described in list of required courses below, in order to
take an examination in an area of secondary specialization, the student
must have completed 9 hours of courses in or strongly related to that
area. The exam itself will be based on a reading list composed of no
fewer than thirty texts, devised by the student in consultation with the
faculty adviser who will be the primary reader of the exam. The
examination reading list must be composed, and approved by the faculty
adviser, at least one semester before the semester in which the student
will take the exam. The examination itself must be approved by the
Director and Associate Director of Graduate Studies.
The two examinations may be (but need not be) taken in the same
semester. Examinations are not offered in the summer. Students must
give the Director of Graduate Studies in English written notification of
their intention to take either a primary or secondary examination by the
departmental deadline.
University: University of Louisiana at Monroe
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Information about the exam isn’t available on the website; however, in
capstone for earning an
there is a reading list posted:
M.A.)
http://www.ulm.edu/english/m_readinglist.html
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
Yes
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
M.A. Comprehensive Exams
capstone for earning an
Application for Examination
M.A.)
During the first month of the fall and spring semesters of each year, the
Graduate Coordinator will query all eligible graduate students to
determine which of them plan to take the M.A. Exams at the scheduled
time that semester. In writing and by the date indicated in the query,
students must indicate their intent. (See eligibility requirements below.)
Failure to comply with this requirement will normally make students
ineligible for examination that semester. M.A. Exams are not offered in
the summer session.
When students are within 6 to 9 hours of completing the 30-36 hours
required for the M.A., and have completed their foreign language
requirement, they may schedule their exams.
Guidelines for Components of the Exam
1. General
The M.A. exam is required of all M.A. degree candidates who do not
write a thesis. It has two written components comprised of one long (90minute) essay for each component, and an oral exam of approximately 60
minutes. Component I of the written part of the exam, to be designed
and read by members of the M.A. examination committee at large, tests
the candidate's ability to analyze a brief literary text that may or may not
be known to him or her. (See under Section 2 below). Component II
consists of one long (90-minute) essay question designed and graded by
the individual candidate's chosen three-person examination committee.
Component II tests the candidate's ability to synthesize an important
corpus of inquiry from his or her course work towards the MA. The
concluding oral examination is usually conducted by the same threeperson committee that oversees written component 2. The oral
examination requires the candidate to respond to questions of both
analysis and synthesis. In the case of students writing a thesis, the oral
exam will mainly be a defense of the thesis.
2. Written Component I
This portion of the examination is compiled with the help of all members
of the standing department M.A. Examination Committee. Each
committee member, assigned to cover a traditional area of literary study,
submits to the committee chairperson a brief literary text from his or her
area and a 90-minute written examination question requiring analysis of
that text. Moreover, the question instructs the candidates to apply to the
text at least three literary and/or theoretical terms from a good, brief,
standard handbook of literary terms, such as Abrams's A Glossary of
Literary Terms, in the current edition. (Some examples of eligible terms
would be: figures of speech, rhetorical devices, particular genres,
theoretical concepts, literary movements, historical concepts, particular
topoi or motifs, specific literary forms, prosodic devices, etc. The
examinee chooses the terms to be addressed, three or more, especially
fitting and illuminating for the examination text, and shows good
command of those terms in his or her response to the question. This
requirement presupposes familiarity with a handbook that treats basic
technical vocabulary of literary study.)
The chair of the departmental M.A. Examination Committee posts all the
texts one week before the exam, then chooses two texts with their
attached questions to present to M.A. candidates as Component I of the
written examination. Candidates may select either of the two texts and
questions, then address the requirements of the chosen question in a
substantial (90-minute) essay.
3. Written Component II
In this part of the written examination the candidate selects and
responds with a substantial (90-minute) essay to any one of three
questions presented by the three-person examination committee which
the candidate has chosen from the departmental graduate faculty at
large. Examiners from Component I, members of the departmental M.A.
Examination Committee, may also serve as examiners for Component II
as the individual candidate may desire. For the Component II and the oral
examination (see below), candidates should choose examiners who have
guided them in at least one graduate course, who share their special
interests, and who are therefore specially qualified to examine them.
In Component II of the written examination, candidates respond to
questions of synthesis from their M.A. course work as a whole or from a
significant number of their courses. For example, questions in
Component II may require candidates to survey an idea or a problem in
English or American literature or through several historical periods of
literature.
Grading Procedures of Written Components
Component I of the written examination will be graded anonymously and
holistically by three members of the M.A. Examinations Committee; two
of the three must pass it. Results will then be collated with readers'
comments by the chair of the committee and passed on to the Graduate
Coordinator.
Component II will be graded by the individual student's M.A. Exam
Committee; two of the three must pass it; then the chair of the
departmental M.A. Examinations Committee will tabulate results and
readers' comments and forward them to the Graduate Coordinator. Final
results will be pass, fail, or pass with distinction. A majority of readers
must independently pass an exam with distinction before that result will
be given.
The Oral Exam
Students must pass both components of the written examination before
scheduling the oral component. The Chair of the M.A. Committee will
contact the student and all committee members before setting the date
and time of the exam. The one-hour oral examination, which is
comprehensive in scope for those not writing a thesis, will be conducted
by the student's M.A. committee, normally the three readers of written
Component II (see above). In the oral examination the candidate may be
asked (1) to clarify or expand some points from Component 2 of the
written examination; and (2) to explore some areas of the candidate's
study not covered in the written examination.
Failed M.A. Exams
Students who pass one written component and fail the other are not
required to retake the passed component. Students who fail their M.A.
exams should consult with the Graduate Coordinator and with their M.A.
Committee for procedures to follow. As per Graduate School
requirements, no candidate will be permitted to take a comprehensive
exam a third time.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
Ph.D. Exam Areas
All Ph.D. students must take written examinations in four of the
following:
Area 1: English Literature to c.1500
Area 2: English Literature of the Renaissance
Area 3: English Literature of the Restoration and Eighteenth Century
Area 4: British Literature of the Nineteenth Century
Area 5: British Literature from c.1900 to the Present
Area 6: American Literature to c. 1900
Area 7: American Literature from c.1900 to the Present
Area 8: Literary Theory
Area 9: Rhetoric
Area 10: Linguistics
Area 11: Open Topic/Genre (e.g. Fiction, Drama, Poetry)
Area 12: Folklore
Rules for Ph.D. Exam
1. Ph.D. students in all concentrations must pass one primary five-hour
written examination from the above list. A primary concentration is
defined as the student's area of primary interest, the area in which the
student expects to write a dissertation.
2. All Ph.D. students must also pass three five-hour written secondary
examinations. A secondary concentration is defined as a declared area of
interest that may (but need not) have some relation to the primary
concentration and that the student hopes to teach at the undergraduate
level.
3. All PhD students, regardless of concentration, must complete at least
two exams in Areas 1 through 7. For students in literary studies or
folklore, both British (Areas 1 through 5) and American (Areas 6 & 7)
must be represented.
4. Ph.D. students in the Rhetoric concentration must pass a five-hour
primary written examination in Area 9, one five-hour secondary written
examination in Area 10 or 12, and two five-hour secondary written
examinations in Areas 1 through 7. Students preparing to take the Area 9
examination, primary or secondary, must obtain a reading list from the
members of the rhetoric faculty. The request for the list should be made
at least by the time students notify the Graduate Coordinator of their
intention to take the Area 9 examination.
5. Ph.D. students in the Linguistics concentration must take a five-hour
primary written examination in Area 10.
6. Ph. D. students in the Folklore concentration must take a five-hour
primary written examination in Area 12.
Guidelines for Area 11 Exam
Eligible students who wish to take a primary or secondary written
examination in Area 11 (Open Topic or Genre) must first consult with
their Preliminary Advisor. They must appeal in writing to the Area 11
Committee by the semester before beginning exams. Area 11 request
forms can be downloaded here, and are also available from the English
Department Office. The completed form, which should be delivered to
the chair of that committee, must name the four areas in which the
student proposes to be examined, at least three faculty qualified to
compile & write the proposed Area 11 exam, and must be co-signed by
the Preliminary Advisor. The Area 11 Committee will consider individually
all requests in Area 11. Students whose proposals are definitively denied
have the right to appeal to the entire graduate faculty.
Although each request for an Area 11 (Open Topic or Genre) examination
will be considered on its own merits, pertinent guidelines should be
considered:
A. Topics should not be subsumed within a single literary period (Areas 1
through 7). For example, "Contemporary American Fiction," because
limited in focus to Area 7, would not normally meet with Graduate
Committee approval. However, "The American Novel from 1820 to the
Present," because it cuts across two periods (Areas 6 and 7), is an
example of a topic deemed suitable and one, in fact, that has been
approved.
B. Topics should also avoid too much overlapping. For example, although
"African-American Literature" might meet the criterion of cutting across
chronological periods, it would not normally be approved if the student
requesting it also requested examination in both Area 6 and Area 7.
Exam Format
Each of a student's four examinations will follow a format designed by
the faculty in the relevant area. Descriptions of the exams in specific
areas are available from the Graduate Coordinator, and students are
encouraged to consult with relevant area faculty about the exam in that
area.
All exams will follow one of three general templates:
Format I requires writers to answer 15 of 20 identifications, 3 of 5 short
essays questions, 1 of 3 long essay questions.
Format II requires writers to answer 5 of 8 short essay questions, 1 of 3
long essay questions.
Format III requires writers to answer 3 of 5 long essay questions.
The distribution of formats among the areas is as follows:
Format I: Areas 1,2,3,10
Format II: Areas 4,5,6,7
Format III: Areas 8,9,12
The default format for Area 11 exams will be Format II. The following
frequently recurring Area 11 exams will follow formats described by the
relevant faculty and available from the Graduate Coordinator:
Format I: Narrative Film, Drama
Format II: Children's Literature, African-American, Creative Writing
Studies, Science Fiction, Southern Literature, The Gothic
Format III: Women's Literature & Feminist Theory
Examination Procedure
The PhD exam committee will select three faculty members to prepare
each exam, two writers and one compiler. The chair of the PhD exam
committee will distribute the names of faculty writing PhD
comprehensive exams and the areas covered (including area 11 special
topics) to both the faculty at large and to all graduate students via
departmental listservs and memos within at least one week after the
exam assignments have been distributed to graduate faculty examiners.
The role of the faculty member in the exam is not to be disclosed.
Each writer will prepare, independently and without consultation, an
entire examination in the designated area. The compiler will take the two
complete exams and create from them the final draft of an exam that will
then be submitted to the chair of the PhD committee for format and
editing approval. Questions not used by the compiler will be returned to
the writers.
Primary and secondary exams will be the same in each area, but those
students taking an exam in their primary area will be expected to show
evidence of more extensive knowledge, especially by using secondary
material.
The Ph.D. Examination Committee specifies the time and place of every
exam. Exams are normally scheduled to occur once per week for four
consecutive weeks in the middle of each Fall and Spring semester. On the
day and time assigned to the taking of each exam, students will be given
a packet with the exam. Opening the exam packet constitutes the taking
of the exam.
Students must notify administrators if they cannot take a designated
exam, though exams cannot normally be given again until the next
semester. Failing to show for an arranged exam constitutes a failure on
that exam.
Students will be allowed five hours to complete the exam.
An examiner is allowed to discuss such issues as exam coverage and
evaluation with graduate students in such manner as that faculty
member deems professionally appropriate up to the day that
examination is given. No discussion of the exams will take place after the
exams have been administered until the official exam results have been
released to the examinees by the graduate coordinator. The anonymity
of students taking the exams is to be protected.
Grading Procedures
All written primary and secondary Ph.D. examinations will be graded
independently by two departmental graduate faculty readers. Readers of
written Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams will independently assign each
examination paper the grade of "Pass," "Fail," or "Pass with Distinction"
(see below). Grades will be submitted independently by written ballot.
Pass-fail deadlocks are broken by the independent judgment of a third
graduate faculty reader. The Chair of the Ph.D. Examinations Committee
reports the results to the Graduate Coordinator, who then notifies the
students. The students may consult with the Graduate Coordinator or the
Chair of the Ph.D. Examinations Committee about the readers'
comments; however, all readers' comments remain anonymous.
Ph.D. Exams "Passed with Distinction"
Ph.D. students whose performance on primary and secondary written
examinations meets the following high standards will be honored with a
"pass with distinction" by the English Department:
1. The primary written examination must be independently graded "pass
with distinction" either by both first readers, or, if one of the first two
readers passes the exam with distinction but the other evaluates it only
with a pass, a third reader (the compiler) will read the exam only to
determine whether it passes with distinction or not.
2. All secondary written examinations must be graded at least "pass" by
all first readers. Any grade of "fail" on any examination will disqualify a
student for "pass with distinction." Thus any student who has to retake
an exam is no longer qualified to "pass with distinction."
3. On all four written examinations, primary and secondary, a majority of
total readers—normally five readers or more out of eight—must
independently grade the student's work "pass with distinction."
4. The student must pass the oral examination.
The student who meets all of the above requirements will be awarded a
letter for his or her permanent academic file. The letter, co-signed by the
Graduate Coordinator and the Department Head, will state that the
student has written his or her Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams "with
distinction." A copy of the letter will be given to the student and to his or
her dissertation director (if the latter has been chosen at that point).
Failed Ph.D. Exams
The provisions for retaking failed written examinations are as follows:
1. If a student fails any written or oral examination it must be repeated,
normally during the next semester.
2. In accordance with the policy of the University, no student will be
permitted a third opportunity to take an examination.
3. Should a student have to retake one or more examinations, he or she
is ineligible for the department's "pass with distinction" (see above).
4. If a student opts for a 2-2 schedule and fails one of the first two tests,
then the student will retake the failed exam the following semester,
along with the remaining two tests, in the course of the normal testing
period.
5. If a student opts for a 2-2 schedule and fails both exams in the first
testing period, then the student may pass them in the following
semester's testing period, before scheduling any remaining examinations
in the subsequent semester.
Oral Comprehensive Examination
After passing all four written examinations, all Ph.D. students must
schedule an oral examination to take place before the end of that
semester. The exam will be 60 to 90 minutes long. The three examiners
will be appointed by the departmental Ph.D. Examination Committee,
one from the student's primary area and one each from two of the
student's secondary areas.
Guidelines for Ph.D. Oral Exams
1. The oral exam will (in contradistinction to the written exams) aim to
demonstrate the candidate's capacity to use an oral format to develop
and refine ideas in a literary/cultural conversation in ways we expect of
professional literary generalists in their roles as teachers and critics; the
oral format should permit and encourage ample give and take among all
parties to the exam.
2. It will stress synthesis of literary, cultural, and professional
information.
3. Examiners may use the oral format to review weaknesses or consider
omissions in the written exams.
4. Examiners may raise "meta" kinds of questions--critical or theoretical
concerns aimed at opening the kind of discussion indicated in (1).
5. Examiners may introduce a focus on pedagogical issues related to the
candidate's interests.
6. The above recommendations for form and content are not intended to
be exhaustive; the committee should discuss its approach in advance of
the exam.
7. The Graduate Coordinator will be prepared to give copies of the
student's written primary and secondary examinations to the student and
other committee members before the oral exam. The chair should
request copies of the exams and graders' comments that are deemed
appropriate for the oral examination.
8. The committee chair should expect to receive a ballot from the
Graduate Coordinator and return it to the Graduate Coordinator with the
signatures of the committee after the student completes the oral exam.
University: University of South Alabama
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Candidates for the M.A. in English with a concentration in literature may
capstone for earning an
choose, as an exam option, to take a comprehensive written examination
M.A.)
on British and American literature. Each student will have two English
faculty advisors for the Comprehensive Exam; each advisor will work with
the student on one of the two exam fields. Each field, worth 50% of the
exam, is chosen by the student with the approval of the advisor.
Each field must be in a different rubric (Period, Genre, Topic) and will
cover a list of 15-25 primary and secondary texts, approved by the
advisor. Fields should not overlap. For example, a student could choose
the period modernism and the genre poetry, but the poetry list should
not favor modernist poets. List will be approved by the Graduate
Committee and filed in the department for reference. The advisors will
assist the student in preparing for the exam.
The Comprehensive Exam is a written exam will be given at the end of
the fall and spring semesters: the exams will be administered twice per
academic year, no later than four weeks before the date when grades are
due each semester. Students will write their exams on offline computers
at a location to be determined by the program. Students who prefer not
to use a computer may petition the Graduate Committee for
exemption. In case of failure, the exam can be retaken once, generally at
the end of the following semester.
Each advisor will prepare essay questions for his or her area to test the
student. The total exam time is four hours; the student will answer both
questions provided in each field. The entire examination will be scored
by the two advisors and an additional faculty member selected by chair
or the Graduate Coordinator within three weeks of the exam. The specific
criteria for exam evaluation are: clear, coherent writing, close reading,
coherent application of a critical method/theory, and synthesis of
appropriate scholarly sources. Evaluation of exams will be on a 4-point
scale, viz.: 4–Excellent, 3–Good, 2–Weak, 1–Unsatisfactory. (4) and (3)
are passing scores, (2) and (1) are failing scores. Students must receive a
passing score on both exams (i.e., in both fields, though not necessarily
on all four questions). If a student receives an average score below (2) in
a field, the student must re-take the exam for that field, answering two
new questions.
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Texas State University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
I. The General Examination (All students)
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
A. The General Examination is offered only three times a year:
the first Saturday in October
the first Saturday in February
the first Saturday in June.
These dates provide adequate time to schedule a Thesis Defense or an
Area Examination (described below) later in the semester, prior to
graduation.
B. Students should sign up for the Examination at the Graduate Advisor’s
office. A sign-up sheet will be posted at least two weeks before the
planned test date, and you may also phone the program assistant at 2457683.
C. Students will have two hours to complete each of the two parts
(Analysis and Synthesis) of the General Examination, with an hour-long
lunch break between the parts. Students may choose to write either on a
computer or in a blue book, and the Department will accommodate
students who have diagnosed disabilities, documented through the
University's Office of Disability Services, that affect performance on
written examinations. Students writing on computers may use the
dictionary built into Microsoft Word, while students writing by hand may
use a print dictionary. No other books or software may be used.
D. Each Examination will be identified to the faculty readers by the
student’s University ID number only. Faculty will rate each of the two
sections as Passing with Distinction, Passing, or Not Passing. An
evaluation of Passing with Distinction will be granted only to exceptional
performances and will be awarded only by unanimous decision. A Passing
essay demonstrates learning in the discipline; familiarity with appropriate
literary terminology and methods of analysis; and clear, coherent writing.
For a student to pass the General Examination, two members of the
Graduate Faculty must evaluate both parts as at least Passing. Students
who must retake one or both parts of the examination may sign up for
the next regularly scheduled test date.
E. The Graduate Advisor will report the results to the student and the
chair of the student’s oral or area examination.
III. The Area Examination (Non-thesis-track students)
The student and a committee of three graduate faculty members will
work out details for the administration of the Examination. All students
using this option will have at least nine English courses, making it certain
that all may identify an Area of Emphasis (at least two courses related by
period, subject, or genre). A student with a minor or an Area of Emphasis
(Cognate) involving another discipline may choose to include a faculty
member from the other Department as the third member of the
committee. A student with an Area of Emphasis developed entirely in
English may select all members of the committee from English graduate
faculty.
The student will work with the committee chair to draw up a tentative
reading list of 15 to 20 book-length works related to the Area of
Emphasis. The chair will confer with the other committee members and
seek their approval of the list. The chair will return a copy of the
approved list to the student.
During the Examination the student will respond as directed to one or
two essay topics from a choice of several. Committee members outside
English may contribute to the development of these questions, or they
may elect to write a separate essay question. All three committee
members will read the Examination and evaluate it as Passing with
Distinction, Passing, or Not Passing.
To complete the Comprehensive Examination, a non-thesis student must
pass both parts of the General Examination and the Area Examination
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Troy University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
No
MFA
No
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
capstone for earning an
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)
University: Western Kentucky University
Graduate English Degrees Offered:
Level
Yes/No
MA
Yes
MFA
Yes
Ph.D.
No
Comprehensive Exams Offered
Level
Nature (briefly describe the exam’s format and scope)
MA (an exam given as a
Website only provides an overview of the program. It is only the
capstone for earning an
traditional why you should choose WKU over everyone else line.
M.A.)
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (an
exam given early on as a
condition for continuing
pursuit of the doctorate)
Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (an
exam given as a capstone
prior to writing a
dissertation)