M.A. in Polish Literature
Program of study: Two residence units are required for the M.A. degree. The Master's degree is normally completed in two or
three semesters.
Part-time students in
the Free-Standing M.A. program must complete the program within four years.
Courses: Coursework: 30 points at the graduate level, including
-
at least 12 points in Polish literature;
- the Proseminar in Literary Studies (SLLT G8001);
- Master’s Research Instruction (SLLT G9000);
- 3 additional points of Directed Research for the completion of the M.A. essay; and
- the Practicum in Foreign Language Pedagogy (PEDG G4000), taken ideally during the first semester of language teaching].
The remaining points may be taken in related fields of history, linguistics, comparative literature and society, or other Slavic literatures. Two of the electives in literature or related fields may be taken for R credit, in addition to Master’s Research Instruction, which all students take for R credit; all other courses should be taken for a letter grade. Note that Directed Research in Polish Literature (POLI G8001-G8002) may be repeated, since the content varies.
Languages:
1. Demonstration (by examination) of an advanced level of proficiency in Polish.
2. An additional Slavic language, particularly Russian, is encouraged but not required.
M.A. Essay: minimum of 50 pages, begun during the second semester in the context of Master’s Research Instruction and submitted in final form no later than the end of the third semester of study. See
M.A. essay guidelines for further details.
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M.Phil. in Polish Literature
Prerequisite: the M.A. in Polish Literature and formal approval by the Department.
Program of study: usually four semesters beyond the M.A. degree. Four residence units beyond the M.A. (for a total of six) are required for the M.Phil. degree. Students should complete all requirements for the M.Phil. degree before the end of their eighth semester of graduate study.
The Major: at least 24 points beyond the M.A. degree, six
points of which may be for R credit. SLLN G4005, Introduction to Old Church Slavonic, is strongly recommended.
The Minor: no fewer than 12 points (in addition to the required courses for the major). All candidates must choose one of the following departmental concentrations:
1. A Second Slavic Literature (Czech, Russian, Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, or Ukrainian): four or more courses, selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. Two of these courses may be in language above the elementary level. The candidate is responsible for a general knowledge of the history of the chosen literature and a firm grasp of one selected period, genre, or theme. It is recommended that students who do not enter with a firm knowledge of Russian literature choose it as an additional area of concentration.
2. A Non-Slavic Literature: four or more courses in another literature, selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The candidate is responsible for a general knowledge of the history of the chosen literature and a firm grasp of one selected period, genre, or theme that links that literature to Polish literature.
3. Polish History and Culture: four or more courses, selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, in Polish history, art history, cinema, music, philosophy, religion, or other relevant fields. The candidate is responsible for a general knowledge of Polish intellectual history and for a firm grasp of one period or aspect of the culture.
4. Slavic Linguistics: four or more courses, including Comparative Literature-Slavic G6100. Comparative Grammar of Slavic Languages. Other courses, selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, may include courses in Slavic linguistics and Slavic medieval studies offered in the Department as well as courses in general linguistics offered outside the Department.
Languages: a reading knowledge of Latin and French or German, as demonstrated by written examination.
Teaching requirement: Participation in the instructional activities of the department for three years. As a rule, in the second, third, and fourth years of study, students gain exposure to teaching through participation in the language and/or linguistics programs.
Comprehensive examination: Students should take the comprehensive examination during their fourth year of graduate study, preferably at the beginning of the seventh semester and at the latest at the beginning of the eighth semester. The areas of examination are designed with the intellectual needs and interests of the students in mind. The examination usually covers at least two significant periods, two major genres, criticism and theory and an analysis of a literary text. Students take the exam on two consecutive days, writing for three hours on each day. Approximately one week after the written examination, each student meets with a three-member faculty committee for discussion of the exam.
Minor oral examination: Students should take the minor examination before the end of their eighth semester of graduate study. In consultation with faculty advisers, the student defines a topic in his or her minor field and develops a proposal for a course, including a rationale for the course, a syllabus, and an annotated bibliography. The topic should be broad enough to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the minor field. When the minor field is Slavic linguistics, the course syllabus should demonstrate knowledge of linguistic theory as well as a particular facet of Slavic linguistics.
The committee for the minor oral consists of an adviser with expertise in the minor field and two members of the Slavic Department selected by the student in consultation with the DGS. Before the oral examination, the student should consult with all members of the committee about the course proposal and submit a final copy to them well in advance of the oral. During the oral examination, the student presents a brief overview of the course and then responds to questions about the proposal and the minor field. The oral lasts two hours.
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Ph.D. in Polish Literature
Prerequisite: the M.Phil. degree in Polish Literature and formal approval by the Department.
Faculty adviser: the student chooses a faculty adviser for the dissertation.
Dissertation brief: in consultation with the adviser, the candidate
prepares a dissertation brief (approximately 12 pages), consisting of
the following parts: a presentation of the thesis and the rationale for
the dissertation; an outline of the argument; an expanded table of
contents; and a bibliography. The candidate then defends this brief
before a committee consisting of the adviser and two other faculty
members whose expertise is relevant to the dissertation topic. Upon
receiving their approval, the candidate proceeds with the dissertation.
Dissertation: to be completed in accordance with
University regulations, normally by the end of the seventh year of graduate study.
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