CL Graduate Student Handbook
To download a pdf version of the Graduate Student Handbook, click here.
1. Welcome
1.1 Useful Links
2. Guidelines for Professional Development
3. Getting Started
3.1 The Graduate Division
3.2 Establishing California Residence
3.3 The Quarter System
3.4 Registering for Classes
3.5 Transfer of Units (rare)
3.6 Housing
4. Academic Basics
4.1 Minimum GPA
4.2 Procedure for Incompletes
4.3 Leaves of Absence
4.4 Lapse of Status
5. Exchange Programs & Other Opportunities
6. The Master’s Degree
6.1 Course of Study
6.2 The Field Exam
6.3 Continuation to the PhD
7. The PhD Program
7.1 Admission
7.2 PhD Coursework & Requirements
7.2.1 Continuing Students
7.2.2 Students with an MA from another Institution
8. Field Examinations
8.1 Definition of a Field
8.2 The Exams
8.3 The Exam Committee
8.4 Exam Procedures
9. Presentation of the Dissertation Prospectus
9.1 Description of the Prospectus
9.2 Oral Presentation
9.3 Forms
11. Course Load
11.1 Unit Requirement
11.2 Independent Studies
15. Normative Time
15.1 Summary
15.1.1 MA/PhD at UCSB
15.1.2 MA from Another Institution
15.2 Tentative Schedule
15.2.1 MA/PhD at UCSB
15.2.2 MA from Another Institution
15.2 Normative Time and Employment
15.3 “P-3″ Status
16. Adding an Emphasis
16.1 Emphasis in Feminist Studies
16.2 Emphasis in East Asian Literatures
16.3 Emphasis in Translation Studies
17. Financial Support
17.1 Teaching Assistantships
17.1.1 Academic Appointment
17.1.2 International Students
17.1.3 Selection of Teaching Assistants
17.1.4 TA Training
17.2 Other Employment
17.3 Fellowships, Fee Remissions, etc.
17.3.1 The FAFSA
17.3.2 Campus Fellowships
17.3.3 Language and Travel Grants
17.3.4 Extramural Grants
17.3.5 Partial Fee Remission
17.3.6 TA Fee Offset
17.3.7 Nonresident Tuition Fellowship
17.3.8 Fellowship Payments
17.4 Taxes
17.5 Deferral of Payment of Fees
17.6 Emergency Loans
17.7 Health Insurance and Student Health Services
18.0 Problems and Dispute Resolution
18.1 Dispute with Dissertation Committee
1. Welcome
Welcome to the Comparative Literature Program. We hope that your time with us will be happy and productive and that it will prepare you for the career you desire. This handbook should serve as an on-going reference source during your time in our graduate program.
The Department Chair: Elisabeth Weber
E-mail: weber@gss.ucsb.edu
The Vice-Chair and Faculty Graduate Adviser: Sara Lindheim
E-mail: lindheim@classics.ucsb.edu
The Department Manager : Tilly Govender
E-mail: tilly@gss.ucsb.edu
The Staff Graduate Adviser:
E-mail: gd-complit@mail.lsit.ucsb.edu
The Undergraduate Adviser: Ashley Bradbury
E-mail: ashley@gss.ucsb.edu
1.1. Useful Links: Please consult our departmental website regularly for information about courses, lectures, and other events as well as information about graduate studies and useful research links: http://www.complit.ucsb.edu
Consult the Graduate Division web site for information about all graduate programs at UCSB and pertinent information for graduate life: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/
For Graduate Life Essentials, find information via the Graduate Division web site at: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/studentlife/
For Financial Aid, see the Source, a financial aid resource, at: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/Source/ Also see UCSB Financial Aid Office.
Consult ProQuest Information and Learning for abstracts of dissertations: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/.
The Interdisciplinary Humanities Center at UCSB is also a source of fellowships: http://www.ihc.ucsb.edu/.
The Consortium for Literature, Theory and Culture awards three different types of funding to graduate students: http://www.cltc.ucsb.edu/.
The General Catalog can be found at: http://www.catalog.ucsb.edu/
2. Guidelines for Professional Development
The Comparative Literature faculty at UCSB believes that success in our graduate program, as in any post-graduate professional endeavor, requires that students make a serious personal commitment to their academic and intellectual development. The following guidelines are meant to give you an idea of what is expected of you as a graduate student:
1. Regular attendance and active participation in graduate seminars.
2. Several hours of preparation outside class for each seminar: a general rule of thumb is 3 hours of preparation for each hour of seminar time.
3. Additional time for the preparation of seminar presentations and final seminar papers. Since students are attending 2 or 3 seminars at the same time, it is absolutely essential that they choose paper topics for each seminar as early as possible (no later than the 3rd week of class) and begin immediately to carry out research on these projects.
4. Attendance at departmental lectures and receptions, designed to promote intellectual interaction with visiting scholars that may well affect future career opportunities.
5. Teaching. It is important to realize from the outset that a good deal of hard work is involved in the pursuit of graduate studies. Students must devote particular effort to establishing and maintaining a productive balance between their academic pursuits and their teaching obligations. This is a delicate issue, as the former tend to be more long-range in nature (final papers and exams, Masters and PhD exams, the dissertation, etc.) while the latter tend to be more immediate (daily class preparations and corrections, weekly office hours with students, TA meetings, etc.) Attaining such an equilibrium can be particularly tricky during the first year, especially for students unfamiliar with the fast pace of the 10-week quarter system. Early attention to this problem will prove critical to the student’s academic success. It will also prepare students for the rigors of an academic career, and provide an advantage in a competitive job market, since the teaching-research equilibrium continues to be a major issue that all university faculty must deal with throughout their careers.
6. TA training: It is mandatory for all TAs in the Comparative Literature Program to attend the departmental Fall Orientation for TAs at the beginning of Fall quarter and the various workshops throughout the academic year.
3. Getting Started
3.1 The Graduate Division
Located on the 3rd floor of Cheadle Hall, the Graduate Division is the University’s office for graduate affairs. It monitors admissions, fellowships, degree checks, and graduate student employment. The Acting Dean of the Graduate Division is Gale Morrison who is also Professor in the Department of Education.
3.2 Establishing California Residency
If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, but not a California resident, you need to take steps immediately upon your arrival at UCSB to establish California residency. If you do so, by your second year of enrollment you should not be liable for the nonresident tuition fees. These steps include registering to vote here, opening a bank account, obtaining a California driver’s license, and registering your car in California.
3.3 The Quarter System
UCSB is on the quarter system; each quarter is 10 weeks long, followed by a week of final exams. Fall quarter runs from approximately the 4th week of September through the 2nd week of December. Winter break is 3 weeks. However, Teaching Assistants must grade finals and turn in grades before leaving. Winter Quarter runs from the 1st week of January through the 3rd week of March. Spring Break lasts one week. Spring Quarter runs from approximately the last week of March through the 2nd week of June. Details of the academic calendar are available every quarter in the Schedule of Classes.
3.4 Registering for Classes
Except for new students, who will register after meeting with the Faculty Graduate Advisor during Orientation Week, you will register for classes during the 5th week of the previous quarter. The Faculty Graduate Advisor will set up appointments to confer with you before you register on Gold. Note: If you are a TA, be sure to register for Comparative Literature 591 (TA Practicum) each quarter. These 4 units do not count towards your degree, but are essential for guaranteeing that teaching positions are funded by the state. You should register for at least 12 units per quarter. Consult the quarterly Schedule of Classes for specific deadlines, including the new deadline for adding classes, which has been moved up to the 3rd week of the quarter.
3.5 Transfer of Units (rare)
According to UC policy, students entering our program who began, but did not complete, a graduate program at an accredited college other than a branch of UC, may transfer up to 8 units of credit for graduate Comparative Literature courses completed with a grade of B or better. The units must not have been used toward completion of a degree at the previous institution attended, and must have been earned while registered in a graduate program. Up to 12 quarter-units from another UC campus may be transferred to UCSB, under the same terms.
Such units will be treated as Pass/No Pass, and will not be counted in calculating the GPA. Students seeking transfer of credit must complete at least one quarter of registration before they can transfer units; students must complete a Graduate Student Petition ($20) which must be approved by the Faculty Graduate Advisor before it goes to Graduate Division for review.
3.6 Housing
For housing information, please see http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/index.asp
4. Academic Basics
4.1 Minimum GPA
All students need to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be in good academic standing, which is necessary for academic appointments such as a TAship. The Graduate Division monitors the grades of all TAs, and will intervene if a TA’s GPA falls below the minimum. In such cases, university policy takes precedence over any departmental offers of a year-long TAship.
4.2 Procedure for Incompletes
Taking incompletes in graduate seminars is strongly discouraged. In an emergency, and with the prior approval of the professor, you may file a petition for an incomplete. This must be done prior to the last day of the quarter (the day of the last final, not the day grades are due). Otherwise, the incomplete will appear as an F on your transcript. Your petition will include a timetable, agreed upon by your professor, for submission of the incomplete work. In no case may this work be submitted later than the end of the subsequent quarter. Petitions for incompletes are available from the Registrar. Please note: the Incomplete turns into an “F” automatically if the work is not completed by the end of the following quarter.
4.3 Leaves of Absence
Students may apply for a leave of absence if they are experiencing one of the following: (1) medical/health difficulties; (2) pregnancy or parenting needs; (3) a family emergency; (4) required military duties; (5) the need to conduct research or to study away from campus; or (6) to file either a terminal master’s thesis or a PhD dissertation in the final quarter at UCSB using the University filing fee rather than registering and paying fees. The following are not considered reasons for a leave of absence: financial hardship and the desire not to pay fees; desire to take time off from the pressure of study; the need to focus energies on exams or thesis; the burden of outside employment; the desire to protect immigration status. Students who are approved for a leave by the departmental Faculty Graduate Advisor and Graduate Division are guaranteed reentry into the program when the leave is over and are eligible for certain services on campus. Leave of Absence petitions and additional information about leaves are available from the Graduate Division.
4.4 Lapse of Status
Students who do not register or pay fees for a given quarter “lapse status” and are no longer eligible for student privileges, including employment as TAs, access to Student Health Service and student health insurance, etc. A student who has lapsed for one or more quarters must submit a Petition for Reinstatement to Graduate Standing to the departmental Faculty Graduate Advisor when seeking to return to registered status. Approval of reinstatement is not automatic, but is granted at the discretion of the Department
5. Exchange Programs & Other Opportunities
In cooperation with other departments, the program offers the possibility of spending the year abroad as an exchange student and/or lecturer. There are also opportunities to apply for a residency fellowship at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris as well as for a TAship at the UC Center in Paris through the Education Abroad Program. See the Graduate Advisor or the Graduate Assistant for further information.
Participants in the exchange programs are responsible for their own housing and health insurance, but will receive advice from returning exchange students. Our students have discovered that the cheapest source of the health insurance required for the student visa is through the International Student I.D. Program. For details, telephone 1-800-GET-AN-ID.
You must fill out a petition for an official Leave of Absence, and your year spent in this program IS counted in “normative time,” as well as in the university’s time limits for completion of the master’s and doctoral degrees-4 and 7 years respectively. For more information, see 6.2, Normative Time.
If you are carrying student loans you should check with your lending institution. You may have to be continuously registered, which is not the case with the Leave of Absence. The student loan authorities do recognize some institutions such as the Sorbonne and Paris-VIII as qualifying institutions; if you are registered there while in Paris, you will not be expected to start repaying loans. The Program and the Graduate Division will be happy to write letters to your bank, on request. You may also want to investigate “In Absentia Registration.” Under this system, you are still registered at UCSB, but pay slightly lower fees.
6. THE MASTER’S DEGREE
6.1 Courses of Study
Students are expected to complete the MA degree in 2 years. The M.A. requires a minimum of 36 units of graduate-level course work in either (a) three national literatures, or, (b) two national literatures and one related discipline chosen in consultation with the graduate adviser. The 36 units of graduate-level course work must include a minimum of 8 graduate units in each of two national literatures and 4 graduate units in the student’s third national literature or the related discipline. Eight additional graduate units must be taken in comparative literature. A maximum of 4 units of 596 course work can be counted toward the master’s degree.
6.2 The Field Exam
By the end of the second year of study, students must pass a written qualifying field examination or successfully complete a thesis in a national literature other than the literature of their native language. (See 8.0 below).
6.3 Continuation to the PhD
Students are invited to join the Ph.D. program by the Graduate Studies Committee. The invitation is contingent upon the student’s performance meeting the standards of excellence needed for PhD study in CL at UCSB in graduate course work and on the first qualifying examination, as well as upon the positive recommendations by the student’s exam committee and the faculty with whom the student has worked.
7. THE PhD PROGRAM
7.1 Admission
Our program has no separate MA program; all students admitted into the MA program are conditionally admitted into the PhD program as well. Thus, for the purposes of applying for fellowships, all graduate students in our department are considered to be PhD students. However, for academic purposes, continuation beyond the MA degree is by invitation only, based on the academic record (see above).
The Ph.D. degree in comparative literature requires the study of three fields consisting of either (a) three national literatures, or, (b) two national literatures and one related discipline. One of the literatures may be English. The other(s) must be studied in the original language. Two of these fields are considered major, the third, minor. The selection of fields should be approved by the graduate advisor.
7.2 PhD. Coursework & Requirements
7.2.1. Continuing Students (M.A. from UCSB)
Beyond the requirements for the MA, continuing students are required to complete a minimum of 24 units of coursework for the PhD, a minimum of 60 units total (see also section on course load.) Among these 60 total units, a minimum of 12 units of graduate-level course work must be completed in each of the student’s three fields, plus at least 12 additional units of graduate-level course work from the offerings in the Comparative Literature Program, with the remaining 12 units to be distributed among the student’s fields in consultation with the Graduate Adviser. Students are encouraged to take and/or audit other courses, both within and outside of the department, that match their interests and planned areas of specialization. In order to be advanced to candidacy, they must also demonstrate a competence in a second foreign language, pass two more field examinations and present a dissertation prospectus. After advancement to candidacy, they write and defend a dissertation. The university’s absolute time limit for passing the field exams and advancing to candidacy is 4 years. See section on Normative Time.
7.2.2 Students with the M.A. from another institution
Students entering the program with an M.A. in comparative literature or a closely related field need a minimum of 24 units of additional graduate-level course work to be distributed in consultation with the graduate adviser (see also section on course load.) For students entering the program in catalog year 2009-10 and later, these 24 units must include 4 units in each of two national literatures, 4 units in the student’s third national literature or related discipline, and 4 units in comparative literature. A limited number of course exemptions will, however, be allowed, as indicated in 2.6, “Transfer of Credit.” Additional course work may be required to make up for deficiencies. Students must pass three field exams in three national literatures or two national literatures and a related field. The first field examination should be taken in the first quarter of their second year at UCSB in a national literature other than the literature of the student’s native language. In order to be advanced to candidacy students must also demonstrate competence in a second foreign language and present a dissertation prospectus. After advancement to candidacy they write and defend a dissertation. The university’s absolute time limit for passing the field exams and advancing to candidacy is 4 years. See section on Normative Time.
It is essential that incoming students meet with the Faculty Graduate Adviser during their 1st quarter at UCSB in order to review their academic record and map out a program that will insure a grounding equivalent to UCSB’s MA program.
8.0 Field Examinations (For students who entered the program prior to Fall 2007)
8.1 Definition of a Field
A field is an area of study within a national literature or within a related discipline. The Ph.D. degree in comparative literature requires the study of three fields consisting of either (a) three national literatures, or, (b) two national literatures and one related discipline such as philosophy, history, art history, critical theory, film. One of the literatures may be English. Comparative literature students do not necessarily organize their studies around the canonical history of a national literature. Rather they define their field according to a period and possibly a genre, and then create a reading list that reflects that focus and includes what is necessary to understand that focus in an historical context. So, for example, a student working on the French realist novel, in addition to reading a substantial number of works of that genre, might also include on the list French novels and other prose works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and theoretical works on the novel. Or, if a student is interested in French naturalism, the reading list might include key scientific treatises that influenced theories of naturalism. It is also expected that students familiarize themselves with the secondary literature relevant to their fields. The point is that each student’s fields are both focused and sufficiently broad to reflect a grasp of influences, antecedents, and relevant ancillary disciplines.
8.2 The exams
The exams are based upon a reading list of 50-75 works that the student develops with his or her three member exam committee. The preparation for the exam enables students to gain reasonable “mastery” of a given field, understood as the competence necessary to teach eventually within this area. The expectation is for literature to be read in its original language. Non native speakers of English must write at least their first exam in English. The exam will take one of the following forms to be determined in consultation with the examining committee and the Graduate Adviser:
a. one substantial original essay of 35 to 50 pages (the idea of which can come from seminar work but the essay should not be merely a longer version of a seminar paper)
b. a two-day written examination based upon three questions
c. two 25-page papers (unrelated to seminar papers)
d. a series of shorter papers totaling 50 pages
e. a thesis (for the first field examination only)
8.0 Alt. Field Examinations (Required for students entering Fall 2007 and after, optional for students admitted prior to Fall 2007)
To meet the qualifying requirements for the Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, graduate students complete three examinations in their chosen fields of study. Two of these fields are considered major, the third, minor.
8.1 Alt. Definition of a Field
A field is an area of study within a national literature or within a related discipline. Comparative Literature students prepare themselves in two literary fields and either a third field from literature or from another field such as philosophy, history, art history, critical theory, film. Comparative literature students do not necessarily organize their studies around the canonical history of a national literature. Rather they define their field according to a period and possibly a genre, and then create a reading list that reflects that focus and includes what is necessary to understand that focus in an historical context. So, for example, a student working on the French realist novel, in addition to reading a substantial number of works of that genre, might also include on the list French novels and other prose works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and theoretical works on the novel. Or, if a student is interested in French naturalism, the reading list might include key scientific treatises that influenced theories of naturalism. It is also expected that students familiarize themselves with the secondary literature relevant to their fields. The point is that each student’s fields are both focused and sufficiently broad to reflect a grasp of influences, antecedents, and relevant ancillary disciplines.
8.2 Alt. The exams
The exams are based upon a reading list of 50-75 works that the student develops with his or her three member exam committee. The preparation for the exam enables students to gain reasonable “mastery” of a given field, understood as the competence necessary to teach eventually within this area. The expectation is for literature to be read in its original language. Non native speakers of English must write at least their first exam in English. The exam in the major fields consists of a written and an oral component. The written will take one of the following forms to be determined in consultation with the examining committee and the Graduate Adviser:
a. one substantial original essay of approximately 50 pages (the idea of which can come from seminar work but the essay should not be merely a longer version of a seminar paper) or a thesis (for the first field exam only)
b. a two-day written examination based upon three questions
Under normal circumstances at least one of the exams in the major field shall be a two-day written examination. The oral, which lasts no longer than 90 minutes, will take place after the written is passed. Its primary purpose is to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge within the chosen field. Student must pass both the written and the oral to pass the field exam.
For the minor field only a written exam is required. It may take the form of either:
a. one substantial original essay of approximately 35 pages (the germ of the idea of which can come from seminar work but the essay should not be merely a longer version of a seminar paper)
b. two 20-page papers (unrelated to seminar papers)
Students can retake each field exam (either or both parts) only once.
8.3 Field Exam Committees (All Students)
All three field exam committees must have a minimum of three UC ladder faculty, two of whom (including the Chair) must be from the home department (i.e. must be affiliated to Comparative Literature). See Affiliated faculty.
8.4 Exam Procedures
1. Student chooses the field exam quarter, the quarter during which the exam will be taken. See 6.2 and 7.22 above for the time limits.
2. Student chooses the Chair of the exam committee in consultation with the Graduate Adviser. Student chooses two other members of the exam committee in consultation with the Chair of the exam committee and the Graduate Adviser.
3. Student meets the Chair of the exam committee early on in the process, at the latest in the beginning of the quarter preceding the field exam, to determine the area that the exam will cover, the type of exam chosen, materials for the reading list, and a schedule for taking the exam.
3. At the end of the quarter preceding the field exam quarter, the student meets with all three field examiners to discuss the lists, topic of the paper(s), and strategies for completing the exam. The student should articulate a clear focus for the chosen topic and possibly make clear how the focus of her/his field exam advances her larger interests and/or dissertation topic, if such a topic has already been determined. The examiners should sign the Reading List/Abstract Approval Form.
4. At the beginning of the field exam quarter, the student submits the reading list, abstract (outlining the chosen field, the topic, its articulation within the student’s larger interests and/or dissertation the, type of exam chosen and a schedule for completing the exam), signed Reading List/Abstract Approval Form, to the Graduate Adviser for approval.
5. Student submits the exam (the essay(s), or two-day written exam) to the exam committee by the 8th week of the quarter chosen to write the exam.
Students admitted prior to Fall 2007
6. Once a student has submitted his/her field exam to his/her committee, the student will complete the corresponding field exam form (available on the Comparative Literature program web site at http://www.complit.ucsb.edu/06downloads/) and will turn in the form along with the final field exam reading list and abstract to the Staff Graduate Advisor. The Staff Graduate Adviser will then contact the committee members after one month to confirm whether or not the student has passed the exam. The Staff Graduate Adviser will inform the student of the results.
7. The exam may be retaken only once.
Students admitted Fall 2007 and later
6. Once a student has submitted his/her field exam to his/her committee, they will schedule the oral examination (except for the minor field). At the oral exam, the committee will sign the Field Exam Approval form (http://www.complit.ucsb.edu/06downloads/). The student submits the Field Exam Approval form and exam to the Staff Graduate Adviser.
No oral is necessary for the minor field. For the minor field, student will complete the Minor Field Approval form, have it signed by the committee, and submit it to the Staff Graduate Adviser along with the exam.
7. The exam may be retaken only once
9.0 Presentation of the Dissertation Prospectus
To meet the qualifying requirements for the Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, after completing their three field examinations, graduate students develop a prospectus for their doctoral dissertation with their committee members. Once the committee members have approved of the written prospectus, they meet as a group with the candidate to discuss the prospectus and to determine whether the student is sufficiently prepared to proceed with the writing of the dissertation. At its discretion, the dissertation committee may request only one set of revisions before determining whether the prospectus is approved.
9.1 Description of the Prospectus
The prospectus, 10-15 pages in length, should include a clear formulation of the research topic, an outline of the projected contents of each chapter of the dissertation, a discussion of the how the proposed work promises to contribute to the field or discipline to which it belongs. It should indicate that the candidate is conversant with the relevant secondary literature and major scholarship and also include a discussion of the methodological and theoretical framework within which the topic will be examined. A working bibliography should be included as well as a schedule that indicates when drafts, chapters and revisions will be submitted.
9.2 Oral Presentation
The candidate will begin the meeting by making a presentation of approximately 20 minutes of the proposed dissertation project. The presentation is to be followed by discussion of 45- 60 minutes among the committee members and the candidate about the viability of the project, possible difficulties that may arise, and the soundness of the proposed argumentation and methodology. After the discussion, the committee members will meet without the candidate to determine whether they deem him/her prepared to proceed with the project. The committee may approve the prospectus either unconditionally or on the condition that further revisions are made. Once the committee has reached its decision, the discussion will resume with the candidate. The entire oral examination should take between 1.5- 2 hours.
9.3 Forms
In order to establish the committee, the student must file the PhD Form 1 with the Graduate Division. The form can be found at http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/pubs/academic/Form1.pdf and includes the mandatory UCSB Graduate Student Conflict of Interest Form. For the oral examination, the candidate must enter the exam with the Ph.D. Form 2 in hand, to be completed by the committee at the end of the examination. The Ph.D. Form 2 is available here http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/pubs/academic/Form2.pdf, and requires the payment of a $90 advancement to candidacy fee at the Cashier’s office prior to submission to the Graduate Division.
10.0 Second Foreign Language Requirement
Students are admitted into the program with a demonstrated proficiency in at least one foreign language. As early as possible, they must also demonstrate proficiency in a second foreign language by taking an upper division course or graduate course where the readings are in the target language and earn at least a B+. Under certain circumstances they may take an exam that consists in translating a 450 word passage taken from a critical work or take the courses offered specifically for that purpose by certain departments (such as French 11A and 11B or German 1G and 2G) and earn at least a B+ in the last course of the series.
In exceptional cases and with the approval of Graduate Adviser, a student may petition the Graduate Division to demonstrate competence in the second language after advancing to candidacy.
11.0 Course Load
11.1 Unit Requirement. Both M.A. and Ph.D. Graduate students must enroll in and complete 12 units per quarter. Students must enroll in at least two graduate level courses per quarter for letter grade until advanced to candidacy, except during their field exam quarters or during the quarter in which they are writing their dissertation prospectus, at which time they may enroll in graduate level courses and/or in independent studies on a P/NP basis.
11.2 Independent studies. In some circumstances, four units of independent study courses (numbered 596-599) may be taken for letter grade during the quarters the student is not writing an exam or preparing the dissertation prospectus. Consult the Faculty Graduate Adviser about whether it is advisable to enroll in one of these courses in a particular quarter. Courses numbered 591, 597 and 598 may not be used towards meeting the minimum unit requirement for the M.A. degree. As for courses numbered 596, the maximum number of these units that may be counted toward the MA is 4 units. While the student is free to enroll in additional 596 units, none of the additional units will count toward fulfillment of University unit requirements for the M.A. degree.
12.0 Choosing a PhD. Committee
Students should begin thinking about their field(s) of specialization and their dissertation topic as soon as possible. Based on these considerations, students with the M.A. from UCSB should be ready to choose a PhD. committee by Fall quarter of their 1st year in the doctoral program. Those with the M.A. from another institution should be prepared to do so by the end of Spring quarter of their first year in the program. The committee will be comprised of a minimum of three UC ladder faculty members, 2 (including Chair) must be in home department. Additional members may be at departmental discretion.
13.0 Advancement to Candidacy
When required coursework, the three field exams, the presentation of the dissertation prospectus, and the second language requirement are successfully completed, the student is advanced to doctoral candidacy, effective the following quarter. This entails payment of an advancement to candidacy fee (approximately $90). Once advanced to candidacy, you are no longer obligated to take formal classes, but must register for 12 units of Comparative Literature 599: Dissertation and Research Preparation, or, if you are a TA, 8 units of 599 and 4 units of Comparative Literature 591 (TA Practicum), for a total of 12 units. International students, once advanced to candidacy, have 3 years (9 quarters) of reduced nonresident tuition (100% reduction for the 2008-09 academic year). They must finish their dissertations before this period expires; the Department cannot pay NRT beyond that point.
14.0 Writing the Dissertation
It is imperative to meet regularly with the chair of the dissertation committee, for support and guidance, and to ensure that you are pursuing a productive line of inquiry. Researching and writing the doctoral thesis should not take more than 2-3 years. Anything beyond that is considered beyond “normative time”.
The Center for Academic Skills Enrichment (CASE) has staff to assist graduate students with the writing of their theses. The Graduate Division gives guidelines on the final format of the thesis. (It is especially important to verify required margins before photocopying hundreds of pages.) For details, consult the Guide to Filing Theses and Dissertations at UCSB, available on the Grad Division website. You may file your dissertation during a quarter when you are not a registered student, but to do so you must pay a filing fee equal to one-half of the registration fee and must be on an approved official Filling Fee Leave of Absence. In order to be on an official Filling Fee Leave of Absence the student must be registered the quarter prior to filing.
Candidates may continue to work as Teaching Assistants while writing their dissertation as long as adequate progress is being made. There are, however, certain limits set by the university on the number of quarters a student may hold a TA-ship.
15.0 Normative Time
At UCSB, “normative time” is the number of years department faculty believe reasonable for a full-time student, entering under normal circumstances, to complete the PhD. As of fall 1999, normative time is as follows:
7 years for those who earn the MA at UCSB (2 years for the MA plus 5 for the PhD)
6 years for those who entered with an MA from another institution
In addition, the university has its own “time to degree” limits: 4 years for the MA and 7 years for the PhD. Time abroad is counted in normative time.
Note: For ALL PhD students, there is a 4-year time limit for advancing to doctoral candidacy. However, we expect that students entering with the MA from another institution will advance more rapidly than this, and probably complete the degree before reaching normative time. Again, for students earning the MA at UCSB, the 2 years spent in the MA program are counted in these 4 years; such students must complete their exams and advance to candidacy at the end of their 4th year. Students who are beyond normative time cannot be considered for campus fellowships.
15.1 Summary of Normative Time
15.1.1 For those earning the MA/PhD at UCSB
2 years MA work, UCSB
2 years to advance to candidacy (4 years total)
2-3 years for thesis
(1 year abroad)
6-7 years
15.1.2 For those entering with the MA from another institution
Fall quarter of 2nd year - First Field Exam
2 years to advance to candidacy (3 years total)
2-3 years for thesis
(1 year abroad)
6 years
15.2 Tentative Schedule
These times translate into the following tentative schedule:
15.2.1 For those earning the MA/PhD at UCSB
Year 1: Course work
Year 2: First Field Exam and 36 units of course should be completed by the end of the second year
Year 3: Course work, second field exam and possibly third field exam
Year 4: ABD should be attained by the end of the 4th year by completing all three field exams and the remaining 24 units of course work and by successfully defending a dissertation prospectus.
Year 5: Possible research abroad. Work on dissertation
Year 6: Work on dissertation
Year 7: Work on dissertation and defense
15.2.2 For those entering with the MA from another institution
Year 1: Course work
Year 2: First Field Exam in the first quarter of the second year. Course work. Possibly completing second field exam by the end of the year
Year 3: Completion of required 24 units of course work. Second and third field exams completed.
Year 4: ABD should be attained by the end of the fall quarter by successfully presenting a dissertation prospectus. Work on dissertation and/or research abroad.
Year 5: Possible research abroad, work on dissertation
Year 6: Work on dissertation and defense
15.3 Normative Time and Employment
Students who are beyond normative time can only be employed on campus if an exception is granted by the Dean of the Graduate Division. Although University policy states that a student may be a TA for 12 quarters, exceptions to this policy are usually granted, up to an absolute maximum of 18 quarters. Summer teaching appointments are not counted in these calculations.
15.4 “P-3″ Status
Students who have been advanced to candidacy for more than 9 quarters (3 years) are considered to be “P-3,” and cannot be considered for campus fellowships and cannot receive fee fellowship or block grant monies. They can, however, be awarded TAships at the discretion of the department, within the guidelines outlined above.
16.0 Adding an Emphasis
In designing their program of study at UCSB, PhD students are encouraged to select a sub-field that intersects with and reinforces their area of study within the discipline. Adding an emphasis will make students even more attractive candidates in the current academic marketplace, where interdisciplinarity and flexibility are considered especially desirable traits. The following emphases are available.
16.1. The Doctoral Emphasis in Feminist Studies
Feminist Studies doctoral emphasis students are required to successfully complete four seminars that will enhance their understanding of feminist pedagogy, feminist theory, and topics relevant to the study of women, gender and/or sexuality. In addition to completion of four graduate courses, candidates select a member of the Feminist Studies faculty or affiliated faculty to serve on their dissertation committees.
Doctoral Emphasis Coursework
Students pursuing the emphasis in Feminist Studies will successfully complete four graduate courses that have been approved by the Doctoral Emphasis adviser.
1. Feminist Theories. A one quarter graduate seminar in interdisciplinary feminist theory offered by any department, including Feminist Studies 250 AA-ZZ.
2. Issues in Feminist Epistemology and Pedagogy (Feminist Studies 270). A one quarter seminar that considers Feminist Studies as a distinct field. It offers an interdisciplinary exploration of feminist theories of knowledge production and teaching practices. Readings cover past and present critical debates and provide theoretical approaches through which to analyze interdisciplinary epistemological and pedagogical issues.
3. Graduate Seminar in Feminist Studies (Feminist Studies 200-290 or 594 AA-ZZ). A one quarter seminar offered by a Feminist Studies faculty member on topics of central concern to the field.
Or,
Research Practicum (Feminist Studies 280). A cross-disciplinary seminar in which fundamental questions in contemporary feminist research practice are considered in light of students’ own graduate projects.
4. Topical Seminar. A one quarter graduate seminar that addresses topics relevant to the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. This seminar must be taken outside the student’s home department; it may be fulfilled either by another graduate seminar in Feminist Studies or a seminar in another department.
For more information, please visit the website at: http://www.femst.ucsb.edu/
16.2 The Doctoral Emphasis in East Asian Literatures
The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies offers a doctoral emphasis to students previously admitted to the Ph.D. program in comparative literature. Students pursuing the emphasis in East Asian Literatures must complete four graduate-level courses: a pro-seminar on bibliography and research methodology (Chinese 211 or Japanese 211) and three other approved seminars or reading courses in the student’s field. In addition, students of Chinese literature are expected to have completed at least three years of modern Chinese and three quarters of Classical Chinese (Chinese 101A-B-C) or the equivalent. Students of Japanese are expected to have completed at least four years of modern Japanese and two quarters of Classical Japanese (Japanese 181, 182, 183).
There are a total of 16 units of coursework required for the emphasis in East Asian literatures, which may also be counted to satisfy the 12 to 24 units of graduate coursework in a national literature necessary for the Ph.D. in comparative literature. The doctoral committee must include a faculty member from the East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies department, either as committee chair or as one of the three participating members. The dissertation for the emphasis must rely in some significant measure on primary sources in Chinese or Japanese. Contact the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies for additional information on faculty research interests and course offerings.
For more information, please visit the website at: http://www.eastasian.ucsb.edu/
Please note that these doctoral emphases have their own course and programmatic requirements.
16.3 The Doctoral Emphasis in Translation Studies
Courses in Translation Studies engage the theoretical questions that are germane to a philosophy of translation and that inform the practice of translation.
Any enrolled graduate student in good academic standing with an interest in literary translation, competency in more than one language and a willingness to complete the required coursework/research project may take part in the emphasis. Following a successful year of masters and/or doctoral study in one of the participating departments, students may petition to add the Translation Studies Emphasis, which in addition to Ph.D. requirements of the home department, requires the following:
1) Completion of 16 units, to include Comparative Literature 170/260: Literary Translation: Theory and Practice, which is offered every other year, or an equivalent course covering some aspect of translation theory and practice approved by the Translation Studies faculty advisor in consultation with the advisory committee.
The four courses (16 units) may be fulfilled in a number of ways:
*Students must take at least two courses which cover some aspect of Critical, Theoretical and/or Historical approaches to translation.
*At least one of the four courses should be taken outside the student’s home department.
*At least four of the 16 units can be taken as an independent study/practicum, in the event a course listed in Appendix A does not have a sister graduate-level course. (To see the list of approved course options consult the graduate advisor in one of the participating departments.)
Students may take any two 4-unit courses in their department in which a translation component can be integrated into the course material—e.g.. any literature course in the various language and literature departments; any catalogue or approved independent study course in Religious Studies, Classics, etc. involving close textual reading, linguistic analysis, cultural study/ interpretation—and work with the faculty/supervisor on a translation-related final project aside from doing all the course work. These units would be part of the basic 16 unit-requirement.
2) Completion of a final project (approximately 30 pages), approved by the Translation Studies advisor in consultation with an advisory committee made up of two additional affiliated faculty, which, based on the translation(s) of a particular text, examines the relationships between textual practice and theoretical perspectives, thus addressing some relevant aspect of translation theory, criticism, or history. Ph.D. students have the option of doing the field project OR of including Translation Studies as a significant research topic or methodology in their doctoral dissertation. For the 30 page project, the student may include his/her own translation as part of the project. The final project must be unanimously passed (B or higher) by the three-member project committee, made up of affiliated faculty. The project with comments and grade will then be seen by the advisory committee to maintain consistency among the projects.
17.0 Financial Support
17.1 Teaching Assistantships
Teaching assistantships are the chief source of financial support to our graduate students. For 2008-2009, a TAship pays $1,848.56 per month (before taxes) for 9 months ($16,637 annually), plus health insurance. In the summer, students have also the opportunity to teach as TAs and advanced students are eligible to teach as Teaching Associates.
Please note that paychecks are issued at the end of the pay period. Thus, your first paycheck will not arrive until Nov. 1; the last paycheck arrives July 1. You may split your fall quarter salary into four payments, receiving checks Oct.1, Nov. 1, Dec. 1 and Jan. 1. This option is only available for the fall quarter. You need to contact the Graduate Program Assistant and fill out all employment paperwork prior to September 1 if you would like to take the 4 paycheck option for fall. With a TAship, it is possible to defer payment of fees until the arrival of your first paycheck. Please contact the BARC office for this. Also, in emergencies, it is possible to borrow against your first paycheck. See 17.6, “emergency loans.”
The university limits TAships to 12 quarters, with exceptions allowed up to a maximum of 18 quarters. (Summer TAships are not counted in this tally.) Renewal of TAships is based on academic and pedagogical performance. Note: if a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, his/her TAship will be withdrawn, according to university policy, which supersedes any departmental contracts for a one-year TAship.
17.1.1 Graduate Student Academic Appointments
All students who receive academic appointment positions must maintain continuous enrollment and remain within normative time to degree. Students who have exceeded the time limit for completion of the master’s degree (four years) are not eligible to hold academic appointment positions, unless an exception is granted by the Graduate Division. For further information on the conditions of employment see http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/handbook/.
17.1.2 International Students
International students must pass a TA Language Evaluations Exam.
For more details see: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/admissions/international/
17.1.3 Selection of Teaching Assistants
Application Deadline: Potential openings for Teaching Assistant positions for the subsequent academic year will be posted in late winter or spring.
Initial TA appointments are based on the applicant’s academic record and letters of recommendation. Reappointment depends on satisfactory progress toward the degree and evaluations by the graduate faculty, teaching supervisors, and students. Graduate students with incomplete grades may be disadvantaged in the competition for TAships (see 3.4). Students interested in a TAship should file an application with the Staff Graduate Adviser. If a vacancy occurs during the academic year, the files of all eligible students will be considered in filling the position.
17.1.4 TA Training
The Comparative Literature Program helps train graduate students to teach and serve as Teaching Assistants or to serve as Graduate Student Researchers. Our Program encourages professional preparation and development of our students by offering classes, colloquia, and workshops to promote effective teaching and professional development. Our Program ensures that students are well-prepared to assume the responsibilities for teaching undergraduates and to succeed as professional researchers. To that effect, Comparative Literature runs a peer TA training program consisting of workshops held throughout the academic year where new TAs meet with experienced TAs.
17.2 Other Employment
Other employment may be available in the Department, through faculty research grants or readerships. For domestic students, any additional employment beyond a 50% TAship (up to a maximum of 75%) is possible only if they are making good progress to the degree. For foreign students, employment beyond 50% is only possible during holidays, spring break, and summer.
Graduate students may also be invited to teach during UCSB’s Summer session, on a competitive basis. Please note that Summer TAships are subject to 9% FICA withholding, like most forms of employment in the U.S. (This is not the case, however, for TAships during the regular school year. Regular TA salary is “sheltered” from FICA because TA’s are considered primarily as students, not employees.)
17.3 Fellowships, Fee Remissions, etc.
17.3.1 The FAFSA
All domestic students who wish to be considered for any kind of financial aid, including TAships, fellowships, and loans, must file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every year, between Jan. 1 and March 2. You can obtain paper applications in the Financial Aid Office, or can fill out the form online, at www.fafsa.ed.gov
Students who do not file the FAFSA by March 2 will not receive priority consideration for need-based aid.
17.3.2 Campus Fellowships
The Graduate Division’s website is the best source for information on both university and extramural fellowships. See http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/financial. Consideration for most fellowships is dependent upon being nominated by the department’s Admissions and Fellowships Committee, but certain fellowships and grants can be applied for by the student. You are urged to take the initiative and search the Graduate Division’s website, as described above.
Recipients of some UCSB fellowships (including Chancellor’s, Regents, Humanities Special, Doctoral Scholars) have campus employment restrictions: the department may offer them one quarter of TAship only (considered 50% employment), with the option of an additional 25% position during another quarter. Such offers are at the discretion of the department.
Students who are beyond normative time or have P-3 status cannot be considered for university fellowships.
17.3.3 Department Language Training and Travel Grants
Occasionally, the department makes funds available for students to enroll in intensive language training abroad. You are eligible for department travel funds to give a paper at a conference only if you were unsuccessful in obtaining funds form the Graduate Division, Academic Senate and the CLTC. Please the Graduate Staff Advisor for details.
17.3.4 Extramural Fellowship
Advanced students are strongly encouraged to compete for extramural fellowships. The Graduate Division’s website is the best source of information on Extramural Fellowships: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/source. Again, take the initiative and search the database for appropriate sources of funding.
17.3.5 Partial Fee Remission
Teaching Assistants, whose appointment is at least 25% time qualify for a partial fee remission and payment of health insurance.
Graduate students who are hired as Readers are eligible for partial fee remission if they work at least 100 hours (25% time) over the course of the quarter.
17.3.6 TA Fee Offset
The department makes every effort to pay the student’s campus fees, which total approximately $218 per quarter in 2008-09. The TA partial fee remission pays the education and registration fees. (It does NOT pay nonresident tuition.)
17.3.7 Nonresident Tuition Fellowships
We have very limited funding for nonresident tuition fellowships, made available to us by the Graduate Division. Awards may be made for full or partial payment of nonresident tuition, on a year-to-year basis. Tuition fellowships cover nonresident tuition costs only; recipients must still pay university fees (registration fee, education fee, health insurance if not covered by a TAship). Tuition fellowships are awarded primarily to domestic out-of-state applicants (US citizens or permanent residents), who are expected to take steps immediately upon their arrival at UCSB to establish California residency. If the proper steps are taken, residency becomes effective one year later.
For international students (who cannot establish California residency) there is a reduction in non-resident tuition fees after they have advanced to candidacy. The fee will be reduced by 100% for up to 3 years from the date of advancement to candidacy. If you have not completed the degree within 3 years of advancement, non-resident tuition will revert to 100%, for which you will be responsible.
17.3.8 Fellowship Payment
Most university fellowships will be credited directly to your BARC account, in 3 equal installments, at the beginning of the 3 quarters of the academic year. If there is a surplus after all fees have been paid, you may receive a stipend check, available shortly before the beginning of the quarter. Checks are available at the Cashier’s Office, 1212 SAASB.
17.4 Taxes
Fellowships that are paid directly for tuition and fees are not considered taxable income. Stipends used for other purposes are taxable income. Thus a student receiving a fellowship which includes a stipend, the payment of fees, and tuition, will pay taxes only on the stipend. A student receiving a stipend from which he or she is expected to pay fees and tuition will subtract those items and pay taxes on the remainder. Nonresident tuition fellowships, fee offsets, and travel grants are not taxable.
TA salaries are taxable. The amount you pay for tuition, fees, books, and course materials may not be deducted from this salary for tax purposes.
For international students, the University is required to withhold taxes at a rate of 14% for federal taxes and 5% for state taxes. All international students must bring their passports and complete a “statement of citizenship” when picking up their stipend at the beginning of fall quarter and again after Jan. 1, for the new calendar year. If you are from one of the countries listed below, which have tax treaties with the U.S., you can avoid having some of the 14% federal tax withheld. (For students from France, the first $2,000 that you earn per calendar year is exempt from withholding; the remainder is subject to withholding, but may be refunded when you file income tax forms in March-April.)
Countries with Tax Treaties with the United States: Austria, Belgium, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Trinidad & Tobago, and the former USSR
17.5 Deferral of Payment of Fees
Teaching Assistants may defer payment of fees until they receive their first paycheck of the quarter. Request a letter from the Staff Graduate Advisor, and take it to the Cashier’s Office, 1212 Student Affairs Bldg. There is a $25 fee for deferrals.
17.6 Emergency Loans
Teaching Assistants can borrow against their first paycheck, starting on the first day of fall quarter. Request a letter from the Staff Graduate Advisor confirming that you are a TA, and take it to the Financial Aid Office. They will lend you one month’s TA salary, which is repaid in 3 installments, automatically deducted from your Nov. 1, Dec. 1, and Jan. 1 paychecks. A one percent interest fee is charged. For more information, see http://www.finaid.ucsb.edu/Services.asp. Other small emergency loans may be available through the Alumni Association. If you have financial problems, you can discuss them with the Staff Graduate Advisor.
17.7 Health Insurance and Student Health Services
Major medical health insurance is provided at no charge for all Teaching Assistants. For all other graduate students, enrollment in the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan is automatic and part of the registration process. Students who can show evidence of comparable outside health insurance coverage can be exempt from this fee. The health insurance begins on the first day of the fall quarter and continues for one year, if the student is enrolled for all 3 quarters. Spouses and dependents are eligible for enrollment in the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan, for a fee. Details and an application form are in the GSHIP handbook distributed at the beginning of Fall Quarter, or on the Student Health Services website: http://studenthealth.sa.ucsb.edu/
For minor illnesses and injuries, go to the campus Student Health Service center. There is an annual deductible; after it is met, basic services are free for the rest of the plan year. A co-payment is charged for the eye clinic, the dental clinic, and physical therapy. For details, consult the website listed above, the SHS brochure or call 893-3371. Except in emergencies, you should go to the SHS center first; they will refer you elsewhere if necessary. If you are outside of a 50-mile radius of Santa Barbara, you can seek medical attention wherever available, but you must notify SHS no later than 72 hours (3 days) after receiving treatment, if the expenses are to be covered by your health insurance policy. For local emergencies or for major medical problems, your policy covers treatment at Goleta Valley Community Hospital and at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Again, notify SHS within 72 hours if you sought attention elsewhere.
18.0 Problems and Dispute Resolution
Some problems students face can be addressed outside of the Department. There are numerous campus organizations that can be of help. These are listed in the Graduate Division’s “Helping Hands” section of the Student Life and Services web page: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/gradlife/essentials/.
Sometimes students experience real problems in their academic work or in academic appointments. Resolutions to these problems should first be sought within the department by utilizing the resources of the Faculty Graduate Adviser, the Staff Graduate Adviser, and the Department Chair.
The Graduate Division also stands willing to help mediate disputes that cannot be resolved at the departmental level. Call (805) 893-2277 for assistance. There is an established Student Grievance Procedure that can be followed in cases where resolutions are otherwise not possible. These procedures can be found at the UCSB Student Handbook (Kiosk) website at: http://kiosk.ucsb.edu/StudentGrievances/
18.1 Disputes with Dissertation Committee
* From time to time disagreements about decisions, deadlines, policies, procedures, and issues of academic judgment may arise between a student and members of their dissertation committee. As in all such disputes, involved parties should, in the spirit of collegiality, attempt to resolve these issues internally.
* A student should, therefore, first meet with the chair of the committee (usually her or his adviser) in an effort to resolve the dispute. If the student feels that she or he is unable to do this or if areas of disagreement still remain after this meeting, a written appeal describing the situation and requesting involvement should be addressed within 14 days to the Department Chair. If the Chair is a member of the committee, appeal should be made to the Graduate Adviser, or, if a conflict of interest is also present there, to the department’s Graduate Committee as a whole.
* The department will act to resolve the issue, or declare it irresolvable, and inform the student in writing within 30 days.
* If the dispute cannot be resolved within the department, or if the student finds the department’s resolution unacceptable, the student may appeal to the Graduate Dean, who will attempt further resolution. This appeal must be made in writing within 14 days of the department’s decision.
* If the Graduate Dean is unable to resolve the dispute to the parties’ satisfaction within 30 days, the graduate student has 14 days to submit a written appeal to the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council must inform the student of its decision within 30 days. In this area, decisions of the Graduate Council are final.