Cinema & Comparative Literature
PhD in Comparative Literature
The Ph.D. in Comparative Literature is an advanced degree involving research and critical study of literature in an international context. Particular areas of study include the history, theory, and criticism of literature, the theory and practice of translation, and interdisciplinary work involving literature. Doctoral candidates work in at least three literatures--each in the original language--as well as in literary theory and criticism.
General Requirements
* adherence to all applicable Graduate College rules
* a minimum of 72 hours of graduate courses and seminars relevant to major areas of teaching and research interest
* at least 4 hours of dissertation credit
* successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination
* the writing and satisfactory defense of a Dissertation
* a minimum cumulative gpa of 3.25 on graduate work taken at the University of Iowa (the minimum 3.25 gpa is required to take all examinations)
* at least one year's supervised teaching or research
Comprehensive Examination
Reading Lists:
Shortly after forming the comprehensive committee, the student develops reading lists in three areas
Content and Format of the Examination
The examination should demonstrate the candidate's ability to work in at least three literatures and with appropriate critical theories and methods. The examination will cover three areas:
- Major Literature: The student should be familiar with the history and texts of his or her primary literature and should present at least one significant area of that literature in the examination. The area may be defined historically, generically, or otherwise.
- Second Area: The area may be defined as a period, a genre, or a comparative literary topic, and will involve the student's secondary literature(s).
- Third Area: This area may be defined as a literary period, genre or other comparative literary topic; it may be a theoretical area involving interdisciplinary study. It should have a demonstrable coherence with one or both of the other areas.
Examination Options
Each area willl be dealt with in either a written examination or an issues paper according to one of the two plans below:
Plan A:
One issues paper
Two written examinations
An oral examination
Plan B:
Two issues papers
One written examination
An oral examination
Written examinations will last four hours each. Issues papers, involving scholarly research, should be about 5000-7000 words each. The oral examination, will last approximately two hours.
PhD Dissertation
Committee:
The dissertation committee normally consists of members of the comprehensive examination committee with such changes as may be appropriate for the proposed dissertation. The director of the dissertation is normally a member of the Program faculty who has participated in the comprehensive examination. The committee should number at least three and is augmented to a minimum of five for the final defense of the dissertation.
In preparing the dissertation, a student normally seeks the advice and criticism primarily of the director, and as the work progresses should make units of the work in progress available to the other two central members of the committee.
Prospectus:
A written prospectus of the dissertation should be submitted to the committee of three or more as soon as possible after the comprehensive examination. The prospectus concerns the hypothetical project for the dissertation, the relation of the project to literary scholarship, and matters of critical method and theory pertaining to the project. The format of the prospectus should be agreed upon by student and committee. It consists normally of a descriptive statement of several pages and an appropriate bibliography, with other material as needed.
Content of the Dissertation:
The dissertation may be concerned with any subject in literary history, criticism, or theory. A translation will be accepted as a dissertation when accompanied by a significant critical introduction.
Defense of Dissertation:
A student defends his or her dissertation before at least five members of the graduate faculty. At least three of these faculty should have been active in supervising the dissertation as it was being written.
