The University of Iowa - Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature

PhD in Film Studies

THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN FILM STUDIES

Film Studies programs at the University of Iowa are located in the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature. The Film Studies faculty participate in the undergraduate Cinema major and oversee two graduate degrees, the Master of Arts (MA) in Film Studies and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Film Studies. The following text outlines the rules and practices that apply to candidates for the PhD in Film Studies. In addition, Graduate College rules apply to all students enrolled in a Graduate College program, including those in Film Studies.

I. GENERAL GUIDELINES

Local Resources

A new student's first semester in Iowa City and at the University of Iowa is an ideal time to discover the various opportunities offered by this extremely rich community. These include not only courses in a wide spectrum of departments, but also academic lectures and discussions (reading groups, American Studies Floating Fridays, Cinema and Comparative Literature Colloquium, Sound Research Seminar), campus art events (films sponsored by the Bijou or the Institute for Cinema and Culture, the Light Readings experimental film series, annual Korean and Asian American film festivals, concerts in Clapp Recital Hall, dance and opera in Hancher Auditorium, theater in Mabie Theater, improv in the studio theaters, poetry readings around campus, exhibits at the Art Museum), or off-campus opportunities (Jazz on the PedMall, Live from Prairie Lights, Riverside Theater, Shakespeare in the Park, and many more). The annual early fall departmental picnic offers new students a chance to meet others interested in film and related topics.

Lectures and Special Events

The department and the program regularly sponsor lectures by local and visiting scholars, as well as conferences and special film screenings. These offer an exciting opportunity to find out what is going on in the field and provide important contributions to each student’s graduate education and professional development. Graduate students are thus expected to attend these special events as often as possible.

Listserves

All new Film Studies students automatically receive a University computer account and will have their names added to the relevant listserves: the official Cinema and Comparative Literature graduate student listserve (cclgs@list.uiowa.edu) and the official Film Studies program listserve (filmstudies@list.uiowa.edu). When announcing events, please be sure to use both lists to include the widest possible audience. Many film events will also be announced on the website maintained by the Institute for Cinema and Culture.

Advising

All students have a personal advisor throughout their University of Iowa Film Studies education. The initial advisor is appointed by the Director of Film Studies (a single advisor is typically appointed for all students in the same entering class). With the agreement of the new advisor, students may change advisors at any point. Students are expected to meet with their advisor at least once each semester. Advisors can provide student registration numbers and times for advisees approximately a week before early registration each semester.

Course Offerings

Courses at several levels are offered each semester. Courses numbered 200 and above are restricted to graduate students. Courses numbered between 100 and 199 are normally open both to advanced undergraduates and to graduate students, but since some 100-level courses are closed to graduate students it’s best to check with an advisor or the departmental office about access to 100-level courses. Since the study of film is best carried out in an interdisciplinary context, regularly investigate the course offerings of relevant areas outside Film Studies. Note that courses open to graduate students are offered during the Winterim, Maymester, and Summer sessions, including courses in foreign languages and other areas of interest to graduate students.

Independent Study Courses

Students may request to take an independent study for course credit with an appropriate faculty member when regular course offerings do not address a desired topic, or when a student wishes to pursue focused and guided study of a specific topic that regular coursework does not allow or facilitate. Since faculty members rarely agree to conduct independent study courses unless they are already familiar with a student's skills, work habits, and interests, students should request an independent study only when they have already worked successfully with a professor in at least one previous course. Students should recognize that independent study, while often enjoyable for faculty members, commonly requires substantial additional work and time for a professor. In any given semester, a professor's schedule and work load may simply not allow him/her to arrange a responsible individual study, so students should not assume that a professor's decision not to work with a student on an individual basis is a judgment of that student's skills or proposed project. Depending upon the credit hours (1-3) to be awarded for independent study, students should expect to perform the same amount of work required in regular courses of equal credit. Independent studies are normally graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.

After a student and faculty member have agreed to work together in independent study, an "Independent Study Agreement" must be prepared and signed by both parties before being submitted to the Director of Film Studies. This written agreement should provide justification for undertaking an independent study, a summary of the work to be performed, a semester schedule, and clarification of the basis for determining a final grade. A copy of this signed document will then be placed in the student's academic file.

Grading Practices

Most University of Iowa courses are graded on an A-B-C-D-F scale; + and - grades are regularly used. Anything below a B is an inadequate grade for graduate work. A few courses are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory; note that these S/U courses do not figure in the calculation of your grade point average, and thus should not take up too large a proportion of your overall curriculum.

Incompletes

Grades of Incomplete are granted only in exceptional cases and only under the condition that a clear, signed contract between student and instructor be completed and deposited in the student's departmental file. The contract must stipulate the work to be completed, the length of the extension granted, and the sanctions for not meeting the new deadline. The due dates for making up incompletes may not exceed College limits, which require submission of work three and one-half weeks prior to the close of finals week of the next semester. Individual faculty often contract for shorter extensions only.

Appropriate Progress

To hold a teaching or research assistantship or fellowship, a student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 18 semester hours per twelve-month academic year (August-August), maintain a cumulative 3.25 gpa on graduate work taken at the University of Iowa, and perform assigned assistantship duties satisfactorily. Courses graded Incomplete are not counted. Failure to meet these requirements may result in non-renewal or cancellation of an assistantship or fellowship.

In February of each year, Cinema and Comparative Literature faculty meet to review the progress of all graduate students. In preparation for this meeting, students are expected to contact their advisors to report on their academic progress and to announce significant achievements (publications, conferences, film and video productions, etc.) for the previous academic year.

II. REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS

If the MA degree may be characterized as a learning experience, a process in which interested students visit major sections of a film territory that has already been mapped, the PhD may best be understood as a voyage of discovery, in which talented and dedicated students set off to chart unknown regions. The MA involves, primarily, the dissemination of existing knowledge; the PhD, at its best, aims at the creation of new knowledge.

Like any expedition into unknown regions, the PhD always involves a great deal of risk. The best learners are not always the best explorers. The Iowa Film Studies PhD has several traditions and goals with which all candidates should be familiar. This program is dedicated to the questioning of received knowledge and the creation of new knowledge about film, defined in the broadest possible way. Understanding film, we are convinced, depends on an ability to chart the ways in which film shares (or challenges) devices, processes, and situations with other forms of art, communication, and culture. It also depends on an ability to share insights with scholars and practitioners around the world. The Iowa Film Studies program, particularly at the PhD level, thus actively encourages students to be independent, interdisciplinary, and international.

The rules and practices outlined below dictate few specific requirements. The program depends not on predictable lockstep progress, but on each individual student's ability, working closely with relevant faculty, to build a personal, meaningful plan of study. Students are encouraged throughout their program of study to consult faculty and students across the University in search of ideas and advice regarding diverse and rewarding intellectual opportunities. In developing an appropriate plan of study, students should consult their advisor and committee members regularly.

Following are the provisions governing the PhD in Film Studies:

General Requirements

--adherence to all applicable Graduate College rules

--a minimum of 72 hours of graduate courses and seminars relevant to major areas of interest

--at least 4 hours of dissertation credit

--presentation of an acceptable Plan of Study

--successful completion of the Qualifying Examination and Pre-Dissertation Examination

--the writing and satisfactory defense of a Dissertation

--development of a research tool or skill chosen in consultation with the candidate's committee

--a minimum cumulative gpa of 3.25 on graduate work taken at the University of Iowa

--at least one year's supervised teaching or research.

Pre-Qualification Advising

Prior to initial registration, each incoming student will be assigned a Pre-Qualification Advisor, responsible for helping the student select pre-qualification courses. A student is free to change advisors at any time, with the approval of the new advisor, who notifies the Director of Film Studies of the change. Every student should meet at least once each semester with her or his Pre-Qualification Advisor for consultation, guidance, and a review of progress.

Qualification

The Qualifying Examination will be administered by a four-member faculty committee designated by the Director of Film Studies. The Qualifying Exam must be taken during the first or second year in residence. Students with no previous graduate work normally take the Qualifying Exam in their second year. Students with previous graduate credits may elect to take the exam in their first or second year. Those who pass the exam during their first year may receive up to 30 graduate transfer credits for previous graduate work. Students who pass the exam during their second year may receive up to 15 graduate transfer credits for previous graduate work. Determination of transfer credit is made at the post-qualifying Plan of Study meeting.

The Qualifying Examination is designed to explore a student’s promise as a scholar and, in particular, her or his ability to analyze and synthesize ideas. The exam consists of five parts:

1) Written exams on one film theory and one film history topic chosen by the student from the following lists:

FILM THEORY

--classical film theory

--authorship and genre

--semiotics and narrative theory

--spectatorship and reception

--psychoanalysis and gender

--social representation and cinema

--theories of ideology

--film and other arts

--film and technology

--historiography

FILM HISTORY

-US silent film

-US classical film (1920-1960)

-US postwar film

-European film movements

-European national cinemas (3)

-European postwar cinema

-Asian national cinemas (3)

-Latin American cinema

-Cinemas of the developing world (1960-)

-International silent cinema

-Documentary, animation, experimental (2 of 3)

See the PhD timelines for a detailed description of each of the steps leading to this written exam. The film theory exam is given on the Thursday before the start of the spring semester, and the film history exam is given on the following day. Each exam takes four hours, with three hours for writing, and an hour designated for outlining, revision, and proofreading. All students normally take the exams in the same computer cluster, using a University computer of their choice. Students who choose to handwrite their exams deposit the original with the departmental secretary and keep a xerox copy; they are expected to submit a typed version of the exam by the following Tuesday morning. Students are expected to be familiar with the full range of material implied by their chosen areas and approved reading/viewing lists. Exams typically include both required questions and a choice among offered questions. The best answers reveal specific knowledge, broad conceptualization, lucid organization, and clear prose. Whereas MA exams are evaluated primarily in terms of scope and accuracy of knowledge, PhD Qualifying exams are in addition evaluated according to originality and promise of research ability.

2) A substantial Research Paper, which should be chosen to demonstrate the candidate's promise as a scholar, critic, and eventual dissertation writer. This paper is due to the Chair of the Qualifying committee in late March, before the Weekend Surprise (see #4 below).

3) An Annotated Bibliography (covering 10-12 items) on a subject chosen by the student. The Annotated Bibliography should cover a topic of particular interest to the candidate, and should be preceded by a two- to five-page prose statement defining and explaining the importance of the topic chosen. The Annotated Bibliography offers students an opportunity to define an area of personal interest that will serve as a major topic of discussion during the oral portion of the exam. The Annotated Bibliography must be submitted before the Weekend Surprise (see #4 below).

4) An eight- to ten-page typed analysis of the "Weekend Surprise" (a film or other prescribed artifact), written during a restricted time frame (normally from a late Friday afternoon to Monday morning). The paper may be written about any aspect of the film or artifact, but we already have evidence of your ability to conduct research and to do sophisticated work in film theory and history; the Weekend Surprise may thus be our only opportunity to assess your abilities in the area of film analysis. The Weekend Surprise will not be administered until the Annotated Bibliography and Research Paper have been submitted.

5) An Oral Examination covering the four written parts of the qualifying process and including a short presentation by the candidate on the topic of the annotated bibliography. Typically, all Qualifying Exams are given on the same late March or early April day by the same committee, which includes at least one member from outside Film Studies. The faculty spend the first 20-30 minutes alone, assessing the exam and the candidate's record. The first half-hour of the exam usually concentrates on the paper, the Weekend Surprise, and the theory and history exams written in January (which the candidate would thus do well to review before the oral); the second half-hour of the exam begins with a short (5-8 minutes) presentation on the candidate's bibliography topic, and continues with questions and discussion on that topic. Candidates are normally informed by phone about the exam outcome by the end of the day.

Qualification for the PhD is determined on the basis of the quality of work in graduate courses taken at the University of Iowa and performance on the Qualifying Examination. Possible outcomes are as follows: Pass, Conditional Pass (requiring successful completion of a task set by the committee), Partial Pass (requiring a retake of the portions of the exam not passed), and Fail. The committee chair, within one week after the oral, will formally report the outcome of the exam and summarize in writing the collective judgment of the committee. Candidates who fail to pass on their first attempt may take the exam one additional time.

Plan of Study

Immediately after receiving notice of successful qualification, each student selects a Plan of Study Advisor, with whom she or he constitutes a Plan of Study Committee of five faculty members, at least three of whom must be from the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature. In consultation with that Advisor, the candidate develops a Plan of Study. The Plan of Study includes at least three major areas of learning that the student proposes to master before embarking on a dissertation. These areas usually include 1) a substantial theoretical area, 2) a substantial body of film texts and their historical context, and 3) a second theoretical area or historical corpus, or other topic of special interest to the student. The Plan of Study document includes, for each area, a prose description of the area, a listing of courses and other educational experiences already completed that have contributed to the candidate's knowledge of the area, and a listing of additional courses, reading or viewing programs, and other educational experiences needed for mastery of the area. The Plan of Study document also proposes methods of acquiring an appropriate research tool or skill (often, but not necessarily, a foreign language).

A draft of the Plan of Study document should be discussed with the candidate's advisor by May of the year in which qualification occurred. A full Plan of Study committee meeting, resulting in modification or approval of the Plan of Study, should occur no later than the first week of classes of the fall semester of that year. During this meeting, the Plan of Study committee will rule on questions of transfer credit, total credits required, and research skills. The final Plan of Study document serves as an agreement between the candidate and the Department, guiding future expectations of both. Copies of the final document, signed by all members of the committee, should go to the candidate, the advisor, and the candidate's permanent file. All major changes in the Plan of Study must be approved by the Plan of Study committee; minor changes may be made with the written approval of the Plan of Study Advisor.

Pre-Dissertation Examination

The purpose of the Pre-Dissertation Examination is to assess candidates' mastery of the major areas of learning designated by the Plan of Study, and other knowledge and skills important for research in their particular fields. The Plan of Study committee determines at the Plan of Study meeting when the Pre-Dissertation Examination will take place (normally during the semester when the Plan of Study is completed).

The Pre-Dissertation Examination consists of three four-hour written examinations, one on each of the three major Plan of Study areas. It is administered by the candidate’s Plan of Study committee.

In a meeting with the candidate within two weeks after the written examination, the committee will report one of four possible outcomes: Pass (no more than one negative vote), Conditional Pass (requiring successful completion of a specific task set by the examining committee), Partial Pass (requiring a retake of the areas not passed), request for an Oral Examination to determine whether the candidate has mastered the areas of learning, or a request that the candidate Retake the exam at a later date. Within one week following the committee meeting, the Plan of Study Advisor will summarize in writing the collective judgment of the committee concerning the candidate's examination performance. Copies of this document will be given to the candidate and placed in the candidate's permanent file.

Prospectus

After successful completion of the Pre-Dissertation Examination, the candidate chooses a Dissertation Advisor, in consultation with whom he/she selects a Dissertation Committee of a minimum of four other faculty, which must include at least one faculty member from outside the Department. No later than the semester following successful completion of the Pre-Dissertation Exam, the candidate submits to all members of the Dissertation Committee a Prospectus that has been developed in consultation with the Dissertation Advisor. A committee meeting will be held to assess the significance of the proposed Dissertation, the reasonableness of its scope and approach, and the candidate's methodological and substantive preparation to carry out the work . Three outcomes of this meeting are possible: Approval of the Prospectus; Conditional Approval subject to needed adjustments in scope, direction, or method; and Rejection. At the Prospectus meeting, the faculty and candidate agree on the respective roles that the director/s and each committee member will play in advising the candidate and reading drafts of the dissertation.

Dissertation

In consultation with the Dissertation Advisor and other committee members designated during the Prospectus meeting, the candidate drafts and revises a Dissertation. With the Advisor's approval, a Final Examination (Oral Defense) is scheduled. At least two weeks prior to the Defense, a copy of the Dissertation to be defended must be distributed to each member of the Dissertation Committee. According to Graduate College regulations, the Defense must be publicly announced and is open to the public. The Final Examination and Dissertation are evaluated separately. Possible outcomes for the Final Examination are Pass and Fail. The Dissertation itself may be Approved as is, Conditionally Approved (with specification of changes to be made before final approval is granted), or Disapproved. The Final Examination may be repeated once at the option of the Committee

III. PhD TIMELINES

Pre-Qualification Year for Students Taking the Qualifying Examination in Year 1

This timeline applies to students who are accepted directly into the PhD program (usually those who already hold a Film Studies MA) and who plan to take the Qualifying Exam in their first year at Iowa.

--mid-August: All incoming graduate students are assigned to the same faculty advisor. Plan to meet with that advisor during the latter part of the week preceding the start of classes. The advisor can inform you of program rules and practices, discuss your first-semester course selection and long-term aspirations, and field your questions.

--Thursday or Friday before the first day of classes: Combined Film Studies and Film & Video Production orientation meeting. (Students with a teaching assistantship should also expect to meet with their course supervisor on one of these days.)

--August-December: Get to know faculty members who might eventually sit on your committee. Your advisor, the Department web site, and graduate student recommendations are good sources of information about which faculty members work on which topics.

--by September 30: Submit to the MA Examination Coordinator a list of the equivalent of 15-20 books (1 book = 3 or 4 articles), and 20-30 films for each of your chosen examination areas. These lists will be examined and commented on by the faculty, then returned to you in October.

--October/November: Make an appointment with your advisor to discuss course selection for the spring, along with your examination areas. The final version of your exam lists is due by October 31. Students who fail to submit acceptable exam lists within the prescribed time frame will not be allowed to take the exam.

--Thursday and Friday immediately preceding the start of the spring semester: Sit for the first part of the Qualifying Examination. The Theory exam is administered on Thursday, the History exam on Friday.

--January: Meet with your advisor in preparation for the February faculty review of graduate students.

--by mid-March of year 2: Submit to the Chair of the Qualifying Exam committee a research paper and an annotated bibliography.

--late March: Write the "Weekend Surprise".

--early April: Take the PhD Qualifying exam oral.

--by late May: Select a Plan of Study advisor (often different from the initial advisor), and discuss a preliminary Plan of Study with that advisor.

For the timeline covering the remainder of the PhD program, see the section on Post-qualification Year 1, below.

Pre-Qualification Years 1 and 2 for Students Taking the Qualifying Examination in Year 2

This timeline applies to students who are accepted directly into the PhD program and who plan to take the Qualifying Exam in their second year at Iowa.

Year 1

--October/November: Prior to early registration make an appointment with your advisor to discuss course selection for the spring, along with tentative decisions regarding your examination areas.

--January: Meet with your advisor in preparation for the February faculty review of graduate students.

--March/April: Prior to early registration make an appointment with your advisor to discuss course selection for the fall, coverage of MA requirements, and your choice of examination areas (along with appropriate faculty to consult regarding the development of your exam lists).

--May: Submit a draft of your exam lists to faculty members knowledgeable in each area.

--Summer: Consider taking Film Studies courses, and/or working on your research tool.

Year 2:

--October/November: Plan to meet with your advisor (and/or other faculty) to discuss your choice of spring courses.

--by October 31: Submit to the MA Exam Coordinator the final version of your exam lists. Students who fail to submit acceptable exam lists within the prescribed time frame will not be allowed to take the exam.

--Thursday and Friday immediately preceding the start of the spring semester: Sit for the theory and history exams.

--by mid-March: Submit to the Chair of the Qualifying Exam committee a research paper and an annotated bibliography.

--late March: Write the "Weekend Surprise".

--early April of year 2: Take the PhD Qualifying exam oral.

--by late May in the year of qualification: Select a Plan of Study advisor (often different from the initial advisor), and with that advisor a) discuss a preliminary Plan of Study, and b) discuss the constitution of the Plan of Study committee.

Post-Qualifying Year 1

--by the first week of classes in the fall: Present a Plan of Study to the full Plan of Study committee in time for committee decisions to impact fall course selection.

--fall and spring semesters: Continue to work with your advisor and committee members to locate courses to take, courses to teach, and other experiences that will contribute to expertise in your chosen Plan of Study areas.

--January: Meet with your advisor in preparation for the February faculty review of graduate students.

--summer: Students typically take summer Film Studies courses or work on their research skill. When the research skill is a language, this often involves study in another country.

Post-Qualifying Year 2

--early fall: Confer with your advisor regarding the likely nature of the Pre-dissertation Exam.

--the week before the opening of spring semester classes: Sit for the Pre-dissertation Exam.

--spring semester: Select a dissertation advisor, in consultation with whom you will develop a Prospectus and constitute a dissertation committee. The Prospectus should be presented to the full committee no later than the following fall.

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PhD in Film Studies

THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN FILM STUDIES