Graduate Program

Requirements

Until 1993, the Department required Ph.D. students first to obtain an M.A. before proceeding in the Ph.D. program. In 1993, the M.A. requirement was abolished and the procedure of the second year review was instituted.

The Ph.D. program is designed to provide familiarity with one literature in comprehensive historical and critical ways and the demonstrated ability to do comparative work in three literatures. The Ph.D. is awarded upon the successful completion of a doctoral dissertation.

The Ph.D. program requires:

1. A minimum of 10 courses taken at Berkeley distributed as follows:
   • Comparative Literature 200 OR one course from the C.L. 202 series
   • Three additional graduate courses in Comparative Literature
   • Four graduate courses in the major literature
   • One graduate course in each of the two minor literatures.

   Students admitted from graduate programs elsewhere will have their courses evaluated by an advisor and approved by the Vice Chair for credit towards the ten course requirement and "coverage."

2. Completion of the second year review. No later than the fourth semester, students meet with a committee of three faculty members to review progress toward the degree and plan the remaining work required for the Ph.D. For those students who wish a terminal M.A. degree or for those who wish to continue in the Ph.D. program with a formal Master's title, a Master's examination is required at this time.
3. Historical coverage in the major literature as demonstrated by coursework or inclusion of items on the Ph.D. reading list.
4. Knowledge of at least three foreign languages, including work in a classical language relevant to the chosen literatures (i.e., Latin, Greek, Ancient Hebrew, Koranic Arabic, Sanskrit or Classical Chinese).
5. A Qualifying Examination for which the student prepares reading lists for one major literature and two minor literatures and indicates an area of focus via a statement of interest. The examination consists of both a written and an oral portion.
6. A doctoral dissertation based on a prospectus presented the semester following successful completion of the Qualifying Examination.

Progress toward the Degree

The U.C. Berkeley Graduate Division has established a "normative time" of seven years for completion of the Ph.D. degree in Comparative Literature. Following is a recommended timetable:

• Second year review (or M.A. coursework and examinations) completed by end of fourth semester
• Ph.D. coursework and Qualifying Examination completed by the end of the eighth semester
• Dissertation completed by the end of the fourteenth semester.

While students are urged to stay within this timetable, the department also recognizes that there are legitimate reasons for deviating from it. Students are required to review their progress with their advisors during the enrollment period each semester, as progress toward the degree is an important factor weighed by the department when making fellowship evaluations and hiring Graduate Student Instructors.

Fellowships and Financial Aid

A limited number of fellowships are awarded each year to new and continuing graduate students in the University fellowship competition. Qualified students in certain literatures may also apply for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships. Students interested in other award sources are encouraged to read the literature issued by the Fellowship Office of the Graduate Division, which describes various restricted fellowships and outside grants, e.g., Chancellor's Dissertation Year Fellowships, Fulbrights, etc. In addition, the Comparative Literature Department has instituted a program, funded by the Mellon Foundation, to support students in the initial stages of writing doctoral dissertations.

The Department receives a limited number of out-of-state tuition waivers which it uses each year to assist students who are not California residents with the out-of-state portion of their registration fees.

The Office of Financial Aid (201 Sproul Hall) provides information on Federally Insured Student Loans, University Loans, and Emergency Loans, as well as on Grants-in-Aid, the National Direct Student Loan Program, College Work-Study and Educational Fee Deferments.

Employment of Graduate Students

U.C. Berkeley allows half-time teaching appointments for periods of up to four years for graduate students making good progress toward their degrees. Comparative Literature employs continuing graduate students (i.e., those who have completed at least one year in the program) as Teaching Assistants and Instructors to staff undergraduate reading and composition courses. Students are also occasionally employed by other language and literature departments on the Berkeley campus. Incoming graduate students interested in teaching their first year at Berkeley should contact the appropriate departments directly. Research assistantships and reader positions are also available in Comparative Literature and other departments.

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