Emory | Comp Lit | Graduate Program

The Comparative Literature Department at Emory offers Ph.D. students a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares them to engage in teaching and scholarship across traditional disciplinary boundaries and to interrogate the definition of the literary itself. In doing so, we maintain a strong focus on the specificity of literary and linguistic forms and the crucial role that literariness and the ‘literary’ play in critical and experimental thinking in the humanities and beyond. Comparative Literature at Emory brings the traditional aims of a Comparative Literature degree—the comparison of literatures across national boundaries—into constellation with the aims of other disciplinary formations such as Philosophy and Psychoanalysis. We also recognize the significance of engaging “languages” more broadly defined, including, for instance, those virtual languages or symbolic systems that are central to developments in the sciences and technology. The Department thus encourages theoretical reflection across linguistic and disciplinary boundaries, reflection that remains informed by vigilant attention to the intricacies and performative powers of language. Throughout our research and teaching, literature serves as the radical point of departure for thinking the challenge and difficulties involved in any act of comparison.

Faculty members in the Department of Comparative Literature at Emory have achieved national and international recognition. Most hold joint appointments with other departments reflecting the Department’s ongoing collaborations with other disciplines across Emory. Distinguished faculty outside the department also teach in our Ph. D. program and graduate students will find a departmental structure that allows for close working relationships with other programs.

The Department’s particular areas of theoretical strength fall into five main interdisciplinary configurations and we encourage students to design their programs in one of these areas: 1) Trauma, Psychoanalysis and Testimony 2) Literature and Philosophy 3) Politics and Global Culture 4) Comparative Literature and Religion
5) Literature, Technology, and Human/Post-Human Studies. These fields represent the scholarly expertise of the Comparative Literature faculty as well as the interdisciplinary emphasis of the University.

Within an overarching structure of requirements, all students work with a committee to develop an individualized program that prepares them to conduct research having a comparatist or interdisciplinary dimension: for example, literary research in more than one linguistic tradition or theoretical investigations that cross between literature and other disciplines. In addition, Emory graduate school also has a number of certificate programs so that students who wish to pursue in-depth training in a particular literary or disciplinary tradition outside of Comparative Literature may do so. Certificates are also offered in Philosophy and Women’s Studies and there is the additional option of a Minor in Psychoanalytic Studies, which provides courses both through the University and through the Psychoanalytic Institute. All of our Ph.D. students are given guidance and training in pedagogy and have several opportunities to design and teach their own courses.

Emory Ph.D.s in Comparative Literature are currently teaching in a wide variety of Universities and Colleges across the nation – in national language and literature departments (including English, Spanish, and French) as well as Interdisciplinary, Humanities and World Literature departments and programs (including Women’s Studies and Religion). We also have had Ph.D.s working in the non-profit sector and major museums. The range and accomplishments of our alumni reflect the creativity and excitement of Comparative Literature at Emory.

II. Summary of Degree Requirements for the Ph.D. in Comparative Literature

The Department of Comparative Literature offers students a rigorous curriculum preparing them to conduct research having a comparatist or interdisciplinary dimension – for example, literary research in more than one linguistic tradition or theoretical investigations that cross between literature and other disciplines. The department’s structure of requirements offers a framework within which students then develop individualized programs to achieve these broader goals and set them to work in relation to their own research strengths and interests.

Please note: what follows below is a list of all requirements; a more detailed account of each requirement can be found in the sections of the handbook that follow.

List of Requirements for students admitted to the program

1. For students entering in full standing in 2010 and after: sixty hours (five semesters) of coursework; students take twelve hours of graduate level coursework per semester*

(For students who entered in full standing before 2010: seventy-two hours of coursework; students who entered in 2008 or 2009 may 'opt in' to the new requirements. Please contact DGS for further information.)

2. Comparative Literature 750 to be taken during first semester in program

3. Demonstration of a high degree of proficiency in a language other than English

4. Demonstration of a reading knowledge of a second language other than English

5. Pedagogical training as mandated by the Department under TATTO guidelines including Comparative Literature 753 to be taken during second semester of coursework. All Graduate School required TATTO workshop activities. (See also number 6 below)

6. Teaching experience: as part of their pedagogical training students entering in September 2009 and after are required to teach four courses to be assigned by the program; students who entered in 2008 who 'opt in' to the new requirements also teach four courses. They begin teaching during their second year of coursework. (Students who entered the program before 2009 and have not 'opted in' to the new requirements are required to teach only three courses.)

7. Written Qualifying examination

8. Oral Ph.D. examination

9. A doctoral dissertation prospectus and 60-90 minute prospectus defense

Upon completion of all of the above requirements Ph.D. students are formally admitted into candidacy for the Ph.D. Ph.D. candidates have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. except for completion of the doctoral dissertation

10. Doctoral dissertation

Note on advising: Upon entering the program, students meet with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) for consultation about their courses and general advising until they have an official advisor to consult about their ongoing progress. Throughout a student’s graduate career, the advisor serves as a doctoral student’s key intellectual and professional guide and mentor. However, it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the state of his/her progress, and to confer with both DGS and advisor about all issues of concern. The checklist in the final chapter of the handbook can be used to help keep track of progress. (See, too, Progress Towards Degree below for further details.)

*These coursework requirements apply to all students admitted into the program in full standing – that is, students who have a B.A. or B.A. equivalent. Students who enter the program in advanced standing are only required to take 48 hours of coursework. Advanced standing typically means that students enter the department holding a Master’s or Master’s equivalent. However, the awarding of advanced standing is not automatic but to be determined by the admissions committee on the basis of a student’s entire record and background. The admissions committee may also determine whether students who are not prepared for advanced standing may receive a waiver on a limited number of required course hours to be determined on a case by case basis.

III. Course Requirements

Students entering in full standing (with a B.A. or B.A. equivalent) in 2010 and after take sixty hours (five semesters) of graduate-level coursework, normally consisting in twelve hours of coursework per semester. Students who entered in full standing before 2010 take seventy-two credit hours of graduate-level coursework. Please note: students who entered the program in 2008 or 2009 may 'opt in' to the new requirements but need to consult with the DGS to do so. All students entering in advanced standing (typically with an M.A. or M.A. equivalent) take forty-eight credit hours.

All students in the program are required to take the following two courses:

1. CPLT 750 “Literary Theories” establishes a theoretical and critical framework for the study of Comparative Literature; it is taken during the fall semester of a student’s first year.

2. CPLT 753W “The Teaching of Literature” lays a foundation for the teaching of Comparative Literature; it is taken during the spring semester of a student’s first year.

In the selection of other courses, as well as in the definition of research topics to be explored through coursework, students—in consultation with the DGS and other faculty mentors—are encouraged to design a program of study along the lines of their particular strengths and interests. Courses of relevance to a student’s research and teaching interests may be selected from the course offerings in any relevant field, including Comparative Literature, the various language and literature departments (e.g. English, French & Italian, Spanish, German, REALC, Middle Eastern Studies), area studies programs (e.g. African Studies, Asian Studies), and related discipline-based or interdisciplinary departments or programs (e.g. Philosophy, Art History, Film Studies, the Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts, Women’s Studies). In addition to choosing from the regular course offerings, students may design a limited number of their own courses in the form of individual tutorials with a designated faculty member in the area of that faculty member’s expertise. Such courses are registered under the number and title CPLT797 Directed Reading.

In addition to the required courses listed above, students should follow certain general guidelines in putting together their programs. A graduate program of study in Comparative Literature should include the following:

1. A range of literatures in the form of at least one primary and one secondary body of literature representing different traditions.

2. A set of defined theoretical, critical, and/or historical areas of inquiry that are pursued within the framework of a student’s designated literatures. These areas of inquiry may be defined in either literary terms (e.g. questions of literary history or periodisation, questions of genre, questions of textual form) or theoretical terms (e.g. a set of questions in philosophy, aesthetics, social linguistics, or cultural anthropology). Students should be able to articulate their theoretical concerns and the bearing of these concerns on their specific areas of research. By focusing their coursework on particular theoretical, critical, and/or historical areas of inquiry, students lay the groundwork for future independent research projects engaging those areas.

IV. M.A. in Comparative Literature

Comparative Literature does not offer a terminal master’s program. In the event that a student is not advanced into candidacy or finds it necessary to leave the Department prior to completion of the Ph.D., application for the M.A. may be made to the Chair.

In the case of a terminal M.A., candidates must:*

1. Demonstrate reading ability in a major language other than English. This can be done through a written exam or coursework. (See Language Requirements below.)

2. Complete at least 24 hours (one year) of coursework culminating in either a four-hour written or a two-hour oral M.A. examination based on a reading list established in consultation with the student’s advisor. At least two faculty members must be involved in design and evaluation of the exams.

3. Write a Master’s thesis of 50-75 pages including bibliography. It must be evident that the student has done work with the original language of texts in his or her primary language of study.

4. Choose a Director and a Second Reader for the thesis, one of whom must be a member of the Comparative Literature faculty.

*These requirements are pending final approval by the Department of Comparative Literature and the Graduate School. If you are planning on a terminal M.A., then please be in touch with the Director of Graduate Studies to find out how you should proceed.

V. Language Requirements

Ph.D. Students in Comparative Literature must demonstrate language skills in two languages in addition to English. Students must show a high level of proficiency in the primary language and reading knowledge in the secondary language. For non-native speakers of English, their native language can fulfill the language requirement if the language is relevant to their research. Students working in languages not represented by academic departments at Emory should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies and their advisors to arrange for certification.

Proficiency in the primary language should be demonstrated within the first two years of the student’s residence at Emory. Reading knowledge in the second language must be demonstrated prior to the final Ph.D. examination.

The manner in which a student may demonstrate proficiency and reading knowledge are as follows:

For Modern Languages

1. For the Primary Language (high-level of proficiency required):

A Graduate class involving extensive work in the language: the class does not have to be taught in the language, and may be cross-listed with Comparative Literature. Students are responsible for requesting certification from the professor of the class confirming that their work for the class involved extensive work in the language.

OR

A translation Exam, if available in that language, administered by the relevant language department: students are responsible for obtaining dates of these exams and arranging to take them. When necessary, students may also consult the Director of Graduate Studies in Comparative Literature for assistance in arranging these exams.

2. Secondary Language (reading knowledge required):

A “reading course” in the language (such as “German for Reading”) with a grade of at least B-

OR

Any of the qualifications for the primary language

For Ancient and Classical Languages

1. Primary Language (high level of proficiency required):

A 300 level course or above with a grade of at least B and certification by the professor of the class confirming proficiency in the language

OR

An exam, if available, administered by the relevant language department

2. Secondary Language (reading knowledge required)

A 200-level course or above with a grade of at least B-

OR

Any of the qualifications for the primary language

Alternative forms of certification: In special cases students may count as certification a masters degree in the language or certification by a recognized language institute. Students should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies concerning these options.

VI. Qualifying Examination

The qualifying exam is a three part open book written exam taken over two days (48 hours). It should be taken in January of the third year. Students in advanced standing may work with their committees to schedule the exam at an earlier date but are not required to do so.
In special circumstances, with the permission of their entire committee and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, students may postpone their exam.

The Qualifying exam is a preliminary exam in which students demonstrate competence in three separate areas of study developed in conjunction with their committee. The purpose of the exam is to build a foundation of basic historical and theoretical knowledge on which future independent research can be built. The qualifying exam lays the groundwork for the PhD exam and later, the dissertation prospectus, but remains preliminary to the more specialized, expanded, and creative work required by these later projects. For this exam, students should focus on the “basics” – getting an initial, largely canonical grounding in fields that they will later be teaching to undergraduates as well as developing as research areas.

Important note regarding certificate programs: certain certificate programs (for example, philosophy) require that students take their qualifying exam in the program that grants the certificate. Comparative Literature PhDs exercising the certificate option in those programs are not required to take an additional qualifying exam in Comparative Literature but only the exam offered by the certificate granting program. Students getting certificates should be sure to consult with the head of the certificate program about the requirements before the end of their second year.

For students taking the exam in Comparative Literature: By the end of their second year in the program students should have a three person exam committee in place – one of which is the student’s advisor and chair of the exam. Working closely with their committees, students develop three lists that serve as the basis for the exam—with one committee member working with them closely on each list. The lists taken together should lay the foundation for a comparatist or interdisciplinary research project, reflecting work in more than one linguistic or national tradition as well as theoretical or interdisciplinary perspectives on those traditions. The literary texts should also be chosen with an eye to coverage within recognizable historical periods. Each list should have twenty works for a total of no more than sixty works for the entire exam.

What might a configuration of lists for a qualifying exam look like? To offer a fairly traditional example: a student working on the nineteenth-century novel in France and England with a particular theoretical interest in the form of the novel might have a list of 20 major French nineteenth-century novels (e.g. works by Balzac, Hugo, Flaubert, Maupassant, Zola and others), another list of 20 major British nineteenth-century novels (e.g. works by Dickens, Gaskell, Eliot, Trollope, C. Brontë, Hardy, and others) and a third list on narratology (e.g. works by Propp, Barthes, Chatman, Genette, Brooks, Prince, Moretti and others).

VII. Ph.D. Examination

The Ph.D. Examination is a 2 hour oral examination that should be taken early by January of the fourth year at the latest.* Working with their committees, students in both Full and Advanced standing may be able to schedule it earlier in the fourth year or even by the end of the third year and, when appropriate are encouraged to do so. The Ph.D. exam or “orals,” as it is more usually called, builds on the foundation of the qualifying exam but has a more research-oriented focus and requires more individualization of the student’s specific project. For the PhD exam students should be able to articulate their dissertation/research project and to discuss more precisely its historical and critical contexts.

The examination committee will be comprised of 3-5 faculty members, the chair of whom will normally be a member of the Core faculty in Comparative Literature. In consultation with the committee, the student is responsible for setting the precise date and time for the exam, as well as designing the specific reading list for the exam. The list is expected to be comprised of approximately 75 works altogether, according to the interests of the student and the recommendations of the committee. While a portion of these may overlap with works covered on the qualifying exam, the orals exam should allow the student to develop a deeper and more differentiated relation to the materials of the earlier exam.

For example a student whose qualifying exam emphasized nineteenth-century novel and narratology (the example given above under “Qualifying Examination”) may now wish to add a list in another theoretical area of study that they realize is important to their further narratological work (for example, psycho-analysis or theories of melodrama) or recast one of their nineteenth-century lists to focus in depth on a particular conjunction of authors that will be the focus of the dissertation, or add additional ‘non-canonical' works to extend the reach and nuance of the project. In each case, the point should be to design the exam so that it enables one to articulate a research/dissertation project and show command of its historical and critical contexts.

*In special circumstances, with the permission of their entire committee and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, students may postpone their exam. However, students postponing completion of their exams should be aware that if they are not in candidacy by the end of their fourth year they are subject to having their stipend revoked by the Graduate School. (See “The Dissertation and Ph.D. Candidacy” below.)

VIII. Dissertation and Ph.D. Candidacy

The dissertation is the culmination of a Ph.D. student’s career—the defining accomplishment of the doctoral degree. In the field of comparative literature it is typically a book length manuscript of between 175 and 275 standardized manuscript pages. With the dissertation, students fully develop and present the results of their independent research on a scholarly or critical problem that they have formulated. Orientations may vary widely—they may be inter alia interpretive, historical, theoretical, cultural, formalist—but in its final form, the dissertation should reflect the highest professional standards for original contributions to the discipline. For most scholar-critics the dissertation serves as the basis of many of their early publications, and it is useful to conceptualize it as the basis for a future book or series of articles. Students should bear in mind, too, that, on the job market, the dissertation will largely determine the kinds of jobs for which they can reasonably apply.

In initially developing their project, students should consult with their chosen dissertation advisor and dissertation committee. The committee typically consists of the advisor and two additional readers. The advisor and at least one other member of the committee must be members of the Comparative Literature Faculty. For this rule to be waived the student must show compelling reason to work outside the department and get the permission of both the Chair and DGS of the Department. External readers from outside Emory are permitted only with permission of the Dean of the Graduate School (see the Graduate School Handbook). Where the nature of the project makes it necessary, two (but no more) co-directors may share the actual direction of the dissertation.

Dissertation Prospectus and Candidacy

Before writing the dissertation, students must submit a dissertation prospectus. This should be done three or four months after the Ph.D. exam. When the prospectus has been approved the student enters into formal candidacy for the PhD. Informally, academics often speak of a student who has achieved candidacy as ABD –“all but dissertation”—and candidacy, in addition, to qualifying them to apply for certain fellowships within Emory, marks one’s entry into the final stage of the Ph.D. program.

The prospectus must be submitted for approval to the student’s dissertation director and committee no more than six months after completion of the Ph.D. examination. The prospectus should be approximately 15-25 pages in length (double spaced). Typically, it will contain the following:

1. A brief introduction to the topic, formulating the research question addressed by the dissertation and the historical or theoretical issues that are at stake in it.

2. An overarching description of the range and scope of the project including the authors and texts to be explored as well as reflection on the theoretical and methodological approaches informing the research.

3. An assessment of the ways in which the work builds upon or departs from previous scholarship including a review of previous literature addressing the dissertation topic.

4. A chapter by chapter breakdown of the project, giving a brief summary of how each chapter contributes to the larger argument of the project as a whole.

5. A provisional Bibliography.

The prospectus must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee. To this end, the student will provide a 60-90 minute oral prospectus defense in front of the committee, which will file its approval with the Department Chair and the Director of Graduate Studies. Other faculty members and fellow graduate students may be invited to the dissertation prospectus defense at the discretion of the presenting candidate. A copy of the prospectus must be submitted to each member of the dissertation committee at least one week in advance of the defense and a copy of the approved prospectus must be filed with the Departmental Office for inclusion in the student’s file. Students are responsible for assuring that all necessary paperwork concerning candidacy has been filed with the department.

Once students have successfully defended their prospectus and completed TATTO requirements, they should devote the rest of their time in the program to completion of the dissertation along with any remaining teaching that they owe to the Department of Comparative Literature. Students not in candidacy by the end of their fourth year can expect to have their stipends suspended by the Graduate School.

IX. Certificate Programs and the Certificate in Comparative Literature

Students are encouraged to consider the possibility of following a certificate program in another department. Certificate programs typically involve taking a number of required courses and meeting certain other requirements during the early years of study. They can strengthen one’s research background in particular areas and help to build one’s profile for specific jobs. Students interested in pursuing a certificate program must consult first with the DGS of Comparative Literature, and subsequently with the Program Director in the relevant Department.

There is some flux in the graduate school certificate programs, but as of 2009 they are available (or should shortly be available) in the following Departments and Programs:

Classics
English
French
German
Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies
Philosophy
Psychoanalytic Studies
Russian
Spanish
Women’s Studies

The Certificate in Comparative Literature: The Department of Comparative Literature also offers a certificate in Comparative Literature to students involved in other Ph.D. degree programs. The Certificate option allows students to develop their disciplinary studies in conjunction with more extended literary and theoretical inquiry. General requirements for the Certificate include incorporation of Comparative Literature into all levels of the degree, including course work, exams and the dissertation.

Certificate in Comparative Literature:

1. Demonstration of a high degree of proficiency in a language other than English

2. Demonstration of a reading knowledge of a second language other than English

3. Completion of Comparative Literature 750: Literary Theories

4. Completion of five courses in Comparative Literature in addition to 750; these courses may include courses in Comparative Literature, courses cross-listed with Comparative Literature and individual directed readings.

5. Integration of Comparative Literature into Ph.D. exams; the Comparative Literature component should encompass approximately one-third of the entire examination.

6. Incorporation of Comparative Literature into the dissertation; again, the Comparative Literature component should encompass approximately one-third of the entire dissertation.

7. Inclusion of a Comparative Literature faculty member on both the exam and dissertation committees

X. Pedagogical Training and TATTO

An essential part of doctoral education in Comparative Literature at Emory is pedagogical training and opportunities to gain classroom teaching experience. Under the rubric of TATTO (Teacher Assistant Training and Teaching Opportunity) Emory Graduate School offers pedagogical preparation for all graduate students in conjunction with the discipline specific training that occurs in departments.

TATTO has four stages. They provide students with substantive training and teaching experience, while ensuring that they are not overtaxed with teaching responsibilities during pursuit of the doctorate.

1. A short course offered in late summer, before the fall semester begins. It should be taken immediately prior to a student’s first teaching experience—for comparative literature students that means August before their second year of study. Faculty for this course is drawn from among the best teachers across the university. The syllabus covers general topics of importance to all students including syllabus writing and grading, lecturing and leading discussions, the use of writing as a pedagogical tool, the conduct of lab sessions, and the use of new technologies in the classroom. Because the summer course is offered between semesters, it is credited to a student’s transcript the following fall when students register for TATTO 600.

2. Individual departments and programs provide training that addresses intellectual problems and teaching strategies from the perspective of particular disciplines. CPLT students enroll in the pedagogy course, CPLT 753, in the spring semester of their first year. It addresses both practical and theoretical questions concerning the teaching of comparative literature and gives special attention to the student’s first teaching assignment (CPLT 110). CPLT students pursuing a certificate or a concentration may be required to take an additional pedagogy course through the department in which the student is pursuing the certificate or concentration. (See, too, below, under “alternative teaching experience.”)

3. The teaching assistantship, the third stage of the TATTO program, varies from program to program. The defining characteristic of the teaching assistantship across all programs is a controlled, carefully monitored initial teaching opportunity. The student registers for TATTO 605 during the semester of the teaching assistantship.

4. The teaching associate position, the fourth stage of the TATTO program, advances the student to a teaching opportunity with greater responsibilities. In all cases, teaching associates can expect attentive mentoring and evaluation. Students register for TATTO 610 during the semester of the teaching associate position.

In Comparative Literature stages 3 and 4 of TATTO partly overlap. Beginning with their second year in the program, all students teach undergraduate courses offered by the department. Graduate students entering the program in Fall 2009 and after are required to teach four courses for the department with the teaching assignments to be spread out over the course of their second through fifth years at Emory with no more than one per semester. (Students who entered in 2008 but have 'opted in' to the new requirements also teach four courses; otherwise, those who entered the program before Fall 2009 are required to teach three classes similarly spread out from their second through fifth years.)

For their teaching at Emory, doctoral students have an opportunity to design their courses within the general rubric/assignment they are given. They begin by teaching CPLT 110 “Introduction to Literary Studies,” a writing intensive course for Freshmen that fulfills Emory’s Freshman writing requirement. The course may be organized around a wide-ranging interpretive theme of the graduate student-instructor’s design and should include a selection of readings from more than one linguistic/literary tradition. (At this introductory level, all works not in English are taught in English translation.)

Further assignments may include 110 as well as required introductory surveys for the Comparative Literature Major (all writing intensive). Working within the framework indicated by the course titles, students can likewise devise their own syllabi organized around themes and issues compelling to them. These courses are:

CPLT 201 Major Texts: Ancient to Medieval
CPLT 202 Major Texts: Renaissance to Modern
CPLT 203 Literatures Beyond the Canon

The program thus gives students experience teaching both 100- and 200-level courses, teaching majors and non-majors, teaching writing as well as literature, and, most importantly, experience creating their own courses within the given frameworks.

It is essential that students have professors observe their teaching, preferably more than once, while they are teaching at Emory. Professors who observe one’s teaching can give one crucial advice and will also be able to write about it in letters for teaching fellowships, post-doctoral fellowships, and jobs. One should never go on the job market without at least one letter from someone able to address one’s teaching from first-hand observation. It is the responsibility of the students to ask faculty to observe teaching and obtain letters from faculty in a timely manner.

TATTO and credit hours: The Registrar notes TATTO credit on student transcripts. TATTO credits document fulfillment of the degree requirement. The Graduate School TATTO summer course, the teaching assistant, and the teaching associate positions do not count toward the total number of credit hours required for the PhD. The credit hours for the program course are counted toward the total number of credit hours required for the PhD, but not toward the graduate school’s minimum 20 hours of course work.

Completion of the TATTO program is a degree requirement of the Graduate School; therefore exemption from any part of the TATTO program must be approved in writing by the Department of Comparative Literature and the Graduate School. Exemptions are granted only in exceptional circumstances.

Alternative teaching experience: Sometimes comparative literature students and their advisors judge it important for them to gain experience teaching in other departments in order to gain supplementary teacher training that may prepare them for additional job opportunities. For example, a student who plans to apply to jobs in a national language/literature department may feel they should teach in that department and/or take courses it offers in language pedagogy. While the department of Comparative Literature supports such initiatives they cannot replace the required pedagogy course offered by Comparative Literature, nor can other courses normally be offered in place of the four courses students are required to teach for the Department. When this situation arises, students should be in direct consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies in Comparative Literature as well as the program in which they wish to teach.

Dean’s Teaching Fellowship: Students who demonstrate exceptional teaching ability may be eligible to apply for appointment as Dean’s Teaching Fellows. To be eligible for consideration, a student must have completed all Graduate School and program requirements except the dissertation, and must have been admitted to Ph.D. candidacy. Dean’s Teaching Fellows have complete responsibility for the course or courses they teach. The Graduate School offers a number of these fellowships to students, usually in their sixth year, on a competitive basis. Students apply through their department which is permitted to nominate a limited number of applicants. (In 2008 departments were permitted to nominate three.)

Teaching Portfolio: Students should prepare a teaching portfolio in preparation for entering the job market. The teaching portfolio is tailored to the individual’s experience and professional direction, but it typically includes a statement of teaching philosophy, sample syllabi of courses taught, copies of teaching and course evaluations (both numerical and narrative), and samples of other materials used in teaching.

XI. Progress Towards Degree and Annual Review

Students enrolled in a degree program at Emory are required to register both semesters of every academic year until their program has been completed. A student who does not register and has not applied for a leave of absence will be assumed to have withdrawn and will no longer be considered an active candidate for a graduate degree. Should a student who has thus withdrawn wish to be reinstated; she or he must submit an application for re-admission, which will be reviewed by the Chair.

Comparative Literature students who have completed coursework but are not yet in candidacy register for CPLT 798 (Supervised Research). Once they are in candidacy—that is, once their dissertation prospectus has been approved—they register for CPLT 799 (Dissertation Research).

Advising Support and Reminders

As noted above (see “Summary of Degree Requirements for the Ph.D. in Comparative Literature”) , it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the state of his/her progress, and to confer with the DGS and Advisor about all issues of concern. Upon entering the Department, and regularly thereafter, students meet with the DGS for consultation about their courses and general advising until they have an advisor to consult about their ongoing progress. Once a student has an advisor, students primarily work with the advisor to make sure they are following the requirements and guidelines for progress through the Ph.D. in a timely fashion and remain in good standing in the program. (Committee members are also good resources for advice and guidance.) The checklist in the final chapter of the handbook can be used to help keep track of progress. Exceptions and extensions to this schedule will be granted only if they are necessary for the completion of the student’s academic program or arise from compelling intellectual or personal circumstances. Any exception or extension will require the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

More precise definitions of academic “good standing” and circumstances leading to academic probation follow below. Once a student has been put on third probation he or she is subject to expulsion from the graduate school.

Good Standing/Academic Probation

The Graduate School has a series of minimal standards that all students in Emory’s graduate program must meet in order to remain in good standing. Otherwise, their academic performance is deemed unsatisfactory. To remain in good standing, students must complete course work, exams and other requirements in a timely manner. A “timely manner” means that work for a given course will be completed within the semester when the course is taken.

Unsatisfactory academic performance is further defined by the graduate school as follows:

1. A GPA in any semester of less than 2.7
2. Receipt of a grade of F or U in any course*
3. Receipt of two or more incompletes in a semester.

* By policy of the Graduate School, after one year an Incomplete will convert to F, and that failing grade can only be removed with a “compelling reason” documented by the Faculty member and with the approval of the Dean.

A student whose academic performance is deemed unsatisfactory will be placed on probation for one semester. During the probationary semester, the student must receive no failing grades, must reduce the number of incompletes on his or her record to one, and must attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7. During the probation, the student will not be allowed to take incompletes in any courses without permission from the Graduate School. Any student who meets the conditions of probation described above will be reinstated to good standing. The reinstatement happens automatically and the student will not be notified of the action. The Director of Graduate Studies or program Director should discuss with the student the terms and conditions of probation and of reinstatement to good standing. Students must be in Good Standing to be eligible for discretionary teaching opportunities in the Department, for summer funding, or for internal awards.

A student who fails to meet the above conditions for probation will be placed on probation for a second semester. The Graduate School will terminate a student who merits a third consecutive probationary semester unless the program provides written justification for the student’s continuation and the Graduate School grants approval.

Leaves of Absence

Leaves of absence are meant for students who must interrupt their programs due to personal circumstances or who wish to take advantage of a unique professional opportunity. In order to apply for a leave of absence a student must be in good standing, and a letter of request for a leave of absence must be submitted to the DGS along with a letter of support from the students’ advisor. If the leave of absence is approved by the department the request will be sent to the Dean of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for final approval. Only students in good standing may apply for leaves of absence. Students should also refer to the Graduate School Handbook.

Extension of Time in which to Complete Requirements for the Ph.D.

Please note the policy stated on p. 3 of the Graduate School handbook.
http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/uploads/2008-09%20GS%20Handbook.pdf

Annual review

At the end of each academic year the department faculty conducts an annual review of all students in the program. The purpose of the review is to determine whether students are making timely progress through the program, but also to raise and address other problems or challenges that a particular student may be facing. Based on the review, the Director of Graduate Studies may be charged to contact students about their work/progress and changes that they need to make in their program.

XII. Funding Links

Graduate students in the Department of Comparative Literature are fully funded for five years at Emory—they receive tuition costs, a stipend, and a subsidy for health insurance. They also receive guaranteed supplementary funds for professional development and research support over the course of their education at Emory ($2500 for students entering in 2009) and additional annual guaranteed funds for conference attendance ($650 in 2009-2010) with the possibility of competing for additional conference funding.

The following links provide information on these resources:

1. Graduate School Stipends

For further information see link below:
http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/resources/financial.php

2. Professional Development and Research Support/Support for Conference Attendance

For further information (including how to apply) see link below:
http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/resources/professional.php?entity_id=23

Additionally, students are strongly encouraged to pursue external funding. For more information, see the Graduate School website link below:
http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/resources/financial.php?id=18

XIII. Department Committees for Graduate Program

1. Teaching and Curriculum Committee: The Teaching and Curriculum Committee for the Department of Comparative Literature assigns teaching responsibilities to graduate students under TATTO guidelines and ensures that the teaching needs of the graduate students and the curricular needs of the undergraduate students are met in accordance with College and Graduate School guidelines. The Committee oversees the course offerings on both the graduate and undergraduate level; it also approves and initiates cross-listings.

2. Admissions Committee: Chaired by the DGS, and consisting of members of the Comparative Literature faculty, this committee reviews applicant files, meets with prospective students, and selects applicants for admission to the Graduate Program.

3. Graduate Student Speakers Committee: Overseen solely by Comparative Literature graduate students, this Committee usually invites a speaker to campus once in the Fall and once in the Spring. The speaker gives a campus-wide talk and holds a seminar for students and faculty in Comparative Literature. She or he may also meet with students individually or in small groups for discussion of research and other issues of shared concern.

XIV. Fellowships and Prizes

The Graduate School offers a number of additional fellowships to support Ph.D. students finishing their dissertations in their sixth year. In addition, the graduate school offers several prizes giving recognition to students who have done outstanding work as researchers and teachers. Below are brief summaries of key fellowship opportunities and the Lore Metzger Prize. For complete information on all of the fellowships—including eligibility criteria and how to apply—please see the graduate school webpage devoted to advanced student fellowships:

http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/resources/financial.php?entity_id=18

Fellowship opportunities include:

1. The Dean’s Teaching Fellowship
(For further information see the paragraph on the Dean's Teaching Fellowship under Pedagogical Training)

2. Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry Dissertation Fellowship

The Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry offers a Dissertation Completion Fellowships for students enrolled in the Graduate School of Emory University for an academic year of residence in the Center to finish their dissertations. The purpose of the FCHI Dissertation Completion Fellowship Program is to support timely completion of Ph.D. work; it is designed for students whose work is far enough advanced so that completion and final approval of the dissertation during the academic year can be presumed. In addition to finishing the dissertation, FCHI Dissertation Completion Fellows will be expected to participate in the intellectual life of the Center and all of its programs. Fellows will also be expected to give one public presentation on their research during the Fellowship.

3. Robert W. Woodruff Library Graduate Fellowships

Funded by the Graduate School, the Robert W. Woodruff Library awards nine and twelve month fellowships to advanced graduate students expecting to complete their dissertations by the end of the fellowship period. Fellows will work 16 hours per week in the library in an area relating to their subject specialization or interest. Library areas hosting fellows may include the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Library (MARBL); the Lewis H. Beck Center for Electronic Collections and Services; the Electronic Data Services Center; Research and Instruction; Collection Management; Digital Programs and Systems Division; Circulation and Reserves; Library Planning and Assessment and selected other areas.

4. Office of University-Community Partnership

Emory’s Office of University-Community Partnerships supports advanced graduate students as Community Partnership Graduate Fellows. The fellows will assist the director and staff of the Office of University-Community Partnerships in carrying out its mission to facilitate the integration of teaching, research, and service activities directed toward the Greater Atlanta community.

In addition to searching the graduate school webpage given above, graduate students interested in further information should check the office’s own website: http://oucp.emory.edu/pages/programs/gradfellows/gradfellows.html . Information on the Office of University-Community Partnerships can be found at http://oucp.emory.edu/.

5. Center for Women at Emory Graduate Fellow

The graduate fellow for the Center for Women at Emory will assist the director and staff of the Center for Women (CWE) in carrying out its mission to provide a strong informational network for all members of our community. As a forum for women’s intellectual, cultural, ethical, and spiritual life, the Center for Women is a prototype of interdisciplinary perspective. It serves as an advocate for gender equity throughout the University and encourages inquiry into gender issues.

6. The Lore Metzger Dissertation Prize

The Lore Metzger Dissertation Prize was established in honor of Lore Metzger, member of the Program in Comparative Literature, the Department of English, and the Institute of Women Studies. The prize is awarded biennially to the best dissertation addressing literary and social issues in Comparative Literature, English, and Women’s Studies. The prize is awarded to a student in one of these three departments and is judged by a committee composed of members of the three departments. Students submit a copy of the dissertation during the spring semester along with a letter of support from the advisor of the dissertation. The deadline for the application is announced each year.

For further information on these and other fellowships see the Graduate School website:
http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/resources/financial.php

XV. Job Placement

The Comparative Literature faculty is dedicated to working closely with students to help place them in academic, teaching, and research-oriented jobs. From the beginning of their graduate education, students work with DGS, advisor, and committees to consider ways in which they can best prepare themselves for jobs that mesh with their individual intellectual commitments. In some cases, the department encourages additional teaching experience or extra-training within a specialized field such as Film, Religion, or a national literature in order to make a student’s profile more appealing for jobs in those areas. Throughout their academic careers at Emory, all students are encouraged to work closely with their advisors and committees to address the specifics of the particular job search most suitable for them.

Comparative Literature students also have opportunities to present their work in colloquia and seminars that prepare them for professional settings including conferences and public lectures. For more advanced students approaching the market, the department sponsors meetings and workshops to help them with job letters, vitas, and other practical aspects of the job search, and department faculty participate in mock interviews for the students to prepare them for job interviews. Emory Ph.D.s are currently teaching in a wide variety of Universities and Colleges across the nation – in national language and literature departments (including English, Spanish, and French) as well as Interdisciplinary, Humanities and World Literature departments and programs (including Women’s Studies and Religion). We also have had Ph.D.s working in the non-profit sector and major museums. The range and accomplishments of our alumni reflect the creativity and excitement of Comparative Literature at Emory.

XVI. Graduate School Handbook and Webpage

The Graduate school handbook contains important information about graduate school rules and procedures including codes of conduct. We strongly encourage all entering students to read it. Additionally, the graduate school webpage has helpful information about both Emory and the city of Atlanta as well as a calendar of events, including special workshops and lectures that may be useful to students especially regarding professional development. We encourage all students to check it out on a regular basis.

Graduate School Handbook:
http://www.gs.emory.edu/uploads/2009-10%20GS%20Handbook.pdf

Graduate School Webpage: http://www.graduateschool.emory.edu/index.php

XVII. Checklist for Progress Within Five-year Program

The following link takes you to a checklist of ideal progress through the program that would enable completion of the Ph.D. within five years. The realities of graduate study in a field as diverse and complex as comparative literature necessarily involve occasional digressions and postponements, and many projects require more than five years. Nonetheless, we encourage students and their advisors to keep these benchmarks in mind as they move through the funded years of the program.

You may print out a copy of the checklist at the following link:

Graduate Checklist