Graduate Program

Doctoral Degree Program

Ph.D. Course Requirements

Although the Ph.D. is not awarded on the basis of a specified number of courses or credit hours, usually 12 courses (36 hours) beyond the M.A. is recommended. In the Hispanic Literature program, these hours consist of the 27 hours of content courses as prescribed below, and up to 9 hours of additional courses including conference courses taken in preparation for the Ph.D. comprehensive examination. Dissertation hours cannot count toward fulfillment of coursework for the Ph.D. degree. The student's supervising committee, the graduate adviser or the GSC may require additional work beyond the recommended 12 courses (36 hours). This will usually depend on the academic background of the student.

Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

(Effective for students entering the program Fall 2000)

Students entering the Ph.D. program in Hispanic Literature with an M.A. from another institution will take the M.A. Comprehensive Exam as a qualifying examination no later than their second semester enrolled. Grading criteria, scheduling, and permission to proceed in the Ph.D. program are the same as for the MA exam. Ph.D. students who receive a score below 80% must retake the exam the following long semester. The Qualifying Examination may be retaken only once, and if the candidate again receives a score below 80% he or she may not continue in the program.

Ph.D. Areas of Study and Course Distribution

Hispanic Literature

Luso-Brazilian Literature

Coursework for the Ph.D. in Luso-Brazilian literature is prescribed by the Portuguese faculty in consultation with the graduate adviser. This program requires 12 courses (36 hours) which may be distributed as follows:

Ibero-Romance Philology and Linguistics

The total minimum number of combined courses in the second area of concentration and supporting work is seven. Students may either take three courses in the second area of concentration and four courses in supporting work, or four courses in a second area of concentration and three courses in supporting work. This coursework is usually fulfilled with offerings from within the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and offerings from other departments depending on the student's second area of concentration.  For those students in areas in which statistics are frequently used in research, one of the courses for supporting work should be a course in statistics, unless the students can show evidence that they have already taken such a course. 

In all three areas of study courses taken beyond the M.A. may also be considered in meeting course distribution requirements for the Ph.D. In consultation with the graduate adviser a maximum of six hours of required coursework may be taken at the undergraduate level unless the candidate has chosen this alternative while completing the M.A.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam Areas

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination in Hispanic Literature

By the end of the third semester of doctoral work, the student, in consultation with the graduate adviser, should select four major fields, each of which will be supervised by a faculty member who consents to direct that area of the student's work. The graduate adviser will present the student's proposal of four fields to the EC of the GSC for approval. Faculty members for the four major fields will prepare the student's reading lists and submit them to the examining committee chair and to the department's Graduate Office. One of the four faculty members will serve as chair of the student's examination committee. The Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination is both written and oral, and is based on the following four fields: Major, Concentration (focused on the dissertation), Transatlantic, Collateral.

Specifically:

  1. The Major Field: This is a period field embracing all genres and will be selected from the following: 1) Medieval/Golden Age 2) Modern Peninsular (18th Century to present) 3) Colonial (to Independence period) 4) Modern Spanish American (Independence period to the present).
  2. The Concentration Field: This field is within the major and will be selected reflecting potential interest for dissertation work. This field may be defined by genre, movement, or topic, and must incorporate a unifying critical or theoretical perspective.
  3. The Transatlantic Field: If the major is Peninsular, this field will be Spanish American and vice versa. It must relate coherently to the concentration field and likewise may be a genre, movement, topic or period germane to the field of anticipated dissertation research.
  4. The Collateral Field: This field will be constituted within the candidate's advanced language proficiency area and must relate coherently to the major field.

The examination committee will be composed of four faculty members, one from each of the fields indicated above. Students will work with each committee member to prepare a list of appropriate readings for the field she/he represents.

Sample field combinations:

Students are encouraged to use two of their three courses required in 'supporting work' to fulfill the advanced proficiency language requirement and to prepare the collateral field for the Ph.D. exam. Likewise students are encouraged to select the third 'supporting work' course either to include an introduction to literary theory or to contain a substantial theoretical component germane to the concentration field indicated above.

Reading List:

  1. The current Guide to Readings for the Ph.D. Degree in Hispanic Literature Comprehensive Exam will serve as a point of departure for the major field reading list.
  2. The major field reading list will include a minimum of fifteen works or collections.
  3. The concentration field reading list will include a minimum of twelve additional works or collections.
  4. The transatlantic field and the collateral field will each include a minimum of ten works or collections.
  5. All Ph.D. reading lists will be submitted for approval to the EC of the GSC at least one semester before the exam is taken.

Written Comprehensive Exam:

Usually within a year of completing course requirements, all doctoral students will take the Comprehensive Examination. The written exam will be composed of four one-and-one-half hour answers, each of which will respond to one of two choices for that field. The written exam will be six hours long, followed by an oral exam of two hours no less than one week later. At least one question must be answered in Spanish and one in English. Students who fail the exam may take it a second time. Students who fail the exam a second time cannot continue in the program. Sample examinations are on file in the Graduate Office (BEN 2.128).

Oral Exam:

The oral exam will serve as a follow-up to the written exam, providing the examiners the opportunity to clarify and to explore points made or missing in the written exam. It also will have the more specific purpose of exploring the dissertation topic, the breadth and depth of the student's knowledge of the topic, and especially the coherence and appropriateness of the critical approach to be used. As a formal recognition of this focus, the oral exam will begin with a description by the student of the dissertation topic.

To pass the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination, the student must pass both the written and the oral portions, which are considered parts of a single examination.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination in Luso-Brazilian Literature

By the end of the first year of doctoral work, the student, in consultation with the graduate adviser, should select three major fields, each of which will be supervised by a faculty member who consents to direct that area of the student's work. One of the three members will serve as chair of the three-fields examining committee. To this group of three faculty members a fourth will be added by the graduate adviser. The graduate adviser will present the student's proposal of three-fields to the EC of the GSC for approval. Faculty members for the three major fields will prepare the student's reading lists and submit them to the examining committee chair and to the department's Graduate Office.

Requirements for the Selection of the Three-Fields: Students must have at least one field in Portugal and one in Brazil. Combinations of Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian literature are possible. Either one or two of the fields may be Luso-Brazilian and the other(s) Hispanic or else a single field may be so defined as to include both Luso-Brazilian and Hispanic works. When such combinations are made, the selection of three-fields should show the same proportion of Luso-Brazilian to Hispanic literature as does the student's coursework. At least one field must be a Period Field as defined below. It is expected that both early and modern literature will be represented in the fields chosen and that the combination of fields will have some degree of logical coherence.

Definitions

Period Field: The study of a particular period within Portuguese or Brazilian literature, or a specified combination of the two countries which embraces all genres of literature in that period.

Genre Field: The study of a particular genre of literature which embraces all pertinent periods in the specified geographical area.

Movement or Topic Field: The study of a movement or topic in its historical context. Such a field, although it may include both Portuguese and Brazilian literatures, cannot by itself fulfill the requirement that at least one period or genre field be in each geographical area.

Combined Field: The combination of a period with a genre. Such a combination may be made only if it represents a substantial and significant body of literature. Example: 20th century Brazilian short story; Luso-Brazilian Realist/Naturalist novel.

Special Note: It is to be understood that most periods and genres cannot be studied effectively without reference to their context - literary, historical and sometimes geographical. For example, "Contemporary Brazilian poetry" cannot be studied apart from a knowledge of the historical development of Luso-Brazilian poetry, and logically entails attention to Brazilian Modernism. The study of a genre within a period requires attention to the development of that genre prior to the period. Contextual readings must be included in the compilation of field reading lists, unless such readings are provided by another field or by the student's approved coursework.

Periods

Portugal

  • Medieval
  • Renaissance/Baroque
  • 18th and 19th centuries
  • 20th century

Brazil

  • Colonial
  • 19th century
  • 20th century

Genres

Examples for each geographical area:

Movements and Topics

Examples:

Example of a Three-Field Program

Usually within a year of completing course requirements, all doctoral students will take the Ph.D. Comprehensive and Three Fields Exam. Students who fail the exam may take it a second time. Students who fail the exam a second time cannot continue in the program.

This exam is both written and oral. The written exam is based on the Ph.D. reading list. At least one question must be answered in Portuguese. The oral exam, taken no less than one week later, is based on the three-fields lists determined by students in consultation with their major professors. The exams must be taken no later than the second Saturday in October and the first Saturday in March. The examination consists of five one-hour questions with two choices in each section distributed as follows: 1. Portuguese Literature: Medieval and Renaissance; 2. Portuguese Literature: from Renaissance through 20th century; 3. Brazilian Literature: Colonial period; 4. Brazilian Literature: 19th century; 5. Brazilian Literature: 20th century. Sample examinations are on file in the Graduate Office (BEN 2.128).

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination in Ibero-Romance Philology and Linguistics

By the end of the first year of doctoral work, the student, in consultation with the ad hoc adviser in linguistics, should select a Ph.D. examining committee. The committee should consist of at least three members (one member as chair) from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese covering the various areas, and one member from outside the department covering the student's second area of specialization. The ad hoc adviser in linguistics will inform the graduate adviser of the proposed committee. However, it is the responsibility of the student to request the participation of the faculty members prior to formalizing the exam committee with the graduate adviser. The exam committee will be officially appointed by the graduate adviser in Spanish and Portuguese. The student should then consult with each committee member about the reading list he/she is responsible for and revisions (deletions and/or additions) to the Ph.D. reading list. In addition, the student must obtain from the outside member of the committee a reading list covering the specialized area of the examination. The student should submit a copy of the lists to the committee chair and to the department's Graduate Office.

Usually within a year of completing course requirements all doctoral students will take the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination. Students who fail the exam may take it a second time the following long semester. Students who fail the exam a second time cannot continue in the program.

The exam is written; there is no oral exam. At least one question must be answered in Spanish. The Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination for students in linguistics is given twice a year; normally it is scheduled for the last Saturday in October and the last Saturday in March. The examination consists of five one-hour questions with two choices in each section distributed as follows:

  1. Spanish phonology/phonetics (including contrastive analysis, the Spanish of the Americas);
  2. Spanish syntax, semantics, morphology;
  3. Spanish diachronic linguistics (historical linguistics, old Spanish, medieval dialectology);
  4. A question of a theoretical nature dealing with the candidate's second area of specialization;
  5. A question dealing with the candidate's second area of specialization as it relates specifically to Spanish.

Sample examinations are on file in the department's Graduate Office and in the Williams Library (BAT 205).

Ph.D. Language Requirement

Before filing for candidacy in the Doctoral Program, a student in Spanish and Portuguese must have:

  1. An advanced proficiency in Portuguese for students majoring in Spanish, and in Spanish for students majoring in Portuguese. A student may substitute another language for Spanish or Portuguese in accordance with the needs of his/her specialization.
    1. Students in linguistics must demonstrate a basic knowledge of Latin.
    2. For students in literature, either a basic knowledge of Latin OR a reading knowledge of a language other than English, Spanish, or Portuguese, to be determined in consultation with the graduate adviser.

The GSC has established the following guidelines to be used in interpreting and applying the Ph.D. Language Requirement:

  1. "Advanced proficiency" means the completion of POR 508 and POR 516, or SPN 508K and 612, or the respective equivalents, with a grade of B or better, and the ability to express ideas orally and in writing with clarity and sophistication, which must be demonstrated with the satisfactory completion of two graduate courses given in the respective language. (With the consent of the graduate adviser, one of the graduate courses may be replaced by a "senior" undergraduate course).
  2. For the linguistics program, the graduate courses in that language must be taught in the target language, not in English, in order for them to count  toward the language requirement.  If the graduate course is also on a topic of linguistics that is relevant to the student’s program of study, it can also count toward fulfilling a course of supporting work. 
  3. "Basic knowledge" may be demonstrated either by the completion of one year of college study of the language with a grade of B or better (for Latin currently the sequence LAT 506-507, or LAT 508, in Classics), or by obtaining an equivalent score on a standardized test for that language, administered by the appropriate department or a nationally recognized institution.
  4. "Reading knowledge" may be demonstrated by the completion of either an appropriate reading course, or a fourth semester of college-level study in the language, or by examination to be specified by the graduate adviser, in all cases with a grade of B or better.
  5. The language certified for the M.A. degree may count as one of the two required for the Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics  (for those students entering AY 2007-08 or later):

For students continuing from the UT M.A. program in Hispanic Linguistics

For new Ph.D students not from the UT M.A. program in Hispanic Linguistics

*Students can take these courses out of our department if  S & P does not offer a sufficient number due to a lack of faculty.  This condition can change in the future if more courses are available in the department.

--Note:  The Latin requirement is only for those students specializing in Historical Linguistics.  There is no literature requirement if the student has already taken two undergraduate or graduate literature courses prior to enrollment in the program.  

Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics:  Assessment

Ph.D Qualifying Writing Sample
Students who complete their M.A. degree at UT have demonstrated their ability to continue on in the Ph.D program. However, other prospective Ph.D students must submit a writing sample as part of their admission process. This documentation may be a previously written thesis, report, or term paper.  Additionally, all prospective Ph.D students (both continuing and new) should submit a 3 to 5-page paper on their statement of purpose in the Ph.D program.  GAFA committee members recommend admission based in part on these writing samples.

Ph.D Advancement to Candidacy
There are three parts to the Ph.D Advancement to Candidacy, which are designed to verify that the students are ready to write a dissertation.

Part 1: Based on successful completion of required and elective coursework (evaluated through consultation with all linguistics professors and after review of the transcripts, which indicate a 3.5 GPA in all required courses in the S & P Dept.), and in consultation with the Graduate Advisor, Ph.D candidates in Spanish linguistics submit one research paper of publishable quality by no later than the fourth week of the fourth semester.  This paper may be an improved version of a previous term paper or report, provided that that (1) it was written during the time that the candidate was enrolled in the Ph.D program, and (2) it includes a cover page with a list of the major changes made for the revised version.  This paper is evaluated by a two-member faculty committee assigned by the Graduate Advisor.  The student should try to work independently on this paper as much as possible, and should try to present it at a conference to receive feedback for improvements.  If possible, the paper should be submitted to an external conference proceedings or a journal to receive further feedback.  If it is accepted for publication, the acceptance would serve as evidence that the paper is indeed publishable.  The paper must be a single-authored paper. 

No later than 4 weeks after the student submits the writing sample, the committee communicates to the candidate in writing whether the paper demonstrates ability to advance to the writing of the dissertation.  If the candidate's writing sample is not accepted, in consultation with the Graduate Advisor, the student may resubmit, within two months, one new writing sample.  After a second review, if the committee determines that the sample does not demonstrate ability to advance to the writing of the dissertation, the student is not allowed to continue and will not receive a Ph.D degree.

Part 2:  Assuming the candidates passed Part I above, Ph.D candidates submit a dissertation proposal by no later than the tenth week of the fourth semester. The proposal should have a minimum of 10 pages and should include the title, abstract, the main body of the proposal, human subjects approval (if necessary) and a preliminary list of references. A minimum of 6 pages should be devoted to literature review, thesis, and research design. At the same time, and in consultation with the Graduate Advisor, the candidates select a Dissertation Supervisor and committee members as outlined by the department and the college. No later than 4 weeks after the students submit their written proposal, the Dissertation Committee communicates in writing to the candidates whether (1) the doctoral candidates can continue to the oral defense of the dissertation proposal, or (2) the doctoral candidates must resubmit the proposal at a later time. In the case of a dissertation proposal that was deemed unsatisfactory, the students may submit, within two months, one revised version.  A student with a second unsatisfactory dissertation proposal is not allowed to continue and will not receive a Ph.D.

Part 3:  By no later than the fourth week of the fifth semester, the PhD Candidates meet with their Dissertation Committee for a public oral defense of the dissertation proposal. The candidates prepare an oral presentation of the dissertation topic, thesis, and methodology. Based on a successful defense, the committee may recommend advancement to candidacy. Students are allowed a second oral defense if the committee does not give a pass for the first one.

Ph.D. Language Requirement for Linguistics and Literature Students

Before filing for candidacy in the Doctoral Program, a student in Spanish and Portuguese must have:

  1. An advanced proficiency in Portuguese for students majoring in Spanish, and in Spanish for students majoring in Portuguese. Students may substitute another language for Spanish or Portuguese in accordance with the needs of their specialization.
  2. For students in literature, either a basic knowledge of Latin OR a reading knowledge of a language other than English, Spanish, or Portuguese, to be determined in consultation with the graduate adviser. 
    The GSC has established the following guidelines to be used in interpreting and applying the Ph.D. Language Requirement:
  3. "Advanced proficiency" means the completion of POR 508 and POR 516, or SPN 508K and 612, or the respective equivalents, with a grade of B or better, and the ability to express ideas orally and in writing with clarity and sophistication, which must be demonstrated with the satisfactory completion of two graduate courses given in the respective language. (With the consent of the graduate adviser, one of the graduate courses may be replaced by a "senior" undergraduate course).
  4. For the linguistics program, the graduate courses in that language must be taught in the target language, not in English, in order for them to count  toward the language requirement.  If the graduate course is also on a topic of linguistics that is relevant to the student’s program of study, it can also count toward fulfilling a course of supporting work. 
  5. "Basic knowledge" may be demonstrated either by the completion of one year of college study of the language with a grade of B or better (for Latin currently the sequence LAT 506-507, or LAT 508, in Classics), or by obtaining an equivalent score on a standardized test for that language, administered by the appropriate department or a nationally recognized institution.
  6. "Reading knowledge" may be demonstrated by the completion of either an appropriate reading course, or a fourth semester of college-level study in the language, or by examination to be specified by the graduate adviser, in all cases with a grade of B or better.

Candidacy in the Doctoral Program

Applying for Doctoral Candidacy: When a student has passed the Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam, the next step toward doctoral candidacy is to submit a dissertation proposal and the "Application for Doctoral Candidacy" to the EC of the GSC for approval. Deadline dates to submit the proposal are December 1 (fall exams) and May 1 (spring exams). After approval by the EC of the GSC, the Application for Doctoral Candidacy is confirmed by the Office of Graduate Studies, and the student is then officially designated as a doctoral candidate.

Dissertation Committee Selection: The "Application for Doctoral Candidacy" requires the naming of a dissertation committee. The student must choose a dissertation supervisor plus a committee of four other faculty members with one of the members being from outside the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. The student must present a dissertation proposal to the selected committee for its consideration and recommendations.

Program of Work Requirements: The Graduate Adviser and the EC of the GSC must confirm that the student has completed the foreign language requirement and all course work required in the degree plan. Courses included in the program of work must have been taken within six years prior to the date of candidacy application. This confirmation accompanies the "Application for Doctoral Candidacy" for final approval by the Office of Graduate Studies.

Language of the Dissertation: The dissertation is normally written in English.  Petitions to write in another language pertinent to the research must accompany the Application for Doctoral Candidacy.

Review of Progress

Time Limit for Completion: The dissertation may be completed within three years from the date of admission to candidacy. If it is not, the GSC of the department must petition the Graduate School for an extension, explaining unusual extenuating circumstances. The GSC thereafter reviews each student's progress annually. In case of unsatisfactory dissertation progress, the GSC may recommend that the student take additional courses, or pass other examinations, or that the candidacy be terminated. Annual reviews must follow the first review, and all annual recommendations are forwarded to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement: A student cannot enroll in dissertation courses until officially admitted to candidacy by the Graduate School. Once admitted to candidacy, a student must register continuously each fall and spring semester for dissertation courses until the dissertation is completed. Any student admitted to candidacy will be charged tuition for dissertation courses each semester whether enrolled or not unless an official Leave of Absence has been granted by the Office of Graduate Studies. A Leave of Absence must be petitioned to the Office of Graduate Studies which gives permission for special circumstances only. Enrollment in summer is not required unless the student is appointed as an Assistant Instructor. If a student is appointed as an AI in the summer, he/she must register for a minimum of three credit hours in either summer session.

Final Dissertation Defense

A final oral exam, the dissertation defense, is the last requirement for graduation. Written copies of the dissertation must be submitted to the dissertation committee at least six weeks in advance of the tentative defense date and the committee must decide unanimously that the candidate is ready for the defense. When the committee has decided on an exact date, a written request for the final oral exam to the Office of Graduate Studies is required two weeks in advance. If the defense is successful and all committee members have signed the cover sheet, the student must submit the final dissertation volume to the Office of Graduate Studies by the last class day of the semester.