Four Year Plan

The LRSP doctoral major requires:

  • 30 seminars hours beyond the M.A.
  • Passing the Qualifying examinations
  • Completion of the Dissertation

LRSP Advising activity is integrated throughout the program. Ideally, students complete the program in four years: two years of coursework (15 hours or 5 seminars each year). The following timeline sets out the typical program plan for completion of the degree in four years:

Year One
Time
Activities/Benchmarks
Fall, 1st Semester
  • Take ENG 75012: Reading and Interpreting Research on Writing
  • Take 1 or 2 other seminars (1 or both should be "LRSP Requirements" seminars)
  • Review Program Requirements
Spring, 2nd Semester
  • Take 2 or 3 seminars (all students should take 5 per year). Be mindful of the requirement to take 9 hours each in Sections A & B in the Program Requirements.
  • Meet with LRSP co-chair for advising
Year Two
Time
Activities/Benchmarks
Fall, 3rd Semester
  • Take 2 or 3 seminars (all students should take 5 per year)
Spring, 4th Semester
  • Take remaining seminars (all students should complete 30 hours of coursework)
  • Assemble your Qualifying Examination Committee
  • Prepare a short description of your anticipated dissertation project for Qualifying Exam committee
  • Develop reading lists and rationales for Qualifying Exams with the advice of your exam committee
  • Begin preparing for Qualifying Examinations
Year Three
Time
Activities/Benchmarks
Fall, 5th Semester
  • After coursework, register for 8 hours of Research
  • Prepare for and take Qualifying Examinations
  • Form Dissertation Committee
  • Begin drafting the Prospectus, meeting with Dissertation Committee throughout the drafting process
Spring, 6th Semester
  • File Prospectus in time to be eligible for Departmental Fellowships
  • Begin conducting research and drafting the dissertation
  • Enroll in Dissertation I hours (15 hours per semester for 2 semesters)
Year Four
Time
Activities/Benchmarks
Fall, 7th Semester
  • Enroll in Dissertation II hours (after completing 30 Dissertation I hours)
  • Continue to write dissertation
  • Distribute Dissertation chapters to Director and Committee
  • Apply for jobs; MLA Job Information List published in October but job ads often appear earlier
Spring, 8th Semester
  • File for graduation early in semester
  • Complete dissertation and defend
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