English, PhD

Curriculum

The majority of students entering the doctoral program do so having earned an MA (usually in English). Such students must complete 54 semester credit hours of graduate work beyond the MA. Students holding only a BA must complete 72 credit hours of graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree and should consult the additional requirements below. All students must select a faculty advisor and determine a degree focus within the first 27 hours of course work.

Program requirements, 54 hours

All students must take 9 hours of foundation courses. Once the foundation courses have been taken, the following progression should occur:

For teaching fellows: ENGL 5550, Studies in the Teaching of Composition (3 hours)
For students entering with the BA: Distribution courses, then electives.
For students entering with the MA: Electives (but including, during the first year, any unmet distribution requirements)

Foundation courses, 6 hours

ENGL 5760 - Scholarly and Critical Writing (to be taken during the first spring)
ENGL 5810 - Survey of Critical Theory

Distribution courses, 15 hours

3 hours in postcolonial or transatlantic studies
3 hours in British studies, pre-1660
3 hours in British studies, post-1660
3 hours in American studies, pre-1860
3 hours in American studies, post-1860

Electives, 30 hours

Non-TFs take an additional 3 hours for a total of 33 hours of electives.

Note: a maximum of 3 hours may be taken from ENGL 5900 , ENGL 5910 , ENGL 6900 or ENGL 6910 .

Directed research, 6 hours

Dissertation research, 12 hours

Concentration in creative writing

The majority of students entering the PhD with a major in English and a concentration in creative writing have previously earned an MFA or MA. Such students must complete at least 57 hours beyond their master’s-level work. Students entering the doctoral creative writing concentration without an MFA or MA must complete 18 additional hours: 6 hours in workshops and 12 hours in non-workshop electives.

Creative writing students must select a faculty advisor by the end of their first semester.

Foundation courses, 6 hours

ENGL 5810 - Survey of Critical Theory
ENGL 5140 - Form and Theory: Poetry
or
ENGL 5145 - Form and Theory: Prose
(ENGL 5140 or ENGL 5145 must be taken in genre of focus)

For teaching fellows

ENGL 5550 - Studies in the Teaching of Composition

Distribution courses, 12 hours

3 hours in British studies, pre-1660
3 hours in British studies, post-1660
3 hours in American studies, pre-1860
3 hours in American studies, post-1860

Workshops, 12 hours

Three workshops in the genre of focus, one workshop outside the genre of focus.

Note: all workshops must be taken during PhD course work at UNT.

Electives (excluding workshops), 9 hours

A maximum of 3 hours may be taken from ENGL 5900 , ENGL 5910 , ENGL 6900 or ENGL 6910 .

Directed research, 6 hours

Dissertation, 12 hours

Additional requirements

Qualifying examination

Ideally, the student will take the PhD qualifying examination during the first term/semester after the completion of organized course work. The PhD examination will be administered by the student’s dissertation committee.

The PhD examination may be taken twice. If the student fails the examination on both occasions, then permission for any retake of the examination must be granted by the graduate admissions committee.

The student must pass the following:

one eight-hour written comprehensive examination in the primary area,
one four-hour written examination in a secondary area, and
one two-hour oral examination.

The student must pass these examinations before being permitted to register for dissertation hours.

The student’s major advisor and committee will determine the nature of the examinations and prepare and administer them. The student will be expected to have expert knowledge of the primary area and general comprehensive knowledge of the secondary area.

After the student passes the written comprehensive examinations in both the primary and the secondary area, the student will then take one two-hour oral examination that covers both areas.

After the student passes the written and oral examinations, the student must file a PhD Comprehensive Examination Form with the Graduate Studies in English Office.

Dissertation prospectus

Each student is required to provide an extended and detailed dissertation prospectus to his or her dissertation committee. The prospectus, developed while the student is enrolled for ENGL 6941 or ENGL 6942 , must be turned in to the dissertation committee after successfully completing the Qualifying Examinations.

The dissertation prospectus must be approved by all members of the student’s dissertation committee. The approved prospectus, along with a prospectus cover sheet and approval form, must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies in English. The faculty committee that approves the prospectus must be the same as the dissertation committee. Any changes in the constitution of the dissertation committee must be approved by the director of graduate studies. Students may not enroll for dissertation hours until the prospectus has been approved by the dissertation committee and filed with the Office of Graduate Studies in English.

Dissertation requirement

1. A dissertation is required of all candidates for the doctorate. The dissertation must be an original work of scholarly or creative writing justifying the awarding of the doctoral degree. A creative dissertation must also include a critical preface. Students can enroll for dissertation credit only when

the dissertation prospectus has been approved by all members of the student’s dissertation committee and has been filed with the Office of Graduate Studies in English, and
the student has satisfied the foreign language requirement and the PhD examination requirement.

2. Students enrolled for dissertation credit must comply with the continuous enrollment policy set forth in the Doctoral Degree Requirements section of this catalog.

3. The dissertation committee is composed of three faculty members. The dissertation will be directed by a qualified faculty member whose area of expertise is in the student’s major area. Two other faculty members from the Department of English constitute the rest of the dissertation committee. Area advisors and the director of graduate studies will assist students in the selection of the dissertation committee.

4. When the dissertation is completed and has received the preliminary approval of the dissertation committee, the dissertation director will schedule the final comprehensive examination (dissertation defense).

5. Instructions for submitting the approved dissertation may be obtained from the Toulouse Graduate School. Students should consult the Academic Calendar at tgs.unt.edu/new-current-students/graduation-information#grad-deadlines for deadlines.