Graduate Student Handbook 2023-2024 2023-08-04

English Department Graduate Student Handbook AY 2023-2024
University of Kentucky
English Department
Graduate Student
Handbook
Academic Year 2023-2024
1
Contents
Important Graduation Deadlines to Remember ................................................................................................ 3
MFA and MA students have 4 deadlines to meet in order to graduate:........................................................ 3
PhD students have 5 deadlines to meet in order to graduate: ....................................................................... 3
Master of Arts in English .................................................................................................................................. 5
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Non-Thesis Option ... 5
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Thesis Option ........... 6
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film, Non-Thesis Option ........... 7
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film, Thesis Option.................... 8
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing ......................................................................................................... 11
Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing .................................................................. 11
Doctor of Philosophy in English ..................................................................................................................... 14
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in English .............................................................................. 14
Graduate Student Mentoring ........................................................................................................................... 22
Appendix C: English Department Guidelines for Graduate Student Mentoring ........................................ 22
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Important Graduation Deadlines to Remember
For AY 2023-2024 deadlines, please check they UK Academic Calendar for the deadlines here:
https://www.uky.edu/registrar/content/academic-calendar
MFA and MA students have 4 deadlines to meet in order to graduate:
1. Apply to graduate
• If you submitted a degree application for a previous semester but did not graduate,
you must complete a new degree application for the current term. If you have any
issues completing the degree application online, please send an email to Kaylee
Lloyd in the Graduate School, kaylee.lloyd@uky.edu.
• To apply to graduate, go to https://myuk.uky.edu/irj/portal, Click on Student
Services / myRecords / Graduate Degree Application
2. Request to schedule final exam
• Submit the request here:
https://ris.uky.edu/cfdocs/gs/MastersCommittee/Student/Selection_Screen.cfm
• Must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to final exam or thesis defense.
3. Sit for final exam or thesis defense
• The deadline to sit is usually around the end of November for Fall semesters and the
end of April for Spring semesters.
4. Submit thesis paperwork
• You must submit an Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) Form with your thesis or
dissertation to the Graduate School. Instructions on how to upload your ETD
document to UKnowledge. Here are instructions:
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=http://gradschool.uky.edu/
electronic-dissertation-
defense&httpsredir=1&article=1006&context=uknowledge_docs
• MFA students have a different ETD form. Please contact Robin for a copy of the
form.
• Nonthesis MA students do not have to submit a thesis
PhD students have 5 deadlines to meet in order to graduate:
1. Apply to graduate
• If you submitted a degree application for a previous semester but did not graduate,
you must complete a new degree application for the current term. If you have any
issues completing the degree application online, please send an email to Kaylee
Lloyd in the Graduate School, kaylee.lloyd@uky.edu.
• To apply to graduate, go to https://myuk.uky.edu/irj/portal, Click on Student
Services / myRecords / Graduate Degree Application
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2. Submit Notice of Intent to defend

• Submit the NOTIF here:
https://ris.uky.edu/cfdocs/gs/DoctoralCommittee/Selection_Screen.cfm
3. Request to schedule final exam or thesis defense
• Submit the request here:
• Must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to dissertation defense
4. Sit for final exam
• The deadline to sit is usually around the end of November for Fall semesters and the
end of April for Spring semesters.
5. Submit dissertation
• You must submit an Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) Form with your
dissertation to the Graduate School. Instructions on how to upload your ETD
document to UKnowledge. Here are instructions:
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=http://gradschool.uky.edu/
electronic-dissertation-
defense&httpsredir=1&article=1006&context=uknowledge_docs
For MFA, MA, and PhD students, these deadlines all occur in the semester you are planning to
graduate, but many are earlier than you would think. You can begin preparing for the below
deadlines now. Please check they UK Academic Calendar for the deadlines here:
https://www.uky.edu/registrar/content/academic-calendar
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Master of Arts in English

The MA in English is a two-year program designed to introduce students to the advanced study of
literature and/or film and prepare them for a variety of careers at the master’s level or further
study in a doctoral program.
The Department of English at the University of Kentucky offers four tracks leading to a degree of
Master of Arts in English:
1. Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Non-Thesis Option

2. Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Thesis Option
3. Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film, Non-Thesis Option
4. Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film, Thesis Option
Students should select their track and notify the Director of Graduate Studies and the department
manager by the end of their first year.
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Non-
Thesis Option
1. 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s

advisor. At least half the coursework must be at the 600-700 level. ENG 780, Directed
Studies, may be taken only with the permission of the Director of Graduate Studies;
ordinarily it can’t be repeated. Students may count up to three courses (9 hours) outside
the English Department toward the 30 hour requirement. Coursework must include:
• Two courses based in a historical period, one before 1800 and one after 1800
• Two courses based in geographical regions, one American and one British
Although a course may be designated as fitting into several categories, a student may
apply each course to only one. Courses from other departments can fulfill these
requirements with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, based on a course
description and/or syllabus. ENG 609, Composition for Teachers, may count toward the
30 hour requirement, but may not be used to fulfill one of the categories mentioned
above. ENG 691 does not count toward the 30 hour requirement. It is a Graduate School
policy that the student must have two-thirds of the required coursework in regular courses
(not independent study/research/practicum).
2. By the end of the spring semester of their first year, students should acquire a chair for
the exam committee, and form their exam committee in full by the early fall of their
second year (if not sooner). The committee consists of the chair of the committee and two
additional faculty members. The committee must be approved by the Director of
Graduate Studies. At least two committee members (including the chair or co-chair) must
have graduate faculty status, and at least one of the two must be a full member of the
graduate faculty. At least two members of the committee should be from the English
department. The committee must be in place and approved by the Director of Graduate
Studies by the end of the fall semester of the student’s second year.
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3. In the mid to late fall/early spring of their second year, students will, in consultation with
their committee, construct a list of thirty texts which, in diverse ways, address a central
focus. These texts will be the basis for their final oral exam at the end of the spring
semester. The texts should reflect the range of courses taken in the program. Once this list
has been approved by the committee, the final examination may be scheduled. Students
should contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager Associate, to schedule their exam.
4. Toward the end of the spring semester of the second year, the student will take a ninety-
minute oral examination based on the thirty texts from their list. All committee members
must be present for the entire examination (in extreme cases, committee members may
use conference calls or skype, but must be available and in contact with the student and
the rest of the committee during the entirety of the exam).
5. Students are expected to identify from their list 3-4 major ideas, intellectual threads,
and/or pedagogical connections and discuss them in a 2-page (double-spaced) document
(the “Synthesis”) that highlights these intellectual points or developments or suggests
how they might be introduced as units in a course. Students are responsible for sending it
to their committees 1 week before the exam. It will be the starting point for Exam
questions, but the 90 minute Exam is not limited to questions about this document.
Students may bring a copy of this Synthesis and their book list to the exam, but no other
notes should be consulted.
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Thesis
Option

advisor. At least half the coursework must be at the 600-700 level. ENG 780, Directed
Studies, may be taken only with the permission of the Director of Graduate Studies;
ordinarily it can’t be repeated. Students may count up to three courses (9 hours) outside
the English Department toward the 30 hour requirement. Coursework must include:
• Two courses based in a historical period, one before 1800 and one after 1800
• Two course based in geographical regions, one American and one British
2. Although a course may be designated as fitting into several categories, a student may
apply each course to only one. Courses from other departments can fulfill these
requirements with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, based on a course
description and/or syllabus. ENG 609, Composition for Teachers, may count toward the
30 hour requirement, but may not be used to fulfill one of the categories mentioned above.
ENG 691 does not count toward the 30 hour requirement. Thesis students who have
completed all other course requirements by the Spring semester of their second year may
take 9hrs of ENG 768 that semester. It is a Graduate School policy that the student must
have two-thirds of the required coursework in regular courses (not independent
study/research/practicum).
3. By the end of the spring semester of their first hear, students should acquire a chair for the
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exam committee, and form their exam committee in full by the early fall of their second
year (if not sooner). The committee consists of their thesis director and two additional
faculty members. The committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
At least two committee members (including the thesis director) must have graduate faculty
status, and at least one of the two must be a full member of the graduate faculty. At least
two members of the committee should be from the English department. The committee
must be in place and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the fall
semester of the student’s second year.
4. In the late fall/early spring of their second year, students will, in consultation with their
committee, construct a list of ten texts which both relate to the thesis and reflect the range
of courses taken in the program. These texts should extend the range of inquiry of the
thesis into other periods, genres, authors, themes, or critical perspectives.
5. During the spring semester of their second year, students will complete a master’s thesis,
not to exceed sixty pages. The thesis must be approved by the student’s thesis committee.
All documentation should follow the latest edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers. For
specific instructions regarding the format of the thesis, students should read the guidelines
set by the Graduate School here: http://gradschool.uky.edu/thesis-dissertation-preparation
minute oral examination based on the thesis and the ten texts selected by the student and
committee. The exam may be scheduled once the list has been approved by the committee
and they have agreed that the thesis is ready for defense. Students should contact Robin
Rahija, Department Manager Associate, to schedule their exam. All committee members
must be present for the entire examination (in extreme cases, committee members may use
conference calls or skype, but must be available and in contact with the student and the
rest of the committee during the entirety of the exam).
Important Deadlines and Paperwork for the Final Exam:
• After successfully completing the oral examination, students will have 60 days or until the
last day of the semester, whichever comes first, to submit their final, accepted document
and their ETD Approval Form to the Graduate School. Prior to final submission, students
must have their thesis reviewed via UKnowledge for a first format check. For specific
instructions on how to submit your thesis, please read the Graduate School guidelines here:
http://gradschool.uky.edu/thesis-dissertation-preparation
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film,

Non-Thesis Option

advisor. At least half the coursework must be at the 600-700 level. Six hours of ENG 681
(Studies in Film) or ENG 781 (Seminar in Film; taken under two different subtitles) must
be included. Students may count up to three courses (9 hours) outside the English
Department toward the 30 hour requirement. ENG 609, Composition for Teachers, may
count toward the 30 hour requirement, if required for teaching. ENG 691 does not count
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toward the 30 hour requirement. It is a Graduate School policy that the student must have
two-thirds of the required coursework in regular courses (not independent
study/research/practicum).
2. By the end of the spring semester of their first year, students should acquire a chair for the
year (in not sooner). The committee consists of the chair of the committee and two
additional faculty members. The committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate
Studies. At least two committee members (including the chair or co-chair) must have
graduate faculty status, and at least one of the two must be a full member of the graduate
faculty. At least two members of the committee should be from the English department.
The committee must be in place and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies by the
end of the fall semester of the student’s second year.
committee, construct a list of thirty texts which, in diverse ways, address a central focus.
These texts will be the basis for their final oral exam at the end of the spring semester. The
texts should reflect the range of courses taken in the program. Once this list has been
approved by the committee, the final examination may be scheduled. Students should
contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager Associate, to schedule their exam.
minute oral examination based on the thirty texts from their list. All committee members
5. Students are expected to identify from their list 3-4 major ideas, intellectual threads,
and/or pedagogical connections and discuss them in a 2-page (double-spaced) document
(the “Synthesis”) that highlights these intellectual points or developments or suggests how
they might be introduced as units in a course. Students are responsible for sending it to
their committees 1 week before the exam. It will be the starting point for Exam questions,
but the 90 minute Exam is not limited to questions about this document.
Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film,

Thesis Option

advisor. At least half the coursework must be at the 600-700 level. Six hours of ENG 681
(Studies in Film) or ENG 781 (Seminar in Film; taken under two different subtitles) must
be included. Students may count up to three courses (9 hours) outside the English
Department toward the 30 hour requirement. ENG 609, Composition for Teachers, may
count toward the 30 hour requirement, if required for teaching. ENG 691 does not count
toward the 30 hour requirement. Thesis students who have completed all other course
requirements by the Spring semester of their second year may take 9hrs of ENG 768 that
semester. It is a Graduate School policy that the student must have two-thirds of the
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required coursework in regular courses (not independent study/research/practicum).
2. By the end of the spring semester of their first year, students should acquire a chair for the
year (in not sooner). The committee consists of their thesis director and two additional
faculty members. The committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
At least two committee members (including the thesis director) must have graduate faculty
status, and at least one of the two must be a full member of the graduate faculty. At least
two members of the committee should be from the English department. At least one
member of the committee must be from outside the film faculty. The committee must be
in place and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the fall semester
of the student’s second year.
committee, construct a list of ten texts which both relate to the thesis and reflect the range
of courses taken in the program. These texts should extend the range of inquiry of the
thesis into other periods, genres, authors, themes, or critical perspectives.
4. During the spring semester of their second year, students will complete a master’s thesis,
not to exceed sixty pages. The thesis must be approved by the student’s thesis
committee. All documentation should follow the latest edition of the MLA Handbook for
Writers. For specific instructions regarding the format of the thesis, students should read
the guidelines set by the Graduate School here: http://gradschool.uky.edu/thesis-
dissertation-preparation
minute oral examination based on the thesis and the ten texts selected by the student and
committee. The exam may be scheduled once the list has been approved by the committee
and they have agreed that the thesis is ready for defense. Students should contact Robin
Rahija, Department Manager Associate, to schedule their exam. All committee members
• After successfully completing the oral examination, students will have 60 days OR until the
last day of the semester, whichever comes first, to submit their final, accepted document and
their ETD Approval Form to the Graduate School. Prior to final submission, students must
have their thesis reviewed via UKnowledge for a first format check. For specific instructions
on how to submit your thesis, please read the Graduate School guidelines here:
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MA Track
Name STUDENT NUMBER
Nonthesis or Thesis Option?
What do I take? Checklist Per Year
Fall Spring
Fall: Seminar, Seminar, YEAR ONE
202X 202X
Seminar, ENG 691 (a 1
hr for those working in * Decide if you will follow the Thesis
the Writing Center Option or Nonthesis Option by the
end of the Spring semester.
YEAR ONE
Spring: Seminar,
Seminar, Seminar
Fall Spring
YEAR TWO
202X 202X Fall: Seminar, Seminar,
ENG 609 & ENG 691 (for
those who are teaching) * Form advisory committee by
midterm of the Fall semester. Get
DGS's approval for committee.
YEAR TWO * Successfully pass the final exam /
Spring: ENG 780 for 6 defend your thesis in the Spring
hrs & Seminar if semester.
Nonthesis / ENG 768 for * Submit: 1) application for degree,
FINAL EXAM 6 hrs & Seminar if Thesis 2) request for final exam or thesis
or THESIS Option defense to the Grad School, 3) if
DEFENSE
thesis, thesis to Graduate School.
* All MA students must take 30 credit hours, 36 if funded.
* A maximum of three courses outside of English can be applied to MA coursework.
* ENG 609 counts toward the credit hour req.; practicum courses (ENG 691) and creative writing courses do not
count toward the credit hour req.
* MA students should not register for ENG 611, ENG 700, or ENG 780, which are only open to PhD students.
PLEASE NOTE: This checklist is only intended as a guide--please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook and
the Graduate School Bulletin for details on the requirements.
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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The MFA in Creative Writing is a two-year program with a flexible and interdisciplinary
approach, combining a studio/research curriculum. The UK MFA in Creative Writing places
equal emphasis on fostering the artistic process of the MFA student, as well as their literary study
and related creative or scholarly work.
Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

advisor. Coursework must include:
• At least 12 hours of graduate writing workshop, ENG 607

• At least 6 hours of courses related to the study of creative writing genres (ex. Craft
of Poetry, Craft of Creative Nonfiction, Special Topics in Poetry / Fiction /
Nonfiction, courses in Creative Writing Pedagogy, Publishing, etc.), ENG 608
• At least 3 hours of graduate courses designated as ENG, at the 600 or 700 levels,
offered by the English department
• At least 3 hours of additional courses inside (600 or 700 levels) or outside the
department (400G+) or Independent Studies such as New Limestone Review
editorial board, University Press of Kentucky Internship, Directorship & Publicity
Internship, Visiting Writers Series Internship, or other ENG 780 courses.
• At least 16 hrs of coursework must be regular classes (not ENG 768 or ENG 780)
Although a course may be designated as fitting into several categories, a student may
apply each course to only one. Neither ENG 609 nor ENG 691 may count toward the 30
hour requirement. It is a Graduate School policy that the student must have two-thirds of
the required coursework in regular courses (not independent study/research/practicum).
2. Students in the Creative Writing program will give a presentation of a significant portion
of their own written work produced while in residence. In this public
reading/performance, the student exhibits their work before an audience of peers, faculty,
and the general public.
3. In the fall of their second year, students will choose their thesis director and form their
thesis committee. The committee consists of the thesis director and two additional faculty
members. At least two committee members (including the thesis director) must have
graduate faculty status, and at least one of the two must be a full member of the graduate
faculty. At least two members of the committee should be from the English department.
The committee should include at least one English creative writing faculty member and
one English literature faculty member. The committee must be in place and approved by
the Director of Graduate Studies by the middle of the Fall semester of the student’s second
year.
4. During the Spring semester of their second year, students will complete a creative thesis,
under the direction of a thesis director. The thesis will be a sustained body of original
writing—not to exceed 200 pages of fiction (short stories, novella, or novel) or non-
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fiction, or a collection of approximately 48 poems. While the final project usually consists
of an approximate book-length manuscript, theses that are not strictly print-based may
also be submitted. The thesis must be approved by the student’s thesis committee.
5. MFA candidates who have completed their coursework who are receiving financial
support from the University and/or utilizing University resources while working on their
theses should enroll in ENG 768. Please contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager
Associate, to enroll in this residency course.
6. Toward the end of the Spring semester of the second year, the student will take a ninety-
minute thesis defense. The exam may be scheduled once the committee has agreed that the
thesis is ready for defense. Students should contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager
Associate, to schedule their exam. All committee members must be present for the entire
examination (in extreme cases, committee members may use conference calls or skype,
but must be available and in contact with the student and the rest of the committee during
the entirety of the exam).
• After successfully completing the oral examination, students will have 60 days or until the last
day of the semester, whichever comes first, to submit their final, accepted document and their
ETD Approval Form to the Graduate School. Prior to final submission, students must have
their thesis reviewed via UKnowledge for a first format check. For specific instructions on how
to submit your thesis, please read the Graduate School guidelines here:
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MFA Track
Name STUDENT NUMBER
What do I take? Checklist Per Year
Fall: 1) ENG 607, 2) ENG

Fall Spring 608, 3) Lit seminar or YEAR ONE
202X 202X other graduate level
course or ENG 609 &
ENG 691 (for those * Start thinking about your thesis
teaching in WRD for the project by the end of the Spring
first time) semester
YEAR ONE
Spring: 1) ENG 607, 2)

ENG 608, 3) ENG 780 or
Lit seminar or other
graduate level course
Fall: 1) ENG 607, 2) ENG

Fall Spring
608, 3) ENG 780 or Lit YEAR TWO
202X 202X
seminar or other grad-
level course or ENG 609 * Work with DCW to secure thesis
& ENG 691 (for those director by midterm of Fall
teaching in WRD for the semester. Form rest of committee
first time) by end of Fall
YEAR TWO
Spring: 1) ENG 607, 2) * Complete and defend thesis by
ENG 768 for 6hrs if end of Spring semester.
funded and all other
requirements beside * Submit: 1) application for
last ENG 607 have been degree, 2) request for final exam
met. to Grad School, 3) thesis to Grad
School.
* Students must take 30 credit hours, 36 if funded.

* ENG 780s count toward these 30 hrs but can only be repeated up to 6 hrs for credit. Internships count as ENG
780s. Only two 780s are permited.
* A minimum of one 3-credit hour English lit seminar at the 600 or 700 level is required.
* A minimum of 3 more hours at the 400G or above outside, or 600 or above inside the department are
required.
* Need DGS approval to take undergraduate courses. Can only take undergraduate course in year two, if
teaching.
* International students cannot take undergraduate courses.
* ENG 609 and ENG 691 do not count toward the credit hour requirement but can count towards the semester
minimum requirement of 9 credit hours (for non self-funded students)
PLEASE NOTE: This checklist is only intended as a guide--please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for
details on the requirements.
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Doctor of Philosophy in English

The Ph.D. in English is a five-year program designed to prepare students for a career in academia.
Although individual trajectories may vary, depending on the pace of self-directed work and the
number of prequalifying residency credits waived, students typically take graduate seminars
during the first and second years, complete the two-part qualifying exam during the third year,
and write their dissertations during the fourth and fifth years. The English Department takes very
seriously each student's steady movement toward the doctorate. All funding/financial aid offers
are contingent upon making minimal satisfactory progress, which is outlined on page 16.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in English
1. 36 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s advisor.
Coursework must include:
• 24 hours of graduate seminars

o All courses must be at the 500 level or above
o At least 15 hours must be at the 600-700 level
o ENG 607, 609, 691, and creative writing courses do not count toward the 24
hour graduate seminar requirement
o Up to 2 courses (6 hours) outside the English department may be applied to the
24-hour graduate seminar requirement
• 3 hours (1 semester) of ENG 700, while preparing for the Qualifying Exam Part 01
• 6 hours of ENG 780, taken while preparing for the Qualifying Exam Part 01
• Students wishing to teaching English literature courses must take ENG 611. This
opportunity is available after completing the first year of the program.
2. During the first semester, students should meet with the DGS to discuss their early spring
application for 3-9 hrs of Pre-Qualifying Residency Hours (PGRH). These are hours from a
previous graduate program that will count toward a student’s 24 seminar hours requirement.
The number of PQRHs will impact the time it takes for a student to move through the program.
Different timeline tracks are available at the end of this document. Students with a high
number of PQRHs may choose to take a less accelerated track in order to take more department
seminars. Students can get the PQRH request form from Robin Rahija. It is a Graduate School
policy that the student must have two-thirds of the required coursework in regular courses (not
independent study/research/practicum).
3. During the second year (if not earlier), students will form their dissertation committee. The
committee consists of four members. It must include a minimum of two faculty members from
the English Department (with one being the chair), and one representative from outside the
graduate program. All members of the core must be members of the Graduate Faculty of the
University of Kentucky and three (including the chair) must possess Full Graduate Faculty
Status. The committee must be in place and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies by
the end of the spring semester of the student’s second year. Once the committee has been
formed, the student will submit the committee list for approval by the Director of Graduate
Studies and the Graduate School via
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4. Once their committee is formed during the second year, students will decide on a major area
and a minor area and develop a list of texts for the oral portion of the qualifying exam, based
on these areas. The major area, which will likely but not necessarily be a historical period,
should include 70 texts, and the minor area, which will be either historical, special topic, or
genre, should include 30 texts. This list should be completed and approved by the committee
by the end of the spring semester of the second year, in order to give the student time over the
summer to study the texts. Robin has copies of past lists.
5. By the end of the fall semester of the third year, students will take the oral portion of the
qualifying examination (called the Qualifying Exam 01 or QE01). The oral examination will
last two hours and will include two components:
• A week prior to the exam, the student will be given two or three questions formulated
by their director in consultation with the rest of the committee, from which the student
will choose one. The student will then prepare a 20-minute presentation for their exam.
Students are advised to focus on roughly six central texts for the presentation. While the
presentation should not be read, and no notes may be consulted, students may use
Powerpoint or other presentation software. During the next 40 minutes, the committee
members will discuss the presentation.
• The second hour of the oral examination will include questions and discussion of the
texts from the major and minor lists. Students may consult an unmarked copy of their
approved list during the exam, but no other notes are permitted.
• Students should contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager Associate, to schedule

their exam. All committee members must be present for the entire examination, either
in person or by Zoom.
6. During the Spring semester of the third year, students will write their dissertation prospectus
under the guidance of their dissertation director. The prospectus should be from 12 to 15 pages,
followed by a (minimum 3 page) bibliography. Once the prospectus is complete and the
committee has decided it is ready to defend (usually during—and not later than the end of—the
second semester of the third year), students will contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager
Associate, to schedule their two-hour prospectus defense (call Qualifying Exam 02 or QE02) with their
committee.
• Additionally, the student must submit a Request for Qualifying Exam to the Graduate School:
https://ris.uky.edu/cfdocs/gs/DoctoralCommittee/Selection_Screen.cfm at least two weeks prior
to their prospectus defense. Since the prospectus defense is the last part of the qualifying year,
it is considered the official qualifying exam by the Graduate School.
• Students should not schedule their prospectus defense until they have completed the two-hour
oral exam.
7. Once students successfully complete the prospectus defense, they are officially in the post-
quals/ABD stage of their degree and may begin to work exclusively on their dissertation. At
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this point, students should continue to register each semester, for two credit hours of ENG 767,
Dissertation Residency Credit. Each student should register for the section in which their
dissertation director is listed as the primary instructor. Students do not need to register for
ENG 767 during the summer but do need to register for ENG 767 every fall and spring until
they successfully defend their dissertation and complete the program. Students must complete
at least two semesters of ENG 767 before they are eligible to sit for the final doctoral
examination.
• Each student will have an annual review with their dissertation director to assess their
progress, which will be reviewed by the Director of Graduate Studies.
8. After the student has completed the dissertation and the committee has decided it is ready for
defense, the student will begin the process of setting up the dissertation defense (also known as
the final doctoral examination). Students should contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager
Associate, to schedule the defense. The defense will last two hours. All committee members
must be present for the entire defense, either in person or by Zoom.
• Students must submit a Notice of Intent to Schedule a Final Doctoral Examination

(NOTIF) to the Graduate School:
https://ris.uky.edu/cfdocs/gs/DoctoralCommittee/Selection_Screen.cfm at least eight
weeks prior to the anticipated defense date. This will allow the Graduate School time to
find an outside examiner for the defense.
• Students also need to submit the application for degree on MyUK when they submit the
Notice of Intent.
• At least two weeks prior to the defense, students must submit a Request for Final
Doctoral Examination to the Graduate School:
9. Once the defense is successfully completed, the student will have 60 days to submit the final
copy to the Graduate School (or less than 60 days if the student intends to graduate that
semester and the semester deadline is sooner). Students should refer to the Electronic
Dissertation Defense Process website on the Graduate School site for details regarding how to
submit the final dissertation: http://gradschool.uky.edu/electronic-dissertation-defense
Along with the above university and Graduate School requirements, the English Department has
its own requirements for the maintenance of minimal satisfactory progress, as follows. Doctoral
students are expected to:
• Maintain course grades of B and above in coursework. Two course grades below a B may
result in dismissal from the program.
• Complete all incompletes before proceeding to the qualifying examination.
• Complete their coursework no later than their fifth semester in the program.
• Complete the relevant portions of the annual evaluation form and give a copy to the
director by the spring deadline.
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• Pass the first stage of the qualifying exam (“orals”) no later than 31 August of year 4. If
the student fails on the first attempt, a second try is permitted. A second failure may result
in dismissal from the program.
o This is the minimal satisfactory standard. Students are expected to pass the first
stage of the qualifying exam in the fall semester of year 3.
• Submit an approved dissertation prospectus to the advisory committee no later than 15
January of year 4.
o This is the minimal satisfactory standard. Students are expected to pass the second
stage of the qualifying exam (“prospectus”) in the spring semester of year 3.
• Advance to candidacy by successfully passing their qualifying examination no later than
the end of year 4. Students who do not meet this requirement will be placed on probation
and will be at risk of losing their funding.
• Complete and defend their dissertation by the end of the sixth year.
For extensions to this schedule, students may petition the DGS through their director and/or
advising committees.
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Graduate Student Mentoring

From the Department of English Bylaws:
Section XV: Graduate Student Mentoring

All faculty who are responsible for advising graduate students should follow the Department’s
guidelines on Mentoring Graduate Students. Success in the English department's three graduate
programs (M.A., MFA, Ph.D.) requires close collaboration among faculty and students with shared
areas of interest. While the adviser/advisee relationship is crucial for our students to thrive, it is
important to recognize that there are different relationship styles and a diversity of models for what
this professional relationship can look like. It is equally if not more important for students to have
as much clarity as possible regarding their committee’s expectations throughout their graduate
career. To help ensure success, the department has established guidelines for graduate students and
advisors which may be found in Appendix C: English Department Guidelines for Graduate Student
Mentoring.
Appendix C: English Department Guidelines for Graduate Student Mentoring
Mentoring Graduate Students in English
Success in the English department's three graduate programs (MA, MFA, PhD) requires close
collaboration among faculty and students with shared areas of interest. While the adviser/advisee
relationship is crucial to getting our students to thrive, it is important to recognize that people have
different relationship styles and that there is a diversity of models for what this professional
relationship can look like. It is equally if not more important for students to have as much clarity as
possible regarding their committee’s expectations throughout their graduate career.
To help ensure success, the department suggests that students discuss the following points with
their adviser at the beginning of their relationship:
• The student's personal timeline and the timing of committee formation and other
program milestones. For all students, no matter their path (MA, PhD, MFA), securing a
primary adviser should occur ideally no later than the end of their first year of studies.
• The adviser's preferred communication method and frequency. Does the adviser want
to meet to discuss drafts? Does the adviser prefer to send marked up drafts via email? Or
some combination?
• The expected supervisory model or style. Much of what doctoral students do in
preparation for—and subsequent to—the qualifying exams is drafting (lists, prospectuses,
dissertation chapters). How many drafts will depend on both the adviser and the process by
which the student works. To a certain extent this principle applies as well to MA and MFA
students, who are also frequently engaged in drafting documents, whether lists or theses.
See below about the role that ancillary committee members are expected to take in the
drafting process.
Students might consider asking:
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• How quickly can you expect your adviser to respond to written submissions turned in
on time? Department guidelines will specify that a two-week turnaround on a student draft
should be the norm, though there is a normal range of time to give feedback that might
sometimes exceed the two-week period.
• How quickly can you expect your adviser to respond to requests for meetings or
conversations? Email is likely the best way to touch base with a professor in order to
schedule a more in-depth meeting, but sometimes emails fall from the top of the inbox
(faculty like students get a lot of them!). If you don’t hear back from your adviser within a
week, feel free to send out a gentle reminder / nudge. It is rarely the case that an adviser is
being simply lax or derelict; in all probability, that adviser is probably no less swamped
with service, teaching, research, and committee work than any graduate faculty member.
• How regularly does your adviser like to meet? Checking in with one’s adviser should
occur at least once a semester.
• How often would your adviser like a written report of your progress along degree
milestones? What format should this report take? Self-assessment can be a wonderful
tool for measuring progress and outlining aims and accomplishments; an annual or biannual
reflection on one’s work can be very salutary. It is important, however, not to let these
reflections or any statement based on them take the place of the more substantive measures
of progress toward the degree, namely taking exams, writing a prospectus, and drafting
workable dissertation or thesis chapters.
• What role does your adviser expect 2nd and 3rd (internal) committee members and the
external committee member (in the case of doctoral committees) to take in the
advising of the thesis? In some cases, advisers like close oversight of the student with
committee members in the background; in other cases, advisers like the committee
members to be reading drafts throughout every stage of the writing process. There is a
range of options, and it is best for the student and adviser to figure out precisely what the
expectations here are. It is also important for you to voice what you as a student would like
to get out of your committee, and even to tell your adviser, if need be, that you were
planning on a different kind of feedback from what the adviser entertains.
Advisers should:
• Maintain regular communication with advisees while in residence.

• Advise students on the choice of committee members, and be willing to reach out to
colleagues to help students fill out their committees satisfactorily. This intervention
includes external members drawn from other departments.
• Ensure that advisees are formally supported (either by themselves or another faculty
member) when the adviser is on sabbatical or research leave.
• Be aware of advisees' course choices and proactive in steering them in the direction best
suited for successful qualifying exams and/or thesis writing.
• Be mindful of departmental and Graduate School deadlines. These include deadlines for
fellowship applications, letters of recommendation, and college and university awards.
• Monitor GPAs, chapter submissions, and other indicators of student performance.
• Review closely (for accuracy, appropriate timeline, and other details) and sign off on the
annual student progress reports.
• Help advisees identify opportunities to participate in the larger profession of English
studies. Such work entails guiding students as they propose and deliver conference
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presentations. It also includes coaching students diligently as they draft work for
submission to refereed journals. Advisers should be able to point students in the direction
of journals most apt for their work, and they should make themselves available to read
articles in draft form before they are submitted.
• Provide students with guidance about professional and disciplinary norms. This mentoring
must include realistic and practical advice about jobseeking in English studies with an eye
toward maximizing the advisee’s chances (from conference-going to publishing in peer-
reviewed venues) for securing employment in college teaching. The advisee should also be
committed to helping students imagine gainful and satisfying employment in the non-
professorial (alt-ac) world.
Advisees should:
• Feel comfortable initiating regular communication with the adviser. Such communication
should involve everything from what deadlines the student has set for timely completion of
work and feedback to what the advisee’s ideal job plans (teaching college, non-tenure-track
employment, alt-ac employment) might be and how to foster the best path to such
employment.
• Inform the adviser of the courses the student plans to enroll in and keep adviser informed of
progress or problems.
• Work with adviser to create an agreed upon timeline for reaching program milestones and
maintaining timely progress toward degree. In most cases that timeline will correspond to
the various templates laid out in the English department Graduate Student Handbook. But it
is important for the adviser and the advisee to be on the same page, whatever shape that
might be.
• Learn and comply with departmental and Graduate School deadlines and regulations.
• Consult with the adviser about how to best take a role in the discipline of English studies by
participating in professional meetings or other appropriate forums. Not least of these roles
is the preparation and submission of manuscripts to the appropriate journals in the
discipline or sub-discipline of the student’s specialization.
If students have concerns about the advising they are receiving, they should arrange to speak
confidentially with the Director of Graduate Studies, Department Chair, or a member of the
Advisory Committee (depending on the personnel involved). In keeping with the strong and
unequivocal support we offer to graduate students, the department will take all such concerns
seriously. Students may also seek out the guidance of the Academic Ombudsman
(http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/). Any student, after due consideration and consultation with the DGS
and the agreement of the faculty to serve, may change adviser or committee members at any point
in their progress to degree. In fact, students have a great deal of discretion with respect to the
makeup of their committees. They can opt to replace members without the say-so of those
members, though courtesy dictates that any replaced member will be notified ahead of time of such
replacement.
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English Department Graduate Student Handbook AY 2023-2024

Academic Year 2023-2024

Important Graduation Deadlines to Remember

MFA and MA students have 4 deadlines to meet in order to graduate:

PhD students have 5 deadlines to meet in order to graduate:

2. Submit Notice of Intent to defend

Master of Arts in English

1. Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Literature, Non-Thesis Option

1. 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s

1. 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s

Important Deadlines and Paperwork for the Final Exam:

Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film,

1. 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s

Requirements for the Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Film,

1. 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s

required coursework in regular courses (not independent study/research/practicum).

Important Deadlines and Paperwork for the Final Exam:

What do I take? Checklist Per Year

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

1. 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up in consultation with the student’s

• At least 12 hours of graduate writing workshop, ENG 607

Important Deadlines and Paperwork for the Final Exam:

What do I take? Checklist Per Year

Fall: 1) ENG 607, 2) ENG

Spring: 1) ENG 607, 2)

Fall: 1) ENG 607, 2) ENG

* Students must take 30 credit hours, 36 if funded.

Doctor of Philosophy in English

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in English

• 24 hours of graduate seminars

• Students should contact Robin Rahija, Department Manager Associate, to schedule

• Students must submit a Notice of Intent to Schedule a Final Doctoral Examination

Graduate Student Mentoring

Section XV: Graduate Student Mentoring

Appendix C: English Department Guidelines for Graduate Student Mentoring

Mentoring Graduate Students in English

Students might consider asking:

• Maintain regular communication with advisees while in residence.

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