Calendar 2005/2006

Location

Social Sciences Building, Room 1112

Faculty number

(403) 220-5484

Fax

(403) 289-1123

E-mail address

enggrad@ucalgary.ca

Web page URL

http://www.english.ucalgary.ca/

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Master of Arts (MA), course-based and thesis-based

Areas: British, American, Canadian and International literatures in English

A Creative Writing option is available at the Master of Arts (thesis) and Doctor of Philosophy levels.

In addition to Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts (Course-based and Thesis-based)

(a)A University of Calgary Honours degree or its equivalent in English (10 full courses in English)

(b)A Statement of Intent

(c)For applicants required to provide proof of proficiency in English, a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (written test) or 250 (computer-based test)

(d)A sample of critical writing; for creative writing applicants, an additional 10-page sample of creative writing

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)A Master of Arts Degree in English or its equivalent

(b)A Statement of Intent

(c)A sample of critical writing; for creative writing applicants, an additional 10-page sample of creative writing

(d)For applicants required to provide proof of proficiency in English, a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (written test) or 250 (computer-based test)

The deadline for the submission of complete applications is January 10 for September admission.

Application for advanced credit must be made to the Department Head at the time of admission.

In addition to Faculty requirements, the Department normally requires:

Master of Arts (Thesis)

(a)Three full-course equivalents in English at the 600 or 700 level beyond the Honours BA

(b)English 696 or its equivalent

(c)A reading knowledge of a language other than English

Master of Arts (Course-based)

(a)Five full-course equivalents in English at the 600 or 700 level beyond the Honours BA or equivalent

(b)English 696 or its equivalent

(c)A reading knowledge of a language other than English

Note: only the course-based Master of Arts program is open to part-time students.

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)Six full-course equivalents in English at the 600, 700, or 800 level beyond the Honours BA or three full-course equivalents in English beyond the MA

(b)English 696 or its equivalent

(c)A reading knowledge of a language other than English

All students must attend an orientation session.

Second Language Requirement

The Department of English requires, for both the MA and PhD, knowledge of one language other than English. Students are encouraged to establish competency in a language that contains a body of texts relevant to their program of study. This requirement can be met in the following ways:

(a) A minimum grade of B in a full course or each of two half-courses at a senior (300) level

(b)Passing the department reading exam. Computer-based courses in French (French 235 - French 237 and French 334 - French 337)[FREN337] and German (German 201 - German 213) are available and would be helpful in preparing for the department set exam.

(c)Documentation establishing native proficiency in a language other than English

It is the responsibility of the student to supply evidence of native proficiency or evidence that course work in a language at another university meets the requirement spelled out in this guide. Students who do not meet the requirement upon entry should consult with the Associate Head (Graduate Program) no later than the week before classes begin about the best approach to take.

The department may give graduate credit for up to one full-course equivalent at the 500-level, subject to the approval of the Department Head.

Expected completion time is two years for the Master of Arts (thesis), and four years for the Master of Arts (course-based) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Maximum completion time is four years for the Master of Arts (thesis) and six years for the Master of Arts (course-based) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

For the first seven months of the program, students are assigned an interim advisor to give them time to familiarize themselves with faculty members' research before securing a permanent supervisor.

Master of Arts (Thesis)

By 15 April of the first year, each student must submit a proposed field of research, and the name of a proposed supervisor to the Graduate Executive Committee for approval.

Master of Arts (Course-based)

By 15 April of the first year of study, each student must submit the name of the proposed supervisor to the Graduate Executive Committee for approval (15 August for part-time students).

Doctor of Philosophy

By 15 April of the first year, each student must submit the proposed field of research, the name of the proposed supervisor and supervisory committee and an initial thesis proposal to the Graduate Executive Committee for approval.

Final thesis oral examinations are closed with no public presentation.

Master of Arts (Course-based)

After the completion of all course work, the candidate must either complete two 3-hour written examinations followed by an oral examination or submit two papers of 2500-3500 words each followed by an oral examination. The topics for the two papers to be submitted may be picked up from the Graduate Program Administrator two weeks before their due date.

Doctoral Candidacy Examinations

The written component, set by the candidate's supervisory committee and consisting of three examinations, must be completed no fewer than 10 days before the oral examination. In consultation with the supervisor, each student develops a Reading List of 25-30 book-length texts or the equivalent for each of the three examinations.

The student may take the written portion of the examination in either of the following ways:

Option 1: Sit-Down Examination

Sit-down examinations normally consist of three papers, written in three separate sittings of three hours each and completed over a five-day period.

Option 2: Take-Home Examination

Take home examinations normally consist of three papers, written at home, ranging from 3500 to 4000 words each, the topics for which may be collected from the English Department office three weeks before their due date.

Master of Arts (Thesis)

By 15 May, no later than eight months after initial registration, each student must submit a thesis proposal on the form Registration of MA Thesis Topic to the Graduate Executive Committee. Further details are available from the department.

Master of Arts (Course-Based)

By 15 October of the second year of study (15 April for part-time students), after consultation with the supervisor, each student must submit descriptions of the areas to be covered in the two examinations to be written at the end of the program for the approval of the Graduate Executive Committee. A preliminary reading list should be included.

Doctor of Philosophy

By 15 April, no later than seven months after initial registration, each student must submit a thesis proposal on the form Initial PhD Thesis Research Proposal: Declaration of Supervisor, Field, and Supervisory Committee to the Graduate Executive Committee. The student must submit a Final PhD Thesis Proposal and Bibliography form along with a final thesis proposal and bibliography to the doctoral supervisory committee within three months of successful completion of the candidacy examinations. Further details are available from the department.

Students must register for courses by the end of June. Continuing students and new students who are able to do so should consult the course instructors before they register. Other new students should consult the course instructors as soon as they arrive on campus. Final approval to enter a course is given by the Head or Associate Head of the Department.

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this calendar.

Students applying for scholarships are advised to have their applications to the Department by 15 December.

None

Detailed information about faculty members and their research interests may be found at http://www.english.ucalgary.ca/faculty/index.htm and the Guide for Graduate Students, published annually and available upon request from the Department.