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ROMANCE LANGUAGES GRADUATE HANDBOOK To print a section of the handbook, use your mouse to highlight the text that you want to print. Go to the FILE menu and select PRINT. Under the page range section choose to print SELECTION.
I. INTRODUCTION
This Handbook for Graduate Students, prepared by the Graduate Faculty of the Department of Romance Languages, summarizes general information and policies of interest to all graduate students and graduate teaching assistants enrolled in our department. Some of the policies are determined by the Department of Romance Languages and can be revised by the Graduate Faculty of the Department, while others are mandated by the Graduate School of the University of Georgia and can be changed only by the Graduate Council. Please be aware that the policies in this handbook are subject to change. The Graduate Coordinator will inform you of any changes and their date of implementation.
Whether you are a new or returning graduate student, you should familiarize yourself with this information and should refer to the handbook frequently as you progress through the program. Two other university publications you should consult are The University of Georgia Bulletin and The UGA Student Guide to Preparation and Processing Theses and Dissertations. These publications will provide the answers to most of your questions. However, should you need clarification or further information, please speak with the Graduate Coordinator.
The Graduate Faculty recognizes that as graduate students you make unique contributions to the teaching and research mission of the department. We hope that you will become involved in the life of the department and that you will make suggestions for improving our graduate programs to your elected representatives or to any faculty member. We also hope that you will stay in touch with us after you graduate and let us know of your progress in your career.
The Graduate Faculty extends to you its best wishes for a productive and rewarding stay as a graduate student in the Department of Romance Languages.
II.1. DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Professor Nina Hellerstein See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article II, and Statutes of the University of Georgia, Articles IV and IX.
II.1.b. Associate Head of Department Professor Dana Bultman See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article III, Section 1.
Professor Catherine M. Jones See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article III, Section 3.
II.1.d. Departmental Committee See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article VI. See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article IV. See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article V.
Members of the Department of Romance Languages Graduate Faculty:
Anderson Faculty members in the Department of Romance Languages who are not reappointed to the Graduate Faculty will be assigned a 6-course teaching load. The extra courses will be assigned by the Department Head, according to the needs of individual language programs. If and when these faculty members are readmitted to the Graduate Faculty, their teaching assignment will be four classes.
For further information on the Graduate Faculty, including descriptions of provisional membership and regular membership, please consult the Graduate Faculty Bylaws.
II.1.g. Committees in the Department A number of committees in the Department may be of particular interest to the graduate students. See Bylaws of the Department of Romance Languages, Article VII. See also Section VI.3. of this handbook for a list of all Departmental committees and their membership. II.2. GRADUATE STUDENT REPRESENTATION Each year, at the beginning of the Spring semester, the graduate students elect three representatives: one from French, one from Spanish, and one from Romance Languages. The Graduate Coordinator will initiate the election process, which will be completed within three weeks from the opening of the semester.
Representatives for AY08-09: Julia Barnes (Spanish), Melinda Cro (Romance Languages), Willie Carver (French).
II.3. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION See The Department of Romance Languages Policies and Procedures Manual, Sections I-III. II.4. PARTICIPATION IN DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES During the academic year, the Department sponsors a series of events such as films, lectures, symposia, in which all graduate students are encouraged to participate. Grade appeals constitute most student grievances at the department level. Students may appeal a grade in any course offered in the Department of Romance Languages. An appeal must take the form of a detailed letter addressed to the Department Head who appoints a three-member faculty committee to review the appeal. Within a week, the appeal committee reports to the Department Head and recommends that the appeal be either granted or denied. Students in sections of 1001-2002 must first address their grade appeals to the appropriate Language Supervisor.
Appeal committees are appointed on an ad hoc basis. Any grievance other than a grade appeal must be taken to the faculty member who teaches the course in which the student is enrolled. If the grievance cannot be resolved satisfactorily, a student may appeal the faculty member's decision to the Department Head. Depending on the nature of said grievance, the Department Head will either: (a) Refer the matter to one of the standing committees in the Department and request it to submit its recommendation within a week; or (b) Appoint a three-faculty member ad hoc committee and request that it submit its recommendation within a week.
All appeals at the department level are exhausted with the decision of the Department Head.
On disputes and grievances, see also the Department of Romance Languages Policies and Procedures Manual, Section V.10.
The Department of Romance Languages is committed to helping graduate students who will be looking for employment find the best possible position for which they are qualified. Advertised job openings and announcements of job opportunities are posted on the bulletin board across from the mail room. In addition, the Department holds a Job Search Workshop for all interested graduate students periodically.
When students begin applying for jobs, they are encouraged to contact the UGA Career Center in Clark Howell Hall. Students wishing to have placement files, inluding letters of recommendation, sent to prospective employers typically use a web-based service such as Interfolio.
The Department expects the applicant for the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree to have an undergraduate major or its equivalent in French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, or Romance Languages from either the University of Georgia, or another accredited institution of higher learning in the United States, or a recognized foreign institution. Notarized copies of degree certificates form part of the application dossier. The University also requires copies of official transcripts, listing all grades for all courses taken.
The Office of Graduate Admissions of the University of Georgia has established as minimum requirements for applicants to a Master's degree program a 2.6 undergraduate grade point average. Prospective Master's students must take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). The score on the GRE should, preferably, be higher than 800 (verbal + quantitative).
The Department expects the applicant for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree to hold, in addition to the Bachelor of Arts, the Master of Arts or its equivalent in French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, or Romance Languages from either the University of Georgia, or another accredited institution of higher learning in the United States, or a recognized foreign institution. The Graduate Admissions Committees will consider on an individual basis applications of students who did not write a Master's thesis at another institution, or who present a special case. The Office of Graduate Admissions of the University of Georgia has established as minimum requirements for applicants to a doctoral degree program a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average and a 3.5 graduate grade point average. Prospective doctoral students must take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). The score on the GRE should, preferably, be higher than 1000 (verbal + quantitative).
Foreign nationals must take both the GRE and TOEFL exams before coming to the US. For information on the GRE and TOEFL exams, see GRE and TOEFL.
The Department expects French and Spanish majors to be reasonably fluent in their target language of study, and Romance Languages majors to be reasonably fluent in both languages of the major and the minor. The Department also expects all applicants to its graduate degree programs to be competent in English.
Candidates intending to pursue Doctoral-Level Studies in the Department of Romance Languages should apply for admission to the Ph.D. program no later than the mid point of the semester in which they intend to graduate. This is done by sending an application for admission form to the Office of Graduate Admissions, by asking three faculty members familiar with the student's work at the M.A. level to submit letters of recommendation to the Graduate Coordinator, and by submitting to the Graduate Coordinator an M.A. thesis chapter or term paper written in the student's major language. The applicant will then be interviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee(s) in the appropriate language(s), and the committee(s) will make a recommendation to the Graduate Faculty based on an evaluation of the student's file and the interview. The Graduate Faculty will vote on whether to recommend that the student be admitted to the Ph.D. program. Admission to the program is contingent upon completion of M.A. degree requirements.
No interview will be required of students from UGA Romance Languages applying to our Ph.D. program.
The student's Supervisor must make a positive recommendation for a student to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship.
A minimum of 3.0 must be maintained in all graduate courses taken, and no grade below C will be accepted as part of a program of study.
Students with a cumulative graduate grade point average below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters are placed on academic probation by the Graduate School. They then must make a 3.0 or higher graduate average each succeeding semester that their overall cumulative graduate average is below 3.0. If they make below a 3.0 graduate average during a semester while on probation, they are dismissed. When students repeat a graduate course, the last grade will be used to calculate the cumulative graduate average that is used for probation and dismissal.
Students have two semesters to remove an Incomplete before it automatically becomes an F.
Only S (Satisfactory) and U (Unsatisfactory) grades can be given for thesis and dissertation courses, such as FREN/SPAN/ROML 7000, 7005, and 7300, and ROML 9000, 9005, and 9300.
III.1.c. Enrollment in Graduate Courses All graduate students must register for a minimum of three semester hours two semesters per year to comply with the Graduate School's continuous enrollment policy. All graduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of 3 hours during the semester in which they complete the requirements for the degree.
To be considered full-time, a student who has an assistantship must be enrolled in 12 hours of coursework. The Graduate Student Seminar ROML 7005 or ROML 9005, which extends credit to students for participating in the graduate program, may be taken for 3 hours to complete the 12 hour requirement. ROML 7005 or ROML 9005 may be taken every semester to complete the 12 hour requirement, but they do not count for the student's Program of Study.
The maximum number of hours students can enroll in, without special overload permission, is 15 when teaching no courses; no distinction is made here between class hours and research hours.
All graduate students are strongly encouraged to register for the following semester during Phase I registration. Students should fill out the yellow advisement form in consultation with their major professor and have him or her sign it. Then they should give this signed form to the Graduate Coordinator who will return to them their copy of the form once he or she has authorized them to register by computer.
Students with a Teaching Assistantship who do not register during Phase I or Phase II registration, that is, prior to the first day of class, will have their assistantship terminated by the Graduate School.
III.2. MASTER OF ARTS (M.A.) DEGREE
All students admitted to the M.A. programs in French, Romance Languages, or Spanish apply under the thesis degree designation. After choosing a major professor and filing an advisory committee form the student may decide, in consultation with his or her advisory committee, to change his or her degree designation to the non-thesis M.A. within the same program to which he or she was admitted: French, Romance Languages, or Spanish. The thesis degree will typically be recommended for students planning to advance to doctoral studies in the fields of literature or linguistics. If the student plans to graduate with the M.A. non-thesis degree, the student must file a Request for Change of Degree Objective form with the Graduate School after seeking advising on coursework from his or her advisory committee.
A student who has been admitted to one graduate program in our Department, such as the M.A. in French, but then wants to transfer to another program within the Department, such as the M.A. in Romance Languages, must first obtain the recommendation of the Admissions Committee of the program he or she wishes to enter before taking courses in fulfillment of the requirements for that program.
Once a student has been admitted to the program, he or she may petition for exemption from FREN/ROML 7700/SPAN 7750 by submitting to the Graduate Coordinator all available information (course description, course syllabus, work completed for course) about the course taken which he or she believes to be equivalent to FREN/ROML7700/SPAN 7750. The Graduate Coordinator, in consultation with the Language Supervisor and the Teacher of Record of FREN/ROML 7700 or SPAN 7750, will make decisions regarding petitions for exemption of these courses by graduate students.
Students may petition the Graduate Faculty by writing a letter to the Graduate Coordinator signed by the major professor, if one has been selected: (a) to take courses outside of their field of study; (b) to take courses outside of the department (Note: M.A. students majoring in French or Spanish Linguistics may take, in consultation with their Advisory Committee, a second linguistics course in the Department of Linguistics without petitioning; non-thesis M.A. students may take one course outside of the Department of Romance Languages without petitioning); or (c) to transfer a maximum of 6 hours credit (at M.A. level only; no transfer credit is permissible on a Ph.D. program of study).
The hours of credit of ROML8000 which may be taken at the M.A. level are limited to 3. Any ROML8000 course is to be accepted as part of the program of study of any student in the Department.
The Department offers M.A. degrees with a thesis in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages. The M.A. in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages (with either French or Spanish as the major language) includes an emphasis option in Linguistics. For an M.A. degree with a thesis in the Department of Romance Languages a minimum of 27 hours of course work are required (9 courses). In addition, a comprehensive examination; a minimum of 3 hours of FREN 7300, ROML 7300, or SPAN 7300; and a thesis and oral defense of the thesis; are required. FREN/ROML7700 or SPAN7750 additionally is required. Students completing a thesis degree must take the M.A. examinations in the third semester. The program of study, approved by all the members of the student's advisory committee on the appropriate form, must include at least 12 hours of courses open only to graduate students.
For the M.A. in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages with the Linguistics option, 5 of the 8 courses must be in language or linguistics, the examination will cover a reading list in linguistics, and the thesis will be on a linguistics topic.
III.2.a.iii. Non-thesis degrees
The Department offers M.A. non-thesis degrees in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages. The non-thesis M.A. in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages (with either French or Spanish as the major language), includes an emphasis option in Linguistics. For a non-thesis M.A. degree in the Department of Romance Languages a minimum of 33 hours of course work are required (11 courses). A Request for Change of Degree Objective must be submitted to the Graduate School to complete this degree. In addition, a comprehensive examination and an oral defense of the examination are required. FREN/ROML7700 or SPAN7750 is required. The program of study, approved by all the members of the student's advisory committee on the appropriate form, must include at least 12 hours of courses open only to graduate students.
Of the 11 courses included in this degree all electives must be taken with the advisement of the student’s advisory committee, at least one of which may be taken outside of the Department without prior approval of the Graduate Faculty.
For the non-thesis M.A. in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages with the Linguistics option, 5 of the 8 courses must be in language or linguistics and the examination will cover a reading list in linguistics.
III.2.a.iv. Other M.A. Requirements
The Department requires the candidate for all M.A. degrees to demonstrate knowledge of one foreign language other than the major language of study. The Department does not allow students to satisfy the foreign language requirement with English. This knowledge can be demonstrated either by receiving a grade of B or better in a foreign language course numbered 2002 or higher, or by passing a language examination offered on a regular basis by a language department at the University of Georgia. Languages other than those already recognized (French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German and Latin), and whose relevance has been established by the Major Professor and Advisory Committee may be used to satisfy the requirement. The criterion for using such a language is a grade of B or better in a class at the 2002 level or higher (the course work must have been completed within the previous 6 years), or passing a test administered by a UGA language department. The Department of Romance Languages offers such examinations in French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. For examinations in other languages, students should consult the appropriate department for their procedures.
The option chosen for the language requirement is listed on the student's program of study under "Research Skills Requirement" and must be satisfied by the end of the first month of the semester during which the student intends to graduate.
III.2.b. Advising M.A. Students The Graduate Coordinator will advise entering M.A. students until they have selected a major professor. First semester students may not register for 7000; in subsequent semesters students may register for 7000 only with the written approval of their Major Professor. M.A. students shall choose a Major Professor by the beginning of the tenth week of their second semester. All committee changes must be submitted in writing to the Graduate Coordinator.
Graduate students who wish to change the composition of their committees will not be expected to inform individual faculty members of their decision; the Graduate Coordinator will notify all members of the new committee as well as any committee members who no longer will be serving on the student's committee.
The M.A. written examinations will be given three times a year: in the 2nd week of November; in the 5th week of the Spring Semester; and in the 12th week of the Spring Semester. Students choosing to write a thesis must take the M.A. written examinations in November. The examination in the 5th week of the Spring Semester will be reserved for students choosing the non-thesis option and students who failed the exam in November. The examination in the 12th week of Spring Semester will be reserved for students who failed the examination in the 5th week of Spring Semester. The Graduate Coordinator will inform students in writing of the date of the exams and ask them in turn to inform him or her of their intention to take the exam.
Retake Policy III.2.c.i. M.A. Examination in Spanish (Literature Option) Students will be tested on 3 areas: 1 Peninsular; 1 Latin-American; and a third from either Peninsular or Latin-American. Students should initially consult with the Major Professor about choosing appropriate areas on which to be examined. Students will develop lists of 10 texts per area (30 texts total), in conjunction with the professors who teach the three 6000-8000 level courses in areas the students select. Only courses with the SPAN prefix can apply to the M.A. Examination. The same professors who help a student prepare his/her reading list will prepare questions for that student's three hour M.A. Exam. The professors will then meet to discuss and evaluate the overall quality of the exam in determining whether a student passes or fails. A Pass or Fail decision may be "delayed" pending a meeting with the student to address weak areas of the exam. Students will write essay questions based on a choice of two questions for each section. III.2.c.ii. M.A. Examination in Spanish (Linguistics Option) Students will be tested on 3 areas of the 6 areas covered in the graduate-level courses in Spanish linguistics: Pedagogy, History of the Language, Phonetics and Phonology, Syntax and Morphology, Applied Linguistics, and Semantics and Pragmatics. Students should initially consult with the Major Professor about choosing appropriate areas on which to be examined. Students will develop reading lists of 10 texts per area (30 works total), in conjunction with the professors who teach the 3 graduate courses that students select. Only courses with the SPAN prefix can apply to the M.A. Examination. The same professors who help a student prepare his/her reading list will prepare questions for that student's MA Exam. The professors will then meet to discuss and evaluate the overall quality of the exam in determining whether a student passes or fails (if only two professors submit the three questions, the third member of the Linguistics faculty will be the third member of the examination committee). A Pass or Fail decision may be "delayed" pending a meeting with the student to address weak areas of the exam. Students will write essay questions based on a choice of 2 questions for each section. III.2.c.iii. M.A. Examination in Languages Other than Spanish The student will take a three-hour written examination. Students who are combining the study of two languages shall prepare a proposal for the preliminary written examinations in consultation with their Advisory Committee. The student and the committee will decide whether the list of works will be based solely on the major language or a combination of both languages studied.
Format of the Examination Short answer (90 minutes): Students will write short paragraphs in response to 6 questions.
Administration of the Examination All students writing a Master's thesis must follow the guidelines of the latest edition of the MLA Style Manual or LSA Style Sheet for theses in linguistics.
Having submitted a final program of study form and passed the M.A. Examination for the M.A. degree, the student must submit a prospectus for approval to the Major Professor and Advisory Committee.
It is recommended, if the Advisory Committee so wishes, that the various chapters of the thesis be approved one by one by the whole committee. No part of the thesis will be submitted to any reader (this includes the Major Professor) unless it is typed and fully documented. Normally, no reader will keep a thesis, or part of a thesis, longer than a week. Students must submit the final draft of their complete thesis at least one week before the oral exam can be scheduled. The final draft of the thesis must be approved by the Advisory Committee at least one week before the final oral examination can be administered. It will be up to the Major Professor and the Advisory Committee to decide whether the intellectual content and length of the thesis are acceptable.
Thesis Defense III.2.e. Normal Time Limit for Master-Level Studies All requirements for the M.A. degree must be completed within six years beginning from the date the first course in the program of study was begun. Those who exceed this limit are required to take additional courses to compensate for the lapsed ones. III.2.f. Suggested Timetable to Complete the M.A. Program (2 years [4 semesters]) This timetable assumes that the student starts in the Fall Semester and does not attend summer school.
First Year, First Semester (Fall): First Year, Second Semester (Spring): Second Year, Third Semester (Fall): Second Year, Fourth Semester (Spring): III.2.g. Checklist for the M.A. Program in French/Romance Languages/Spanish Write the date completed in the blank space (asterisk indicates that a form must be completed).
*1._______ Select Advisory Committee (Major Professor and two other members). The Major Professor and at least one other member must be on the Graduate Faculty (see above, Section II.1.f.). This step should be taken as early as possible, but at the very latest, before the student registers for any hours of FREN, ROML, or SPAN 7000 OR 7300. The Graduate Coordinator will send the Advisory Committee form to the Graduate School. Download M.A. reading list if appropriate.
*2._______ Program of study submitted to Graduate School. This form is signed by the Advisory Committee and the Graduate Coordinator. Program of study must be submitted no later than the beginning of the third semester in residence.
3._______ Foreign Language requirement completed.
4._______ Thesis topic approved by Major Professor.
5._______ Thesis prospectus approved by Major Professor and other members of Advisory Committee.
*6._______ Application for Graduation filed no later than the Friday of the first week of classes two semesters prior to the anticipated graduation date, that is, in Fall semester for Spring graduation.
7._______ M.A. examination passed.
8._______ Download The UGA Student Guide to Preparation and Processing Theses and Dissertations.
*9._______ Thesis approved by the Major Professor and the other members of the Advisory Committee.
*10._______ Oral thesis defense scheduled and announced to the Department (minimum of one week notice required).
*11._______ Thesis defense administered by Advisory Committee. Appropriate form sent to Graduate School.
*12._______ Format check of thesis done.
13._______ Electronic copy of thesis deposited at the Graduate School.
14._______ All the above requirements for the M.A. degree completed and reported to the Graduate School at least one week prior to graduation. Students must enroll for a minimum of three hours the semester in which they complete degree requirements.
15._______ Students must fulfill Departmental Graduate Outcomes Assessment requirements (see below, Section VI.2)
III.3. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.) DEGREE The Department offers the Ph.D. degree in Romance Languages with a major in French, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish. A minimum of 20 graduate courses (including those taken at the M.A. level), preliminary written and oral examinations, a dissertation, and an oral dissertation defense are required. Students majoring in French, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish will take 8 or 9 of the 12 courses required for the Ph.D. in this language and 3 or 4 courses in the minor field of study. The minor must be a well-defined set of courses either within the department or outside the department, some of which may already have been taken as part of the M.A. degree at the University of Georgia. Students who are combining the study of two languages will take a minimum of 6 courses in the major language, a minimum of 3 courses in the minor language, and 3 additional courses to be applied to the major language, the minor language, a minor field, or any combination of these. The hours of credit of ROML 8000 which may be taken at the Ph.D. level are limited to 6.
All Teaching Assistants are required to take FREN/ROML 7700 or SPAN 7750 in their first semester. Once a student has been admitted to the program, he or she may petition for exemption from FREN/ROML 7700/SPAN 7750. For further details on exemptions from these courses, see above, Section III.2.a.
There are no specific course requirements in genre or period for the Ph.D. degree. Conversely, there are no exemptions from the preliminary examinations.
The Graduate School and the Department require the candidate for the Ph.D. degree to demonstrate knowledge of one foreign language other than the major language of study. The Department does not allow students to satisfy the foreign language requirement with English. This requirement may have been satisfied at the M.A. level at the University of Georgia. See also above, Section III.2.a.
III.3.b. Advising Ph.D. Students The Graduate Coordinator will advise entering Ph.D. students until they have selected a Major Professor. Students must select a three to five-member committee, consisting of a Major Professor and two to four other faculty members, as soon as possible upon starting the program, and will not be allowed to register for dissertation hours until they have selected a committee. Any change in the composition of the Advisory Committee must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator who will immediately inform in writing all faculty members affected by the change.
The Graduate Coordinator will keep a current list of Advisory Committees and will publish this list every Spring semester.
III.3.c. Preliminary Examinations Preliminary examinations will be scheduled during the academic year. Exceptions may be granted for scheduling during Summer term contingent upon availability of the student's Advisory Committee. Students who expect to present themselves for examination should inform the Graduate Coordinator within two weeks after the beginning of the semester. III.3.c.ii. Preliminary Written Examination The student will schedule his or her preliminary examinations once all course work, including the foreign language requirement, has been completed. These preliminary written examinations cover the field of the major without reference to any specific courses the student may have had. III.3.c.ii.a. Preliminary Written Examination in Spanish and Portuguese In Spanish, a proposal for the preliminary written examinations shall be prepared by the student in consultation with his or her Advisory Committee. The examination shall be in four areas of inquiry:
Justification of genre Justification of sub genre or specific problem within the genre Justification of period Justification of author Examination format Doctoral examinations must not begin unless all five members of the committees are present. All examinations, written and oral, will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis.
Approval Unless otherwise indicated by the Advisory Committee, preliminary written examinations will be written in the language of the major. The results will be announced within approximately one month after the date of the examination.
The Major Professor will inform the student and the Graduate Coordinator in writing of the results of the exam.
If preliminary written examinations are deemed unsatisfactory in one or two areas, the student will be reexamined on those deficiencies. If more than two areas are failed, the complete examination must be retaken at the time of the next examination period, subject to the approval of the student's Advisory Committee.
III.3.c.ii.b. Preliminary Written Examination in French Incoming Ph.D. Students in French must prepare a single list of works for their Preliminary Examinations, the latter consisting of two sessions of written examinations, and one session of oral ones. The written examinations will take place in two sittings of 4 hours, together covering six of the following eight areas of inquiry:
The remaining two areas of inquiry shall be covered in the oral session of the Preliminary Examination. The choice of which areas of inquiry are to be distributed among the written and the oral sessions shall be made by the student in agreement with his or her Doctoral Advisory Committee.
Only two grades are announced and officially recorded: PASS or FAIL. Once the student has received a "PASS" grade on both written sessions of the Preliminary Examination, he or she will be allowed to take the oral session.
An examining professor may deem a session of the written Preliminary Examination "passing," but wish to point out certain deficiencies by using such terms as "low pass," thus indicating to the student a need to strengthen a weakness in a certain area, which may be addressed in the oral session of the Preliminary Examination, in addition to the areas of inquiry normally covered by the oral session of the Preliminary Examination. Similarly, examining professors may indicate to the student a particularly strong answer by a mention such as "very good", or "excellent." Such comments will not, however, be officially announced or recorded.
If the student receives a "FAIL" grade on one or both written sessions, he or she must retake the failed session(s) at a time to be arranged in agreement with the Doctoral Advisory Committee and the Graduate Coordinator. A student who fails for the second time either or both written sessions will neither be allowed to take the oral session nor to continue in the doctoral program in French; he or she will no longer be cleared to register.
If the student receives a "FAIL" grade for the oral session, he or she must retake the oral session at a time to be arranged in agreement with the Doctoral Advisory Committee and the Graduate Coordinator. A student who fails for the second time the oral session will not be allowed to continue in the doctoral program in French; he or she will no longer be cleared to register.
III.3.c.ii.c. Preliminary Written Examination in Romance Languages Students who are combining the study of two languages shall prepare a proposal for the preliminary written examinations in consultation with their Advisory Committee. The student and the committee will decide whether the list of works will be based solely on the major language or a combination of both languages studied. III.3.c.iii. Preliminary Oral Examination Students take the preliminary oral examination approximately thirty days after successful completion of the preliminary written examinations. The Graduate School must be notified of the date and place of the oral examination at least two weeks before the scheduled date.
The oral examination is announced by the Graduate School and is open to all members of the University's faculty.
This examination shall cover a period of two to three hours. The language of the examination will remain optional.
The student must provide the Advisory Committee with a written prospectus or outline of the dissertation no later than six weeks after the student passes his or her oral prelims.
In case of an unsatisfactory preliminary oral examination, the reexamination will be scheduled normally within one or more semester of the previous attempt, at the discretion of the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee may offer the student the opportunity of retaking the exam before the next examination period, though.
After successful completion of the preliminary examinations, students must apply for admission to candidacy and begin work on their dissertation. Ph.D. Candidates must then have their dissertation prospectus approved by their major professor and Advisory Committee.
All Ph.D. Candidates will follow the guidelines of the latest edition of the MLA Style Manual (literature) or the LSA Style Sheet (linguistics).
It is recommended, if the Advisory Committee so wishes, that the various chapters of the dissertation be approved one by one by the whole committee.
No part of the dissertation will be submitted to any reader (this includes the Major Professor) unless it is typed and fully documented.
It will be up to the Major Professor and Advisory Committee to decide whether the intellectual content and length of the dissertation are acceptable.
Normally, no reader will keep a dissertation or part of a dissertation longer than two weeks.
The final draft of the dissertation must be approved at least one week before the oral defense of the dissertation can be scheduled.
III.3.e. Ph.D. Oral Defense of the Dissertation At least two weeks prior to the date of the oral defense of the dissertation, the Major Professor will inform the Graduate Coordinator of the date, the place, the time of the examination and the title of the dissertation. The Graduate Coordinator will then notify the Graduate School. The Major Professor will extend an invitation to attend the examination to all faculty members and graduate students in the Department.
The oral defense of the dissertation normally lasts between one and one and a half hours.
The Major Professor, as Chair, and the other members of the Advisory Committee, will be responsible for administering the oral defense of the dissertation.
III.3.f. Normal Time Limit for Doctoral-Level Studies All requirements for this degree, except the dissertation and oral defense of the dissertation, must be completed within a period of six years. This time requirement is counted from the first registration for graduate courses in the program of study for the Ph.D.
A candidate for the Ph.D. degree who fails to pass the oral defense of the dissertation within five years after passing the preliminary examinations and being admitted to candidacy will be required to take another set of preliminary examinations and be admitted to candidacy a second time.
III.3.g. Suggested Timetable to Complete the Ph.D. Program (4 years [8 semesters]). This timetable assumes that the student starts in the Fall semester and does not attend summer school.
First Year, Second semester (Spring): Second Year, Third semester (Fall): Second Year, Fourth semester (Spring): Third Year, Sixth semester (Spring): Fourth Year, Seventh and Eighth semesters (Fall/Spring): III.3.h. Checklist for the Ph.D. Program in Romance Languages Write the date completed in the blank space (asterisk indicates that a form must be completed).
*1._______ Select Advisory Committee (Major Professor and 2-4 other members). The major professor and at least two other members must be on the Graduate Faculty (see above, Section II.1.f.). This step should be taken as early as possible, but at the very latest, before the student is allowed to register for any hours of ROML 9000 or 9300. The Graduate Coordinator will send the Advisory Committee form to the Graduate School.
*2._______ Program of study submitted to Graduate School. This form is signed by the Advisory Committee and by the Graduate Coordinator. The program of study must be submitted no later than the beginning of the third semester in residence.
3._______ Foreign language requirement completed.
4._______ Dissertation topic approved by Major Professor.
5._______ Preliminary written examinations passed (students should inform Graduate Coordinator within two weeks after the beginning of the semester that they are planning to take the examinations).
6._______ Graduate School notified of time and place of preliminary oral examination at least two weeks prior to the examination. Date and place of examination announced to Department at this time.
7._______ Dissertation prospectus approved by Major Professor and other members of Advisory Committee.
*8._______ The major professor returns to the Graduate School the form reporting the results of the preliminary written and oral examinations (NB: Form only available from the Graduate School).
*9._______ Application for Admission to Candidacy filed with the Graduate School no later than two semesters before the proposed date of graduation, that is, in Fall semester for Spring semester graduation.
*10._______ Application for Graduation filed no later than two semesters before the anticipated date of graduation.
11._______ Download The UGA Student Guide to Preparation and Processing Theses and Dissertations.
*12._______ Dissertation approved by Major Professor and format check completed.
*13._______ Dissertation submitted to the other members of Advisory Committee.
*14._______ Dissertation approved by Advisory Committee and Graduate School notified of time and place of oral defense of dissertation at least two weeks in advance. Date and place of defense announced to Department at this time.
*15._______ The Major Professor, as Chair, and the Advisory Committee will hold the oral defense of dissertation. Major Professor notifies Graduate School of the results.
16. Electronic copy of dissertation filed with the Graduate School.
17._______ All of the above requirements for the Ph.D. degree completed and reported to the Graduate School at least one week prior to graduation. Students must enroll for a minimum of 3 hours the semester in which they complete degree requirements.
18._______ Students must fulfill Departmental Graduate Outcomes Assessment requirements (see below, Section VI.2)
The selection criteria and selection process for each award for which graduate students are nominated annually by the department are described below. All graduate students are required to submit their curriculum vitae to the Graduate Coordinator by the end of their first semester in residence and to update it as needed. CVs should be prepared by students in order to enable faculty to nominate them for awards announced throughout the year. Copies of CVs will be paid for by the Department.
For Graduate School Assistantships, Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards, and Excellence in Teaching Awards, the committee charged with selecting nominees will solicit informed suggestions from the faculty. The committee will then consider these suggestions and will then draw up a ranked list of nominees and supporting materials to be forwarded to the Graduate Coordinator, who will forward the nominations to the appropriate office.
For any university award, the committee responsible will, when possible, put forward as many students as allowed from internal nominations.
Dolores Artau Scholarship The Graduate Studies Committee will review the graduate transcript and CV of all students who will be enrolling in a degree program the following academic year, who are making progress toward the degree, and who have not received the award previously.
Graduate School (University-wide) Assistantship The nomination dossier, prepared by the Graduate Coordinator, includes a letter of nomination written by the Graduate Coordinator, a data summary sheet, an application form completed by the nominee, the nominee's GRE scores and transcripts from all universities attended, at least three letters of recommendation, and any other evidence of scholarship, including conference papers and publications. It is recommended that nominees have a minimum GRE score of 1200 (verbal + quantitative), a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.5 and a minimum graduate GPA of 3.9. Currently, holders of this award must work the equivalent of 16 hours/week. This work can take the form of research on a topic of the student's choosing under the guidance of a faculty member selected by the student. The deadline for students to submit materials will be announced by the Graduate Coordinator.
Dean's Award Program The process for consideration is as follows. All nominations will come through the Department Graduate Coordinator and will contain the following: 1) a letter of support from the major professor; 2) a one-page abstract and significance of the research and its impact on the field prepared by the student; 3) budget and budget justification prepared by the student to indicate how funds will be used; 4) information regarding other internal or external sources of funding for the research; 5) information as to the current status of the student in his/her program of study. Written nominations from the faculty for the Dean's Award will be forwarded to the Graduate Studies Committee and decided by that body.
Excellence in Research by Graduate Students Award Graduate School Dissertation Completion Assistantships Written nominations from the faculty for the Graduate School Dissertation Completion Assistantships will be forwarded to the Graduate Studies Committee and decided by that body.
Graduate School Student Travel Funding IV.3. OFFICE OF INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS Outstanding Teaching Assistant (OTA) and Excellence in Teaching (ETA) Awards The Associate Head may nominate no more than 10% of the total number of TAs in the department for the OTA award. For the ETA, only one TA, who must previously have been awarded the OTA award, can be nominated. The OTA award carries recognition in the form of a certificate. The ETA is an extremely competitive award since only five TAs in the university are selected; it carries a monetary award of $1,000.
Financial support to graduate students enrolled in the Department of Romance Languages is available in the form of Departmental Graduate Teaching Assistantships. In order for foreign nationals to qualify for an F-1 Visa (this Visa allows students to work as TAs), the university estimated student budget can be as much as $1,000 more than the amount awarded for a Teaching Assistantship. In practical terms this means that prospective TAs should be prepared to have a bank statement, or a bank statement from a sponsor (e.g., a parent or some other relative), to account for this difference. The letter must be dated and written on the official letterhead of the bank.
UGA regulations state that all graduate students who are non-native speakers of English and who have submitted TOEFL scores for admission must score at least 26 on the IBT TOEFL before they may assume an instructional assignment. TAs who have never been tested or who have scored between 20-22 on the IBT TOEFL must enroll in ELAN 7768. Students who score between 23-25 must register for ELAN 7769. Students who are taking either of these courses of their own volition rather than to satisfy a requirement may choose to register in whichever section they believe will be of greatest value to them. Receiving a passing grade in these classes, it should be noted, does not by itself qualify TAs to teach. They must still score a 26 on the IBT TOEFL.
For further information on the IBT TOEFL, see also:
The maximum number of hours students can enroll for each semester without special overload permission is 15 when teaching no courses, 12 when on a 1/3rd or 4/9ths assistantship. Language courses (French/German/Spanish 2500 and Italian/Portuguese 2600) and any other undergraduate courses, even though they do not count as part of the student's program of study, do count as part of the academic load. See also above, Section III.1.c. Overloads are discouraged, but they are allowed in special circumstances. Please see the Graduate Coordinator. V.3.a. Appointment of Preceptors The Preceptors in French and Spanish are appointed by the Head upon the recommendation of the Supervisors. Appointments are renewable yearly. All graduate teaching assistants and instructors will be invited to apply as and when a vacancy occurs. Application materials will include a curriculum vitae, teaching evaluations, and a statement of what the candidates believe they can contribute to language instruction in the department. The Supervisors Committee will assist the Supervisor in interviewing the candidates and making decisions for appointment. Preference is normally given to Ph.D. students.
V.4. ASSIGNMENT OF ADDITIONAL CLASSES AND SUMMER TEACHING Normally Teaching Assistants are assigned to teach three classes per academic year. Eligibility for teaching additional courses during the academic year consists of:
During Spring semester the Associate Head will ask all Teaching Assistants whether they want additional courses for the following year and will then make these decisions in consultation with the Language Supervisors. These additional courses will be assigned primarily for Fall, when there is the greatest need, and only secondarily in other semesters as needed. It is important that students understand that they can enroll for only 12 hours of course work when they are teaching two classes, so that teaching additional courses may have the negative effect of slowing down their progress toward their degree.
Because the pursuit of a degree is a full-time occupation, the Department of Romance Languages discourages outside employment on the part of Teaching Assistants. Supervisors will therefore not accommodate conflicts arising from outside employment.
The order of priority among eligible graduate students is:
Teaching Assistants may request a teaching assignment during the summer. If the request is granted, the assignment will consist of one class, typically in the Through Session.
In the Fall semester the Head will ask the Language Supervisors to supply a ranked list of TAs who have requested, and who qualify for, a summer teaching assignment.
In general, every effort will be made to ensure that the percentages of Ph.D. and M.A. students offered courses during the summer will correspond proportionally to the percentages of Ph.D. and M.A. students offered courses during the regular academic year.
Applicants for summer school teaching will be ranked according to criteria such as the following:
V.5. REAPPOINTMENT OF GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS
The committee on reappointment is composed of the Language Supervisor, the Associate Head, and the Department Head.
V.5.a. First-Year Students for the M.A. Degree
First-year students for the M.A. degree may expect to be reappointed for a second year provided that the quality of their teaching during the first two semesters is considered satisfactory, and provided that they maintain an overall 3.0 average or better by the end of the second semester.
V.5.b. Second-Year Students for the M.A. Degree
Second-year students for the M.A. degree, who wish to continue for the Ph.D. degree at the University of Georgia and who wish to hold a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, must apply by the third week of the semester of graduation to continue in the Ph.D. program. If the student is admitted to the program, and if the committee on reappointment makes a favorable recommendation, an offer for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship will be made, contingent upon the successful completion of the requirements for the M.A. degree and recommendation of Advisory Committee to proceed to the Ph.D.
Ph.D. students will be appointed for a maximum of 10 semesters, if the quality of their teaching continues to be considered satisfactory and if they maintain a 3.0 or better Grade Point Average. The last four of the ten semesters of support will be granted only once students have passed written and oral preliminary examinations.
V.6. TENURE OF GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS The maximum amount of support for graduate students pursuing the M.A. degree is four semesters. The maximum amount of support for graduate students pursuing the Ph.D. degree is ten semesters (not including support at the M.A. level), however, no Ph.D. student may receive more than six semesters of support without having passed written and oral preliminary examinations. Petitions for exemption from this policy will be voted on by the Graduate Faculty. The Department provides an additional two semesters of support for Ph.D. students, bringing the total to ten semesters, upon the recommendation of the student's Major Professor. The amount of support students can receive will be reduced by two semesters if they have taken six graduate courses or more before beginning the assistantship and by four semesters if they have taken twelve or more courses. Summer appointments are not counted toward the maximum amount of support allowed.
Students who lose their assistantship by being placed on academic probation can petition the Graduate Faculty for reconsideration. It is understood that such a petition will not be filed until the student can demonstrate removal from probation. Similarly, students who lose their assistantship because of unsatisfactory progress can petition the Graduate Faculty for reconsideration after satisfactory progress has been restored. Teaching Assistants must be granted a pre-approved leave of absence in order to resume their assistantship after an interruption in their studies. A Leave of Absence Form must be completed and signed by the student's Major Professor, the Graduate Coordinator, and the Department Head and placed in the student's personnel file. Teaching Assistants who voluntarily interrupt their studies without being granted a pre-approved leave of absence must petition the Graduate Faculty to regain their assistantship. All appointments of teaching assistantships are understood to be in year-long terms, contingent upon satisfactory academic progress and satisfactory job performance. Therefore, students who voluntarily relinquish an assistantship before the end of the academic year will forfeit the remaining support for that year. The support forfeited will be deducted from the maximum amount of support allowed for the degree. Any Teaching Assistants who present a case not covered in the above policies must submit a petition to the Graduate Faculty.
If a TA's performance is deemed "unacceptable" by the Supervisor on the annual written evaluation, the student will be given one semester to improve. If the improvement is insufficient, the student will be notified in writing of termination of the assistantship. Appeals will be routed as follows: letter from the TA to the Head, review by the Graduate Studies Committee, including written records and an interview with the TA and the Supervisor, Departmental Graduate Faculty, and University Graduate Council.
V.7. GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS AWARDED TO STUDENTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS Students from other Departments working as Graduate Teaching Assistants must take at least one graduate course per semester (one of which must be SPAN(LING)7750 or FREN/ROML(LING)7700) and attend teaching circles for every semester during which they are employed by Romance Languages. Students who have completed their Program of Study are not required to take a course, although they must continue to attend teaching circles. Whether they are considered Resident or Non-Resident by the Graduate School, Graduate Students who hold Graduate Assistantships currently pay approximately $600 per year in fees, of which $25 per semester is for tuition and the rest covers transportation, activities and access to health services. Students who do not hold an assistantship in the summer are still eligible for this reduced tuition if they have held at least a one-third assistantship during each semester of the preceding academic year or if they will hold such an assistantship during the upcoming academic year. All others pay applicable registration fees.
The following forms are available from the Graduate School at this location.
M.A. Forms Ph.D. Forms VI.2. GRADUATE OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT For the purpose of Graduate Outcomes Assessment, candidates for the M.A. and Ph.D., and their Major Professors, must fill out the Graduate Student Exit Questionnaire and the Major Professor Questionnaire, respectively. Both questionnaires are available in the mailroom and should be completed immediately after the defense of the thesis (M.A. candidates) or dissertation (Ph.D. candidates). Both the Graduate Student Exit Questionnaire and the Major Professor Questionnaire should be delivered directly to the office of the Departmental Administrative Administrative Asssociate before proceeding with graduation.
Notification of successful completion of graduation requirements will not be forwarded to the Graduate School until these questionnaires have been completed.
VI.3. DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES 2007-2008 (update pending) Advisory Committee Computer Committee Curriculum Committee Education Liaisons Examination Committee (Graduate Language Exam) Faculty Senate Representatives French Graduate Admissions Committee Graduate Studies Committee Hiring Committee (Part-Time Instructors) Italian Graduate Admissions Committee LRC Advisory Committee Graduate Outcomes Assessment Committee Portuguese Graduate Admissions Committee Secretary Spanish Graduate Admissions Committee Study Abroad Committee Supervisors Committee Travel Funds Committee Undergraduate Advisors Undergraduate Outcomes Assessment Committee VI.4. GRADUATE COURSES OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES French—Link to UGA Bulletin VI.5. ATLANTA REGIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (ARCHE) The University of Georgia is a participating institution in the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education.
Students are advised to consult with both their Major Professor and the Graduate Coordinator before making any firm commitments to ARCHE. |
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