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Program Requirements for Comparative Literature
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Comparative Literature
College of Letters and Science
Graduate Degrees
The Department of Comparative Literature offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Comparative Literature. The department only admits students with the objective of the Ph.D. degree.
Master’s Degree
Advising
During their first year of doctoral study, students are assigned a faculty mentor. This person serves as a resource for students’ professional and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.
Students should consult regularly with the Director of Graduate Studies to plan their progress to degree. Topics for discussion should include but are not limited to, major and minor areas, course approvals for language and degree requirements and exam planning. Student records are reviewed regularly by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.
Each year, students are required to submit an end of the year assessment, which is reviewed by the faculty at the last faculty meeting of the year. Following the faculty meeting, the Director of Graduate Studies writes and sends a letter to each student indicating whether the student is making satisfactory or unsatisfactory degree progress.
Students are strongly encouraged to approach faculty regarding mentorship immediately following the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam. Students who are interested in working with a particular faculty member early in their careers may wish to approach that person during their first two years of graduate study.
Areas of Study
The major field should reflect the primary emphasis of the student’s dissertation and illustrate the student’s knowledge of literary studies. The major field should encompass literary and cultural studies in one language area. A general knowledge of the major field is demonstrated through course work. The major field should be discussed with the Director of Graduate Studies during the quarter preceding the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam and declared during the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam.
The student’s minor field should focus either on another literary or cultural tradition, or on a defined theoretical or interdisciplinary approach from related disciplines such as musicology, film studies, gender studies, or art history. The minor field should be discussed with the Director of Graduate Studies prior to the First Stage Ph.D. Evaluation Qualifying Examination.
Students must consult with the Director of Graduate Studies regarding changes to their major and minor fields.
Foreign Language Requirement
Proficiency in the language of the major field is an essential prerequisite for courses and degrees in Comparative Literature. Before completing the Ph.D., students must demonstrate knowledge of two languages other than English. Students should plan to fulfill these requirements early on in their degree because many language courses fill up quickly. At least one of the two required foreign languages must be completed prior to the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam (i.e. by Spring Quarter of a student’s second year in the program). Proficiency in one language must be certified by completing two or more upper division and/or graduate literature courses, taken for a letter grade in the appropriate language department. If the course is not taught in the language in question, students must confirm with the teacher in advance that it can fulfill a language requirement in another way, perhaps with supplemental assignments. Students must demonstrate language competency beyond the intermediate level (or, the equivalent of two years of instruction at UCLA) in order to enroll in these courses.
In cases where sufficient courses are not available, students may substitute a translation examination administered by a departmental faculty member in place of coursework. In such cases, the Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair must approve the translation examination ahead of time in consultation with the faculty who will be administering it.
Course Requirements
12 courses (48 units), including 11 letter-graded seminar courses and COM LIT 495, are required prior to their Second Year Review/M.A. Exam, distributed as follows:
- Comparative Literature 200A, 200B, and 495; three additional Comparative Literature graduate courses; six major and minor field courses, of which at least three must be in the major field. A maximum of one course in the major field and one course in the minor field may be upper division courses.
The recommended schedule is as follows:
- First year: COM LIT 200A plus one additional graduate seminar in the first quarter, followed by COM LIT 200B and two graduate seminars for the second quarter, and COM LIT 495 and two graduate seminars in the third quarter.
- Second year: For all teaching graduate students, the recommended course load, excluding language course work, is two seminars per quarter plus the appropriate 375 teaching apprentice practicum.
Students may petition to apply up to two individual study (596) courses, taken for at least four letter-graded units, toward the course requirements with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.
Teaching Experience
Departmental teaching experience is not required; however, Teaching Apprentice (TA) appointments are routinely offered to all graduate students who have completed COM LIT 495.
Field Experience
Not required.
Capstone Plan
Second Year Review/M.A. Exam
Students in the Department of Comparative Literature are required to undergo a Second Year Review/M.A. Exam during the spring quarter of their second year. Under exceptional circumstances, students may defer this Exam in fall quarter of their third year with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Prior to the review, students must complete a minimum of 12 seminars, including COM LIT 495. At least one of the two required foreign languages must be completed prior to the review.
Students must convene a review/exam committee comprised of three faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be the Director of Graduate Studies, and at least one other must be faculty in the Department of Comparative Literature.
Students are required to choose two seminar papers (with or without revisions) and circulate them among the review committee at least two weeks in advance of the review. With prior approval from their committee members, students may also present papers that were submitted to a conference or journal. The papers serve as tangible evidence of successfully completed academic tasks. Students are advised to submit two papers totaling 30-50 pages of written work. They are permitted to revise or work on these papers after the seminars in which they were submitted have concluded, but they are not required to do so. Papers should demonstrate mastery of course material covered in years 1 and 2 and potential for future research, but need not be relevant to possible dissertation topics. Students should review these papers in advance, and should be able to speak knowledgeably about their content. Both form and content are evaluated and discussed during the review.
Students who enter the program with an M.A. in Comparative Literature must hold a Second Year Review, but will not be awarded an M.A. from UCLA. The results of the Second Year Review for students who hold an M.A. are recorded as follows: (1) Pass with permission to continue toward the Ph.D.; (2) Pass with reservations and specific recommendations for improvement with permission to continue toward the Ph.D; or (3) Fail without permission to continue toward the Ph.D. Students may fail the Second Year Review/M.A. if they are unable to demonstrate the level of mastery necessary for success in the more advanced stages of doctoral study. The faculty will not permit students to retake the Second Year Review. Students who fail the Second Year Review will be recommended for academic disqualification.
Students who do not hold a Comparative Literature M.A. upon entering the Ph.D. program may be awarded an M.A., contingent upon successful completion of the Second Year Review, coursework, and language proficiency requirement. The results of the Second Year Review for students who do not hold an M.A. in Comparative Literature upon matriculation are recorded as follows: (1) Pass, with an M.A. and permission to continue toward the Ph.D.; (2) Pass with reservations, with an M.A. and specific recommendations for improvement with permission to continue toward the Ph.D; (3) Pass with a terminal M.A.; or (4) Fail without an M.A. or permission toward continue to the Ph.D. Students may fail the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam if they are unable to demonstrate the level of mastery necessary for success in the advanced stages of doctoral study. The faculty will not permit students to retake the Second Year Review. Students who fail the Second Year Review will be recommended for academic disqualification.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
Students who are admitted to graduate status should be able to obtain the M.A. degree within six quarters.
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.A. | 6 | 6 | 7 |
Doctoral Degree
Advising
Students should consult regularly with the Director of Graduate Studies to plan their progress to degree. Topics for discussion should include, but are not limited to, major and minor areas, course approvals for language and degree requirements, and exam planning. Student records are reviewed regularly by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.
Students will be informed in writing if they fall behind in their progress to degree. In certain situations, students not making adequate progress to degree will be required to follow an academic plan, in coordination with Graduate Division. Students who consistently fail to meet deadlines may be recommended for academic disqualification.
Major Fields or Subdisciplines
Students must consult with the Director of Graduate Studies and all relevant faculty advisers regarding changes to their major and minor fields.
Foreign Language Requirement
The second language requirement may be satisfied by completion of one graduate or upper division literature class with a letter grade of “B+” or higher. If the course is not taught in the language in question, students must confirm with the teacher in advance that it can fulfill a language requirement in another way, perhaps with supplemental assignments. Students must demonstrate language competency beyond the intermediate level (or, the equivalent of two years of instruction at UCLA) in order to enroll in these courses. In rare cases where sufficient courses are not available, students may substitute a translation examination administered by a departmental faculty member in place of coursework. In such cases, the Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair must provide a memorandum of support.
Course Requirements
All course work must be completed by the end of the third year. 16 letter-graded seminar courses and one pedagogy course taken at UCLA are required for the Ph.D., distributed as follows:
- Comparative Literature 200A and 200B
- Comparative Literature 495 pedagogy course
- Six graduate courses in Comparative Literature
- Six graduate courses in the major literature (of which one may be upper division)
- Two graduate courses in the minor literature/field (of which one may be upper division)
There are two stages in having courses recognized from other institutions. Before the Second Year Review, students can petition to have two courses recognized, if they have not been taken for any other degree previously awarded, at UCLA or another institution, or before the award of the bachelor’s degree.
After the Second Year Review, students who have been admitted to the program with an M.A. may petition to validate up to three courses taken toward a degree at another institution toward the Ph.D. The approval of the Department is required. Correspondence courses are not applicable to graduate degrees at UCLA.
Teaching Experience
Departmental teaching experience is not required; however, Teaching Apprentice (TA) appointments are routinely offered to all graduate students who have completed COM LIT 495.
Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations
Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.
All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.
First Stage Evaluation: University Written Qualifying Examination
The Academic Senate requires that students take a written qualifying examination. In the Department of Comparative Literature, this examination is in two parts. The first part consists of a 72-hour take-home written examination in the major and minor fields. The second part is an oral examination. This qualifying exam assesses a student’s ability to draw principles and concepts from the relevant literature.
Students must constitute an examining committee comprised of three faculty members, of which two must be Comparative Literature faculty, in the quarter preceding the examination. Students should provide the Student Affairs Officer with the names and email address of their committee members and specify which faculty members will serve as the major and minor field examiners. Committees are limited to three members. Students should try to choose faculty members who will later be on their dissertation committee, but are not required to do so, in the sense that they will constitute their dissertation committee only after this examination.
The written examination questions are based on a reading list of 50 works in the major field and 25 works in the minor field; 15-20 percent of these lists will be theoretical works related to each field. The student prepares reading lists for one major field and one minor field. Each student is responsible for preparing their own reading lists with guidance from appropriate faculty advisors. Each reading list must be approved by the appropriate field examiner; both lists must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the quarter preceding the qualifying examination. Students should send their reading lists to the appropriate faculty in the major and minor fields first, with instructions to send their approval to the Director of Graduate Studies and the Student Affairs Officer via email so that copies can be added to the student’s Departmental file.
The take-home written examinations require responses to one long or two shorter questions for the major field examination and one question for the minor field. The examiners have the choice of asking one question, or allowing the student to answer one or two of a selection of two or more questions. Students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of the field and engagement with relevant ideas and methodologies as they produce 25-30 pages of original writing during the 72-hour examination period. These pages may not include any excerpts of previously written seminar papers. Plagiarism is grounds for dismissal from the program. Students should not discuss works that are not included in the reading lists. Furthermore, they may quote from works on the reading lists, but are not required to do so. Should a question be deemed problematic (i.e. the question asks about material not included on the approved reading lists), the student should immediately contact the Student Affairs Officer, who will stop the exam period and follow up with the Director of Graduate Studies and Chair.
The oral examination must be completed no later than two weeks after the submission of the written portion. In exceptional situations, this exam can be slightly delayed by a few weeks with permission from the Director of Graduate Studies and/or Chair.
The outcome of the first stage evaluation can be: pass with permission to proceed to the prospectus phase of the dissertation; or fail. Students must pass both the written and oral sections of the exam in the major and minor fields in order to pass with permission to proceed to the prospectus phase of the dissertation. In the case of failure, the committee may offer the student an opportunity to retake one or both sections of the exam in the following quarter. A second failed exam results in a recommendation for academic disqualification from the program.
Second Stage Evaluation: University Oral Qualifying Examination (Prospectus Defense)
After completion of the written qualifying examination, students enroll in COM LIT 597 under the supervision of their major field adviser to begin writing the dissertation prospectus. Although actual times for its completion vary, students would ideally produce a completed draft after two quarters. The prospectus serves as the student’s outline for their dissertation, and should define a thesis and its proposed development over several chapters. The prospectus should answer a question (instead of merely outlining a description) over the course of 35-50 pages.
The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a two-hour examination based primarily on a defense of the prospectus. Students should nominate their doctoral committee, which will serve as their examination committee for the oral qualifying examination, at least two months in advance of the exam. The doctoral committee is comprised of at least four faculty members, including two faculty members from the department (one of whom must serve as the committee chair or co-chair). The size of the committee is not limited, and may include members outside UCLA, and outside the UC system.
Each member of the committee reports the examination as “passed” or “not passed.” A student may not be advanced to candidacy if more than one member votes “not passed” regardless of the size of the committee. Upon majority vote of the doctoral committee, the oral qualifying examination may be repeated once.
Advancement to Candidacy
Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the University Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations, as described above.
Doctoral Dissertation
Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.
Following completion of the dissertation, and with the approval of the chair of the doctoral committee, the student may file their dissertation. The Director of Graduate Studies and all members of the doctoral committee must be notified of the student’s plan to file the dissertation. The final draft of the dissertation must be submitted to the committee for review no later than two months prior to the planned date of filing to allow sufficient time for final revisions.
Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)
Not required for all students in the program. The defense of the dissertation may be required for individual students at the discretion of their doctoral committees at the time of the prospectus defense.
Time-to-Degree
By the twelfth quarter in the program, students must have completed the first and second stage of the University Qualifying Examinations, and advance to doctoral candidacy.
Students regularly advance to candidacy (ATC) by the end of their fourth year, and complete their degree by the end of their sixth year (18 quarters). The maximum time to degree allowed in the Department of Comparative Literature is nine years (27 quarters).
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| Ph.D. | 12 | 18 | 27 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Special Departmental or Program Policy
Students may be recommended for academic disqualification if their grade point average falls below a 3.4 for two consecutive terms, failure to progress toward the degree through the completion of five courses per academic year or failure to pass the Second Year Review, or University Qualifying Examinations. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the program chair who will appoint a committee, which may include the chair, to review the recommendation, and if necessary, meet with the student. The chair makes a final decision based on the committee’s report.