American

Studies Ph.D. Timeline and Requirements

(Elaboration regarding Comprehensive Exams and Thesis Prospectus, supplementary to
Graduate Record and to the departments chart of courses and other requirements)
Graduate Record entry for American Studies:
http://www.unc.edu/gradrecord/programs/amerstud.html
The Graduate School Handbook: http://handbook.unc.edu/
Doctoral Degree Requirements from the Graduate School Handbook:
http://handbook.unc.edu/phd.html

For students who enter the American Studies PhD Program with an MA:

Overview of process leading to candidacy:

o All students will take a three-hour examination in American Studies, based upon the
material their cohort studied in AMST 700 and either AMST 701 or 702 (whichever they
took in the Spring of their first year), followed by an oral examination covering all three
areas.
o Each student will choose two other field concentrations. The student will complete a
professional portfolio in one of these fields and a three-hour written examination in the
other, based on individual reading lists developed by the student in consultation with
his/her advisory committee.
o Students will have passed examinations, devised and defended the dissertation
prospectus, and advanced to candidacy by the end of the second academic year after
entering the program.
Fall of first year:
o Upon admission to the PhD program, each student will be assigned a preliminary
advisor. The preliminary advisor will help to familiarize the student with the program,
check in on his/her progress during the first semester, and advise the student on
selection of courses during the first year.
Spring of first year:
o January-February: Each student chooses a principal advisor to guide him/her through
the comprehensive examination process and, usually, to serve as chair of his/her
dissertation committee. This may be the preliminary advisor assigned to the student or
another appropriate and willing department member. If the chosen principal advisor is
not a regular member of the department, the Director of Graduate Studies will assist the
student in requesting approval from the Graduate School. See Graduate School rules on
dissertation committee composition:
http://handbook.unc.edu/phd.html#dissertationcommittee

January 2014

2

Also January-February: In consultation with the principal advisor, the student decides
upon his/her two field areas and chooses two other advisory committee members, at
least one of whom is a regular member of the Department of American Studies, to
advise in the preparation of reading lists.
o March (no later than the Friday before Spring Break): Student submits a declaration
specifying his/her three advisory committee members and two intended field areas,
including descriptions of the parameters of each field area (no more than 500 words for
each) and indicating which s/he will cover by exam and which with a professional
portfolio, and the nature of the portfolio (teaching, museum, etc.). Submit copies to
students own advisory committee members and Director of Graduate Studies.
o (For this declaration and all subsequent materials documenting a students progress
toward the degree, the student will submit documents to the DGS, who will note
contents and pass documents on to Graduate Program Assistant to be kept in students
department files and/or submitted to Graduate School at appropriate times.)
o March-April: The professors with whom the cohort studied in AMST 700 and are
studying in AMST 701 or 702 will collaborate to develop a reading list for the American
Studies comprehensive examination based on their syllabi, circulate that list to the
students for additions and suggestions, and arrange a meeting during which the two
professors and the students finalize the common list.
o Also March-April: Student works with his/her advisory committee to:
Develop suggestions for readings to be included in cohorts American Studies
reading list;
Decide upon any additions to the American Studies reading list specific to this
student;
Devise reading lists for field areas.
o April (no later than last day of classes): Student submits his/her two field area reading
lists and any additions to the cohorts American Studies reading list to all three advisory
committee members and Director of Graduate Studies. Copy to DGS should be
accompanied by departmental form signed by advisory committee members to indicate
their approval of the lists.
Summer between first and second years:
o Student studies the works on his/her field area reading lists.
Fall of second year:
o Cohort of students enrolls in AMST 902 PhD Research Seminar. Over the course of the
semester each student , in consultation with the professor teaching AMST 902 and
his/her advisory committee, works on his/her professional portfolio and a brief (roughly
500-word) dissertation proposal. (The course will also involve other work to prepare the
students for doctoral research and writing.)
o In consultation with his/her advisory committee, the student chooses additional
members to form the five-person dissertation committee. See Graduate School rules on
dissertation committee composition:
http://handbook.unc.edu/phd.html#dissertationcommittee. The Graduate School
o

January 2014

allows for the roles of Faculty Research Advisor and Committee Chair to be filled by
different faculty members. American Studies will usually have a single faculty member
fill both roles.
o October: Student signs up for AMST 895 with advisory committee chair for Spring.
o October: Director of Graduate Studies declares dates for comprehensive exams the
following Spring. Each student should proceed to schedule a specific time for his/her
orals within two weeks after the last written exam.
o November (no later than first Friday in November), student submits:
Dissertation proposal (500 words) to dissertation committee members and
Director of Graduate Studies and
Report of Doctoral Committee Composition form with first part filled in
http://gradschool.unc.edu/pdf/wdcomm.pdf to Director of Graduate Studies.
(Form will be kept by Graduate Program Assistant until committee is ready to
sign second part to indicate approval of defended full dissertation prospectus
the following Spring.)
Spring of second year:
o First week in February:
No later than MondayStudent submits Professional Portfolio to Advisory
Committee (Students are encouraged to complete portfolio at end of Fall
semester and submit to committee earlier).
WednesdayAmerican Studies written examination, three hours (ordinarily
devised and graded by the two professors who taught AMST 700 and 701 or 702
to that cohort).
Fridaystudents individual field area written examination, three hours,
(devised and graded by three-person advisory committee).
o Within two weeks after written exams90-minute oral examination on portfolio and
both written exams. Examining committee consists of one of the professors who wrote
the American Studies exams, the three-person advisory committee, and the dissertation
chair if different from the advisory committee chair.
o Advisory committee chair signs parts I and II of the Doctoral Exam Report form:
http://gradschool.unc.edu/pdf/wdexam.pdf and submits it to the Director of Graduate
Studies. The form will be kept in the students file by the Graduate Program Assistant.
(Parts III and IV will be signed by the full dissertation committee at the time of the
dissertation defense and dissertation submission.)
o Student prepares his/her dissertation prospectus in consultation with dissertation
committee and schedules prospectus defense for late April or early May.
o No later than April 15: Student submits prospectus to full dissertation committee and
Director of Graduate Studies.
o No later than last day of exams: Student defends dissertation prospectus.
o Dissertation committee chair conveys to Director of Graduate Studies that student has
successfully defended prospectus.

January 2014

4

o

Student meets with Director of Graduate Studies to complete and submit Application
for admission to candidacy: http://gradschool.unc.edu/pdf/wdcanfrm.pdf to Graduate
School.

For students who enter the American Studies PhD Program with a BA:

Fall and Spring of first year:

o Coursework
Fall of second year:
o AMST 901 with preliminary advisor (or new principal advisor) to work on readings and
research in preparation for capstone project
Spring of second year:
o AMST 992 Non-thesis optionCapstone project
Then follow timeline for students who enter with an MA, but one year later, with one addition:
o Because students who enter with a BA will have the opportunity to complete both AMST
701 and AMST 702 the academic year before they take comprehensive examinations,
these students will be responsible for materials in AMST 700, 701, and 702 in the
American Studies exam.

January 2014