Texas Tech University: Department of English

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK
2006-2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Statement 1
Things to do Checklist 2
Helpful Links for New Students 3
General Information 4
• Administrators and Staff
• Faculty in the Department of English
• Department Support Information
The Master’s Program in English 11

• M.A. Program Description
• Requirements Checklists for M.A. Specializations
• Sample Curricula for M.A. Specializations
• M.A. Thesis and Portfolio Advice
• GPTI Renewal Form
The Doctoral Program in English 29

• Ph.D. Program Description
• Requirements Checklists for Ph.D. Specializations
• Sample Curricula for Ph.D. Specializations
• Qualifying Exams and the Dissertation
• Qualifying Examination Registration Form
• Annual Reports: Advice and Forms
Additional Policies and Procedures 51

• Registration for Courses
• Proposals for ENGL 7000
• Scholarships and Fellowships
• Professional Development Curriculum
GPTI and TA Handbook 60
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Welcome to Texas Tech
Welcome to the graduate program in English at Texas Tech University. We are thrilled
that you have chosen to continue your studies with us because we believe very strongly that you
will thrive here. The Department of English is committed to intellectual rigor, innovative
scholarship, dynamic teaching, and the professional development of every student in our
program. We take that commitment seriously, and we have invited you to join us here with the
expectation that you will take it seriously, and that you will grow during your studies into a
thoughtful reader, writer, and teacher.
This Graduate Handbook is your guide to the policies and procedures that make our
graduate program work. It explains curricula, contains sample forms and checklists, and
articulates as much as possible the way that we do things in the Department of English. That
said, it may raise new questions for each of the answers it provides. Please read the handbook,
try to acclimate yourselves to the policies it describes, and then ask any and every question you
can think of. This handbook is explanatory but not exhaustive. It is no substitute for constant
contact with the faculty, the administrative staff, and the Director of Graduate Studies. You
should exploit every resource the department has to offer if you want to get the most out of your
graduate experience.
—Sean Grass, Director of Graduate Studies
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Checklist: Things to do before Classes Begin
Attend Academic Programs Orientation (August 22), the College of Arts &
Sciences Orientation (August 23), and the Composition Program Orientation
(August 24-25)
Complete and turn in I-9 paperwork to Christy Barbee or Juanita Ramirez. The
packet is available at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/personnel/packet.aspx . We must
have documentation to process your I-9/W-4 paperwork (see information link for
acceptable forms of identification). Juanita will need a copy of your social
security card to process your “paf” payroll paperwork.
Acquire an eraider username and password. The University and all that you do
as a student (including using library databases, establishing an email account, etc.)
depend upon your having an eraider username and password. If you haven’t
already set this up, you can call the Information Technology help desk at 742-
help.
Get your parking permit, if you have not done so already. Go to the Traffic &
Parking Office’s website at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/parking/mainpage.php
to learn more, or visit them onsite at 2904 4th Street (on 4th between Indiana and
University)
Enroll for your student health insurance! This is required for all international
Students and recommended for all others, unless you continue to receive medical
coverage under a parent’s or spouse’s policy. To learn more about this, go online
to http://www.depts.ttu.edu/personnel/ben or visit the Personnel Office at 147
Drane Hall. Note: You must enroll for health insurance within your first
thirty days of employment at TTU (i.e., by September 30).
Subscribe to the relevant departmental list-serves, “enggrad” and “engdept.”

“Enggrad” (which will become “ges” later this semester) is the graduate student
forum for carrying on conversations about professional needs or social events.
“Engdept” is the list-serve Dr. Dragga uses to keep the entire department abreast
of developments and events of interest to the English community. Meanwhile—
and this is crucial—Christy Barbee and I will sign you up for the “LCWL” list
automatically. This list is enormously important as it is the one she and I use to
notify you of due dates, procedures, and policies. To subscribe to these lists, see
the hyperlink on the next page.
Get your student ID card at the Student Union Building (SUB) 104. You will need
to show them your class schedule, so print a copy and take it.
Visit Quita Melcher in 212 to find out your office assignment and key availability,
and check in the mail room right next door for your new department mailbox.
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Helpful Links for New Students
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/
The homepage of the Graduate School at Texas Tech. This is your primary resource for knowing
about deadlines, policies, scholarship opportunities, and thesis and dissertation guidelines. You
should get into the habit of checking this website frequently, and also of printing the semester
deadlines at the start of each term so that you have them available to you as reminders when
things get busy.
http://lyris.acs.ttu.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?site=lyris&page=topic&topic=departmental&text_mode=0&lang=english
This website allows you to subscribe to the “enggrad” and “engdept” lists. Just go to the link,
find the list-serve you want to subscribe to in their alphabetized list, and click on it. Once you
click the link and fill out the necessary subscription information, you will receive an email
asking you to confirm your desire to subscribe. You must respond to this email to complete
your subscription. Please make sure you check your junkmail folder for the email you must
respond to; it is automatically generated and so gets filtered to the junkmail often.
http://www.techsis.admin.ttu.edu
Techsis Web for Students. This is the home base for maintaining your personal information,
course registration, and other status issues as a student at Texas Tech. Once you have your
“eraider user name and password” you will be able to manage your account. (PLEASE make
sure you update your address/personal information on techsis whenever any information
changes!)
http://library.ttu.edu/ul/
The homepage of the Texas Tech University Libraries. From here, you can access the library’s
online database its own books as well as search databases like the MLA and Worldcat. You
should get familiar with the Library’s options and services as quickly as you possibly can.
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentbusinessservices
Student Business Services handles billing and tuition payment information. Their site allows you
to pay your bill online, check financial aid information, etc.
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/staffsenate/information.php
This is the link to the Staff Senate website, which explains how all of you who are employees of
the University can take advantage of discounts and special offers on area businesses. Several
staff personnel in the department find this link very helpful.
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Administrators and Staff
Dr. Sam Dragga, Department Chair (212H, ext. 225, sam.dragga@ttu.edu), manages the department’s operations
and budget. This responsibility involves his writing numerous reports, signing innumerable forms, and doing various
numerical calculations. Assisted by the department’s committees, he coordinates activities regarding recruitment,
retention, and evaluation of faculty as well as strategic planning, promotion of the graduate and undergraduate
programs, and representation of the department to the college, the university, and the community.
Dr. Jim Whitlark, Associate Chair (212D, ext. 224, jim.whitlark@ttu.edu) schedules classes, responds to student
grievances, mentors new faculty, and works strategically with the Literature and Language Committee. She assists
the Chair and promotes strong intradepartment collegiality as well as department/university/community connections.
Dr. Sean Grass, Director of Graduate Studies in English (211B, ext. 246, sean.grass@ttu.edu), and Dr. Locke
Carter, Director of Graduate Studies in Technical Communication and Rhetoric (211A, ext. 237,
locke.carter@ttu.edu), administer programs leading to the M.A. in English, the M.A. in Technical Communication,
the Ph.D. in English, and the Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric. They help schedule graduate classes,
advise students on their course schedules, and assist them in completing their degree plans.
Dr. Susan Lang (susan.lang@ttu.edu) serves as Director of the Composition and Rhetoric program (211D, ext.
243). She supervises the teaching of first-year composition (1301 and 1302), coordinates textbook and syllabus
development, and counsels instructors and students.
Suzi Duffy (211C, ext. 254, suzi.duffy@ttu.edu) advises English majors and others minoring or specializing in
English, and assists these students in registration and completion of their degree requirements. The advising office is
open M-F, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. during long semesters.
Juanita Ramirez, Administrative Secretary (212G, ext. 223, juanita.ramirez@ttu.edu), serves as the right hand of
the chair and associate chair. She supervises all personnel forms, knows who to call about payroll and budget issues,
and in general, keeps the office running happily.
Daryl Lynn Davalos, Undergraduate Secretary (212C, ext. 221, dl.davalos@ttu.edu), is usually the first person to
greet you as you enter the main office. In addition to directing both students and faculty to people who can answer
their questions, she manages all copying requests, mail distribution, and forms for travel, course evaluations,
incompletes, and grade changes.
Christy Barbee, Graduate Program Secretary (212E, ext. 248, christy.a.barbee@ttu.edu), supports the Directors of
Graduate Studies in responding to all inquiries about the graduate programs, attending to graduate files, and in
general maintaining graduate paperwork.
Carolyn Cook, Composition Program Secretary (English 212, ext. 226, carolyn.cook@ttu.edu) manages the
offerings in first-year composition, enrolls students in appropriate sections, supports the instructors with materials
and advice, and answers questions from students, parents, academic and athletic advisors, and administrators.
Quita Melcher, Building & Equipment Secretary (English 212B, ext. 222, quita.melcher@ttu.edu) keeps track of
classroom equipment and building repairs. She also assists the associate chair with scheduling, especially the
assignment of available classrooms.
Chad Covey, Instructional/Information Technology Specialist (English 356, ext. 265, chad.covey@ttu.edu) is the
manager of the department’s five computer-based classrooms and administrator of the department’s servers and
website, www.english.ttu.edu.
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Graduate Faculty and Programs, 2006-2007
Department of English, Texas Tech University
British Literature
Bruce Clarke (Ph.D. SUNY Buffalo, 1980) specializes in modern literature in relation to science and technology
studies, media theory, and systems theory. He is the author of Allegories of Writing: The Subject of Metamorphosis,
Dora Marsden and Early Modernism: Gender, Individualism, Science, and Energy Forms: Allegory and Science in
the Era of Classical Thermodynamics, and the co-editor of From Energy to Information: Representation in Science
and Technology, Art, and Literature.
Julie Nelson Couch (Ph.D. Brown, 2000) specializes in Middle English literature and the modern reception of
medieval literature. She has published on Malory, miracle tales, and retellings of medieval narrative in children's
literature. She has recently edited a special issue of Arthuriana and published "Misbehaving God: The Case of the
Christ Child in MS Laud Misc. 108 'Infancy of Jesus Christ'," which exemplifies her work on the cultural category
of childhood in Middle English narrative, the subject of her current book project.
Marliss Desens (Ph.D. UCLA, 1989) is the author of The Bed-Trick in English Renaissance Drama: Explorations
in Gender, Sexuality, and Power. She has published articles on Shakespeare and Renaissance drama.
Jennifer Frangos (Ph.D. SUNY Stony Brook, 2001) works in the areas of Restoration and eighteenth-century
British literature and culture, women's studies, and gender studies. She has published on female sexuality in the long
eighteenth century.
Sean Grass (Ph.D. Penn State, 1999) specializes in Victorian literature and has particular interests in Victorian
fiction and the Victorian literary marketplace. He is the Director of the Graduate Program in English, and his articles
on Victorian poetry and prose have appeared in Nineteenth-century Literature, JEGP, and Dickens Studies Annual.
In 2003 he published The Self in the Cell: Narrating the Victorian Prisoner. His current project is called "Portable
Property": Theft and the Commodification of Identity in Victorian Narrative.
Constance Kuriyama (Ph.D. Berkeley, 1973) is a specialist in English Renaissance drama who also has an interest
in comic tradition, film comedy, and theories of authorship. A former president and current advisor of the Marlowe
Society of America, she has published four books and a number of articles. Her most recent books are The Intimate
Charlie Chaplin (2001) and Christopher Marlowe: A Renaissance Life (2002).
Brian McFadden (Ph.D. Notre Dame, 1999) specializes in Old English literature, focusing on marvels and miracle
stories in Old English and Anglo-Latin prose, especially the concept of the monstrous. He has edited a special issue
of Religion and Literature on visions of the other world and has published articles on Beowulf, the Letter of
Alexander to Aristotle, the Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History, the Liber Monstrorum, the Exeter Book
Physiologus and Phoenix, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s use of Anglo-Saxon monster lore in his fiction. His book project
discusses the compilation of the Beowulf manuscript in the context of tenth-century English social changes.
Feisal G. Mohamed (Ph. D. Toronto, 2003) specializes in seventeenth-century British literature with emphasis on
Milton. His current book project explores the relationship between early modern angelology and ecclesiastical
controversy with reference to the poetry of Edmund Spenser, John Donne, Thomas Heywood, and John Milton. He
has published articles in PMLA, Milton Quarterly and Essays on Canadian Writing, and is a contributor to the
forthcoming Milton Encyclopedia.
Marjean D. Purinton (Ph.D. Texas A&M, 1991) is author of Romantic Ideology Unmasked: The Mentally
Constructed Tyrannies in Dramas of William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and Joanna Baillie, and the
forthcoming Staging Grotesques and Ghosts: British Romantic Techno-gothic Drama, as well as articles on
Romantic drama, 19th-century women writers, and feminist theory. A recipient of a President's Excellence in
Teaching Award, she teaches in the Women's Studies Program and is the Teaching Section Editor for the online
British Women Playwrights Around 1800. She is President of the International Conference on Romanticism.
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Jen Shelton (Ph.D. Vanderbilt, 1995) has published essays on incest as a narrative structure in works of Joyce,
Woolf and Nabokov.
Jennifer Snead (Ph.D. Duke, 2001) has primary areas of research and teaching interest in eighteenth-
century literature and culture, more specifically book culture, print, poetry, and popular literacy. Her current project
investigates the transatlantic Evangelical Revival of the mid-eighteenth century within those perspectives.
American Literature
Michael Borshuk (Ph.D. Alberta, 2002) specializes in African American literature. He is the author of Swinging
the Vernacular: Jazz and African American Modernist Literature and various articles and encyclopedia entries on
African American literature, music, and American modernism. He also writes regularly on jazz for Coda Magazine.
Bryce Conrad (Ph.D. Iowa, 1988) works in the area of American modernism, with special interest in
interdisciplinary approaches to the study of American culture in the 1920s and 1930s. He has published on the work
of Williams Carlos Williams and Gertrude Stein, and he edits the William Carlos Williams Review.
Madonne Miner (Ph.D. SUNY Buffalo, 1982) has authored Insatiable Appetites: Twentieth-Century American
Women’s Bestsellers, as well as articles on nineteenth- and twentieth-century American fiction, contemporary
drama, popular culture and Women’s Studies. Recently she has published essays on American heist movies and has
worked on academic memoirs.
John Samson (Ph.D. Cornell, 1980) the author of White Lies: Melville’s Narratives of Fact, is concerned with
historical and theoretical approaches to American novels and non-fictional prose narratives.
Cristobal Silva (Ph.D. New York University, 2003) specializes in Early-American Literature. His manuscript-in-
progress focuses on the relation between epidemiological narratives and the emergence of national discourses in
America. Teaching and research interests include interdisciplinary studies, cultural studies, and the history of
medicine and science.
Yuan Shu (Ph.D., Indiana, 1999) specializes in contemporary American literature with an emphasis on postmodern
American fiction, Vietnam War literature, and Asian American literature. His research interests include nationalism
and globalization theory, technology and discourse, and critical and comparative race studies. He is the Director of
the Comparative Literature program and has published in journals from Cultural Critique to MELUS.
Sara L. Spurgeon (Ph.D. University of Arizona, 2000) works in literatures of the American West and Southwest as well as
nature/environmental writing, gender studies, and postcolonial theory. Her most recent book is Exploding the Western:
Myths of Empire on the Postmodern Frontier. She has published essays on Cormac McCarthy and Ana Castillo and serves on
the Executive Council of the Western Literature Association, the Advisory Board of the Western Writers Series, and the
Editorial Board of the journal Western American Literature.
Priscilla Solis Ybarra (Ph.D. Rice University, 2006) specializes in Chicana/o Literature and Ecocriticism. She has
published work in the 2004 collection New Perspectives on Environmental Justice and new work is forthcoming in
the MLA collection Teaching North American Environmental Writing. Her teaching interests include nineteenth and
twentieth century Chicana/o literature, environmental literature, ecocriticism, and contemporary Latina/o literature.
Comparative Literature and Film
Wendell Aycock (Ph.D. South Carolina, 1969) Associate Dean for the Graduate School, has published five volumes
of Twentieth-Century Short Story Explication. In addition to his work on short fiction and publications dealing with
U.S. and English writers, he has published articles on Mexican and Spanish writers and has taught organized classes
in Panama, Argentina (on Fulbright Grants), Turkey, and Spain. Before a term as Chair of the Department of
English at Texas Tech, he served as editor and co-editor of 18 volumes of Studies in Comparative Literature.
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Scott Baugh (Ph.D. Oklahoma State, 2001) specializes in film studies with special emphases in Chicana/o and Latin
American cultural studies. He has published Mediating Chicana/o Culture: Multicultural American Vernacular and
currently is at work on Born of Resistance: Cara a Cara Encounters with Chicana/o Visual Culture with Víctor
Sorell and Screening Mestizaje, a study of multicultural aesthetics in contemporary American cinema. In addition,
his articles have appeared or are forthcoming in Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Journal of Film & Video, and
the Columbia Companion to Film and History.
Ann Daghistany (Ph.D. Southern California, 1971) has published articles on myth criticism and women's studies,
and co-edited a book of essays, Spatial Form in Narrative. She won the President's Excellence in Teaching Award.
She teaches multi-cultural contemporary literature with emphases in madness, trauma and healing, and graduate
classes in Comparative and Victorian Literature.
Ann R. Hawkins (Ph.D. Kentucky, 1997) specializes in Bibliography, Book History, and Textual Studies. She has
published scholarly editions of Disraeli's Henrietta Temple and Venetia and Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of
Blessington's Victims of Society. She has also published articles on Disraeli, nineteenth-century women poets, and
Lord Byron, and edited a collection of essays on teaching book history and textual criticism. She is currently writing
“Byron and the Shakespeare Trade,” part of the research for which will be featured in an exhibition at the Folger
Shakespeare Library in fall 2007.
Michael Schoenecke (Ph.D. Oklahoma State University, 1979) has published articles and chapters on film, sports,
popular music, architecture as well as other popular culture topics. Along with Dr. Baugh, he recently co-edited two
special issues of Film and History with a focus on Latin American Cinema. He is editing a volume on Popular
Culture and North America and completing a book on Cinematic Sports Narratives for The University of Kentucky
Press. He is the Executive Director of the Popular Culture Association and the American Culture Association.
James Whitlark (Ph.D. Chicago, 1976) whose field is Religions in Literature, has won the New Professor and
President’s Excellence in Teaching awards. His publications include two authored books (Illuminated Fantasy:
From Blake’s Visions to Recent Graphic Fiction and Behind the Great Wall: A Post-Jungian Approach to
Kafkaesque Literature), a co-edited book, and more than fifty essays.
Creative Writing
Dennis Covington (M.F.A. Iowa, 1972) is the author of two novels and three nonfiction books, including Salvation
on Sand Mountain, a finalist for the 1995 National Book Award. His articles have appeared in the New York Times,
Vogue, Esquire, Georgia Review, Redbook, the Oxford American, and other periodicals, and his work has been
widely anthologized in the U.S. and translated into eight languages abroad. His most recent book is Redneck
Riviera: Armadillos, Outlaws, and the Demise of an American Dream. He has won the Rea Non-Fiction Prize and
fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Stephen Jones (Ph.D. Florida State, 1998) specializes in Creative Writing/Fiction and American Indian literature.
His novel The Fast Red Road won the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction. Since then, he has
published two more novels—All the Beautiful Sinners and The Bird is Gone—and a collection of short stories, Bleed
Into Me: A Book of Stories. His short fiction has been in anthologies, books on writing, and in journals from Florida
to Alaska, Canada to Japan.
Jacqueline Kolosov-Wenthe (Ph.D. New York University, 1996) is a creative writer whose newest book of poetry,
Vago, is forthcoming from Lewis & Clark Press (Autumn 2006). She has published 4 chapbooks of poetry: Fabergé
& Why Plant Bougainvillea, Danish Ocean, and Modigliani's Muse. Her books of prose includes a young adult
novel, Grace from China, and 2 novels currently under review. She co-edited Writing on the Wind, an anthology of
West Texas women's writing. Her poetry and prose appear in Poetry, Shenandoah, The Southern Review, PRISM
International, and other U.S. and Canadian journals.
Jill Patterson (Ph.D. Oklahoma State, 1993) has published short stories, creative nonfiction, and poetry in Fourth
Genre, Comstock Review, Quarterly West, and Colorado Review. Her work is forthcoming in anthologies published
by Texas A&M University Press, Texas Tech University Press, and University of Iowa Press. Currently, she serves
as Editor of Iron Horse Literary Review and as Director of The San Juan Writers Workshops in Ouray, Colorado.
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John Poch (Ph.D. North Texas, 2000) was the Colgate University Creative Writing Fellow from 2000-2001. He is
the author of Poems and Ghost Towns of the Enchanted Circle and co-author of Hockey Haiku: The Essential
Collection. He won The Nation/Discovery Prize in 1998 and has published poems in Paris Review, The New
Republic, Yale Review, New England Review, Southwest Review, Colorado Review, Agni, and many other literary
magazines. He is the editor of 32 Poems Magazine.
William Wenthe (Ph.D. Virginia 1992) has written two books of poems, Not Till We Are Lost and Birds of
Hoboken. He has published poems in journals including Poetry, TriQuarterly, The Georgia Review, and The
Southern Review, and he is the librettist of Bellini's War, a full-length opera produced at Texas Tech. In addition, he
teaches 20th Century British Poetry and has written articles on Yeats, H. D., poetic form and literary theory. His
awards include fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts, and two
Pushcart Prizes.
Linguistics
Colleen Fitzgerald (Ph.D. Arizona, 1997) Director of Linguistics, specializes in linguistics and linguistic theory,
focusing on phonology (the study of sound systems) with a special emphasis on rhythm and meter. Her publications
focus on these issues in languages such as English, Tohono O'odham, Somali and Tigrinya.
Mary Jane Hurst (Ph.D. Maryland, 1986) Faculty Assistant to the President and Professor of English, is a past
Executive Director of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest. A founding member of the Teaching Academy
and recipient of the President's Excellence in Teaching Award, she teaches linguistics and American literature.
Most of her research is concerned with language in literature, although her two books and more than three dozen
articles, essays and reviews also cover other topics in linguistics, literature, and various professional issues.
Min-Joo Kim (Ph.D. Massachusetts-Amherst, 2004) specializes in theoretical syntax and semantics, with secondary
specialty in language acquisition and pragmatics. Her research aims to deepen our understanding of how linguistic
systems work together with context to derive sentence meanings.
Composition, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication
Ken Baake (Ph.D. New Mexico State, 2000) is a specialist in the rhetoric of science, and is currently doing research
on the ways in which rhetoric, narrative, and myth shape environmental policy. He also has articles on the rhetoric
of corporate annual reports, writing center theory, and use of writing classes to foster economic literacy. His book,
Metaphor and Knowledge: The Challenges of Writing Science, was published in 2003 by SUNY Press.
Craig Baehr (Ph.D. New Mexico, 2002) specializes in hypertext theory, online publishing, instructional design,
report writing, and visual rhetoric. He is the author of Web Development: A Visual-Spatial Approach, published in
2006 by Prentice Hall, and co-editor of a recent special issue "Visual Thinking, On-line Documentation and
Hypertext" for Technical Communication Quarterly. He is recipient of the Society of Technical Communication's
Distinguished Technical Communication Award for his co-authored article "Visual-spatial Thinking in Hypertexts".
Thomas Barker (Ph.D. Texas, 1980) Director of Technical Communication, is a specialist in software
documentation and publications management, is editor of New Perspectives on Software Documentation and author
of Writing Software Documentation: A Task-Oriented Approach.
Locke Carter (Ph.D. Texas, 1997) Director of Graduate Studies in Technical Communication, specializes in
technical communication and rhetoric with an emphasis on business and industry issues, project management,
computer-based rhetoric, theories of argumentation, hypertext theory, usability testing, and the role of market- and
market-like mechanisms in the formation and discourse of the rhetoric and technical communication. His book,
Market Matters: Applied Rhetoric Studies and Free Market Competition, was recently published by Hampton Press.
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Sam Dragga (Ph.D. Ohio, 1982) Chair of the Department of English, is co-author of Editing: The Design of
Rhetoric, A Writer's Repertoire, and Reporting Technical Information. He has also published journal articles on
professional ethics in technical communication, intercultural communication, and visual communication. He is the
series editor for the Allyn & Bacon Series in Technical Communication.
Angela Eaton (Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2003) studies technical communication practice and
pedagogy, especially within online environments, often using quantitative methods. Recent research includes
examining the effectiveness of proofreading methods; the effectiveness of different styles of editorial comments,
with native and non-native speakers of English; the nature and importance of current workplace writing; and the
effectiveness of two methods of teaching students to correct formal errors.
Fred Kemp (Ph.D. Texas, 1988) Associate Director and TOPIC Technical Advisor, is co-author of Daedalus,
selected by EDUCOM as the best writing instruction software of 1989.
Miles Kimball (Ph.D. Kentucky, 1997) specializes in technical communication, visual communication, culture, and
computer-aided pedagogy. His research focuses on document design, the history of technical communication, the
development of graphic communication, technical communication pedagogies, and web portfolios. His book, The
Web Portfolio Guide, was published by Longman in 2003; a new textbook, Document Design (Bedford-St.
Martin's), will be available in 2007.
Amy Koerber (Ph.D. Minnesota, 2002) specializes in feminist rhetorical analysis of medical discourse. Her
research interests include health communication, rhetoric of science and technology, women's studies, and Internet
studies.
Rich Rice (Ph.D. Ball State, 2002) specializes in computer writing environments, distance education, digital
portfolios, and rhetoric(s). He is co-editor of the reviews section of Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and
Pedagogy. He has authored chapters and articles on technology, teaching, and faculty development.
Susan Lang (Ph.D. Emory, 1992) Co-Director of Composition, specializes in rhetorical and critical theory,
technical communication, and computers and English studies, and has written on computers and composition,
hypertext, and other electronically-related topics.
Rebecca Rickly (Ph.D. Ball State, 1995) Co-Director of Composition, specializes in Composition and Rhetoric(s),
electronic literacy, gender studies, and research methods. She is co-author of The Online Writing Classroom and
has authored numerous chapters and articles on technology, gender, teaching, research, and administration.
Kirk St. Amant (Ph.D. Minnesota, 2002) studies international and intercultural communication, international
outsourcing, and international online communication.
Brian Still (Ph.D. South Dakota, 2005) specializes in technical communication. His research interests include
theories of technology, online cultures, virtual activism, medical discourse, and technology evaluation and
implementation in workplace and academic settings. He has published on open source software, content
management systems, hacktivism, virtual intersex activism, failures in e-commerce implementation, and computer-
aided pedagogy.
Sean Zdenek (Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon, 2001) studies the rhetoric of Artificial Intelligence, deaf studies and Deaf
Culture, and rhetorical analysis as a methodological practice. He has authored chapters and articles on artificial
intelligence, software agents, gender and language, the Turing test, and cochlear implants in the news.
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Department Support
The Department of English includes nearly 50 tenure-line faculty, 12 instructors, and 90 Graduate Part-Time
Instructors (GPTIs). Your cooperation is essential to supporting the teaching and research missions of such a large
number of faculty on the always tight Maintenance and Operations Budget. In the effort to assist all faculty as fully
and fairly as possible, the following policies and procedures have been adopted.
Computing: The department supports five computer classrooms, departmental file servers, and two shared
computer/printer pods (414 and 467).
Copying: All instructors may leave their syllabi, policy statements, mid-terms and finals in the work-box in 213 to
be copied on the ABDick. Further, instructors teaching courses above 1301/1302 and having twenty or more
students may leave class handouts to be copied on the ABDick. Please provide staff with at least 24-hours turn-
around time on your smaller requests for copying and at least 48-hours turn-around time for requests involving more
than three pages of multiple copies. Classroom instructors are allotted 500 copies per semester on the copy machine;
document instructors are allotted 200 copies.
E-Reserve: For faculty interested in conserving paper, assistance is available from the E-Reserve Division (2-2243
or libraries.reserve@ttu.edu) at the University Library in putting your course syllabi and assigned readings online as
pdf files. This is a free service: the instructor submits a bibliography and the library’s e-reserve staff locate the
articles, obtain the necessary permissions, create the pdfs, and make the files available on a password-protected
website for the students in the course.
Keys: You will be issued a building key and a key to your office. You must turn in both keys to the department
prior to leaving Texas Tech University or a hold will be put on your transcripts.
Mail, phone, fax, etc: All instructors have mailboxes in 213 for incoming mail. GPTIs share phones located in 414
and 467. In 213 is a fax machine for instructor use; please record your name and the number to which you are faxing
materials on the sign-up sheet near the machine. To use the machine for long-distance, dial 881, then the number of
the machine to which you are faxing.
Room reservations and AV equipment: On the department’s website (www.english.ttu.edu.) you will find sign-
up schedules for various rooms available for faculty reservation. Also available for reservation are COWs
(Computer on Wheels), VCRs, DVDs, and other equipment. The department also has overhead projectors and slide
projectors as well as a collection of videos available for check-out to faculty and GPTIs for teaching purposes.
Please consult Quita Melcher for information on audio-visual equipment availability.
Supplies: In the mail room (213), the department maintains supplies of grade books, pencils, envelopes, and so on.
Such supplies are for university-related teaching and research only.
Travel: The department funds travel to conferences when you are attending, presenting a paper; chairing a session,
or attending as the officer of an organization. Once you hear from the Travel Committee that you’ve been authorized
to spend a set sum of money, make reservations as soon as possible. Whether or not you get funding for your travel,
you need to fill out an Application for Official Travel. This encumbers funds (if funds are involved). If you are
traveling to foreign countries, you also must fill out a Foreign Travel Form at least 45 days in advance of your
travel. Finally, save receipts for travel, parking, conference registration, and housing and submit them to Daryl Lynn
Davalos immediately after your return: she will need these receipts in order to complete the Travel Voucher that
activates your reimbursement from encumbered funds. Do not submit food receipts: your reimbursement will be at
the state’s official per diem rate for your destination. If you are lodging in Texas on official business, you don’t pay
(and won’t be reimbursed for) the state hotel tax. Notify the hotel of your exemption at the time of registration.
Please see Daryl Lynn also for copies of the Application for Official Travel and Application for Foreign Travel.
Sick Days: If you know in advance that you will miss a day of classes, please arrange for a substitute to meet your
classes. If an emergency arises and you must miss class, please contact the English Department Office (742-2501) so
we are able to notify your students. If you are teaching first-year writing (ENGL 1301, or 1302) and must miss class
due to illness, please contact Carolyn Cook (2-2500, ext. 226).
10
Master of Arts Programs in the Department of English
Students pursuing the master's degree in English at Texas Tech University are required to
follow the regulations in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog. The following are
specific details set forth by the Department of English.
AIMS
Graduate Study is characterized ideally by intellectual curiosity and the desire to contribute to
human knowledge and practically by specialized training in a career of the individual's choice.
Accordingly, the specific aims of the M.A. program in English are (1) broad general knowledge
of literature and language; (2) knowledge of principles and techniques of the field; and (3)
demonstration of essential communication skills.
ADMISSION
Application Procedures
To the Graduate School:
• Submit the Graduate School application form to the office of Graduate Admissions.
• Forward official transcripts of all previous college work to the office of Graduate
Admissions.
• Send scores on the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test to the office of
Graduate Admissions.
To the English Department:

• Submit to the Director of Graduate Studies in English the department's form for
admission to the degree program, along with the goals statement and writing sample.
• Have three letters of recommendation (preferably from professors) sent to the
Director of Graduate Studies in English.
Requirements
Admission to the M.A. program normally requires a minimum of 12 hours of advanced
undergraduate English courses. The English Department does not accept or reject applicants
solely on the basis of GRE scores or GPA. Probable success in graduate work, as indicated by
all available evidence, is the final criterion for admission. Nonetheless, the English Department
recommends that applicants have:
• a 3.0 GPA on all advanced undergraduate English courses

• scores of at least 500 on each section of the GRE Aptitude Test
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
The M.A. program in English offers students the opportunity to engage in advanced literary
study while pursuing specialized training in one of the following primary areas of emphasis:
British and American literature, comparative literature, creative writing, linguistics, or rhetoric.
Each emphasis involves a common set of core requirements in foundation courses, historical
distribution of British and American literature courses, as well literary genre courses. The M.A.
11
in English is a 36 semester hour degree, available under a thesis and a non-thesis option.
Students who wish to conduct an extended research project in their area of emphasis at the end of
their program should select the thesis option, and those who wish to gain greater breadth through
course work should select the non-thesis option. Students who select the non-thesis option may
augment their primary area of emphasis with supporting course work through the department’s
offerings in linguistics, rhetoric, and technical communication, or they may do a degree minor in
another department.
M.A. students choose one of the following emphases:
British and American Literature

• two of the three foundation courses: ENGL 5340: Research Methods, ENGL 5342:
Critical Methods, ENGL 5060: History and Theories of College Composition
• two courses in British literature (one before 1700 and one after 1700)
• two courses in American literature (one before 1900 and one after 1900)
• four additional courses in British and American literature
• six hours of thesis or two additional courses (these courses may constitute a degree
minor in another department)
• at least three of the literature courses for the M.A. must be devoted to the study of the
three primary literary genres (drama, poetry, prose fiction)
Comparative Literature
• two graduate courses in the literature of a foreign language (Latin, French, German,
or Spanish)
• two courses in comparative literature (courses prefixed C LT, or ENGL 5355)
• six hours of thesis or two additional courses
Creative Writing
• two courses in creative writing (ENGL 5370)
• two additional courses in British and American literature
• six hours of thesis (Creative Writing is offered only in thesis option)
12
Linguistics
• ENGL 5335: Principles of Language
• one course each in the structure of English and sociological issues in language
• one Linguistics elective from English or another department
• six hours of thesis or two additional courses in Linguistics
Rhetoric
• ENGL 5060: History and Theories of College Composition and one other foundation course (ENGL
5340: Research Methods or ENGL 5342: Critical Methods)
• three rhetoric courses (ENGL 5361, 5362, 5363, or 5365)
• one additional course in the English Department
• six hours of thesis or two additional courses (these courses may constitute a degree
minor in another department)
• at least two of the literature courses for the M.A. must be devoted to the study of two
different literary genres (drama, poetry, prose fiction)
FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
M.A. students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English. This
requirement is designed to give students the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the
language and literature of another culture. Competence may be demonstrated in one of four
ways: (1) by passing the 2301-2302 sequence in the language with a grade of a B or higher in the
second course; (2) by passing the two semester graduate reading course 5341-5342 sequence
offered by the Department of Classical and Modern Languages with a grade of B or higher in the
second semester; (3) by passing the ETS examination in the language, or 4) by placing beyond
the fourth semester on the placement examinations offered by the Department of Classical and
Modern Languages. Native speakers of languages other than English are exempt from this
requirement.
ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY
During their first semester of course work, M.A. students must meet with the Director of
Graduate Studies and prepare the “Program for the Master’s Degree and Admission to
Candidacy.” It is absolutely essential that the form be filed during the student’s second semester
of enrollment in the program.
THESIS AND NON-THESIS OPTIONS
The M.A. in English requires 30 semester hours of course work and 6 hours of thesis under the
thesis option, and 36 semester hours of course work under the non-thesis option. Students
should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies to determine which of these two options
will best serve their goals and interests.
13
THESIS OPTION
A student who elects to write a thesis should confer with the Director of Graduate Studies
regarding the formation of a thesis committee consisting of two faculty members. One faculty
member will serve as the chair of this committee, which will advise the student in refining a
topic, conducting appropriate research, and drafting and revising the thesis itself. There is no
ideal template for what constitutes a good M.A. thesis. Though guided by the committee, the
students must be prepared to work independently in exploring a topic and making an original
contribution to scholarly understanding of the issues under consideration. The student will
schedule an oral defense with the committee in the semester in which he or she intends to
graduate. The formal oral defense of the thesis before the committee will allow the student the
opportunity for self-assessment of the completed work as well as an opportunity to respond to
questions from the committee regarding the methodology and interpretive strategies employed in
the thesis.
Oral Defense Timetable and Procedures
• A defense date may be scheduled only with the approval of the student’s thesis committee.
• The student will provide each committee member with a copy of the completed thesis at least
three weeks before the defense date.
• The defense must take place no later than the last day to defend theses and dissertations for
the semester in which the student intends to graduate (usually the 10th week of a fall or spring
semester).
• The chair of the thesis committee must report the outcome of the defense to the Director of
Graduate Studies according to the deadline announced each semester by Graduate School.
PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT FOR NON-THESIS STUDENTS

M.A. students choosing the non-thesis option must submit a portfolio of materials for review by
two members of the graduate faculty. The portfolio will include three 15-20 page research
papers written in courses taken for the M.A., and a 15-page reflection paper.
The reflection paper affords students the opportunity to address their own sense of their
development as scholars of literature and language. In this respect, the portfolio as a whole has a
pedagogical function. It serves not simply as an assessment of work already completed but
provides a structure for self-examination and exploration. Students may wish to reflect on the
particular methodologies employed in the essays chosen for inclusion in the portfolio, as well as
the interpretive strategies used to approach the texts and topics on which they have written.
More broadly, the reflection paper may also speak to ways in which the portfolio essays relate to,
complicate, or extend the critical discourse in this field of inquiry, and how the research engages
with larger questions shaping this field. Students should also address their professional goals
and how the ideas informing their portfolio essays might be developed or utilized in their future
careers.
Students will formally meet with their committee to answer any questions about the portfolio
materials that the committee wishes to raise. But it is important for students to begin working
closely with their committee in preparing the materials for the portfolio well in advance of the
formal meeting. The committee should take an active role in advising and guiding students on
both the essays to be included in the portfolio and the particular points they might address in the
reflection paper.
14
Portfolio Timetable and Procedures
• Prior to their enrollment in their final semester of course work for the M.A., students will
consult with the Director of Graduate Studies, who will assist them in selecting the two-
member portfolio review committee. One faculty member acts as chair of this committee.
• The research papers selected for inclusion in the portfolio should not be revised, but should
rather be submitted with whatever markings and comment were made by the professor for
whom they were written.
• The completed portfolio must be submitted to the committee at least three weeks before the
date on which students have scheduled their formal meeting with their committee.
• The formal meeting with the committee must take place no later than the last day to defend
theses and dissertations for the semester in which the student intends to graduate (usually the
10th week of a fall or spring semester).
• Students whose portfolio materials or answers to the committee’s questions at the formal
meeting are deemed unsatisfactory by the committee may be required to delay their
graduation in order to revise and resubmit their portfolio materials.
• The chair of the portfolio review committee must submit a report the outcome of the formal
meeting to the Director of Graduate Studies no later than one week after the meeting.
revised 8/2/06
15
Requirements Checklist: M.A. in British and American Literature
Name:
Date:
Required: Possibilities: Course # and Date Suggested Future

Completed Enrollment
2 of the 3 foundation 5340
courses 5342
5060
2 courses in British, 1 Before 1700:
before 1700 and 1 after 5303
5304
5305 *
5306
After 1700:
5307
5309
5313
5315
2 courses in American, 1 Before 1900:
5323 *
After 1900:
5324
5325
4 additional courses in
British and American
literature
At least 3 lit classes in
different genres: drama, *
poetry, prose fiction
6 hours of thesis (6000) OR

2 additional in English
Foreign Language
Requirement
*Courses in individual genres (ENGL 5350, 5351, 5352, 5353) and/or Advanced Problems courses
(ENGL 5380) may also satisfy these period and/or genre requirements.
16
Requirements Checklist: MA in Creative Writing
Name:
Date:

courses 5342
5060
before 1700 and 1 5303
after 5304
5305 *
5306
After 1700:
5307
5309
5313
5315
2 courses in American, Before 1900:
1 before 1900 and 1 5320
after 5323 *
After 1900:
5324
5325
British and American
literature
2 courses in Creative 5370
Writing
6 hours of thesis
(6000)
different genres:
drama, poetry, prose *
fiction
Foreign Language
Requirement
17
Requirements Checklist: MA in Comparative Literature
Name:
Date:
Required: Possibilities: Course # and Suggested Future

Date Completed Enrollment
courses 5342
5060
5304
5305 *
5306
After 1700:
5307
5309
5313
5315
5323 *
After 1900:
5324
5325
2 graduate-level courses in
the literature of a foreign
language (Latin, French,
German, or Spanish)
2 courses in Comparative ENGL 5355
Literature C LT -----
6 hours of thesis (6000) or 2
additional courses
Foreign Language
Requirement
(ENGL 5380) may also satisfy these period and/or genre requirements
18
Requirements Checklist: M.A. in Linguistics
Name:
Date:
courses 5342
5060
5303
5304
5305
5306
5334
After 1700:
5307
5309
5313
5315
OR 5323
Any course in American After 1900:
literature plus ENGL 5337: 5324
American Dialects or ENGL 5325
5337: Linguistics and Linguistics
Literature 5337
ENGL 5335: Principles of
Language
1 course in each of these Structure
areas of Linguistics: 5337
- structure of English 5338
- sociological issues 5339
- any additional course in Sociological
Linguistics 5337
6 hours of thesis (6000) OR
Linguistics
Foreign Language
Requirement
(ENGL 5380) may also satisfy these period requirements.
19
Requirements Checklist: MA in Rhetoric
Name:
Date:
ENGL 5060 and 1 other 5060
foundation course 5340
5342
5304
5305 *
5306
After 1700:
5307
5309
5313
5315
5323 *
After 1900:
5324
5325
3 of the following rhetoric 5361
courses 5362
5363
5365
1 additional course with an Any ENGL course
ENGL prefix
6 hours of thesis (6000) or 2
additional courses
Foreign Language
Requirement
20
M.A. in British and American Literature: Thesis Option
Year 1
Fall Semester Courses Spring Semester Courses
ENGL 5060: History and Theory of College Composition ENGL 53--: English elective
ENGL 5340: Research Methods or ENGL 5342: Critical Methods ENGL 53--: English elective
ENGL 53--: English elective ENGL 53--: English elective
Teaching Teaching
ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)
Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.
Year 2
ENGL 5367: Methods of Teaching College Composition (1 cr) ENGL 53--: English elective
ENGL 5390: Writing for Publication ENGL 53--: English elective
ENGL 53--: English elective ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
Teaching Teaching
21
M.A. in British and American Literature: Non-thesis Option
Year 1
Teaching Teaching
Year 2
ENGL 53--: English elective
Teaching Teaching
22
M.A. in Creative Writing
Year 1
ENGL 5060: History and Theory of College Composition ENGL 5370: Creative Writing Workshop
ENGL 5370: Creative Writing Workshop ENGL 53--: English elective
Teaching Teaching
Year 2
ENGL 53--: English elective ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
Teaching Teaching
23
M.A. in Comparative Literature
Year 1
English elective or Comparative Literature elective English elective or Comparative Literature elective
Teaching Teaching
Year 2
English elective or Comparative Literature elective English Elective or ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
English elective or ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
Teaching Teaching
24
M.A. in Linguistics
Year 1
ENGL 5060: History and Theory of College Composition ENGL 5335: Principles of Language
ENGL 5340: Research Methods or ENGL 5342: Critical Methods American Literature or Linguistics elective
Linguistics elective ENGL 53--: English elective
Teaching Teaching
Year 2
ENGL 5390: Writing for Publication Linguistics elective
Early British Literature or Linguistics elective Linguistics elective or ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
Linguistics elective or ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
Teaching Teaching
25
M.A. in Rhetoric
Year 1
ENGL 5060: History and Theory of College Composition ENGL 5361, 5362, 5363, or 5365
ENGL 5340: Research Methods or ENGL 5342: Critical Methods ENGL 5361, 5362, 5363, or 5365
ENGL 53--: English Elective ENGL 53--: English Elective
Teaching Teaching
Year 2
ENGL 5367: Methods of Teaching College Composition (1 cr) ENGL 5361, 5362, 5363, or 5365
ENGL 53--: English elective English Elective or ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
English elective or ENGL 6000: Thesis Hours
Teaching Teaching
26
The M.A. Thesis or Portfolio
The Graduate School requires that every student receiving a master’s degree submit a thesis or complete an
examination (or equivalent) that culminates the degree. In English, you can choose between these two unless you are
specializing in Creative Writing, in which case a thesis is required.
M.A. Thesis
You may, if you wish, culminate your M.A. degree by writing and submitting a thesis in your area of
specialization. A typical thesis extends to 50-70 pp. in length, often comprising 2-4 chapters of work. For most
fields (creative writing excepted), the thesis will be research-intensive, and for all fields it is writing intensive.
Choosing to complete an M.A. thesis is an outstanding option for:
• students definitely interested in going on to a Ph.D. program
• students who may wish to go on to a Ph.D. program, and who wish to explore the dynamics of the
intensive research such a program requires
• students who enjoy the intellectual rigor and difficulty of scholarly research
By the end of your first year of study, you should make a decision regarding whether you wish to write a thesis so
that you can begin talking with faculty about serving on your thesis committee and plan your schedule for the
coming year. A thesis committee requires two committee members, one of whom will serve as the chair. If you
choose to write a thesis, you should also plan to take ENGL 6000: Thesis for 3 hours in both the fall and spring of
your second year.
Students completing the thesis must follow the guidelines and meet the deadlines described on the website
of the Graduate School, though of course questions can be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies. Here are two
major stipulations you should be aware of:
• Graduate School rules dictate that the thesis must typically be defended at least six weeks prior to the
intended graduation date. May graduation, for example, typically requires the thesis be defended by late
March.
• Department rules require that the thesis be provided to the committee at least four weeks prior to the
intended defense date. A late March defense means, then, that the thesis must typically be fully drafted and
turned over to the thesis committee by spring break.
In other words, don’t be deceived into thinking that if you wish to graduate in May you have the entire spring
semester to continue work on the thesis. In fact, you have until mid-March at most, so you need to calculate these
requirements as part of your broader schedule.
The Defense
The oral defense of the thesis is the final step in completing the degree. Your thesis director will work with
you to establish the requirements of your defense, but typically a defense includes both your formal presentation of
your work and a session of questions and answers. The defense is also open to the public, so members of the
department, university, or general community are always welcome to attend, and some directors allow the audience,
too, to ask questions.
M.A. Portfolio
The department’s non-thesis option is the M.A. Portfolio, which is our equivalent of the examination
required by the Graduate School. Guidelines for the portfolio are described at some length in the M.A. Program
Description provided in this handbook. Generally, the portfolio consists of essays written previously for graduate
seminars, compiled and accompanied by a self-reflection essay that meditates on the intellectual work that
characterized those seminar papers and the graduate experience more broadly. The portfolio is also, then, 50-70 pp.
in length, though with only 15-20 pp. of new writing. Like the M.A. thesis, the portfolio requires a two-person
advisory committee, one of whom will serve as the chair of that committee. Students pursuing the portfolio option
do not take ENGL 6000: Thesis. Instead, they take two additional seminars in literature, working on the portfolio on
their own time. Completing a portfolio is an outstanding option for:
• students unlikely to go on to a Ph.D. program
• students whose primary interest is in teaching rather than research
• students enrolled part-time and traveling from a distance, if access to research materials would make a
thesis difficult
Students completing the thesis should follow the guidelines described in the department’s description of the M.A.
program. Portfolios are due one week prior to the deadline for taking the M.A..
27
Application to renew GPTI appointment, 2006-2007
Instructions: Please complete the information below and submit it to the Director of Graduate
Studies along with the following accompanying document(s):
• Curriculum vitae (all students)
• Final article-length essay submitted for ENGL 5390 (2nd-year
students only)
• Statement of teaching philosophy (2nd-year students only)
The GPTI Renewal form and accompanying documents are due to the Director of Graduate
Studies no later than Friday, February 2, 2007.
Name:
Current degree program:
_____MA English ______MATC
Expected graduation date:
Desired term of appointment:
Academic year 2007-08 Fall 2007 semester only
Courses you would like to teach in fall 2007 (indicate DI or CI for 1301 & 1302):
1. 2. 3.
Courses you would like to teach in spring 2008 (indicate DI or CI for 1301 & 1302):
1. 2. 3.
28
Doctor of Philosophy Programs in the Department of English
Students pursuing the Ph.D. in English at Texas Tech University are required to follow the
regulations in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog. The following are specific details
set forth by the Department of English.
AIMS
The doctoral program in English at Texas Tech University is designed to permit students to
conduct advanced study in literature, creative writing, and rhetoric. Students in our program are
encouraged to prepare broadly, so that they may come to understand the rich interconnectedness
of texts across traditional divisions of period, geography, and genre. They are also asked to
choose a particular area of concentration, so that they may conduct specialized research at the
highest level of intellectual engagement. The goal of this twofold approach to doctoral studies is
to prepare students simultaneously to teach in multiple fields and to produce scholarship in their
area of concentration.
COURSE WORK REQUIREMENTS

Ph.D. students take at least 60 hours of organized graduate courses beyond the bachelor’s degree,
including at least 45 hours of graduate courses in English. Graduate courses from a Master’s
program, either at Texas Tech or another university, may count toward the total of 60 post-
baccalaureate hours. In fulfilling the following specific course work requirements for the Ph.D.,
students may use individual courses to satisfy requirements in more than one area:
Foundation Requirement (6 hours)

• English 5340: Research Methods
• English 5342: Critical Methods
Breadth Requirement (18 hours)

• two additional courses determined in consultation with the student’s advisory committee
Pedagogy Requirement (3 hours)

• English 5392: Teaching College Literature (this course must be taken in the spring semester
of the student’s second year)
Literary Genres Requirement (9 hours)

• at least one course in three of five genres (poetry, drama, fiction, film, and non-fiction)
Concentration Requirement (18 hours)

• at least six courses in the student’s area of concentration
29
Foreign Language/Methods Requirement
The Foreign Language/Methods Requirement may be satisfied by one of three main options:
1. Two foreign languages: requirement for each met by 4th semester of undergraduate study
with a grade of B or higher in the final course, or completion of intensive summer foreign
language sequences for graduate students with a grade of B or higher in the final course.
2. High proficiency in one foreign language: a grade of B or better in a graduate course
taught in a foreign language or in two upper division undergraduate language courses
with readings in the original language, or high proficiency in English philology (ENGL
5301: Old English, ENGL 5303: Beowulf, ENGL 5334: History of the English
Language).
3. One foreign language satisfied under the provisions of option one, plus two methods
courses (excluding ENGL 5340: Research Methods and ENGL 5342: Critical Methods)
approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the student’s doctoral advisory
committee.
Note: Unless used for a minor, graduate-level courses taken outside the department will not
count toward the total of 60 hours of graduate work required for the Ph.D.
Dissertation Requirement (12 hours)

• at least 12 hours of enrollment in English 8000: Doctor’s Dissertation, including at least a 3
hour enrollment in the semester in which the dissertation is defended
CONCENTRATION AREAS
Students may concentrate in the following areas. Each concentration consists of at least 18
semester hours (6 courses), 12 of which (4 courses) must be taken at Texas Tech after admission
to the Ph.D. program. Particular courses will be determined in consultation with the Director of
Graduate Studies and the student’s Advisory Committee. (Note: More detailed guidelines about
concentration area requirements may be provided by faculty in those areas.)
Early British Literature
Later British Literature
American Literature
Comparative Literature
Creative Writing
Linguistics
Literature, Technology, Discourse
30
DEGREE MINOR OR SECONDARY AREA OPTION
Students may choose to do a degree minor or a secondary area of concentration. A degree minor
requires completion of 15 semester hours (5 courses) in another department or program. The
particular courses are subject to the approval of both the Director of Graduate Studies in English
and the Director of Graduate Studies in the minor department. The student is examined in the
minor area on the Ph.D. qualifying examinations, and a professor from the minor department
serves on the examination committee.
A secondary area of concentration consists of at least 15 semester hours (5 courses) taken inside
or outside the Department of English. The particular courses are subject to the approval of the
Director of Graduate Studies in English and the student’s Advisory Committee, and the student
is examined in the secondary area on the Ph.D. qualifying examinations.
FIRST-YEAR MATTERS
Annual Review
Early in the student’s second semester of full-time study, the student, in consultation with the
DGS, will select two faculty members to serve as a provisional advisory committee. At the end
of the student’s first year of full-time study, the provisional advisory committee will review the
student’s portfolio, which will include:
• brief reports submitted by all of the instructors in the courses taken during the first year
• a term-paper length (15-25 pages) graded essay written for one of those courses and
indicative of the student’s highest level of competence
• a statement indicating the means by which the student will satisfy the Graduate School’s
residency requirement in either the first or second year of enrollment.
The committee will meet with the student, recommend subsequent courses to be taken in the
second year, and report to the DGS. If the committee decides that the student’s record of work in
the program is weak, they may recommend that further financial support be denied.
Degree Plan
Upon completion of the first Annual Review each Ph.D. student must prepare, in consultation
with the Director of Graduate Studies and the student's provisional advisory committee, a
“Program for the Doctoral Degree,” which includes plans for meeting the requirements of
coursework, foreign language, dissertation, and residence. The Director of Graduate Studies
forwards the proposal to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval.
Residence Requirement
Regardless of the amount of graduate work completed elsewhere or part-time at Texas Tech
University, doctoral students must spend at least one year in full-time residence at the University,
which requires enrolling in at least 24 hours of doctoral course work in that period of time
(dissertation and graduate-level foreign language courses may be used to satisfy this
requirement).
31
SECOND YEAR
Dissertation Committee
Before completion of their coursework, students should, in consultation with their Provisional
Advisory Committee and the DGS, select a faculty member to serve as chair of the student’s
final three-person advisory committee. After choosing (and being accepted by) a chair, the
student should discuss potential committee members with her or him, since it is important that
the chair and members of the advisory committee work as a team. Expertise areas of the chair
and members of the advisory committee should reflect the specialization (usually but not
necessarily within the primary area of the student’s coursework) and related field in which the
student plans to take the qualifying examination and write the dissertation. Considering a topic
for the dissertation, the student should consult with committee members about the field of
specialization (a historical period, a body of theoretical work, a genre, a topic) and the related
field (a contiguous period or related theory, genre, or topic).
Students should ask potential committee members whether they are willing to serve on the
committee; faculty are in a better position to work with students and their projects if students
have already taken a course or two with those who will constitute the committee. When they
have a verbal agreement from all three committee members, students will notify the DGS and fill
out the appropriate form for the Graduate School.
The committee chair should have expertise in the content of the specialization, which will be the
area of the dissertation; the chair will direct the committee’s construction and evaluation of the
qualifying exam and will direct the dissertation.
The second and third members of the committee will contribute to the construction of the exam
questions, will read and evaluate the exam responses, and will serve as readers of the
dissertation. To contribute complementary resources to the student’s work and to render
informed readings of the dissertation, they might bring appropriate expertise in the following
ways: content of primary or secondary field, theoretical frameworks or critical methodologies
useful to the dissertation project, genre or period expertise relevant to the dissertation project, or
cross-disciplinary expertise germane to the dissertation project.
It is important that the three committee members work as a team, so after choosing a chair, the
student should discuss potential committee members with her or him. Students should ask
potential committee members whether they are willing to serve on the committee; faculty are in a
better position to work with students and their projects if students have already taken a course or
two with those who will constitute the committee. When they have a verbal agreement from all
three committee members, students will notify the DGS and fill out the appropriate form for the
Graduate School.
Annual Review
At the conclusion of the student’s second year of coursework, the committee will review the
student’s progress in fulfilling the recommendations made by the Provisional Advisory
Committee. If the committee is convinced that the student has made satisfactory progress
towards the degree, it will recommend to the DGS that the student be permitted to continue in the
program. In each subsequent year the committee chair will indicate to the DGS whether or not
the student is making satisfactory progress toward the degree.
32
Advanced Teaching Apprenticeship
Ph.D. students are eligible to participate in a one-semester advanced teaching apprenticeship,
which will substitute for one elective course. Students electing this option enroll, with the
permission of the graduate professor, in a section of English 7000. They fulfill course
requirements by working closely with the professor in an undergraduate course in their primary
area. Appropriate activities include attending class, completing the readings, assisting the
professor in reading student papers, leading discussion groups, and lecturing.
THIRD YEAR
Qualifying Examinations
• Show mastery of the concentration area and preparation for writing the dissertation
• Substantial reading list(s) that will serve as an initial bibliography for the dissertation; the
list(s) may contain a range of materials (primary and secondary sources; books and
articles; websites, films, and so on) as appropriate to the student’s research project
• Preliminary dissertation prospectus (10 pages)
• List(s) and prospectus must be approved by student’s doctoral committee and filed with
the DGS by the specified deadline prior to the examination
• Examination must be taken within one year of completion of course work requirements
• Examination period consist of two successive days, with 3 hours writing time each day
Dissertation Prospectus
• Within two weeks of notification of having successfully completed the qualifying
examinations, the candidate will meet with his or her committee to discuss plans and
directions for the dissertation
• Within one month of the meeting with the committee, the candidate will submit a 30-
page overview of the proposed dissertation, the methodologies and theories to be
employed, and the expected contribution to knowledge in the field
FOURTH YEAR
Dissertation
The dissertation is usually a scholarly or critical book-length study. With permission of the
creative writing staff, students of exceptional creative writing ability have the option of writing a
creative dissertation (e.g., a collection of poems or short stories, or a novel; see “The Ph.D.
Specialization in Creative Writing”).
With the advice of their Dissertation Committees, students select their dissertation subject and
write a prospectus summarizing the project. Students then write the dissertation under the
supervision of the chair of the Dissertation Committee. The dissertation must be approved
unanimously by the Committee. The final version of the dissertation should be prepared and
submitted in accordance with Instructions for Preparing and Submitting Reports, Theses, and
Dissertations, available at the University Bookstore.
Students must fill out the Graduate School’s Intent to Graduate form at least four months prior to
the proposed date of graduation and submit it to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval.
Candidates must submit the final draft of the dissertation to the Dissertation Committee chair no
later than 21 days prior to final oral examination.
33
Final Oral Examination
A public oral examination over the dissertation is required before final approval for the degree is
given. The student's Dissertation Committee supervises this hour-long examination. Other
interested faculty and students are invited to attend. A representative of the Graduate Dean also
attends. At least three weeks prior to the examination, the candidate submits to the Graduate
School the number of copies specified by the Graduate School (typewritten or copied on the
same grade paper as the dissertation) of an announcement of the final examination. The
announcement must follow the approved format available in the Graduate School Office.
34
Requirements Checklist: Ph.D. in English with a concentration in Literature
Name:
Date:
Residency Requirement met:
60 hours of organized graduate courses, with at least 45 hours in English:
3 foundation courses 5340
5342
5060
2 courses in British Before 1700:*
literature, 1 before 5303
1700 and 1 after 5304
5305
After 1700: *
5306
5307
5309
5313
5315
2 courses in American 5320
literature 5323 *
5324
5325
2 additional courses to
be determined in
consultation with
advisory committee
1 pedagogy course 5392
(usually taken in spring
of 2nd year)
6 course in the
student’s area of
specialization (at least
4 of which must be
taken at TTU)
Literary genres:
courses from above
must cover at least
three of five genres
(poetry, drama, fiction,
film, non-fiction)
12 hours of dissertation
research hours (8000)
Tools: language(s);
philology; relevant
subfields
*Courses in individual genres (ENGL 5350, 5351, ENGL 5352, ENGL 5353) and/or Advanced
Problems courses (ENGL 5380) may also satisfy these period requirements.
35
Requirements Checklist: Ph.D. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing
Name:
Date:
Residency Requirement met:
60 hours of organized graduate courses, with at least 45 hours in English:
3 foundation courses 5340
5342
5060
2 courses in British Before 1700:*
literature, 1 before 5303
1700 and 1 after 5304
5305
5306
After 1700: *
5307
5309
5313
5315
2 courses in American 5320
literature 5323 *
5324
5325
2 additional courses to
be determined in
consultation with
advisory committee
1 pedagogy course 5392
(usually taken in spring
of 2nd year)
6 course in the
student’s area of
specialization (at least
4 of which must be
taken at TTU)
Literary genres:
courses from above
must cover at least
three of five genres
(poetry, drama, fiction,
film, non-fiction)
12 hours of dissertation
research hours (8000)
Tools: language(s);
philology; relevant
subfields
*Courses in individual genres (ENGL 5350, 5351, ENGL 5352, ENGL 5353) and/or Advanced Problems
courses (ENGL 5380) may also satisfy these period requirements.
36
Ph.D. in British and American Literature
Year 1
ENGL 5060: History and Theory of College Composition (1 cr) ENGL 53--: English elective
ENGL 53--: English elective ENGL 7000: Research (3 cr)
ENGL 7000: Research (2 cr)
Teaching Teaching
Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study. Student may elect seminar or other study during summer.
Year 2
ENGL 5390: Writing for Publication ENGL 5392: Teaching College Literature
** creation of doctoral committee
Teaching Teaching
37
Summer Session: Preparation of reading lists for qualifying exams. Student may elect seminar or other study during summer.
Year 3
ENGL 53--: English elective or ENGL 7000: Research ENGL 7000: Research
** preparation for qualifying examinations ** take qualifying examinations in May
Teaching Teaching
ENGL 230X (2 sections) ENGL 230X (2 sections)
Summer Session: Completion of dissertation proposal and beginning of dissertation work. Student must enroll for ENGL 8000: Doctor’s
Dissertation (3 cr minimum).
Years 4 and 5
Beginning with the fourth year of study, each doctoral student with a GPTI appointment must enroll for 9 credits of ENGL 8000 per
semester, and all doctoral students (regardless of teaching appointment) must enroll for a minimum of 3 credits of ENGL 8000 per
semester including one (but not both) of the regular summer sessions. GPTIs will continue to teach a 2/2 load with as many courses as
possible coming in 2000-level literature courses. Doctoral students who make satisfactory academic progress qualify automatically for
GPTI support through their fourth year, and a fifth year of funding is possible.
Doctoral students should plan to defend their dissertation in November of Year 4. Under normal circumstances, this will mean a complete
draft must be given to the dissertation chair and committee in October, or approximately one month in advance of the defense. By
defending in November, the student finishes all degree requirements before job interviews begin at the December convention of the
Modern Language Association.
38
Ph.D. in Creative Writing
Year 1
ENGL 5060: History and Theory of College Composition (1-3 cr) ENGL 53--: English elective
ENGL 7000: Research (1-3 cr) if necessary
Teaching Teaching
Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study. Student may elect seminar or other study during summer.
Year 2
ENGL 5390: Writing for Publication ENGL 5392: Teaching College Literature
** creation of doctoral committee
Teaching Teaching
ENGL 2351 (2 sections) ENGL 2351 (2 sections)
39
Summer Session: Preparation of reading lists for qualifying exams. Student may elect seminar or other study during summer.
Year 3
** preparation for qualifying examinations ** take qualifying examinations in May
Teaching Teaching
ENGL 230X or 2351 (2 sections) ENGL 230X or 2351 (2 sections)
Summer Session: Beginning of dissertation work. Student must enroll for ENGL 8000: Doctor’s Dissertation (3 cr minimum).
Year 4
Beginning with the fourth year of study, each doctoral student with a GPTI appointment must enroll for 9 credits of ENGL 8000 per
semester, and all doctoral students (regardless of teaching appointment) must enroll for a minimum of 3 credits of ENGL 8000 per
semester including one (but not both) of the regular summer sessions. GPTIs will continue to teach a 2/2 load with as many courses as
possible coming in 2000-level courses. Doctoral students who make satisfactory academic progress qualify automatically for GPTI
support through their fourth year, and a fifth year of funding is possible.
Doctoral students should plan to defend their dissertation in November of Year 4. Under normal circumstances, this will mean a complete
draft must be given to the dissertation chair and committee in October, or approximately one month in advance of the defense. By
defending in November, the student finishes all degree requirements before job interviews begin at the December convention of the
Modern Language Association.
40
The Committee, Qualifying Exams, and the Dissertation
Writing the dissertation is the most difficult and most rewarding part of completing a Ph.D.
in English. Our Ph.D. curriculum has recently been revised to allow students to structure coursework
and qualifying examinations in ways that will contribute to a steady progression toward and
development of the dissertation. You should remember always: taking classes is easy, but completing
the dissertation is hard. As you consider how to structure your time in our program, then, always err
on the side of giving yourself more time to complete the dissertation, and less time to complete the
preliminaries to that project.
The program is designed as a five-year program, which means generally that you should
think of your time as divided roughly equally between pre- and post- the start of your dissertation.
Your first two years should be devoted to taking coursework, assembling your dissertation
committee, and preparing for qualifying examinations. Your qualifying examinations should come at
latest by the middle of year three. The rest of your time should be devoted to writing the best
dissertation you can write.
Assembling a Committee
A dissertation committee must include no fewer than three members, one of whom will serve
as the director (although co-directors are possible). Realities dictate that not every faculty member
will teach a graduate seminar each semester, or even each year, though virtually every faculty
member teaches a graduate seminar in every two-year cycle. Having arrived here, you should read
the brief faculty biographies to see which faculty members specialize in areas similar to yours. If
there are faculty members who seem like promising candidates for advising your work, but they are
not teaching a graduate seminar this semester, go and introduce yourself. Take it upon yourself to
seek out faculty members of interest. Your first task should be to consider possible dissertation
directors, since often the faculty member you choose to direct your work can help you to select other
appropriate committee members.
Ideally, you will assemble your dissertation committee entirely by the middle of your second
year in the program. This is an important, even necessary first step, since the members of your
committee will be involved thoroughly in your preparation for qualifying examinations and your
writing of the dissertation.
Qualifying Examinations
Once you have assembled your committee, you should begin immediately the process of
working with them to craft the reading list for your qualifying examinations. The reading list can
actually be one list or several, in that it can be broken down into subcategories that seem relevant to
your work, but in general it refers to a body of primary and secondary texts that you and your
committee choose as the basis for your examinations. Remember that the qualifying examinations
have a twofold purpose: (1) to guarantee your broad expertise in the area you will market yourself in
for academic jobs (i.e., “Renaissance literature,” or “film studies”); and (2) to prepare you for the
specific work you will undertake in writing the dissertation. Often students divide their reading list
into a general list that reflects a period or genre preference and a specific list of research materials
relevant to their own work.
The reading list is a matter of negotiation between you and your dissertation committee, and
you should work closely with them in preparing it. You must also write dissertation prospectus of
10-15 pp. that describes your plans for the dissertation. When the reading list and dissertation
prospectus are complete and approved by the dissertation committee, they must be submitted to the
Director of Graduate Studies in order to register for a date to take qualifying examinations.
Qualifying examinations take place three times each year: in January, just before the start of
spring term; in May, just before the start of summer term; and in August, just before the start of fall
term. The examination lasts for 3 hours on two consecutive days in a room scheduled by the Director
41
of Graduate Studies. The two days’ exams may be divided by focus, genre, period, or whatever other
criterion the committee finds suitable in composing them. Early each semester the Director of
Graduate Studies sends an electronic version of the Qualifying Exam Registration form to the
“LCWL” list-serve. If you plan to take qualifying exams during the next available session, you
should complete the registration form and submit it to the Director of Graduate Studies along with
the necessary accompaniments.
Completed examinations are forwarded to the student’s dissertation committee for evaluation
and, in most cases, a decision is rendered within three weeks. Upon notification of the Director of
Graduate Studies, s/he notifies the student of successful or unsuccessful completion of the exams. An
unsuccessful student may be asked to retake one or both days of the examination at the next available
date, usually at the start of the next semester. A successful student is nominated to candidacy by the
Department of English and, upon approval by the Graduate School, becomes an official candidate for
the Ph.D. and enters “ABD” (“all but dissertated”) status. After this point, the student takes only
ENGL 8000: Dissertation, devoting his/her time to writing the dissertation.
The Dissertation
The dissertation is typically 150-200 pp. long and reflects original and rigorous scholarly
research in the student’s area of specialization. It usually comprises 4-7 chapters and combines
secondary research and theoretical sophistication with the study of primary texts in literature and
film. For creative writing students, the dissertation is typically a book-length original creative
manuscript, whether a collection of poems, a collection of short stories or creative nonfiction pieces,
or a long fiction or non-fiction narrative. In completing the dissertation, the candidate must adhere to
guidelines and deadlines spelled out on the website of the Graduate School. Here are two major
stipulations you should be aware of:
• Graduate School rules dictate that the dissertation must typically be defended at least six
weeks prior to the intended graduation date. May graduation, for example, typically requires
the dissertation be defended by late March.
• Department rules require that the dissertation be provided to the committee at least four
weeks prior to the intended defense date. A late March defense means, then, that the
dissertation must be fully drafted and turned over to the dissertation committee by late
February.
Don’t be deceived into thinking that if you wish to graduate in May you have the entire
spring semester to work on the dissertation. In fact, you have until late February at most, so you need
to calculate these requirements as part of your broader schedule.
The Defense
The oral defense of the dissertation is the final step in moving toward completion of the
degree. Your dissertation director will work with you to establish the requirements of your defense,
but typically a defense includes both your formal presentation of your work and a session of
questions and answers. The defense is open to the public, so members of the department, university,
or general community may attend.
42
Registration
Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations, January 2007
If you plan to take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations on Monday and Tuesday, January 8-9, 2007, please return
this form by Monday, October 16, 2006 to:
Sean Grass
Director of Graduate Studies in English
Department of English
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3091
I will take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations on January 8-9, 2007, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., in Room 357.
Name Date
Address
Street
City State Zip
Phone Number E-Mail Address
My dissertation director is: _________________________________________________
Circle Y for “Yes” or N for “No”
Y N I have notified my director that I wish to take the exam on this date.
** If you circle “N,” please complete this step no later than Wednesday, May 31 or you
will be unable to take the examination.
Y N I have submitted an approved copy of my reading lists and the rationale to the DGS
** If you circle “N,” you must do this at least one week prior to the examination or you
will be unable to take the examination.
I plan to complete the Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations in the following manner:
_________ handwriting (include two large bluebooks)
_________ computer (include two blank disks)
Students who plan to use the computer must read and sign the following statement:
I understand that I will be expected to save frequently to the computer’s hard drive while I am writing the
examinations, that I will run a spelling check of my answers at the end of each day’s writing, and that I will print
one copy of my answers at the end of each day’s examination period. I further accept responsibility for the loss of
data resulting from electrical, software or hardware failure, and I understand that I will be allotted a maximum of
one hour to replace lost files. I have read this statement of policies and procedures and accept the terms stated here.
__________________________________
Signature Date
43
Annual Reports
Each year at the start of the spring semester, all doctoral students must complete a report
describing their activities for the last year and plans for the year to come. Unlike the M.A.
program, the Ph.D. program is extraordinarily flexible: yes, there are expectations about how
quickly you’ll complete various parts of the degree, but students work at their own pace, too,
especially in preparing for qualifying examinations and writing the dissertation. These annual
reports thus provide the student with an opportunity to review his/her own progress in relation to
expectations, and it also keeps the Director of Graduate Studies apprised of a student’s progress
even after that student has reached the point where s/he is dealing primarily with the dissertation
director and committee.
The annual report forms—both First-Year and Annual—also are our means of collecting
data on when you intend to graduate and whether you wish to renew your GPTI appointment for
the next academic year. As you can see from the sample report form that follows, the report form
is your chance both to confirm that you intend to continue as a GPTI and to indicate which
course(s) you want to be assigned to teach for the coming year. The annual report forms thus do
double duty: they keep the Director apprised of academic progress, but also, for doctoral
students, they replace the GPTI Renewal Form that is completed by M.A. students.
First-Year Review Reports

During your first year in the graduate program, you will complete the First-Year Review
Report, which differs slightly from the form used in subsequent years. You will be completing
this report after just one full semester in the program, which means that you will complete it with
the cooperation of your first-year advisory committee rather than with your eventual dissertation
committee. In your first year, besides the information requested on the report form, you also
must turn in (a) the graded copy of an essay you submitted for any one of your fall seminars; and
(b) the documents specific to your completion of one semester in the Professional Development
Curriculum (these documents are enumerated in the instructions for the report form).
Annual Review Reports

In all subsequent years, you will complete the Annual Review Report, which does not
require you to attach a seminar paper but does ask you to report on activities from the past year
and expectations for the year to come. Also, you must submit with the Annual Review Report the
documents called for by the Professional Development Curriculum. For all students, this means
an updated copy of the Curriculum Vitae. For second-year students, it also means a copy of the
article-length paper generated in ENGL 5390 and a copy of your teaching statement. For third-
year students, it means a copy of your brief teaching portfolio. These documents are enumerated
on the report form.
Required Submission
The First-Year and Annual Review Reports must be submitted on time, according to the
deadline specified on the form—typically around the end of January. Because these forms serve
as preparation for academic advising and as a GPTI Renewal request, late submission endangers
the continuation of financial support and your ability to register for the following semester.
44
First-Year Review Report, Spring 2007
Part I: Students: Complete the information in Part I, attach a copy of the essay you indicate in the space
for “Paper Submitted,” and submit the form and essay to your advisory committee chair no later than
Friday, February 2, 2007. Subsequently, you must meet with your advisory committee chair to discuss the
report and the chair’s assessment of your progress. After this meeting, you and your chair should both
sign the Report form, and you should submit the form and the following accompanying document(s) to
the Director of Graduate Studies:
• Curriculum vitae
• Seminar paper from fall semester
The First-Year Review Report and accompanying documents are due to the Director of Graduate Studies
no later than Friday, February 2, 2007.
Student Name:
Master’s degree—university, specialization,

completion date:
Courses completed in the fall semester:
Courses enrolled in for the spring semester:
Paper submitted—title, course, professor:
Tentative timetable
degree plan filing date:
completion of coursework:
foreign language(s):
qualifying exams:
completion of dissertation:
probable dissertation topic:
45
Do you wish to be considered for renewal of your GPTI appointment? Yes
No
If yes, desired term of appointment: ____ Academic year 2007-08
____ Fall 2007 semester only
Courses previously taught at TTU:
____ ENGL 1301 Essentials of College Rhetoric
____ ENGL 1302 Advanced College Rhetoric
____ ENGL 2305 Introduction to Poetry
____ ENGL 2306 Introduction to Drama
____ ENGL 2307 Introduction to Fiction
____ ENGL 2308 Introduction to Nonfiction
____ ENGL 2351 Introduction to Creative Writing
1. ____________________ 2.____________________ 3.____________________
1. ____________________ 2.____________________ 3.____________________
46
Part II: Advisory Committee Chairs: complete all information in Part II, then meet with the student
and review the report. Completed review forms, signed by the student and chair, are due by Friday,
February 16, 2007, to the Director of Graduate Studies.
Advisory Committee: Chair: Member:
Evaluations received from:

Quality of work in courses (summarize
evaluations, citing strengths and goals)
Other achievements, information
Potential to complete the doctorate (add
additional information based on a comprehensive
assessment)
Progress assessment (on schedule, ahead of,
lagging behind milestones)
Recommendations to the student (courses,
professional activities, teaching, etc.)
Recommendations to the Director of Graduate
Studies (continuation in the program, conditional
continuation—cite conditions, dismissal)
I have reviewed the student’s academic progress and discussed that progress and the contents of this
Report with the student.
Advisory Committee Chair signature Date
I have discussed this report with my advisory committee and understand that it becomes part of my
permanent record in the English Department and the Graduate School.
Student signature Date
47
Annual Review Report, 2007
Part I: Students: Complete all information, then turn in the form to your dissertation committee
chair no later than Friday, February 2, 2007. Subsequently, you must meet with your dissertation
committee chair to discuss the report and her/his assessment of your progress. After this meeting, you and
your chair should both sign the Report form, and you should submit the form and the following
accompanying document(s) to the Director of Graduate Studies:
• Updated Curriculum vitae (all students)
• Final article-length essay submitted for ENGL 5390 (2nd-year
students only)
• Statement of teaching philosophy (2nd-year students only)
• Brief Teaching Portfolio including teaching philosophy, summaries
of teaching evaluations, and sample syllabi (3rd-year students only)
The Annual Review Report and accompanying documents are due to the Director of Graduate Studies no
later than Friday, February 16, 2007.
Student Name:
Entry into the PhD program (sem/yr):

Degree plan filing date:
Work completed in the past year

(courses, exams, dissertation)
Honors and special achievements

in the past year (awards, scholarships,
presentations, etc.)
Work planned for the coming year:
Timetable
completion of coursework:
foreign language(s):
dissertation proposal:
qualifying exams:
completion of dissertation:
Dissertation Committee:
Chair:
Members:
Dissertation topic:
48
Do you wish to be considered for renewal of your GPTI appointment? Yes
No
If yes, desired term of appointment: ____ Academic year 2007-08
____ Fall 2007 semester only
Courses previously taught at TTU:
____ ENGL 1301 Essentials of College Rhetoric
____ ENGL 1302 Advanced College Rhetoric
____ ENGL 2305 Introduction to Poetry
____ ENGL 2306 Introduction to Drama
____ ENGL 2307 Introduction to Fiction
____ ENGL 2308 Introduction to Nonfiction
____ ENGL 2351 Introduction to Creative Writing
1. ____________________ 2.____________________ 3.____________________
1. ____________________ 2.____________________ 3.____________________
49
Part II: Dissertation Committee Chairs: Complete all information in Part II, then meet with
the student and review the report. Completed review forms, signed by the student and
dissertation committee chair, are due by Friday, February 16, 2007 to the Director of Graduate
Studies.
Dissertation Chair
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Progress assessment (on schedule,

ahead of, lagging behind milestones)
Recommendations to the student:

(courses, professional activities,
teaching, etc.)
I have reviewed the student’s academic progress and discussed that progress and the contents of this
Report with the student.
Dissertation Committee Chair signature Date
I have discussed this report with my advisory committee and understand that it becomes part of my
permanent record in the English Department and the Graduate School.
50
Registration for Courses
Graduate seminars offered by the Department of English are listed officially by the
Registrar’s Office as requiring “Permission” for enrollment. As a student admitted to the English
program, you have automatic permission to take English offerings, but because of the
“Permission” designation, only graduate program staff (the Director, the Graduate Program
Secretary) can actually register you for the courses you want. Each semester, about mid-way
through, the Director will announce 1-2 weeks of “pre-registration advising hours,” which
amount to extended office hours. You must come in person to speak with the Director about the
courses you wish to take for the coming semester. This is especially important for another
reason: only after your course schedule is set can the Director work with the Associate Chair to
create your teaching schedule. Neglecting registration for courses can leave you not only unable
to take courses that have filled but also teaching what may be for you an undesirable schedule.
Usually 2-3 weeks prior to pre-registration activities, the Director will release the
descriptions of seminars upcoming for the following semester. You should review your options
and compare them against the requirements checklist for your program of study. Doing so will
make the advising appointment go much more smoothly.
Here are a few other things to note about registration for courses. Because of enrollment
limits and the need to have roughly even enrollments in English seminars, you may not always
gain admission to every seminar you want, though first choices are honored whenever it is
possible to honor them and always when it is a course that is (a) required for graduation or (b) in
a doctoral student’s area of specialization. You should also know that “automatic permission”
does not mean that you can ignore things like prerequisites or program boundaries (a literature
student cannot automatically take a creative writing workshop, for instance).
Academic Advising
For M.A. students, the Director of Graduate Studies serves as the primary academic
advisor. Pre-registration advising will include a review of the progress toward satisfying the
requirements checklist for the program, and the Director will typically know what courses may
be slated for the next several semester. The aim during pre-registration advising is always to
establish a plan of study that may extend for several semesters, not just one. You should talk
with the Director about your plans to write a thesis or not, to apply for Ph.D. programs, to seek
employment after the M.A. You certainly may speak with other faculty about these plans, too; in
fact, you are encouraged to do so. But especially for students who pursue the non-thesis option,
the Director is likely to be the primary academic advisor. Even a student’s thesis director may
not wish to conduct academic advising apart from the supervision of the thesis.
Ph.D. students, on the other hand, should consult with their assigned advisory committee
during the fall semester to sketch out a plan for the next 1-2 semesters. The Director of Graduate
Studies is certainly also available for consultation, and a meeting with the Director is required
during pre-registration. But at the doctoral level of study, faculty who research and teach in the
student’s intended specialization area should be involved heavily in decisions regarding the
student’s plans for English seminars, foreign language study, etc. By the early part of year two,
also, Ph.D. students should typically have assembled their dissertation committees and begun
moving toward qualifying examinations and preliminary work toward the dissertation.
51
General Rotation of Graduate Courses
To help you plan the contours of your coursework over several semesters, the following
is a general outline of the frequency with which different seminars are taught in the Department
of English. Bear in mind, there are always fluctuations and adjustments from semester to
semester, for a variety of reasons. But in a general way, you can expect to see this distribution of
course offerings each year.
ENGL 5060 2 sections (fall only)

ENGL 5340 1 section (fall only)
ENGL 5390 1-2 sections (fall only)
ENGL 5392 1 section (spring only)
ENGL 5343 1 section (spring only)
Pre-1700 British Literature 4-6 sections (fall and spring)
Post-1700 British Literature 4-6 sections (fall and spring)
Pre-1900 American Literature 1-2 sections (fall and spring)
Post-1900 American Literature 4-5 sections (fall and spring)
Film 2 sections (fall and spring)
Comparative Literature 2-4 sections (fall and spring)
Creative Writing 4-6 sections (fall and spring)
Linguistics 2-4 sections (fall and spring)
Besides the courses offered formally by the Department of English, you may occasionally
wish to propose an ENGL 7000 Independent Study, which allows you to conduct specialized
independent work under the supervision of a faculty member you choose (and who agrees) to
guide your work. Please be aware that an ENGL 7000 must constitute a special case, and that
proposals for an ENGL 7000 must be prepared using the form below, then reviewed and
approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. In reviewing 7000 proposals, the Committee
expects to see several things: (1) reading and writing requirements at least commensurate with
those for a typical graduate seminar; (2) a compelling rationale for why the proposed work must
be conducted independently instead of in a classroom setting; and (3) a sense of how the
independent study is expected to fit into the student’s broader academic plan. These things are
enumerated on the proposal form below
Each semester, at about mid-semester, the Director of Graduate Studies will send via
email a formal call for independent study proposal including an updated version of the form used
for that purpose. The deadline is usually late in the semester, just before the Graduate Studies
Committee will meet for the last time. Independent study proposals received after the stated
deadline cannot be considered, since they will not have a chance of being reviewed and approved
before the start of the next semester.
As a final note on ENGL 7000, be advised that this is a slightly confusing course number.
Students pursuing the Ph.D. may take several hours of ENGL 7000 that are not independent
study hours, since this is also the course designation for the time doctoral students spend
preparing for qualifying examinations. The procedure above only applies when the student
wishes to perform a true, guided, independent study.
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Proposal for Independent Study (ENGL 7000)
Instructions: Complete all of the information below, then submit your proposal and any
accompanying document(s) to the Director of Graduate Studies. For independent studies to be
conducted during spring 2007, the deadline for submission of this form is Friday, November 10.
Please submit a signed hard copy as well as an unsigned electronic copy (Word format)
that can be circulated to the Graduate Studies Committee for review.
Title of proposed ENGL 7000:
Name of Student:
Faculty Director of the ENGL 7000:
Scope and content of Proposed Work:
a. primary and secondary readings

b. written work to be submitted
c. frequency of meetings with director of study
d. rationale for studying independently (instead of in a regular seminar)
e. how you expect the course to “count” toward period or genre distributions
I am willing to direct the independent work described in this proposal.
Independent Study Director signature Date
I have discussed this independent study proposal with the Director of the course of study.
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Scholarships and Fellowships
You are encouraged to compete aggressively for scholarships, fellowships, grants, and
other kinds of extramural, university, college, and departmental support. Each year there are
literally dozens of opportunities to apply for prestigious (and remunerative) awards. Many of
these are described below, and others will come to you via department list-serves and other
vehicles throughout the academic year.
Extramural Funding
During the year the Director and the Department Chair may receive word of funding
opportunities sponsored by private foundations, the federal government, and other universities.
When this happens, announcements about these opportunities are shared via department email.
Sometimes such announcements come also from the website of the Graduate School at
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/ . You should check that website periodically to keep
yourself abreast of possibilities.
University/College Funding
The Graduate School maintains a separate location on its website for information about
all of the scholarships for which Texas Tech graduate students are eligible. More than half a
million dollars of scholarship money is awarded each year by the Graduate School, and
according to criteria that make students in English very competitive. In the past, students in
English have received AT & T Chancellor’s Fellowships, the Helen DeVitt Jones Graduate
Fellowship, the James D. and Mary Hazlewood Memorial Fellowship, and Summer
Dissertation/Thesis Research Awards. The complete roster of scholarships and fellowships
awarded by the Graduate School—and instructions for applying—is available at
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/Fellowshipttu.php. Some of these scholarships and
fellowships require department nomination, so do read the instructions before proceeding to
apply. Be aware, too, that the scholarship amount is in addition to, not instead of, your TA or
GPTI stipend.
Department Scholarships
Aside from these other opportunities, the Department of English conducts its own
scholarship competition early in every spring semester. Applications must be completed online
according to instructions that the department’s Student Awards and Scholarships Committee will
provide at the time of the competition. Department scholarships range in amount from $250 to
$2000 for an academic year (they are non-renewable but can be applied for again the following
year). At the graduate level, the Department also awards each year the Warren S. Walker Prize
for Critical Writing to the best essay written in a graduate seminar during the previous calendar
year, and the Robert S. Newton prizes in Creative Writing for the best fiction, poetry, and non-
fiction written in Creative Writing workshops during the previous calendar year. While students
apply for scholarships, individual essays and creative pieces are nominated by faculty. During
the spring semester, the necessary committees deliberate over the scholarship applications and
writing prize nominees. In April, winners are announced at the annual Spring Awards Reception.
Graduate Student Scholarships

George T. Prigmore Graduate English Scholarship
For a graduate student majoring in English with a minimum 3.5 GPA. Recipient will have positive
traits such as creativity, a talent for self-expression, enthusiasm, good judgment, and an ability to
54
inspire others. Recipient must express a commitment to teaching English language and literature at
either the secondary or higher education level. Administered by the Student Awards and Scholarships
Committee.
Mary Sue Carlock/Joyce Thompson Graduate English Scholarship

For a female graduate student majoring in American literature. May be renewed if the student makes
normal progress toward completion of her degree; recipients wishing to renew should complete the
scholarship application form and note that they are applying for renewal. Administered by the Student
Awards and Scholarships Committee.
William Bryan Gates Graduate Award in English (1-2)

For a graduate student majoring in English with a minimum 3.5 GPA who possesses positive traits
such as creativity, a talent for self-expression, enthusiasm, good judgment, and an ability to inspire
others. Must be recommended by a member of the graduate faculty. Administered by the Student
Awards and Scholarships Committee.
Graduate and/or Undergraduate Scholarships

Allan L. Carter & Olga Meloy Carter Memorial Scholarship
For a senior undergraduate student or graduate student who has positive traits such as creativity, a
talent for self-expression, enthusiasm, an ability to inspire others, and a minimum GPA of 3.5.
Administered by the Student Awards and Scholarships Committee.
Benjamin Rude Memorial Scholarship (1 graduate, 1 undergraduate)

Recognizes academic achievement and a positive personal attribute such as problem-solving,
creativity, ability to influence others, community service, or ability to succeed in school despite health
or financial problems. Applicants must have completed at least six hours of English at the sophomore
level or above and have a 3.25 GPA in English and a 3.0 average over-all. An applicant may ask
those writing letters of recommendation to describe his or her positive personal attribute, or an
applicant may write an essay (250-500 words) introducing himself or herself. Administered by the
Student Awards and Scholarships Committee. One to three awards possible.
Carolyn Detjen Rude Scholarship

For a graduate or undergraduate technical communication major who shows exceptional promise as a
member of the profession, either in the academic or corporate world, and who embodies the values
that characterize Professor Carolyn Rude’s career at Texas Tech University: integrity, willingness to
contribute to the development and growth of the Texas Tech University Technical Communication
program, and personal generosity in sharing skills to help others at the university and in the
community. Administered by the Student Awards and Scholarships Committee in consultation with
the Director of Technical Communication.
Helen Locke Carter Memorial Scholarship

For a graduate or upper-division undergraduate student who conducts research in literacy, broadly
defined. Recipients of this award are typically students specializing in some aspect of technical
communication. Administered by the Student Awards and Scholarships Committee in consultation
with the Director of Technical Communication.
55
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM
The purpose of this proposed Professional Development Curriculum (PDC) is to make

students from the English graduate programs as competitive as possible for doctoral program
admissions and job opportunities. At a time when just 50% of new PhD recipients in English find
tenure-track jobs and just 20% of all applications to doctoral programs in English are successful,
we must in our graduate program find ways to increase the likelihood that our students will be
considered strong contenders for available jobs and spaces in doctoral programs. We can achieve
this by ensuring that graduates from our programs are as prepared as possible to meet the
challenges of the profession.
Successful completion of the PDC is a requirement of our M.A. and Ph.D. programs in
Literature, Creative Writing, and Linguistics. The Associate Director of Graduate Studies
oversees that program, which includes attendance at the schedule of workshops below as well as
submission to the Director of Graduate Studies of the documents described as “Evidence of
Professional Progress” at the end of each semester’s curriculum. To make the burden of these
submissions easier to manage, they are tied to (and submitted with) the (a) GPTI Renewal form,
for MA students; and (b) the First-Year/Annual Review form, for doctoral students. Periodically
the Director and Associate Director of Graduate Studies will meet to determine whether students
are making satisfactory progress through the PDC requirements.
Curriculum Schedule
Semester 1 (Fall)
Orientation Introduction to Graduate Welcome to TTU, the Graduate School,
(all-day Studies Arts & Sciences, and the Department of
program) English; introduction to the department,
its staff, faculty, and resources; intro to
graduate student curricula, guidelines,
and procedures; introduction to time
management, professionalization,
academic and personal conduct
Week 1 Success in Graduate Seminars Faculty expectations for basic conduct
and comportment; meeting deadlines
and obligations; managing reading
loads; participation; presentations; the
seminar paper; the importance of being
earnest (or at least organized)
Week 3 The Thesis/Dissertation What are the expectations of a thesis or
Proposal and Assembling a dissertation; conceiving a research
Committee project (with sample MA theses and
dissertations on hand); drafting the
thesis proposal; choosing a supervisor;
assembling a committee
Week 5 Juggling Responsibilities Pleasing everyone: juggling multiple
seminars; juggling classes and
teaching; time management; from
student to professional
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Week 7 The CV: Building Your Career Introduction to this most basic of career
documents; what does a CV look like?
what does one include? how does one
accumulate the credentials that belong
on one?
Week 9 The Teaching Portfolio: Introduction to the teaching portfolio;
Building Your Career II what does it include? what records does
one cultivate, collect, and save? how
does one build the kinds of teaching
experiences that are steps to success?
Evidence of Professional Progress by the end of Semester 1:

• Effective academic progress
• Curriculum Vitae to be submitted to DGS for student file
• Beginning of teaching portfolio, with perhaps a brief reflective paper on what teaching
methods and activities the student feels s/he has most benefited from to this point in
his/her academic career.
Semester 2 (Spring)
Week 1 Scholarly Productivity Overview of what it means to be a
“productive scholar”; the kinds of
things one can produce or publish;
overview of the venues for such pieces
of work; using seminar work to look
beyond the classroom
Week 3 Professional Conferences The ins and outs of finding, applying
to, and speaking at conferences; writing
abstracts; writing professional
communications; adapting seminar and
other longer papers for professional
presentation; department procedures for
conference funding; professional
conduct at conferences
Week 5 Professional Organizations The major professional organizations
by field; the benefits of membership;
how to decide what to join; how to use
your professional memberships to the
greatest advantage.
Week 7 Book Reviews The idea of the book review; what
function they serve; what they look
like; how one evaluates someone else’s
work; saying what you mean; not
saying what you mean; how and where
to publish book reviews
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Week 9 Knowing the Journals in Your Learning your away around your field;
Field reading journals when you’re not
researching; understanding what
journals are looking for; finding the
right journal for your work
Week 11 What To Do on Your Summer Using your summer to the best
Vacation advantage; preparing work for scholarly
publication; researching graduate
programs; preparing materials for
graduate school applications; preparing
to write a thesis or dissertation.

• Updated CV submitted to DGS for student’s file
• Conference abstract (accepted or declined) accompanied by cover letter and evidence of
submission/acceptance/rejection from relevant conference organizer
• Student self-identification of potential organizations that suit line of study
• Annotated bibliography of relevant journals for revised coursework papers
Semester 3 (Fall)
All students required to take English 5390: Writing for Publication for 3 credits. In addition to
this course requirement, the schedule of workshops will be:
Week 2 Understanding an Academic Giving 2nd-year students an overview of

Job-Hunt what it’s like to be on the academic job
market; what does the job market look
like; what are reasonable expectations for
academic employment? what documents
and materials does one need to prepare
for an academic job-hunt?
Week 4 Choosing a PhD Program Identifying programs and/or scholars
(MAs only) with outstanding reputations in your
proposed field of study; contacting
potential committee members; calculating
cost of living; narrowing your choice
Week 6 The Things They Carried: Workshop designed to give early-career
War Stories from Interview students a sense of the job market;
Veterans preparing for the job hunt; the terror of
phone and MLA interviews; the
complexities of negotiating employment
offers and conditions
Week 8 Statements of Teaching Expectations of this document; making it
Philosophy complement your teaching portfolio and
job dossier; rhetorical strategies;
questions you should consider as you sit
down to draft your statement
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Week 10 Applying to PhD Programs Choosing appropriate recommenders;
(MAs only) choosing (and revising) your writing
sample; drafting a research statement

• Copy of article-length essay submitted to DGS for student file, appropriate cover letter,
and (when applicable, as determined by the Associate DGS and student’s dissertation or
thesis/portfolio director) evidence of submission to a journal
• Updated copy of CV for student’s file
• Statement of teaching philosophy (written and revised under advice of ADGS)
Semester 4
Week 1 The Campus Visit for Job- What to wear; how to field difficult
Hunters questions; choosing (and tweaking) your
research presentation
Week 3 Searching for Employment A career workshop to let students know
in Non-academic Settings about particularly their non-academic
options; crucial for our 2nd-year MAs
who have decided not to go on; useful,
too, for those who go on but never finish
a dissertation or land an academic job
Week 5 Creating a Website for Your The simple mechanics and principles of
Teaching and Professional web design; using the web to manage the
Activities administrative requirements of teaching a
course or multiple courses
Week 7 Applying for Grants and Identifying available grants and
Alternative Funding Sources fellowships; choosing recommenders;
drafting a proposal or research statement

• Copy of Brief Teaching Portfolio (philosophy, evaluations summaries, syllabi used and
devised) submitted to DGS for student file
• Updated copy of CV submitted to DGS for student file
• A website that publicizes the student’s teaching and research activities
Checklist of Professional Accomplishments by the end of 2nd Year in the Program:

9 Complete and updated copy of Curriculum Vitae
9 Conference abstract and, hopefully, evidence of conference presentation
9 Article-length essay submitted for scholarly publication and, hopefully, evidence of
acceptance for publication
9 Sample book review essay (or equivalent short work) developed in English 5390
9 Evidence of effective professional communications reflected in cover letters and
subsequent correspondence with conference organizers and journal editors
9 Teaching Portfolio reflecting evidence of teaching experience and excellent during first
two years in the program
59
GPTI HANDBOOK
2006-2007
voice: 806-742-2500
fax: 806-742-0989
MS 3091
www.english.ttu.edu
60
TEACHING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
Scheduling of Classes
The Associate Chair starts work on the department’s schedule of classes six to nine months
before the beginning of each semester. The spring schedule must be submitted to the Registrar’s
Office in September; the summer and fall schedules must be submitted in January.
In September of each year, instructors will receive a form requesting their schedule preferences
(both courses and day/time) for the following academic year. Given each instructor’s schedule
preferences, the Associate Chair determines a schedule of classes for the department. This
process requires a careful juggling of a number of important factors, including:
• the department budget
• recommendations from the Directors of Graduate Studies as to which graduate courses
to offer in given semester
• recommendations from the undergraduate advisor as to which undergraduate courses to
offer in a given semester
• historical information regarding which courses are likely to fill at certain times and in
certain semesters
• historical information regarding the number of sections of a course likely to fill at
certain times and in certain semesters
• rank of instructors
• fair rotation of courses among qualified instructors
• availability of classrooms at various times of the day
• a variety of external influences (e.g., secondary education students are in teaching
training on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and thus courses which ordinarily enroll
such students must be scheduled at a different time)
The Associate Chair makes every effort to give instructors either a MWF or TT schedule and to
match the course and time preferences of instructors to the needs of the department and the
university. Instructors who do not receive a schedule that accommodates their preferences should
inform the Associate Chair. Although immediate changes are usually impossible, adjustments for
the following year are often feasible.
Canceling of Classes
Undergraduate courses are required by the university to enroll a minimum of 10 students;
graduate courses are required by the university to enroll a minimum of 5 students. Courses which
fail to enroll the minimum must be canceled and the instructor assigned to a new course
(generally a 1000-level course for graduate part-time instructors and lecturers). The Associate
Chair monitors registration daily and will make the decision to cancel a course as late in the
registration process as possible (so that courses have every opportunity to fill) but early enough
to allow the newly-assigned course to fill.
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Graduate Part-Time Instructor Assignments
Graduate part-time instructors are occasionally invited to teach a 2000-level course. The
Associate Chair makes these assignments based on the following criteria:
Literature Survey Courses: 2305, 2306, 2307, and 2308

Priority is given to Ph.D. students who have passed their qualifying
examinations, followed by Ph.D. students who have completed their coursework.
All such GPTIs must have demonstrated excellence in their teaching of 1301 and
1302.
Creative Writing: 2351
Only specialists in Creative Writing are eligible. GPTIs must have demonstrated
excellence in their teaching of 1301 and 1302 and completed ENGL 5370. The
Creative Writing faculty must approve this teaching assignment.
Technical Communication: 2311
Only specialists in Technical Communication are eligible. GPTIs must have
demonstrated excellence in their teaching of 1301 and 1302 and completed
ENGL 5366. The Director of Technical Communication must approve this
teaching assignment.
Summer Teaching
The course preferences form completed each September invites instructors to indicate their
interest in a summer teaching assignment. Unfortunately, the department cannot accommodate all
requests for summer teaching because of budget restrictions. The Associate Chair makes such
assignments by carefully juggling a number of factors, including:
• the department budget
• recommendations from the Directors of Graduate Studies as to which graduate courses
to offer during the Summer session
• recommendations from the Undergraduate Advisor as to which undergraduate courses
to offer during the Summer session
• rank of instructors (priority is given to tenure-line faculty requesting summer teaching)
• fair rotation of courses among qualified instructors
• historical information regarding which courses are likely to fill at certain times during
summer
• historical information regarding the number of sections of a course likely to fill at
certain times during the summer.
Of the graduate part-time instructors requesting summer teaching, priority is given in the
following order (assuming equal ability to teach the courses to be offered):
• Ph.D. students who need to complete their language requirement
• Ph.D. students who have passed their qualifying examinations
• Ph.D. students who have completed their coursework
• Ph.D. students taking courses during the summer session
• Master’s students
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Classes: Department Policies and Procedures
1. Syllabi, Attendance, Disability, Office Hours
Policy Statements and Syllabi: All 2000-level instructors must provide their classes with policy statements and
syllabi detailing class policies regarding course objectives, course texts and materials, attendance, student
behavior (i.e., civility in the classroom), homework, essays, grading, plagiarism, disability accommodations, and
exams (including the final exam). For 1301 and 1302 instructors, the standard course policy statements and
syllabi are provided to students in their customized textbooks. In addition, 2000-level instructors must submit
copies of their policy statements and syllabi to Daryl Lynn Davalos in English 212 on or before the first day of
classes. We keep these documents on hand in case of grade challenges. Daryl Lynn makes a copy for Suzi Duffy,
so she can provide information to students about specific course requirements and policies.
Attendance: Instructors should inform students, through their policy statements and orally, that students will be
expected to attend class regularly and that roll will be taken. Instructors should make explicit the consequences to
grades for missed classes.
The TTU Catalog states: “Responsibility for class attendance rests with the student. Regular and punctual
attendance at all scheduled classes is expected.”
Instructors use absence reporting forms (obtained from any of the department’s administrative staff) to report
students with excessive absences. Especially in lower division classes, faculty should use these forms to let
students know their standing.
Except for absences due to official university business (for which the student must provide advance written
notification) and absences due to religious holy days, instructors are the final arbiters of whether a student may
have a given absence excused. Generally, if a student has made a good faith attempt to inform the instructor prior
to the absence, describing a legitimate reason for the absence, instructors may excuse it. The Student Health
Service does not provide doctors’ excuses for single visits and minor health problems.
Extended Student Absence: Students should be made aware of the TTU guidelines about extended absence
(TTU Catalog): “In case of an illness that will require absence from class for more than one week, the student
should notify his or her academic dean. The dean’s office will inform the student’s instructors through the
departmental office. In case of class absences because of a brief illness, the student should inform the instructor
directly.” If the dean’s office has not notified the instructor, the student must still be allowed to re-enter class but
it is purely at the instructor’s discretion as to whether the extended absence will be excused or not.
Extended absences are easily documented and instructors are within their rights to ask for documentation. The
Student Health Service does provide brief descriptions of illnesses requiring extended absence.
Disabled Students: All instructors must include a statement similar to the following on their policy sheets:
“Any student who because of a disability may require special arrangements in order to meet course requirements
should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary accommodations. Students should present
appropriate verification from AccessTECH in the Student Counseling Center. No requirement exists that
accommodations be made prior to the completion of this approved university process.”
Students with a disabling condition should be able to give you a letter from AccessTECH that identifies
reasonable accommodations. You should comply with recommendations from AccessTECH or contact that
office for clarification.
Office Hours: Classroom instructors must hold regular weekly office hours of at least three hours per week and
inform students about time and place.
2. Class Meetings: Substitutions and Locations
Finding a Substitute: Instructors are expected to meet every class as scheduled. When an instructor cannot
meet his/her class because of a professional obligation (conference travel, for example), he or she must find a
63
substitute. In the case of sudden emergencies or sicknesses, please call Carolyn Cook (ENGL 1301, 1302) or
Daryl Lynn Davalos (all other classes), who will convey dismissal information to the students.
Location: Instructors wishing to change permanently the location of their class meetings must discuss such
moves with Quita Melcher.
Instructors who change the meeting place of their class on an individual day must inform a department secretary.
Such changes include classes that meet in the university library, in the courtyard, etc. The failure of instructors to
notify the administrative staff of changes leads to problems when students cannot find their classes and when we
need to contact students or instructors in emergency situations.
3. Professional Behavior: Sexual Harassment, Confidentiality
Language: Instructors should maintain a professional decorum in the use of language in all situations where
students are present. Such decorum should avoid: profanity of a sexual, scatological, or religious nature; racial or
ethnic slurs (except when slurs are the topic of discussion); personal criticism of a student’s intelligence,
appearance, background; sexual innuendo.
Sexual Harassment: Instructors must avoid creating an atmosphere that students find sexually harassing and
must avoid all behaviors that might be construed as “quid pro quo” harassment. Every other year, instructors will
be required to attend a training session or complete an online tutorial regarding sexual harassment law.
Meeting with Students: Instructors should meet with individual students only on “professional terrain”—in
classrooms, offices, or the library. Avoid meeting with students behind closed office doors. Meetings that
promise to be confrontational should be witnessed by a colleague or supervisor.
Confidentiality: Instructors must consider a student’s grades, background, presumed capabilities, or personal
characteristics matters of confidence. You cannot discuss a student’s grades or class performance with his/her
parents, coaches, doctors, or friends. If you have questions about this subject, please see the associate chair or
chair.
4. Civility in the Classroom
Instructors are encouraged to include a statement in their course syllabus related to classroom behavioral
expectations such as:
“Students are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to

learning. In order to assure that all students have the opportunity to gain from time spent in
class, unless otherwise approved by the instructor, students are prohibited from engaging in
any form of distraction. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom shall result, minimally, in a
request to leave class.”
Disruptive Student Behavior: The best way for instructors to deal with behavior deemed disruptive (chatting
with other students; rattling newspapers; producing loud sighs; dominating class discussion; habitually arguing;
and so on) is to speak with the student after class and indicate that such behavior will not be tolerated in the
future. If the behavior persists, it should be reported to the Associate Chair or the Director of Composition.
Threatening Student Behavior: Under no circumstances should instructors physically or emotionally confront
dangerous students. No instructor is obliged to continue instructing or even talking to a student who demonstrates
a threatening manner. Again, please contact the Associate Chair or the Director of Composition and report such
behavior as soon as possible.
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5. Classroom Courtesies
As a consideration to instructors teaching in a classroom after you, please adopt the following practices:
• If you move a podium off the instructor’s table, please return it to the table at the end of class. The podiums
are quite heavy and even though you might be strong enough to lower it to the floor, the instructor following
you might have difficulty lifting it up to the table.
• If you put the chairs in a circle for your class, please put the chairs in rows again after your class.
• If you use the chalkboard during your class, please erase it after your class.
• If you teach in a computer classroom in the morning, please quit all software applications on the instructor’s
computer after your class and encourage your students to do the same on their computers. If you teach in the
afternoon, shut down the instructor’s computer after class, and ask your students to do the same with theirs.
6. Building Use Guidelines
Locking the Classrooms: All classrooms on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the building must be locked to
safeguard their equipment from theft or vandalism. If you are in a classroom with a TV/DVD/VCR cart or a
computer cart and ceiling-mounted projector, turn off all equipment and lock the door after your class or wait till
the next instructor is in the classroom. Never leave the equipment on or the room unlocked without an instructor
in the classroom. If you are in a classroom on the first floor that doesn’t have a ceiling-mounted projector or a
TV/DVD/VCR cart (i.e., rooms 100, 101, 102, 104, 107, 108, 109, 110), don’t lock the door after your class.
Classroom Equipment: Never touch the screen in the classroom with your hand or any object (e.g., pointer,
pencil). The reflective surface is delicate and scratches easily. Scratches on the screen will detract noticeably
from a presentation.
Never, touch, pull, tug, remove, or change any of the cables on the COWs or AV carts in the classrooms.
Although it might seem easy to make a change (and you might think you know what you’re doing), once a cable
is out of place or misaligned, the entire system (PC/DVD/VCR/LCD) is rendered useless, certainly for the
following class, but typically for the entire day of classes until a technician can get in after classes to find the
problem and determine a solution. Potentially, seven of your colleagues and 200 students could be affected by
your mistake. Never pull the COW or AV carts outside their taped borders. The tape indicates the physical limit
of the cables connecting the cart to the wall. Pulling the cart outside the taped borders will disconnect the cables.
If you teach in a classroom with a ceiling-mounted LCD projector, shut the projector down at the end of class.
Mobile Equipment: If you borrow mobile equipment (projectors, televisions, COWs, DVDs, VCRs), never
leave the equipment unsupervised. You are responsible for the safe return of all equipment you borrow.
Signs and Flyers: Don’t tape signs and flyers to either the doors or walls of the building. Do tape your signs and
flyers on the plastic room signs adjacent to each door. Or use the bulletin boards on the west wing of the first
floor, in the faculty/staff lounges, and in the mail room. Please discard signs and fliers as soon as the information
is outdated.
Lounges: The building has two faculty/staff lounges, room 209 and room 451. Each is equipped with a full-size
refrigerator and a microwave. Note that neither the refrigerator nor the microwave is self-cleaning. You are
responsible for keeping the lounges clean. If you drop it, please pick it up; if you spill it, please wipe it up. If you
didn’t put it in the refrigerator, don’t take it out. If you did put it in the refrigerator, take it out before it spoils. If
you use the microwave, please monitor its operation to keep food from smoking and tripping the building’s ultra-
sensitive fire alarms. Please don’t use the lounges for classes or committee meetings.
Printer Rooms: Rooms 414 and 467 each have a laser printer, computer, and telephone. Please keep the doors
to these rooms closed at all times in order to stop unauthorized individuals from using/damaging/taking the
equipment. Printer cartridges and paper are available on request in 212. Please make every effort to conserve and
recycle: unless it’s a final copy, choose the economy setting of your word processing program and put used paper
in the printer.
Library: The department library is in 311. This is a quiet room for reading, individual study, and meditation. It
is for all instructors, especially those in shared offices. Please don’t use the library for classes, meetings, study
65
groups, or presentations. This room houses the department’s archive of dissertations, theses, and portfolios as
well as a collection of books, journals, reference materials, and textbooks. Please record your borrowing of
materials and mark the shelf location with a shelving card. Please put donations of materials in the designated
box.
7. Safety
For your personal safety, please avoid working in the building alone at night or on weekends. Bring a friend or
colleague with you. Stay alert. Avoid using the closed stairwells on the west and east wings: instead, use the
open stairwell on the north side of the building.
If you do come to the building at night on weekdays or at any time on Saturdays and Sundays, please make sure
that the external door by which you enter the building is locked and latched after you enter.
Safety coordinators (with first aid kits) are available on each floor to aid with injuries. Please report to them any
safety hazards that you notice in the building.
2nd floor Juanita Ramirez 212G ext 223

3rd floor east Thomas Barker 363E ext 279
3rd floor west John Poch 312F ext 258
4th floor east Rich Rice 487 ext 285
4th floor west Marliss Desens 429 ext 257
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Classes: University Policies and Procedures
1. Drop/Add, Student Evaluations, Final Exams
Drop/Add: Students may drop/add during the third, fourth, and fifth class days of each long semester. It is
especially important that you take roll during these early days of the semester to ensure that students sitting in
your class are officially registered for the class. Advisors will attempt to maintain enrollment caps on sections.
Generally, we cap composition courses at 35; 2000-level courses at 30; 3000-level courses at 30; and 4000-level
courses at 25. We try to spread out any “overrides” equitably; in order to do so, it’s important that instructors
don’t yield to student pressure to be added to sections.
Evaluations: Toward the end of semester, teaching evaluation forms will be distributed. If at all possible,
evaluations should be completed before the last week of the semester. In no case may the evaluation be given
during the final exam. Also important is that the evaluation be given in the class’s regular classroom (not in the
library, not in a private home). You must distribute the evaluation forms to the class, designate a student to
deliver them to the main English office (212) and provide that student with the large envelope on which has been
written your name and the section number of your course. You should then leave the room while students fill out
the evaluations, returning only after the students have returned all the forms to the designated student for
delivery. If you teach a class that meets after the office is closed, please ask the student to slip the evaluation
forms under the doors to 212.
Final Exams: The official University policy on final examinations is as follows:
Five days are to be scheduled for final examinations at the end of each long semester. Summer term final
examinations are scheduled for two days.
A 2 1/2 hour period of time is to be available for administering individual final examinations.
Individual faculty members determine whether a final examination or some other summary submittal or
performance is appropriate for the course being taught. The department strongly encourages instructors to
administer some kind of final written exams.
Individual faculty members decide whether student exemptions from a final examination are appropriate.
All faculty members giving final examinations must adhere to the official scheduled time unless granted
permission to deviate from the official time by the chair and the dean. Final examination schedules are printed in
the Schedule of Classes for each semester. If a take-home examination is given, it must be due no earlier than the
end of the scheduled examination time for the class. If a student requests an earlier examination time for a
legitimate reason (e.g., military deployment, medical necessity), ask the student to put the request in writing and
keep a copy with your class files.
Examinations other than bona fide make-up examinations are not to be given during the last week of classes or
during the days of no classes.
2. Grades: changes, grade books, grade appeals, and academic dishonesty
Grade Books and Student Papers: Grade books and students papers for 1301 and 1302 are maintained through
the online system. Instructors of 2000-level courses must keep their students’ major writing assignments or final
exams for one long semester after final grades are submitted. In case of a grade appeal or clerical error, the
papers will thus be available. Instructors of 2000-level courses also must retain grade books; if an instructor
terminates his/her employment with TTU, he/she must leave past grade-books with the administrative staff in
212.
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Due to limited space in 212, instructors may not leave student papers in the main office. Nor should instructors ask
that students submit papers through the main office (the traffic would be overwhelming).
Incompletes: The grade of I or Incomplete should be given by the instructor only when the student’s work in the
course is satisfactory but has not been completed by the end of the semester due to circumstances beyond the
student’s control (documented family crisis, unexpected hospitalization, etc.). The grade of Incomplete must
never be given in lieu of an F. The student is to complete the work within a time frame specified by the
instructor. Please use the Incomplete Contract, available from the administrative staff in 212 to specify the work
to be completed and the deadline for its completion. (If the incomplete is for ENGL 1301or 1302, a copy must
also be filed with the Director of Composition.) After the work has been completed, the instructor needs to fill
out a Change of Grade form. This form must be signed by the instructor, initialed by the department chair, and
then sent to the student’s dean. The I may also be replaced by an R if the student repeats the
course with the same or a different instructor. For undergraduate students, the I will
automatically convert to a grade of F after one year if the conditions for completion of the
course have not been satisfied.
Withdrawals (W and WF): Students may drop a course through the 45th class day of a long semester or the
15th class day of a summer term and receive a grade of W regardless of their progress in the class. The grade of
WF will no longer be given. If a class has not been dropped within the specified time period, the student must
complete the course and receive a grade. This regulation applies to all students. Please note that some students
will ask you for a W and assume they need to do nothing more if you agree: this assumption is incorrect.
Students must always initiate the withdraw process themselves at the Office of the Registrar. TECHSIS will not
allow you to give students a W unless they have officially withdrawn from the course. First-time freshmen
entering in the fall of 2004 or thereafter are allowed only four Ws, permitting them to drop a maximum of four
courses during their time at Texas Tech. Transfer students are allowed three Ws. The maximums do not apply to
the student-initiated drop/add period at the start of the semester.
Posting of Grades: TTU prohibits the posting of grades. In classes with several hundred students, faculty may
post grades if a substantiated random identification code known only to the student and the instructor is used.
Grades must never be posted with the names and/or social security numbers of students.
Change of Grade Forms: These forms are at www.techsis.admin.ttu.edu/faculty/. The forms must be filled out
completely, printed, signed by the instructor, initialed by the chair, and sent to the proper dean’s office by
campus mail (never allow the student to deliver the form). Under no circumstances may a grade of F be changed
to W unless the student officially has withdrawn from the course.
Grade Appeals: A course grade can be formally appealed only when there is demonstrable evidence that
prejudice, arbitrary or capricious action on the part of the instructor, has influenced the grade.
The burden of proof that such an unfair influence has affected a grade rests with the student who appeals the
grade. Only final course grades may be formally appealed to the responsible dean. Due process will be followed
in all formal grade appeal procedures.
A grade appeal may result in review of any or all aspects of a student’s performance in a course.
The processing of formal grade appeals is the responsibility of the college which administers the course
(Agriculture, Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Human
Sciences, Law, Visual and Performing Arts). The decision on a grade is the responsibility of the dean of the
college which administers the course, except that for students in the Graduate School the recommendation will be
forwarded to the dean of the Graduate School for final disposition.
A student who believes that a grade he or she has received is incorrect should first discuss the grade with the
instructor who assigned it.
If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of this effort, then he or she may contact the Associate Chair of
the department. This contact, like that with the instructor, is normally informal, and the Associate Chair may take
what action he or she deems advisable in attempting to resolve the issue. All parties concerned should make
every effort to resolve the issue without going beyond this level.
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If the student is still not satisfied following these meetings, then a formal grade appeal may be made at the office
of the dean of the college administering the course. This appeal must be filed with the office of the dean using
the University Grade Appeals form within 60 days of the start of the next long semester after the term in which
the grade was received. The appeal must include supporting documentation. After it is filed, it will be triplicated,
and copies will be sent to the student, the instructor, and the chair of the department or division involved.
Students are entitled to request assistance in the preparation of the appeal.
The dean of the college will request written information about the case from the instructor involved and will
present the grade appeal and this information to the college grade appeals board, whose constitution is described
below. This information will also be triplicated and sent to the student, the instructor, and the chairperson of the
department or division involved. The appeals board will examine the evidence and hold what hearings and
meetings it deems necessary in order to make a recommendation in the case. Due process for all parties to the
dispute will be followed in these proceedings. It is not necessary for the parties to appear unless requested by the
appeals board, but parties have the right to appear if they wish to do so. The appeals board will give the dean a
written recommendation as to whether the grade should be changed, and, if so, to what other grade, and will
make any other specific recommendations that it deems advisable in the disposition of each specific case. Board
members who voted in favor of the board’s decision must sign the recommendation; dissenting members may
sign it if they wish.
A college grade appeals board consists of a voting chairperson, two other faculty members and two students, who
will be appointed by the dean. The board considers all grade appeals occurring during the academic year. Any
member of the board who feels that his or her professional or personal relationship with either party in a grade
dispute would create a hindrance to objective judgment or a conflict of interest must disqualify him/herself, and a
replacement for that appeal will be chosen by the dean.
The dean of the college may attend meetings of the appeals board and presentations of evidence to it. He/she may
request presentations of evidence, but must not be present during the board’s deliberation of its final
recommendation. In a case involving a law student, the grade appeal process is as specified in the above
procedures. In a case involving a student in the Graduate School, the appeal is processed through the college
administering the course with the grade decision being forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School for final
disposition.
Taking into account the recommendation(s) of the appeals board, the dean of the college administering the course
will make a decision on the grade appeal and send it in writing to the student, the instructor, the chairperson of
the grade appeals board, and the VPAAR. If the decision is that the grade should be changed, the dean will take
appropriate action which includes notifying the instructor.
An appeal of the dean’s decision may be made to the VPAAR, either by the student or by the instructor, but only
on the basis that due process has not been followed. The University Academic Affairs Committee will act as a
hearing board in such appeals.
A copy of OP 31.03 will be provided to each student initiating a grade appeal.
Cheating and Plagiarism: (from Student Affairs Handbook,) “Academic dishonesty” includes, but is not limited
to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts and any act designed to give
unfair academic advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submission of essentially the same written
assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor) or the attempt to commit such an act.
a. “Cheating” includes, but is not limited to,
1. Copying from another student’s test paper.
2. Using during a test materials not authorized by the person giving the test.
3. Failing to comply with instructions given by the person administering the test.
4. Possession during a test of materials which are not authorized by the person giving the test, such as
class notes or specifically designed “crib notes.” The presence of textbooks constitutes a violation
only if they have been specifically prohibited by the person administering the test.
5. Using, buying, stealing, transporting or soliciting in whole or part the contents of an unadministered
test, test key, homework solution or computer program.
6. Collaborating with, seeking aid or receiving assistance from, another student or individual during a
test or in conjunction with other assignment without authority.
7. Discussing the contents of an examination with another student who will take the examination.
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8. Divulging the contents of an examination, for the purpose of preserving questions for use by another,
when the instructor has designated that the examination is not to be removed from the examination
room or not to be returned to or kept by the student.
9. Substituting for another person, or permitting another person to substitute for oneself to take a
course, a test or any course-related assignment.
10. Paying or offering money or other valuable thing to, or coercing another person to obtain an
unadministered test, test key, homework solution or computer program, or information about an
unadministered test, test key, homework solution or computer program.
11. Falsifying research data, laboratory reports and/or other academic work offered for credit.
12. Taking, keeping, misplacing or damaging the property of the university, or of another, if the student
knows or reasonably should know that an unfair academic advantage would be gained by such
conduct.
b. “Plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the appropriation of buying, receiving as a gift or obtaining by
any means, material that is attributable in whole, or in part, to another source, including words, ideas,
illustrations, structure, computer code, other expression and media, and presenting that material as one’s own
academic work being offered for credit.
c. “Collusion” includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing
academic assignments offered for credit or collaboration with another person to commit a violation of any
section of the rules on scholastic dishonesty.
d. “Falsifying academic records” includes, but is not limited to, altering or assisting in the altering, of any
official record of the university and/or submitting false information or omitting requested information that is
required for, or related to, any academic record of the university. Academic records include, but are not
limited to, applications for admission, the awarding of a degree, grade reports, test papers, registration
materials, grade change forms, and reporting forms used by the Office of the Registrar. A former student who
engages in such conduct is subject to a bar against readmission, revocation of a degree and withdrawal of a
diploma.
e. “Misrepresenting facts” to the university or an agent of the university includes, but is not limited to,
providing false grades or resumes; providing false or misleading information in an effort to receive a
postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment for the purpose of obtaining an academic or
financial benefit for oneself or another individual; or providing false or misleading information in an effort to
injure another student academically or financially.
Instructors of first-year composition must observe the Standard Operating Procedures for Plagiarism in ENGL
1301/1302.
Instructors of 2000-level courses are responsible for initiating action in each case of dishonesty or plagiarism that
occurs in classes. In cases of convincing evidence of or admitted academic dishonesty or plagiarism, an
instructor should take appropriate action as described below. Before taking such action, however, the instructor
should attempt to discuss the matter with the student. If cheating is suspected on a final exam, the instructor
should submit an X grade until a reasonable attempt can be made to contact the student, preferably within one
month after the end of the semester.
In cases in which guilt is admitted by the student or determined by the instructor, after attempting to contact the
student, he or she may give the offending student a failing grade on the assignment or a failing grade in a course.
When a student is given a failing grade in a course as a result of academic dishonesty or plagiarism, the instructor
shall report the facts of the case and the action to be taken against the student in writing to the instructor’s
department chairperson.
If the instructor elects to submit a report to the Dean of Students, the Dean shall retain a copy of this report in his
or her discipline files. The student will have the right to appeal the receipt of a failing grade in a course through
the established grade appeal procedure. The student may not appeal a failing grade given for a class assignment.
In cases of flagrant or repeated violations, instructors may recommend to the Dean of Students, through the
department and the Academic Dean’s Office, further disciplinary action pursuant to the disciplinary policy and
procedure outlined in the Code. In addition, The Academic Dean or the Dean of Students may initiate
disciplinary action for flagrant or repeated violations.
A student referred to the Dean of Students Office for disciplinary action for academic dishonesty is entitled to all
substantive and procedural guarantees provided in the Code, including, but not limited to, notice and hearing.
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The disciplinary penalty or grade of F shall not be implemented until the disciplinary procedures or grade appeal
process has been exhausted. A student may continue academic class and course work until a final decision is
made.
A written report of any additional disciplinary action taken by the Dean of Students Office will be sent to the
appropriate Academic Dean’s Office and to the student. The final results of a grade appeal in such matters shall
be reported to the faculty person by the appropriate Academic Dean in the manner required by the grade appeals
procedure, and to the Dean of Students Office.
In cases in which a charge of academic dishonesty is sustained, the recommended disciplinary action will be
enforced and/or a grade of F reported.
In cases in which a charge of academic dishonesty is not sustained, no disciplinary action will be taken, and the
student will be entitled to the grade he or she would have received in the absence of a finding of dishonesty. In
addition, the student will be allowed to continue in the particular course without prejudice.
3. Support Programs
University Writing Center: The University Writing Center, located on the 1st floor, east wing of the English
Building (175), provides students with individual tutoring in both reading and writing. Tutors do not write papers
for students or proofread final drafts, but they will assist students in understanding and completing specific
assignments or in developing general reading and writing skills. Students may come to the Writing Center on
their own or on the recommendation of their teachers. In addition, the University Writing Center has an on-line
service. Hours of operation are announced at the beginning of each semester and are posted at the entrance to the
Writing Center. For further information, please contact the Director of the University Writing Center.
Counseling Center: The Counseling Center (214 West Hall, www.depts.ttu.edu/scc) provides psychological
counseling, including individual and group therapy. Students at all levels, many of them on their own for the first
time, are especially susceptible to the pressures of academic and social life. Teachers in the Department of
English often are able to know their students personally and can sometimes spot those having severe personal
problems. If you are in doubt about what to do for a student, please confer with the Associate Chair.
Programs for Academic Support Services (PASS): Located in 205 West Hall, www.depts.ttu.edu/passcntr),
the PASS Center offers study skills training for all students. The center’s workshops and study aids cover a wide
range of subjects. All programs at PASS are provided to Tech students free of charge. Advisers are available to
help students determine their specific needs and to recommend appropriate materials and programs. The PASS
Center is not open during the summer.
AccessTECH: Students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder may consult
with tutors in this office (335 West Hall, www.accesstech.dsa.ttu.edu). Texas Tech University does not provide
comprehensive testing for either learning disabilities or attention deficit disorders. Testing for learning
disabilities and attention deficit disorders must be obtained through an appropriate professional. Students are
responsible for locating and selecting their own diagnosticians and physicians.
TECHniques Center:
This office (134 Wiggins Hall, www.techniques.ttu.edu) provides supplemental academic support services for
undergraduate students with documented evidence of learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder, including
development and monitoring of personalized learning plans, assistance with academic major/career decision-
making, assistance with academic advising and course scheduling, individual learning style assessments and
interventions, and weekly academic skill-building seminars.
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GPTIs and TAs, University Policies and Procedures
1. Policy
a. The teaching assistantship or graduate part-time instructorship is the university's way of assisting the graduate
student in the pursuit of advanced education and in meaningful entry into the professional world. While the
teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor is both student and employee, these roles should not be seen as
competing or contradictory. A significant aspect of a student's academic development is the teaching and
professional experience the assistantship or graduate part-time instructorship provides. Ideally, success in both
roles will be enhanced by the demands and opportunities inherent in the joint experience. Teaching assistants and
graduate part-time instructors make an important contribution to the teaching mission of the university. They are
continually involved, as students, in the scholarship of their discipline. As students, they have a natural
understanding of the needs and perspectives of other students.
b. Administrative responsibility for the teaching assignment rests within the college in which the student is
employed as a teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor.
2. Qualifications
a. Every teaching assistant must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent and be admitted as a student in the
Graduate School. Because the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) regulations require the
student to have at least 18 hours of graduate work in the field of teaching responsibilities to be given full
responsibility for a class, the university has established this distinction:
(1) Teaching assistants are those who have fewer than 18 hours of graduate work in the field of teaching
responsibilities and, therefore, do not have sole responsibility for the course or courses they teach.
(2) Graduate part-time instructors are those who have at least 18 hours of graduate work in the field and who
have full responsibility for the class or classes they teach.
b. Any exceptions to the above policy must be for demonstrably valid reasons and be approved in advance by the
graduate dean and the provost’s office. Each departmental unit will review the qualifications of all appointees at
the time of appointment to ensure compliance with existing policies.
c. Students in PGRD or post baccalaureate status (holding an undergraduate degree but limited to enrollment in
undergraduate courses) may not be appointed to teaching or research assistantships or graduate part-time
instructorships.
3. English Proficiency
All graduate students employed as teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors in courses offered for
credit that are taught in the English language must be proficient in the use of the English language. Any teaching
assistant or graduate part-time instructor whose first language is not English must be certified in English
proficiency and readiness for the classroom. A workshop is held annually in the summer for all prospective new
teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors whose first language is not English. The workshop will
assess each participant’s readiness for the classroom. Those whose English proficiency is not clear, or who may
have other deficiencies that make success in the classroom doubtful, will not be approved. They may, however,
pursue further training in English proficiency and be reconsidered at a later date.
4. Affirmative Action
All appointments to positions as teaching assistants or graduate part-time instructors shall be on the basis of
qualifications, suitability, and student status without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, national
origin, or Vietnam veteran status, and in keeping with the laws and regulations of the state of Texas and the
Board of Regents.
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5. Duties
a. Service assignments for each teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor should be outlined at the time
of appointment and should be as specific as possible. Duties may include a range of assignments from directing
lab sessions to leading discussion sections and, in the case of graduate part-time instructors, to full charge of
classes. The exact duties will depend on the needs of the department, the background and qualifications of the
teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor, and professional goals of the student. Work assignments
should take into account both the needs of the department and the graduate student’s obligation to make
satisfactory progress in the academic program.
b. While it is not possible to always be precise in the determination of weekly hours of service, ordinarily one-
half time teaching assistants or graduate part-time instructors will be expected to provide 20 hours per week.
Other levels of appointment will vary accordingly.
6. Appointment
Teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors are normally appointed for one-quarter to one-half time
service. Appointments exceeding half time should be made only under compelling circumstances and with the
approval of the relevant academic dean and the dean of the Graduate School. Appointments are ordinarily for
nine months, but may be, in some instances, for only one semester or for one or more summer sessions. Students
must be in good academic standing at the time of appointment. Continuation of the assistantship or graduate part-
time instructorship is conditioned on satisfactory performance, both as a teaching assistant or graduate part-time
instructor and as a student, throughout the term of appointment.
7. International Assistants
International teaching assistants or graduate part-time instructors often provide students with valuable
perspectives not readily available from other teachers. The international student teacher is, therefore, a decided
asset to Tech's educational setting.
8. Stipends and Benefits
a. Teaching assistants are appointed at a salary rate established by the department or college at or above the
minimum level established by the university for graduate student employees. The salary level will take into
account the appointee's training, prior experience, and level of responsibility. Graduate part-time instructors are
appointed at a salary rate above that for teaching assistants in the corresponding department or college because
the graduate part-time instructorship requires a higher level of training (at least 18 graduate hours) and,
frequently, full responsibility for the course or courses taught.
b. All student employee appointments are considered temporary appointments and are not currently eligible for
participation in the regular employee benefit programs made available to regular employees. Social Security and
Workers’ Compensation insurance benefits are provided to all student employees. Students employed 50 percent
time or more for a period of at least four and one-half months per year in occupations that require graduate
student status as a condition of employment are eligible to participate in the regular employee group insurance
programs. (See OP 64.11 and OP 70.05 for additional information.)
9. Rights and Responsibilities
a. Student employees are defined in OP 70.11 as follows: An employee performing part-time work incidental to
academic training in an occupational category that requires all incumbents to be students as a condition of
employment. Accordingly, the first priority of all teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors should be
satisfactory progress in their academic programs. At the same time, the acceptance of a teaching assistantship or
graduate part-time instructorship involves responsibilities for satisfactory performance of the duties related to
that appointment. The appointment and its acceptance involve the understanding that duties of both graduate
student and teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor roles can be balanced with mutual benefit to both
roles. Teaching assistants or graduate part-time instructors and their advisors need to work together to ensure that
both roles are carried out successfully.
b. The teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor is responsible for becoming familiar with general
academic procedures, published or online, in such documents as the Undergraduate Catalog, the Graduate
Catalog, the Faculty Handbook and the Student Affairs Handbook. Copies of the university's Operating Policy
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and Procedure Manual are available in the reference section of the University Library and in the School of Law
Library, or it may be accessed online at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual.
c. In situations where teaching assistants or graduate part-time instructors think that they have a legitimate
grievance regarding any aspect of their service duties, they have a right to exhaust all proper channels in
resolving the complaint. In order, these channels are: the immediate supervisor, the department chair, the dean of
the academic college, and the dean of the Graduate School.
10. Enrollment
a. Each teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor is expected to be making steady progress toward the
completion of an advanced degree. Certain levels of enrollment are, therefore, mandatory. Students must be
enrolled full-time (at least 9 hours in each long term, 3 hours in each relevant summer session) to be eligible to
hold teaching assistantships and graduate part-time instructorships.
b. It is the responsibility of the teaching assistant's or graduate part-time instructor's major department to see that
the terms of the enrollment policy are carried out. If a student is employed as a teaching assistant or graduate
part-time instructor in a department other than the student's major area, the major department should be kept
informed and, in general, approve the work duties required by the employing department.
11. Orientation and Training
a. All new teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors will undergo a period of orientation before
beginning work. This orientation should include an overview of procedures, facilities, duties, and university
policies.
b. In addition, each department employing teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors will provide
systematic, on-going training. Such training may take the form of a course in teaching the subject involved,
which the teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor will take during the first semester of work. In some
cases, it will also involve mentoring assignments, with opportunities for observation of senior faculty in the
classroom and frequent conferences to review such elements as course syllabi, grading, classroom decorum, and
lecture styles.
c. The nature of orientation and training activities will vary between departments, but each unit will be
responsible for a plan that ensures each teaching assistant and graduate part-time instructor receives sufficient
support to provide maximum opportunity for the development of teaching ability and professional perspectives.
12. Evaluation and Supervision
a. Departments employing teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors will conduct an annual
evaluation of each assistant and graduate part-time instructor. The results of the evaluation will be made
available to the assistant or part-time instructor and placed in that person's file. Appropriate follow-up should
occur to ensure that the teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor receives full benefit of the evaluation.
The evaluation and supervision of teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors should be conducted
with two issues in mind:
(1) The quality of work connected with the specific assignment and departmental tasks
(2) The training value of the assistant's or graduate part-time instructor's performance for future employment
and professional development.
b. In cases where remedial measures are indicated to improve the teaching assistant's or graduate part-time
instructor's performance, the teaching assistant or graduate part-time instructor should be informed in writing of
the recommended changes to resolve the problem. Situations leading to a recommendation of dismissal for cause
must be provided in writing to the assistant or graduate part-time instructor, with a copy to the department chair.
c. The identity of the supervisor and the chain of command within the unit should be made known to each
teaching assistant and graduate part-time instructor. There should be a clear understanding of the sources of
advice and assistance. The person who is to receive any complaints should be identified to the teaching assistant
or graduate part-time instructor.
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TAs and GPTIs, Department Policies
Your appointment as a Graduate Part-Time Instructor in the Department of English includes important
professional and legal responsibilities. You are a state employee and are paid from public funds generated by
undergraduate students through their tuition and fees and by the citizens of Texas through their taxes. You serve
as a representative of the Department of English, Texas Tech University, the field of English studies, the
teaching profession, and higher education itself. You have immense and abiding impact on the education and
lives of the undergraduate students in your classes. Satisfactory performance in the exercise of your
responsibilities is necessary for the continuation and renewal of your appointment.
M.A. Apprentices serve a nine-month appointment as TAs in their first year, usually with duties assigned in first-
year composition. They may apply for a GPTI appointment for the nine-month period of their second year (i.e.,
fall and spring semesters), contingent on satisfactory performance as a TA and satisfactory degree progress. All
other M.A. students may apply to become GPTIs for the nine-month period of their second year in the program,
providing that they will have completed eighteen (18) semester hours of graduate course work in English prior to
the fall semester of their appointment. No summer teaching is available.
Ordinarily, Ph.D. students are offered a nine-month appointment (i.e., fall and spring semesters) that is renewable
for a second, third, and fourth nine-month period in the following academic years, contingent on satisfactory
performance as a GPTI and satisfactory degree progress. Doctoral students who have not completed the Ph.D. at
the end of four years may apply for a fifth year as a GPTI, providing that they have the endorsement of their
dissertation director and have filed a revised timetable for completion of the degree with the Director of Graduate
Studies (English or TCR). Summer teaching is often available: in the preceding fall semester, be sure to reply to
the call for interested instructors on the enggrad e-mail list from the Director of Graduate Studies.
All GPTIs wishing to renew their appointment must submit the GPTI Renewal Application by February 15 to the
Director of Graduate Studies (English or TCR).
As stipulated by TTU operating policies, GPTIs are considered teachers-in-training and must participate in
orientations and training sessions pertinent to their teaching responsibilities.
As stipulated by TTU operating policies, GPTIs are monitored continually and evaluated annually by
• Director of Composition, for instructors of ENGL 1301 and 1302

• Director of Creative Writing, for instructors of ENGL 2351
• Director of 2000-Level Literature, for instructors of ENGL 2305, 2306, 2307, and 2308
• Director of Technical Communication, for instructors of ENGL 2311
Ordinarily, a GPTI whose performance is judged unsatisfactory will be notified in writing (with a copy to the
department chair) and directed to meet immediately with the appropriate director to develop a remediation
program that will identify specific objectives, deadlines, and resources. If the GPTI’s performance remains
unsatisfactory, the GPTI will be notified in writing that he/she is on probation and will be directed to meet
immediately with the appropriate director, the department chair, and the president of the Graduate English
Society (or his/her designated representative) to revise and reinforce the remediation program. If the GPTI’s
performance remains unsatisfactory while he/she is on probation, the appointment will be terminated and no
subsequent appointments offered.
The criteria for satisfactory performance may differ from course to course but ordinarily include
Classroom Instructors (all courses):
• knowledge of pertinent subject matter

• clear communication of course requirements and policies
• polite and professional interaction with students
75
• effective class management
• appropriate course assignments and class activities
• adequate availability to meet with students during office hours
• timely and useful response to student writing
• careful and judicious evaluation of student performance
Document Instructors (ENGL 1301 and 1302 only)
• logging on to TOPIC with regularity

• keeping up with your assigned share of the document instructing
• providing commentary that is thoughtful, polite, helpful, and criteria-driven
• assigning grades according to the evaluation criteria for the assignment
• participating in orientations and Friday workshops as scheduled each semester
76
GPTIs: Annual Evaluation for Classroom Instructors
1=poor 2=inferior 3 =satisfactory 4=good 5=excellent
knowledge of pertinent subject matter
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
clear communication of course requirements and policies
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
polite and professional interaction with students
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
effective class management
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
appropriate course assignments and class activities
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
adequate availability to meet with students during office hours
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
timely and useful response to student writing
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
careful and judicious evaluation of student performance
1 2 3 4 5
77
Comments:
78
TAs/GPTIs: Annual Evaluation for Document Instructors
1=poor 2=inferior 3 =satisfactory 4=good 5=excellent
keeping up with assigned share of grading (at least 80% always, but usually 90-
100%)
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
providing commentary that is thoughtful, polite, helpful, and criteria-driven
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
assigning grades according to the evaluation criteria for the assignment
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
participating in at least two Friday workshops (in addition to pre-semester

orientations)
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
79
Texas Tech University
GPTI/TA Agreement
I have read the policies governing Graduate Part-Time Instructors and

Teaching Assistants in the Department of English and agree to abide
by them during my appointment for the 2006-2007 academic year.
_______________________________________________
signature
_______________________________________________
name (printed)
_______________________________________________
date
80

Texas Tech University: Department of English

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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

Helpful Links for New Students 3

The Master’s Program in English 11

The Doctoral Program in English 29

Additional Policies and Procedures 51

GPTI and TA Handbook 60

—Sean Grass, Director of Graduate Studies

Subscribe to the relevant departmental list-serves, “enggrad” and “engdept.”

Comparative Literature and Film

Composition, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication

To the English Department:

• a 3.0 GPA on all advanced undergraduate English courses

M.A. students choose one of the following emphases:

British and American Literature

PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT FOR NON-THESIS STUDENTS

Required: Possibilities: Course # and Date Suggested Future

6 hours of thesis (6000) OR

Required: Possibilities: Course # and Date Suggested Future

Required: Possibilities: Course # and Suggested Future

ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week)

ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week)

ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week)

ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week)

ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week)

ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Summer Session: If necessary, required foreign language study.

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

Current degree program:

_____MA English ______MATC

Expected graduation date:

Desired term of appointment:

Academic year 2007-08 Fall 2007 semester only

COURSE WORK REQUIREMENTS

Foundation Requirement (6 hours)

Breadth Requirement (18 hours)

Pedagogy Requirement (3 hours)

Literary Genres Requirement (9 hours)

Concentration Requirement (18 hours)

Dissertation Requirement (12 hours)

Early British Literature

Later British Literature

Literature, Technology, Discourse

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

** creation of doctoral committee

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week)

** preparation for qualifying examinations ** take qualifying examinations in May

ENGL 230X (2 sections) ENGL 230X (2 sections)

ENGL 1301/1302 (20 hours/week) ENGL 1301/1302 (10 hours/week)

** creation of doctoral committee

ENGL 2351 (2 sections) ENGL 2351 (2 sections)

** preparation for qualifying examinations ** take qualifying examinations in May

_MA English __MATC

preparation for qualifying examinations take qualifying examinations in May

preparation for qualifying examinations take qualifying examinations in May

1. 2. 3.

1. 2. 3.

1. 2. 3.

1. 2. 3.