TIMELINE to obtaining THE Ph.D.
A.M. Requirements, First-Year Exam
Upon enrollment, first-year graduate students have as their advisor for one year the Director of Graduate Studies. This means that they discuss their proposed program with the DGS at the beginning of each term and obtain his or her signature where needed. Prior to spring break of the first year, all first year students complete formal preparation for the first year exam according to the procedures established by his or her section. On that basis, each student will be assigned an interim advisor (both senior and junior faculty members may act as advisors) to help in preparing the first year exam.
Students ordinarily complete the eight courses needed for the Master’s Degree, as well as the Latin requirement. (Students specializing in Latin American literature may elect a language course more closely related to their fields of interest.) These courses include three 200-level seminars. Students should spread these out over the fall and spring terms to avoid course overload resulting in Incompletes.
NOTE: Graduate students in Romance Languages and Literatures may commit to writing a maximum of three article-length research papers per semester. Students assigned such papers in 100-level courses should petition for an alternate assignment, such as an exam, a series of smaller papers, etc. Students should consult the Graduate Coordinator regarding administrative procedures for this.
Some students choose to take Latin at Harvard during the summer. Early in the spring term, the Financial Aid Office and the Harvard Summer School offer several tuition scholarships to graduate students fulfilling such departmental requirements. These are available on a competitive basis. Students may also choose to fulfill the Latin or other language requirement in summer school elsewhere in a course comparable to Harvard’s offering.
Many first-year students take a language course at the undergraduate level, in preparation for fulfilling the requirement of a literature course in a second Romance Language.
In early May of the first year, students are evaluated by the faculty members of their section, through formal oral and written review. Those who entered the program with a previous Master’s degree may, at this time, apply for up to four half-courses worth of graduate credit acquired at other institutions.
First-year students may apply for the Harvard Master’s Degree following their successful exam, provided they have completed their eight courses that year, and the Latin or other language requirement. (Note: Credits from other institutions cannot be counted among the eight courses for the Master’s Degree. However, such credits may count toward the Ph.D.) Passage of the first-year examination and satisfactory completion of these eight courses indicates readiness to continue with the Ph.D. program.
Students who will have completed their AM course work by the end of their first year of studies may apply for the AM degree that June.
YEAR TWO:
Finishing Required Courses, Thinking Ahead to Generals
During the second year, students typically complete their remaining Ph.D. course requirements. These include the history of the principal language, provided it is offered that year; the third semester of Latin for Medieval and Renaissance scholars; and the literature course in a second Romance language. (Note: readings for this course must be in the language.) The exception to this timeline is Linguistics 200, which is taken in conjunction with the first semester of teaching. Linguistics 200 does not count among the 16 half courses required for the Ph.D.
During this time, students are expected to begin thinking ahead to the general exam, which they must complete by May of their third year of the graduate program; and possible dissertation topic. Normally, the interim advisor will continue to act as the student’s advisor until the student chooses a dissertation director.
A student may change advisors at any time after the first year. To do this, the student
fills out a Change of Advisor Form (available from the RLL Graduate Coordinator). The student must obtain the new advisor's signature before the change is considered official. He or she must also notify the former advisor of the change.
YEAR THREE:
Generals
Provided students have met their AM requirements, they may now begin teaching. The four-unit credit for teaching is designated as Time T, and equals one half-course. The usual teaching load for a beginning Teaching Fellow is 2/5 of a full-time load, or one half-course. Students also take Linguistics 200, a course on language pedagogy and a requirement outside of the 16 for the Ph.D., during their initial semester of teaching.
The other units, if not in specific courses, are designated as Time R (research) and Time C (independent course work). With their advisors’ approval, students may also register for a maximum of one reading course at the 320 level in preparation for generals.
After two years, the residency requirements are met provided a student has been enrolled full-time in residence throughout this period. Therefore, students may now choose to travel in order to teach or conduct research abroad under the auspices of one of the exchange programs offered by the Graduate School, the Department, or other institutions.
Under a new departmental and Graduate School policy, all students are to have completed their generals before the end of the third year.
Note: Students must make up grades of INC in required courses before sitting for general examinations. The Department faculty strongly discourages students from taking an Incomplete in a course. The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures adheres strictly to the policies established by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences regarding unfinished course work.
YEAR FOUR:
Prospectus, Fellowship Applications for Funding in Year Five
Once the general exam is successfully completed, students have six months to prepare a dissertation prospectus. (For students taking exams in May, the prospectus is due in November.) During the first month, students are expected to select a dissertation advisor and committee. In consultation with them over the following five months, the prospectus is prepared and then formally approved. With an approved prospectus, the student is now eligible for many dissertation research fellowships.
Once the prospectus is approved, students must begin submitting at least one chapter yearly. The first chapter is due within the year following the approval of the prospectus. In other words, if the prospectus is approved in May of 2010, the first chapter is due by April, 2011. In following this schedule, students allow themselves two to three and a half years after approval of the prospectus to earn the degree.
Financial Aid During the Gap Year
It is now very important to note that in the fifth year, financing graduate studies is the student’s responsibility. Funding is available competitively through fellowships, or through teaching or loans. It is, of course, very much to one’s advantage to position oneself so that one is eligible for fellowships. This requires considerable planning in the early years of graduate studies, during which students should complete all course requirements, general exams, and prospectus.
NOTE:
The Deans of the Graduate School carefully monitor the progress of students in the seventh year of studies and beyond. With the potentially conflicting needs to meet expenses and write the dissertation, students who remain registered in year seven may now face difficult demands on their time. It is incumbent upon each student, especially those registered beyond six years, to communicate frequently with all of their committee members, establish a firm schedule for completion, and adhere to it.
The student’s advisor is the director of the dissertation and chair of the dissertation committee. Students may travel to conduct dissertation research. Those remaining in Cambridge will register for Time T (teaching), Time R (research not related to dissertation), Time C (course work related to the dissertation) and 330 courses (independent post-prospectus dissertation preparation, under the guidance of the student’s advisor).
YEAR FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN:
Researching and Writing the Dissertation, Considering the Job Market
The Graduate School expects students to obtain the Ph.D. by the end of the seventh year of studies or sooner. Dissertation completion funding is therefore now available to all graduate students who demonstrate ability to finish the dissertation by submitting two completed chapters by March of the sixth year. Students who entered the program prior to 2005-06 are guaranteed a Dissertation Completion Fellowship (DCF) regardless of G-year. For those who entered in 2005-06 or later, there is no guarantee of a DCF beyond the seventh year. Thus it is very much to a student’s advantage to take the general exam during the third year, obtain prospectus approval early in the fourth year, and submit the first chapter on time during year five. In following this schedule, students allow themselves three and a half years after approval of the prospectus to earn the degree.
Toward the end of the dissertation preparation, students ordinarily prepare a CV and seriously consider the job market. The Department schedules mock interviews for those involved in an active search. Other valuable resources are available to assist in job market preparation and searches, at the Office of Career Services and through the Department. Students are encouraged to make use of these early on in their graduate years, and to incorporate career preparation into their scholarly lives.
Once the dissertation is completed and ready for committee approval, candidates must present an oral defense to which all members of the Department are invited, as well as individuals from other departments. This ordinarily takes place at least three weeks before the Registrar’s deadline for approved dissertation submission.
The defense is followed by a question and answer period. Upon completion of a successful dissertation defense and delivery of the approved dissertation to the registrar, the candidate is eligible receive his or her degree.
G-10 ENROLLMENT CAP
Students remaining in the program beyond the tenth year must apply through the Dean’s Office for a one-year grace period by demonstrating particular hardship or extenuating circumstances, and evidence of ongoing academic progress. They will be expected to finish their dissertation during the grace period. Should they fail to do this, they will be withdrawn from the graduate program. A withdrawn student may apply for readmission once his or her dissertation is nearing completion.
Last updated on September 17, 2009
