Programs for Ph.D. Candidates in Language and LiteratureThe Ph.D. is offered in French, Spanish, and Romance Languages and Literatures. Candidates for the Ph.D. in Spanish and French take a minimum of fifty-four semester hours of credit. (Students with an MA from another institution may be able to transfer up to twenty-four credits). Students may take up to eighteen credit hours in a minor program within the department. It is also possible, with the permission of the departmental chair and the adviser, to select a minor outside the department such as comparative literature or medieval studies. For the Ph.D. in Spanish, two minors are particularly suitable: Portuguese and/or Catalan (Iberian studies) and Arabic and/or Hebrew (Romance-Semitic studies).
The program of studies for the Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures entails work in two romance languages, such as French and Italian, Spanish and French, or Spanish and Italian. A minimum of sixty semester hours of graduate work is required (including work at the MA level) of which 39-42 hours shall be in the major language. The minor language will normally include 18-21 hours of graduate course work. This program is particularly suitable to the present-day teaching profession in which a combination of languages is increasingly in demand. Candidates for Ph.D. in Romance Laguages and Literatures are required to take the regular Ph.D. comprehensive examination in their major subject as well as an examination in the minor subject.
Language Requirements in the Research LanguagesCandidates for the Ph.D. degree in any modern foreign language are required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second language. The research language required will be chosen, with the adviser's approval, according to the needs of the program selected by the candidate.
The accepted method of satisfying this requirement is either (1) passing the Graduate School Foreign Language Test or (2) satisfactorily completing the department's noncredit intensive course in the language, Reading for Comprehension (500), or (3) having a Ph.D. minor in the language and receiving certification of such from the departmental chair, or (4) by being certified as having proven competency in the language in a graduate course on the 500 level or above.
Directed Reading CoursesThe department also offers directed reading courses to accomodate the needs of individual students under special circumstances.
Comprehensive ExaminationsThe Ph.D. degree requires a written comprehensive examination in the major subject. For the Ph.D. program in Romance Languages and Literatures, a minor examination also is required. Students preparing for comprehensive examinations should note the instructions which follow.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree are expected to have (1) a satisfactory speaking facility in each language taken as a major or minor and an accurate knowledge of the modern grammar of each, (2) knowledge of the old and modern literature of each language taken as a major or minor (students seeking specific guidance in their reading program should consult their professors or the chair of the department; reading lists are available in each field), and (3) an adequate knowledge of the main scholarly and critical works relating to the literatures of their specialization.
Program RequirementsDoctor of Philosophy in French, Spanish, or Romance Languages and Literatures. Intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, general knowledge of the major field of study, and linguistic competence as a reader and writer in the major language are prerequisite for candidates for the Ph.D. Doctoral candidates progress beyond acquisition of general knowledge to the demonstration of the ability to do independent work, to develop creative sensibility toward literary texts and their cultural context, engage in scholarly discussion, and synthesize the results of their research. In the dissertation, candidates are expected to make a significant scholarly contribution to their field of specialization by producing original research, competently presented, and reflective of the values of humanistic scholarship.
Program requirements:
Language proficiency: Native/near native competency in the major language. Reading knowledge in a research language chosen in consultation with the advisor according to the candidate's program needs. Excellent English communication skills needed.
Coursework: For the Ph.D. in French or Spanish a minimum of 54 credits is required. The Ph.D. in Romance Languages requires 60 credits.
The Ph.D. in French entails an in-depth study of three periods of French literature. In consultation with his/her advisor the student will choose a major field which usually coincides with the research area for the dissertation, and two minor fields. To give breadth to the program, no more than two of the three periods may be consecutive.
The Ph.D. in Spanish allows students to major in Peninsular or Latin American literature. Beyond the acquisition of a broad knowledge of periods, genres and issues, great importance is attached to a solid grounding in literary theory and criticism as well as to the development of the student's area of specialization.
The program of studies for the Ph.D in Romance Languages and Literatures entails work in two Romance Languages, such as French and Italian, Spanish and French, or Spanish and Italian. A minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate work is required (including work at the M.A. level) of which 39-42 hours shall be in the major language. The minor language will normally include 18-21 hours of graduate course work.
Transfer credits:
Up to 24 credits of graduate study in an accredited Master's program may be recommended for transfer by the advisor. Approval by the chair and the dean is required.
Comprehensive Examination:
Students register for the three day examination in their last semester of formal study or after all coursework is completed. For reading lists and for the format of the examination students should consult the advisor or the chair.
Admission to Candidacy:
Having passed the comprehensives, a student may apply for candidacy which becomes effective on the first day of the semester following the examination.
Dissertation and Final Oral Examination:
While in continuous registration for Dissertation Guidance, students are expected to prepare a dissertation proposal within the first two years of candidacy. Following approval by the dissertation committee and a departmental colloquium, the proposal must be approved by the full faculty prior to being submitted to the dean and the vice provost.
After topic and committee approval by the university, the dissertation must be completed and successfully defended by the end of the fifth year of candidacy.
Student Advising and MentoringThe Department of Modern Languages attaches great importance to the personal nurturing of its students throughout their graduate programs, in the form of individual advising, professional encouragement, and financial support. Incoming graduate students are assigned an academic advisor who suggests and reviews course selection. Each student's program is individually designed, taking into account previous training, field(s) of specialization, and the courses offered each semester.
Financial assistance is also available through the Department to present papers at professional meetings.
Beyond the ClassroomThe Department of Modern Languages hosts conferences, symposia, colloquia, performing arts series, and other educational programs for scholars, students at all levels, and the general public. Recent examples have included theatrical performances; poetry readings; an International Symposium on Latino and Iberoamerican Theatre; lectures on 17th-century French Literature, the intersection between Italian Literature, Opera and the Visual Arts; presentations on Frida Kahlo, Pablo Neruda, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and contemporary culture in Berlin. In addition, we organize an annual Graduate Student Colloquium. Some of these activities have involved community outreach projects such as panel discussions and workshops for school teachers or the general public.
Learning to Teach - Teaching to LearnGraduate assistantships are available for qualified students to teach beginning and intermediate level language courses. In concert with CUA's commitment to quality undergraduate education, the Department of Modern Languages strives to prepare graduate students for this important instructional and administrative role and for their future role in the professoriate. With these goals in mind, a course on current views on language teaching and learning is offered by the language program coordinator, a specialist in Foreign Language pedagogy. Numerous other structured and informal opportunities to develop effective teaching strategies are also provided, with the on-going support of faculty supervisors, the media director, and other TAs. Particular attention is given to the expanding role of technology in language instruction.
Academic ResourcesThe Library
The Catholic University of America offers academic resources and services that are integral to the work of the institution. The Library's vast collection includes a fine selection of books and refereed journals on Foreign Language literature and literary criticism. In addition to CUA's facilities, graduate students may borrow material from the consortium libraries, all located within the greater Washington area. The library provides several electronic services and resources, such as ALADIN, a collection of databases supported by the university's membership in the Washington Research Library Consortium.
Technology Resources
The Center for Planning and Information Technology provides computational and network facilities to CUA students and faculty for their educational and research activities on campus and across the Internet. The Multimedia Language Center of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures recognizes that experience with computer and electronic technologies occupies an important place in the professional development of graduate students. Its extensive collection of videos, multimedia materials on CD-ROM and laserdiscs, and Foreign TV broadcasts (WNVC) offers students additional material for their academic work.
ApplyingAn undergraduate major in one of the modern languages taught by the department is recommended for applicants. Graduate Record Examinations General Test scores are required for U.S. applicants, while international students whose native language is not English may present scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language instead of the GRE. GRE scores are required of international students who have obtained B.A. or MA degrees in English-speaking countries. Applications should be received in the Office of Graduate Student Services, 300 McMahon, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064, by February 1st. Students are selected on the basis of undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) records, GRE or TOEFL scores, letters of recommendation, and interviews, if possible.
An online application is also available. |
