Academics

Exam Overview

The Master of Arts in Comparative Literature and Cultural studies requires passing a comprehensive exam. The exam is based on the students’ coursework and a list of readings approved by the advisor and the candidate’s committee. The exam for the nonthesis option of the Master’s degree concentrates on the students’ main areas of specialization and two areas in world literatures and cultures. The thesis option requires only the world literatures and cultures part of the comprehensive exams. If necessary, an oral exam addressing weak areas in the written exams will be scheduled. The exams should be taken at the end of the fourth semester of study. Early in that semester, students should contact the advisor to discuss the reading lists and schedule the exam. The comprehensive exams are graded on a pass/fail basis. If failed, the exams may be repeated once.

READING LISTS

All students in the M.A. Program in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies must take courses in 1) two areas of specialization, 2) world literatures and cultures, and 3) literary and cultural theory. The reading lists for the comprehensive exams should reflect, complement, and strengthen the students’ knowledge in these areas of study. For the comprehensive exams, students must prepare and propose to the advisor and the program committee two main reading lists: a specialty list (non-thesis students) and a world literatures and cultures list.

 

Thesis

• Two Lists from World Literature & Culture Areas

Non-thesis

• One List from Speciality Area & Critical Approaches

• Two Lists from World Literature & Culture Areas

Specialty & Critical Approaches List (Non-Thesis Students Only)

Students in the non-thesis option will prepare a list of works from their areas of specialty, divided into two sections: main area of specialization and critical approaches. The specialty list should include approximately 15 primary texts or works. The critical and cultural theory section should include about 10 texts covering at least two different critical approaches (i.e. feminism, postcolonial theory, psychoanalysis, etc.). The list must be approved by the advisor and the program committee.

World Literatures and Cultures List

Each student will prepare readings lists in two areas in world literatures and cultures, covering different historical periods, geographical areas, or genres.  The areas should be appropriately chosen to supplement the student’s specializations. It is recommended that students include at least one pre-modern and a non-Western literatures and cultures area.  The world literatures and cultures areas should not overlap with the two main areas in the specialty list. However, minor overlaps may be acceptable. Each of the two world literatures and cultures areas' lists should cover approximately 15 primary works, though some key critical or theoretical works may be included as well.

 

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM FORMAT

Non Thesis Option

MA candidates in the non thesis option will take two written comprehensive exams, the first one on the specialty areas and the second on the selected world literatures and cultures areas.  Each exam will consist of 1-2 essay questions in the form of a 72-hour, open-book, take-home examination.   Unless given special approval by the program director, the two written exams should be taken within six weeks of each other.  Normally, candidates take the specialty exam first, and a few weeks later, the world literature exam.    

Thesis Option

MA candidates in the non thesis option will only take the world literatures and cultures exam.  The exam will consist of 1-2 essay questions in the form of a 72-hour, open-book, take-home examination.

 

Exam Goals and Evaluation

The goal of the specialty exam is to evaluate the students’ breadth and depth of knowledge in the field of specialization, their ability to place literary and cultural artifacts in broader historical contexts, and their capacity to synthesize the defining and most relevant elements of the selected historical periods. The specialty essay should discuss some representative works of the period and their historical and cultural background. The answer should also include references to important critical scholarship and debates on the period.  

As part of the specialty exam, students will write a critical approaches essay.  Students will have to analyze a particular work from their reading lists, applying one or two different critical approaches. Students may be asked to compare and contrast the usefulness of these critical approaches. The goal is to demonstrate a competent use of critical theory and advanced skills in literary and cultural analysis.

The goal of the World Literatures and Cultures exam is to demonstrate familiarity with and competent reading of a variety of works from different historical periods and regions of the world. In this exam, students will have to answer one or two essay questions on the world literature and cultures areas selected.

As a rough guideline, the student’s response to each of the two comprehensive examinations (Specialty and World Literatures and Cultures) should be a total of approximately 10-15 pages in length, typed (12pts) and double-spaced, and should include a list of works cited within that length, following MLA style.  If necessary, an oral exam with the examination committee will be set up to address deficiencies.

Exam Overview

The Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies degree requires passing written and oral comprehensive exams. The written exam concentrates on 1) the candidate’s areas of specialization, and 2) three areas in world literatures and cultures.  After each exam, an oral exam is scheduled only if there are deficiencies identified in the exam.  The exams are based on the candidate’s lists of readings approved by the program director and the student’s examination committee. The exams should be taken during the last semester of required coursework  or shortly after.  Early in that semester in which the examinations will be taken, students should contact the advisory committee chair and the program director to discuss the reading lists and schedule the exam. Each of the components of the comprehensive exams is graded on a pass/fail basis, and all must be passed in order to achieve candidacy and move on to the writing of the dissertation. If failed, each of the component exams may be repeated once.

Examination Committee

Prior to developing reading lists and taking the comprehensive examinations, each student must establish an examination committee consisting of a committee chair and at least two other faculty committee members with expertise in the areas selected by the student. The examination committee will typically also serve as the student’s dissertation committee. Changes can be made with the approval of the chair of the student's advisory committee and the program director.

READING LISTS

Each student in the doctoral program in the Program in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies must develop the following reading list in conjunction with his or her examination committee, subject to the approval of the program director.

Specialty Lists

Each student will prepare a list of works in each of two areas of specialization. Each area of specialization should include approximately 20-25 texts or works The focus will be on primary "texts," interdisciplinarily defined, in the student’s fields of specialization, though 10 to 25% of the list should include crucial associated critical and theoretical work. The lists must be approved by the program director and the student’s examination committee.

World Literatures and Cultures Lists

Each student will prepare readings lists in three areas in world literatures and cultures, covering different historical periods, geographical areas, or genres. These areas should be outside the student’s areas of specialization. However, minor overlaps may be acceptable. And the areas should be appropriately chosen to supplement the student’s specializations. Each of the three world literatures and cultures areas should cover approximately 15-20 primary "texts," interdisciplinarily defined, though 10 to 25%  of the list should be key critical or theoretical works. Candidates who completed the M.A. Program in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Arkansas must prepare two new areas in world literatures and cultures, though one of their areas can be repeated from that used in their MA comprehensive exams.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM FORMAT

Each of the two written comprehensive exams will require the student to answer 1-2 essay questions in the form of a 72-hour, open-book, take-home examination. The World Literature examination questions will address the three World Literature lists together; the Specialty examination will address the two Specialty lists together. Students may take the exams in either order; however, most students will be best served by taking the World Literature essay exam first and the Specialty exam second, because the latter leads directly into the dissertation. Unless given special approval by the program director, the two written exams should be taken within six weeks of each other. As a rough guideline, the student’s response to each of the two essay examinations should be a total of approximately 25-30 pages in length, typed and double-spaced, and should include a list of works cited within that length. After each exam, an oral exam will be scheduled if there are deficiencies identifed. 

 

DISSERTATION PROSPECTUS

Having completed coursework, language requirements and the comprehensive exams, students achieve candidacy (ABD All but dissertation). The next step is the dissertation proposal defense.  Prior to the proposal defense, the student must submit to the committee a full dissertation prospectus, consisting of a proposed outline of the dissertation, 15-20 pages of explanatory text to support the outline (thesis, primary corpus, justification, literature review, methodology), and a bibliography of associated works. Questioning in the dissertation prospectus defense will address all aspects of the prospectus and will be designed to ascertain whether the student is prepared to move forward with the actual writing of the dissertation.  Candidates should present the dissertation prospectus shortly after the completion of the written exams.