Course Sequence

Students entering with a B.A. complete work toward the M.A. in Year One.
Students entering with an M.A. usually begin with the Year Two curriculum.  

Year One Fall

• Bibliography
• Literary Theory
• Proseminar 1
• Proseminar 2

Year One Spring

• Proseminar 3
• Proseminar 4
• Seminar 1
• Seminar 2

Year Two Fall

• Seminar 3
• Seminar 4

Year Two Spring

• Pedagogy
• Seminar 5 (or independent study)

Year Three Fall

• Seminar 6 (or independent study)
• Seminar 7

Year Three Spring

• Seminar 8
• Seminar 9

Year Four Fall

• Oral Examination

Year Four Spring

• Dissertation research and writing (proposal)

Year Five Fall

• Dissertation research and writing (prospectus)

Year Five Spring

• Dissertation research and writing

Courses:

• Bibliography : Research methods, textual editing, annotated bibliographies etc.
• Literary Theory : Foundations in literary theory
• Proseminars: Seminar papers not required.  Assignments may vary. Six foundational courses in, for example, the following arrangement:
  1. Early British to 1660
  2. Later British
  3. Early American
  4. Later American
  5. Modern and Contemporary Literature
  6. Anglophone and African-American literature
• Seminars : More specialized courses concentrated within an area; seminar papers required.