Independent studies courses are designed to give students greater flexibility in planning their programs of study. At the beginning of each quarter, petitions for these courses may be obtained from the Staff Graduate Advisor. After the instructor’s approval has been obtained for the proposed course and a written description of the project has been approved by the student’s faculty advisor, students may enroll in the class by following the prescribed registration procedures.

Undergraduate courses taken for degree credit by graduate students must be taken under the number 297 and will include such modifications as thought suitable by the instructor to satisfy graduate requirements. Graduate students may audit undergraduate courses with the instructor’s permission.

English 297: Intro to Graduate Study in English is offered in the fall quarter to new students. Students may take no more than 4 units of English 297: Intro to Graduate Study in English.

Continuing instruction in the teaching of literature courses. Teaching Assistants must register for this course and will receive an S/U grade. The instructor is the TA Supervisor. Units earned in English 500 do not count toward degree requirements.

The Doctoral Colloquium provides support for graduate students in the crucial period after they have completed the first qualifying exam and are developing their dissertation ideas. Students take the course in fall and winter quarters. The colloquium focuses step-by-step on familiarizing students with the nature and structure of dissertations, the dissertation prospectus, the second qualifying exam, and the dissertation-writing process — all within a broad framework of professionalization that also considers the relation between the dissertation and the book, publication, and the nature of an academic career. At the end of the course, students should have a draft of a dissertation prospectus and bibliography reading list that has been discussed with the colloquium instructor and other colloquium members (together with each student’s faculty advisor). The colloquium is generally taken following the first qualifying exam. Units earned do not count toward degree requirements.

Provides guidance, training, a forum, and a common center for the various technical research endeavors engaged in by student assistants. Not offered every quarter; you may contact the Staff Graduate Advisor to inquire about the availability of this course.

Graduate level research colloquia in various areas of study, often attached to Research Centers and/or faculty-led collaborative research projects. Not offered every quarter; you may contact the Staff Graduate Advisor to inquire about the availability of this course.

Students who want to work on an independent studies project under the supervision of a faculty member should meet with that faculty member and work out a reading list for the quarter. A written proposal must be approved by the Faculty Graduate Advisor (DGS) prior to enrollment. Courses must be taken for a letter grade and are usually restricted to the interval between the first and second qualifying exams. 596 courses should be directed toward helping to define the dissertation area.  Students may take no more than 8 units of 596.

Students may take up to 12 units per quarter of 597. A 597 course must be taken S/U, and does not count toward a degree. The instructor should be the faculty advisor.

Only students who have passed the second qualifying examination and been advanced to candidacy can register for a 599 course in order to remain continuously registered for a minimum of 8 units. Students working as TAs can simultaneously register for 4 units of ENG 500. 599 can be repeated as often as necessary, and must be taken for a grading option of S/U. The instructor is the student’s dissertation chair.

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