Program Requirements

The gaze of Bohemian-Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke. Faculty expert, Kathleen L. Komar

THE FULL GRADUATE HANDBOOK CAN BE DOWNLOADED AS A PDF HERE.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The Ph.D. in Comparative Literature requires full-time attendance in daytime classes. Degree candidates must demonstrate linguistic, historical, and critical competence in two or more literatures.

Foreign Language Requirement

Literary proficiency in at least two languages is essential for courses and degrees in Comparative Literature. Students should be able to successfully complete graduate-level courses conducted in the languages of their specialization, speak the major foreign language adequately, and read literary texts in that language with literary proficiency (in other words, with sensitivity to stylistic nuances). Students should plan to fulfill these requirements early on in their degree; many language courses fill up quickly.

Before completing the Ph.D., students must demonstrate knowledge of two languages other than English. The requirements for at least one of the two required foreign languages must be completed prior to the Second Year Review/MA Exam (i.e., by Spring Quarter of a student’s second year in the program).

Proficiency in one language must be certified by completing two or more undergraduate upper-division (#100-199) and/or graduate (#200-299) literature courses in the appropriate language department. These courses must include reading, writing, or speaking in the language in question; they cannot be conducted solely in English. If the course is not taught in the language in question, students must confirm with the teacher in advance that it can fulfill a language requirement in another way, perhaps with supplemental assignments. Students must demonstrate language competency beyond the intermediate level (or, the equivalent of two years of instruction at UCLA) in order to enroll in these courses.

The second language requirement may be satisfied by completion of one graduate or upper-division literature class with a letter grade of “B+” or higher. This course must include reading, writing, or speaking in the language in question; it cannot be conducted solely in English. If the course is not taught in the language in question, students must confirm with the teacher in advance that it can fulfill a language requirement in another way, perhaps with supplemental assignments. Students must demonstrate language competency beyond the intermediate level (or, the equivalent of two years of instruction at UCLA) in order to enroll in these courses.

Students whose research will require coursework in a less commonly taught language may enroll in letter-graded independent study tutorials with faculty in the appropriate departments who work on that language to satisfy their language requirements. Students may also consider taking language coursework at other UC campuses via Inter-campus Exchange, or at other accredited institutions if coursework in their language of choice is not offered at UCLA.

In cases where sufficient courses are not available, students may substitute a translation examination administered by a departmental faculty member in place of coursework. In such cases, the Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair must approve the translation examination ahead of time in consultation with the faculty who will be administering it.

Procedure: Upon completion of the appropriate coursework for the foreign language requirement(s), students must file a Language Petition form with the Student Services Advisor. Separate forms must be filed for each language; students should therefore select “Partially fulfill” on each form. Students must also specify the course number and quarter completed for each language course that should apply toward the requirement in the “Additional Information” field at the bottom of the petition form. The Language Petition requires the student’s signature, as well as approval from the Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies.

The first Language Petition must be filed no later than the end of Winter Quarter of the student’s second year in the program. The second Language Petition should be filed no later than one month before the student’s second stage qualifying examination (prospectus defense).

Major and Minor Fields or Sub-Disciplines

The major field should reflect the primary emphasis of the student’s dissertation and illustrate the student’s knowledge of literary studies. The major field should encompass literary and cultural studies in one language area. A general knowledge of the major field is demonstrated through course work. The major field should be discussed with the Director of Graduate Studies during the quarter preceding the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam and declared during the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam.

The student’s minor field should focus either on another literary or cultural tradition, or on a defined theoretical or interdisciplinary approach from related disciplines such as musicology, film studies, gender studies, or art history. The minor field should be discussed with the Director of Graduate Studies prior to the First Stage Ph.D. Evaluation Qualifying Examination.

Students must consult with the Director of Graduate Studies regarding changes to their major and minor fields.

Course Requirements

Sixteen (16) letter-graded seminar courses and one pedagogy course taken at UCLA are required for the Ph.D. degree, distributed as follows:

• Comparative Literature 200A and 200B
• Comparative Literature 495 pedagogy course
• Six graduate courses in Comparative Literature
  • Graduate courses taught by Comparative Literature faculty in other departments may apply toward this requirement.
  • Under special circumstances and with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies, letter-graded courses in the 500-series (596) may apply towards the graduate course requirements.
• Six graduate courses in the major literature (of which one may be upper-division, #100-199)
  • Coursework completed to satisfy the foreign language requirement may apply toward the major field requirements
  • Under special circumstances and with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies, letter-graded courses in the 500-series (596) may apply towards the graduate course requirements.
• Two graduate courses in the minor literature/field (of which one may be upper-division, #100-199)
  • Coursework completed to satisfy the foreign language requirement may apply toward the minor field requirements
  • Under special circumstances and with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies, letter-graded courses in the 500-series (596) may apply towards the graduate course requirements.

Students must complete 12 courses (48 units) for the M.A. prior to their Second Year Review/M.A. Exam, as outlined below. Students are expected to complete the remaining coursework for the Ph.D. by the end of Year 3, but must complete them before taking the Written Qualifying Examinations. The Department recommends the following course load in Years 1-3:

Individual Study (500-series) Courses

Courses numbered in the 500 series are directed individual study or research at the graduate level. These courses are variable unit courses that can be taken for 2-12 units of credit to enable a student to meet the study list requirement for full-time status

All Comparative Literature faculty supervise individual study tutorials under the following course numbers:

• COM LIT 596. Directed Individual Study or Research: Students usually enroll in COM LIT 596 during their first three years of doctoral study. This course may be completed on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) or letter-graded basis. Students who plan to apply credit for individual study toward their course requirements must enroll in COM LIT 596 for 4 letter-graded units.
• COM LIT 597. Preparation for the M.A. and Ph.D. Exams: Students enroll in this course when preparing for and undergoing the First Stage Evaluation Qualifying Examination and the Second Stage Evaluation University Oral Qualifying Exam.
• COM LIT 599. Research for Ph.D. Dissertation: Students enroll in this course once they advance to doctoral candidacy.

COM LIT 597 and 599 are mandatory S/U-graded courses. All 500-series courses may be repeated for credit.

Transfer of Credit

Students may petition to apply coursework completed in graduate status on other UC campuses or at institutions other than UC, provided they were not used toward a previous degree.

A maximum of two courses completed with a minimum grade of “B” in graduate status may apply toward the 12 courses required for the M.A. prior to the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam. Two courses would be the equivalent of eight quarter units or five semester units. Students can petition to have two courses recognized, if they have not been taken for any other degree previously awarded, at UCLA or another institution, or before the award of the Bachelor’s degree.

Per Graduate Division policy, courses taken for any other degree previously awarded, at UCLA or another institution, and courses taken before the award of the Bachelor’s degree may not apply toward a graduate degree at UCLA.

Students who are admitted to the program with an M.A. may petition to validate up to three courses taken at another institution toward the Ph.D. after the Second Year Review. These courses may have been taken toward a degree at another institution. The approval of the Department is required.

Correspondence courses are not applicable to graduate degrees at UCLA.

Procedure: Students who wish to apply coursework completed in graduate status at other institutions toward the 12 courses required for the M.A. prior to the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam must complete a Graduate Degree Petition to request a “Transfer of Credit”. Students will be asked to provide relevant information, including: units, department and course number, the name of the institution, and a brief explanation for this request. An official transcript should be attached to the petition form and submitted to the Student Services Advisor and Director of Graduate Studies for departmental approval. The form is then sent to the Graduate Division for review.

Examinations

Students in the Comparative Literature Ph.D. program are required to undergo three evaluations before advancing to doctoral candidacy: the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam; the First Stage Evaluation Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations (written and oral); and the Second Stage Evaluation University Oral Qualifying Exam (prospectus defense).

The Second Year Review/M.A. Exam evaluates a student’s mastery of the material taught in Years 1 and 2 and their plans for future research.

The First Stage Evaluation Ph.D. Qualifying Exam evaluates a student’s ability to produce scholarly work within a constrained time period at their current stage in the program, as well as demonstrating the breadth and depth of the knowledge they have so far acquired.

The Second Stage Evaluation University Oral Qualifying Exam evaluates the feasibility and scholarly contribution of a student’s proposed dissertation research.

Second Year Review/M.A. Exam

Students in the Department of Comparative Literature are required to undergo a Second Year Review during the Spring Quarter of their second year in the program. Under exceptional circumstances, students may be allowed to schedule the Second Year Review in the Fall Quarter of their third year, with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.

Preparation: Prior to the review, students must complete 12 courses (48 units), including 11 letter-graded seminar courses and COM LIT 495, distributed as follows:

• Comparative Literature 200A and 200B
• Comparative Literature 495 pedagogy course
• Three (3) additional Comparative Literature graduate (#200-299) courses
  • Under special circumstances, students may petition the Director of Graduate Studies to apply up to two individual study (500-series) courses taken for a letter grade toward the course requirements
  • Graduate courses taught by Comparative Literature faculty in other departments may apply toward this requirement.
• Six (6) major and minor field courses, of which at least three (3) must be in the major field.
  • One major and one minor field course may be upper-division (#100-199) courses with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies
  • Coursework completed to satisfy the foreign language requirement may apply toward the major or minor field requirements

The requirements for one of the two required foreign languages must be completed prior to the review.

A maximum of two courses completed with a minimum grade of “B” in graduate status may apply toward the 12 courses required for the M.A. prior to the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam, provided that the courses did not count towards a previously awarded degree.

Review/Exam Committee: Students must convene a review/exam committee comprised of three faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be the Director of Graduate Studies, and at least one other must be faculty in the Department of Comparative Literature

Scheduling & Room Reservations: Students are responsible for coordinating with their committee members to schedule the Second Year Review. The Review should be scheduled to take place before the end of Spring Quarter. Once a date has been decided, the student should contact the Student Services Advisor at least two weeks in advance to book a meeting space. The Department of Comparative Literature seminar room (348 Kaplan Hall) is typically reserved for this purpose; however, alternate accommodations may be made if the room is unavailable.

Seminar Papers: Students are required to choose two seminar papers (with or without revisions) and circulate them among the committee at least two weeks in advance of the review.  With prior approval from their committee members, students may also present papers that were submitted to a conference or journal. The papers serve as tangible evidence of successfully completed academic tasks.

Students are advised to submit two revised papers totaling 30-50 pages of written work. They are permitted to revise or work on these papers after the seminars in which they were submitted have concluded, but they are not required to do so. Papers should demonstrate mastery of course material covered in years 1 and 2 and potential for future research, but need not be relevant to possible dissertation topics. Students should review these papers in advance, and should be able to speak knowledgeably about their content. Both form and content are evaluated and discussed during the review.

Progress: The Second Year Review is an opportunity for students and faculty to discuss the student’s current and future progress in the degree program. Students are not required to propose their dissertation topic during the Second Year Review; however, they should be prepared to discuss ideas for future research with their committee.

Results of the Review/Exam: Students who enter the program with an M.A. in Comparative Literature must hold a Second Year Review, but will not be awarded an M.A. from UCLA. The results of the Second Year Review for students who hold an M.A. are recorded as follows: (1) Pass with permission to continue to the Ph.D.; (2) Pass with reservations and specific recommendations for improvement with permission to continue toward the Ph.D.; or (3) Fail without permission to continue to the Ph.D. Students may fail the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam if they are unable to demonstrate the level of mastery necessary for success in the more advanced stages of doctoral study. The faculty will not permit students to retake the Second Year Review. Students who fail the Second Year Review will be recommended for academic disqualification.

Students who do not hold a Comparative Literature M.A. upon entering the Ph.D. program may be awarded an M.A., contingent upon successful completion of the Second Year Review, coursework, and language proficiency requirement. The results of the Second Year Review for students who do not hold an M.A. in Comparative Literature upon matriculation are recorded as follows: (1) Pass, with an M.A. and permission to continue to the Ph.D.; (2) Pass with reservations, with an M.A. and specific recommendations for improvement with permission to continue toward the Ph.D.; (3) Pass with a terminal M.A.; or (4) Fail without an M.A. or permission to continue to the Ph.D. Students may fail the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam if they are unable to demonstrate the level of mastery necessary for success in the advanced stages of doctoral study. The faculty will not permit students to retake the Second Year Review. Students who fail the Second Year Review will be recommended for academic disqualification.

Time-to-Degree

Students who are admitted to graduate status should be able to obtain the M.A. degree within six quarters.

First Stage Ph.D. Evaluation: University Written Qualifying Examination

The Academic Senate requires that students take a written qualifying examination. In the Department of Comparative Literature, this examination is in two parts. The first part consists of a 72-hour take-home written examination in the major and minor fields. The second part is an oral examination. This qualifying exam assesses a student’s ability to draw principles and concepts from the relevant literature.

Exam Committee: Students must constitute an examining committee comprised of three faculty members, of which two must be Comparative Literature faculty, in the quarter preceding the examination. Students should provide the Student Services Advisor with the names and email address of their committee members and specify which faculty members will serve as the major and minor field examiners. Committees are limited to three members. Students should try to choose faculty members who will later be on their dissertation committee, but are not required to do so, in the sense that they will constitute their dissertation committee only after this examination.

Reading Lists: Before the exam, students must compile reading lists comprised of 50 works in the major field and 25 works in the minor field. Because comparative literature, by its nature, requires theories and philosophies to compare works from disparate times and places, 15-20% of these lists will be theoretical works related to each field. The major reading list must cover a range of genres and periods.

Each student is responsible for preparing their own reading lists with guidance from appropriate faculty advisors. Each reading list must be approved by the appropriate field examiner; both lists must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the quarter preceding the qualifying examination. Students should send their reading lists to the appropriate faculty in the major and minor fields first, with instructions to send their approval to the Director of Graduate Studies and the Student Services Advisor via email so that copies can be added to the student’s Departmental file.

Written Examination Procedures: Written exams consist of one long or two shorter questions for the major field exam and one question for the minor field. The examiners have the choice of asking one question, or allowing the student to answer one or two of a selection of two or more questions. Students are responsible for coordinating with the examining committee to determine the start of the 72-hour exam period. The exam period should never be scheduled to begin or end outside of regular business hours (including weekends, University holidays, or during the Winter campus closure).

The committee members who will write the major and minor field questions should be instructed to send their respective questions to the Student Services Advisor at least one week before the start of the exam period. The Student Services Advisor will send the exam questions to the student via email at the designated start time, with a CC to the examining committee members.

Students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of the field and engagement with relevant ideas and methodologies as they produce 25-30 pages of original writing during the 72-hour examination period. These pages may not include any excerpts of previously written seminar papers. Plagiarism is grounds for dismissal from the program. Students should not discuss works that are not included in the reading lists. Furthermore, they may quote from works on the reading lists, but are not required to do so. Should a question be deemed problematic (i.e. the question asks about material not included on the approved reading lists), the student should immediately contact the Student Services Advisor, who will stop the exam period and follow up with the Director of Graduate Studies and Chair.

Oral Examination Procedures: The oral examination follows no later than two weeks after the submission of the written portion. In exceptional situations, this exam can be slightly delayed by a few weeks with permission from the Director of Graduate Studies and/or Chair. Once a date has been decided, the student should contact the Student Services Advisor at least two weeks in advance to book a meeting space. The Department of Comparative Literature seminar room (348 Kaplan Hall) is typically reserved for this purpose; however, alternate accommodations may be made if the room is unavailable.

Results of the First Stage Evaluation: The outcome of the first stage evaluation can be: pass with permission to proceed to the prospectus phase of the dissertation; or fail. Students must pass both the written and oral sections of the exam in the major and minor fields in order to pass with permission to proceed to the prospectus phase of the dissertation. In the case of failure, the committee may offer the student an opportunity to retake one or both sections of the exam in the following quarter. A second failed exam terminates the student from the program.

Second Stage Ph.D. Evaluation: University Oral Qualifying Exam (Prospectus Defense)

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass University written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a two-hour examination based primarily on a defense of the prospectus. Under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Exam is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. All coursework and the second foreign language requirement must be completed before the second stage (oral) qualifying exam.

Preparation: After completion of the written qualifying examination, students enroll in COM LIT 597 under the supervision of their major field advisor to begin writing the dissertation prospectus. Although normative times for its completion vary, students would ideally produce a completed draft after two quarters.

Prospectus: The prospectus serves as the student’s outline for their dissertation, and should define a thesis and its proposed development over several chapters. The prospectus should answer a question (instead of merely outlining a description) over the course of 35-50 pages.

Adapted from the Graduate Writing Lab, Yale Center for Teaching and Learning: http://ctl.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/GWL%20Humanities%20Dissertation%20Prospectus_IlaT.pdf

Students must circulate their prospectus to their committee at least two weeks in advance of the exam.

Nomination of the Doctoral Committee: Per the Department’s policies governing doctoral committee constitution, all doctoral committees must be comprised of at least four faculty members, including at least two Comparative Literature faculty members (“inside” committee members), one of whom must serve as the committee Chair or Co-Chair. Committee members from other departments or universities (including other UC campuses) are considered “outside” members, regardless of departmental affiliation. The size of the committee is not limited, and may include members outside UCLA, and outside the UC system. All committee members must certify the dissertation.

Students should nominate their doctoral committee, which will serve as their examination committee for the oral qualifying examination, at least two months in advance of the exam. Students must submit a Nomination of Doctoral Committee form that lists the names, departments, and academic ranks of the faculty who will administer the prospectus defense, and advise and certify the dissertation.

Scheduling & Room Reservations: Students are responsible for coordinating with their committee members to schedule the University Oral Qualifying Exam. Once a date has been decided, the student should contact the Student Services Advisor at least two weeks in advance to book a meeting space. The Department of Comparative Literature seminar room (348 Kaplan Hall) is typically reserved for this purpose; however, alternate accommodations may be made if the room is unavailable. 

Results: The outcomes of the prospectus examination can be: pass with permission to advance to candidacy; or fail without permission to advance to candidacy. An unsatisfactory prospectus may be returned to the student for final revisions. If the prospectus is still deemed unsatisfactory, the student in question may fail the University Oral Qualifying Exam.

Advancement to Candidacy: Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the University Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations, as described above.

Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Students are not obliged to duplicate the ideas of the prospectus in the dissertation. Basic concepts or assumptions may change from the prospectus to the dissertation; however, any such changes should be discussed with the committee as a different trajectory of investigation. Students should also consult with their faculty advisors regarding matters of breadth and focus.

At minimum, faculty advisors should be in contact with their students once per quarter throughout the dissertation stage; however, more consistent contact is strongly encouraged. Conversely, students should maintain the same degree of contact with their advisors. Issues regarding insufficient faculty guidance should be immediately brought to the attention of the Department Chair.

Following completion of the dissertation, the student’s decision to file the dissertation must first be approved by the Chair or co-Chair of the doctoral committee. The Director of Graduate Studies and all members of the doctoral committee must be notified of the student’s plan to file the dissertation. The final draft of the dissertation must be submitted to the committee for review no later than two months prior to the planned date of filing to allow sufficient time for final revisions.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

The Final Oral Examination is not required for all students in the program. The defense of the dissertation may be required for individual students at the discretion of their doctoral committees.

Time-to-Degree

By the twelfth quarter in the program, students must have completed the first and second stage of the University Qualifying Examinations, and advance to doctoral candidacy.

After advancement to doctoral candidacy, the dissertation normally takes one to three years to complete. It must be completed no later than the third year after advancement to doctoral candidacy.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Students may be recommended for academic disqualification if their grade point average falls below a 3.4 for two consecutive terms, failure to progress toward the degree through the completion of five courses per academic year or failure to pass the Second Year Review, or University Qualifying Examinations. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the program chair who will appoint a committee, which may include the chair, to review the recommendation, and if necessary, meet with the student. The chair makes a final decision based on the committee’s report.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University’s accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.

ADVISING

First-Year Mentors

During their first year of doctoral study, students are assigned a faculty mentor. This person serves as a resource for students’ professional and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.

Academic Advising

Students should consult regularly with the Director of Graduate Studies in planning their progress to degree, discussing topics that include, but are not limited to, major and minor areas, course approvals for language and degree requirements, exam planning, and so on. Student records are reviewed regularly by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Student Services Advisor in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.

Each year, students are required to submit an end of the year assessment, which is reviewed by the faculty at the last faculty meeting of the year. Following the faculty meeting, the Director of Graduate Studies writes and sends a letter to each student indicating whether the student is making satisfactory or unsatisfactory degree progress.

Students are strongly encouraged to approach faculty regarding mentorship immediately following the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam. Students who are interested in working with a particular faculty member early in their careers may wish to approach that person during their first two years of graduate study.

Students should remain aware of the time to degree requirements in the Department of Comparative Literature, as listed below. Students regularly advance to candidacy (ATC) by the end of their fourth year, and complete their degree by the end of their sixth year (18 quarters). The maximum time to degree allowed in the Department of Comparative Literature is nine years (27 quarters). Should students fall behind in their progress to degree, they will be informed of this in their progress letters, and in certain situations, put on an academic plan in coordination with Graduate Division. Consistently failing to meet deadlines, especially after three warnings have been issued by the department, can be a cause for recommendation for academic disqualification.

Examination Committee Membership

Any faculty person who has a formal Payroll appointment (0% or higher) in the Department of Comparative Literature is considered a “faculty member” or “inside member” for the purposes of examination committees (including the M.A. Examination, Field Examinations, Prospectus Defense, and Dissertation Committee). 0% faculty are listed as “Affiliated Faculty” on the departmental website. Faculty with an appointment in the Department of Comparative Literature above 0% are listed as “Faculty” on the departmental website. As a joint appointment in the Department of Comparative Literature is a faculty personnel matter, faculty in other departments who are interested in formalizing their affiliation with the Department must consult with the Department Chair and Academic Personnel Officer.

The most current and complete list of Department of Comparative Literature faculty is posted in the UCLA General Catalog

Although some degree of consistency between the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam, Qualifying Exam, and Ph.D. committee is beneficial, committee members may change between these stages of the program.

Second Year Review/M.A. Exam

Students must convene a review/exam committee comprised of three faculty members. One of these three faculty members must be the Director of Graduate Studies, and at least one other must be faculty in the Department of Comparative Literature.

First Stage Ph.D. Evaluation: Qualifying Examination

In consultation with the Department’s Student Services Advisor, students must constitute an examining committee comprised of three faculty members, of which two must be Comparative Literature faculty, in the quarter preceding the examination.

When approaching potential outside members regarding the First Stage Evaluation, students should first explain the exam’s structure (reading list, 72-hour take-home exam, 2-hour in-person exam) and each component’s purpose in guiding the student toward the prospectus. Students should then clarify the role that they expect this faculty person to play on the committee (Will this faculty member be responsible for writing one or more exam questions? Would the faculty person serve on the committee as a general arbiter of the quality of scholarship produced?). Although levels of involvement during the First Stage Evaluation cannot be standardized, faculty should: advise and approve reading lists; discuss possible major and/or minor field exam questions with the student; and consider (with the student) counter-arguments that may arise during the oral qualifying exam.

If a member of the student’s Qualifying Examination committee will be on sabbatical before or during the quarter in which the student intends to complete their oral qualifying exam, both student and faculty are equally responsible for establishing and maintaining the terms of their work relationship in the faculty member’s absence.

Second Stage Ph.D. Evaluation: University Oral Qualifying Examination

Per the Department’s policies governing doctoral committee constitution, all doctoral committees must be comprised of at least 4 faculty members, including at least two Comparative Literature faculty members (“inside” committee members), one of whom must serve as the committee Chair or Co-Chair. Committee members from other Universities (including other UC campuses) are considered “outside” members, regardless of departmental affiliation. All committee members must certify the dissertation.

Students should nominate their examination committee at least two months in advance of the prospectus defense. Students must submit a Nomination of Doctoral Committee form that lists the names, departments, and academic ranks of the faculty who will administer the prospectus defense, and advise and certify the dissertation.

If the Chair or co-Chair of a student’s doctoral committee is on sabbatical during the quarter in which the student intends to advance to doctoral candidacy, both student and faculty are equally responsible for establishing and maintaining the terms of their work relationship in the faculty member’s absence.

At minimum, faculty advisors should be in contact with their students once per quarter throughout the dissertation stage; however, more frequent contact is strongly encouraged. Conversely, students should maintain the same degree of contact with their advisors. Issues regarding insufficient faculty guidance should be immediately brought to the attention of the Department Chair.

Reconstitution of Doctoral Committee

Once the Graduate Division approves a student’s doctoral committee (i.e. prospectus and dissertation reviewers), changes to the committee’s membership must be requested through and approved by the Graduate Division’s Academic Services unit.

Procedure: Students who wish to reconstitute their doctoral committee must submit a Reconstitution of the Doctoral Committee and/or Change in Final Oral Examination Requirement form to the department’s Student Services Advisor. Students who have yet to advance to doctoral candidacy must obtain approval from the committee and Department Chairs, as well as any faculty members who will be added to or removed from the committee. Students who are advanced to doctoral candidacy must obtain approval from all committee members and the Department Chair before the Graduate Division will review the requests.

TEACHING APPRENTICESHIPS

Departmental teaching experience is not required; however, Teaching Apprentice (TA) appointments are routinely offered to all graduate students who have completed COM LIT 495.

Minimum Requirements

Students who hold TA appointments in the Department must meet the following minimum requirements for employment each quarter:

• 3.0 GPA
• Enrollment in at least 12 units (which can include COM LIT 375 as per below)
• Enrollment in COM LIT 375 under the direction of the faculty supervisor
  • This Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory graded course is a variable units course. Unit credit corresponds to the appointment percentage as follows:
    • TAs hired at 25% should enroll in COM LIT 375 for 2 units
    • TAs hired at 50% should enroll in COM LIT 375 for 4 units
  • Students hired in other departments or programs should consult with their hiring contact for information regarding enrollment in an equivalent course.
• International students (including Permanent Resident students) must pass the University Test of Oral Proficiency (TOP) examination

Teaching Apprentice Titles and Qualifications

TAs are hired under one of the following three titles, based on experience and degree progress:

The Academic Student Employee (ASE) Salary Scales include income information for TAs, Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs), Readers, and Tutors. The scales are updated annually.

Percentage of Time (Maximum Working Hours)

Students may not be employed for more than 50% of full time (20 hours per week) during an academic quarter, in any single or combination of University titles, academic and/or staff, including University Extension unless authorized by the Dean of Humanities. Students who have been offered employment over 50% should notify the Student Services Advisor as soon as possible so that the Department may initiate a request for Authorization to Work More than 50% Time on the student’s behalf.

The student should provide the following information:

• Hiring unit (i.e. department, program, etc.)
• Hiring unit contact name and email address
• % time of each appointment
• Title/appointment type
• Quarters of appointment
• Explanation of the educational benefit of each of these appointments to the student

Students who are awarded a Graduate Division fellowship, such as the Cota-Robles Fellowship, Graduate Research Mentorship, or Dissertation Year Fellowship, may not be employed for more than 25% of full time (10 hours per week) during an academic quarter unless authorized by the Graduate Division Associate Dean.

During the inter-quarter periods and Summer, students may be appointed at 100% time (40 hours per week).

Maximum Length of Appointment

Per Graduate Division policy, students may only work as a TA, Reader, or Tutor (or in any combination of those titles) at 25% time or higher for no more than 12 academic year quarters (or 4 years) at UCLA. By exception, students who have advanced to doctoral candidacy may request approval to hold these titles for an additional 6 academic year quarters. The Department may submit one request for up to one full academic year of additional teaching (i.e. the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th quarters of eligibility); quarterly requests are required for the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th quarters, and must include a dissertation progress update from the student and their advisor.

Leaves

Leave policies are detailed in Article 17 of the ASE Unit Contract. TAs who plan to request leave should review these policies carefully, and may direct any questions to the department’s Student Services Advisor. TAs must submit a written request for leave, including: short-term and long-term medical and family-related leave, pregnancy disability leave, and jury duty, to their faculty supervisor and the Student Services Advisor as far in advance as possible. Upon request, TAs will be required to provide appropriate documentation. Absence without a written request for official leave may not be compensated.

Substitute teaching: Provisions for substitute teaching for TAs on leave must be made in consultation with the Department. Substitute teaching work is compensable and paid in accordance with the unit contract.

Benefits

For details regarding benefits associated with Academic Apprentice Personnel appointments, please review the Graduate Division Statement of Understanding.

Fee Remissions: TAs, GSRs, Readers, and Tutors who are hired to work at 25% time or more in one or in any combination of these titles are entitled to fee offsets (remissions). Fee remissions do not cover all graduate student fees. Students are responsible for ensuring that the quarterly balance of fees is paid by the applicable deadline. Fees are subject to change at any time.

Fee Deferrals: TAs, GSRs, Readers, and Tutors are eligible for fee deferrals for registration fees assessed during the quarter(s) during which they hold active appointments. Students are responsible for ensuring that fees are paid by the deferred payment deadline (usually 2 months or 60 days after the standard quarterly due date). Failure to pay the outstanding balance by the deferred payment deadline will incur a $50.00 delinquency fee. TAs who anticipate the need for a fee deferral must send a written request to the Student Services Advisor. Note that fee deferrals cannot be reversed; if a student cancels enrollment after a fee deferral has been posted, the student will be liable for total cost of registration for that quarter.

TA Advance Loans: TAs may request an interest-free advance on their student funding. Students are required to submit an Authorization to Issue Advance Loan Check form to the Student Services Advisor within the quarterly application period. This form requires an original ink signature and date in the “Promissory Note” section. The loan is repaid through equal payroll deductions taken from the second and third paychecks of the quarter.

REGISTRATION & DEGREE PROGRESS

Scholarship

Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (“B”) or higher in all coursework completed in graduate status at UCLA in order to maintain good academic standing.

Full-Time Graduate Study

12 units per term are required for students not in doctoral candidacy (or registered in-absentia) to be considered full-time in the University’s official enrollment. Academic Student Employees (ASEs) are required to register and enroll in at least 12 units for the duration of their appointments. Fellowship recipients are required to enroll in at least 12 units, both before and after advancement to doctoral candidacy.

Approval for less than full-time enrollment is contingent upon Departmental approval.

Leave of Absence

Graduate students may request an official Leave of Absence (LOA) for outside employment, parental obligations, other family obligations, military service, medical or other emergency reasons, and financial hardship. LOA is approved for a maximum of three quarters, although up to six quarters may be approved by exception. Students must have an established GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to qualify for LOA.

Students may request LOA by submitting a completed LOA Request form to the department’s Student Services Advisor. The Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair and Doctoral Committee Chair (for students who have advanced to doctoral candidacy) must approve the form before the Graduate Division can review the request and, if approved, coordinate any applicable refunds with the Registrar’s Office. Note that students on LOA are ineligible for graduate student support (including fellowships, Federal student loans, and Academic Apprentice Personnel appointments).

In-Absentia Registration

Full-time registered students who have an academic need to conduct research outside of California may apply for in-absentia registration. Research must be: directly related to the student’s degree program; of a nature that requires the student to travel outside of California for at least one academic year quarter; involves only indirect supervision; involves no significant in-person collaboration with UC faculty during the in-absentia registration period.

In order to qualify for in-absentia registration, students must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher) and must advance to doctoral candidacy by the time they intend to register in-absentia. Students may petition for up to one academic year (three quarters) of registration in-absentia, with the possibility of renewal for up to three additional quarters (for a maximum of six quarters of registration in-absentia). Students may request in-absentia registration by submitting a completed In-Absentia Registration Petition form to the department’s Student Services Advisor. The Department Chair and Doctoral Committee Chair must approve the form before the Graduate Division can review the request.

Students who register in-absentia are assessed 15% of the combined Tuition and Student Services Fees and 100% of their UC SHIP costs per quarter. Students retain any University fellowship funding to which they are entitled and are eligible to hold GSR appointments while in-absentia; however, students may not be employed as TAs, Readers, or Tutors. Students who are registered in absentia must enroll in COM LIT 599 under the supervision of their doctoral committee

(co-)Chair(s) for a minimum of 8.0 units total.

UC Intercampus Exchange Program

The UC Intercampus Exchange (ICX) program enables students to enroll in coursework at other UC campuses while maintaining their status at their home campus. Eligibility criteria and application instructions are available on the Graduate Division website: https://grad.ucla.edu/academics/graduate-study/uc-intercampus-exchange-program/.

Procedure: ICX application forms should be submitted to the Department’s Student Services Advisor at least one month before the beginning of the quarter in which a student plans to participate in this program. Students are eligible for a maximum of three quarters (1 academic year) of enrollment via ICX.

DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Graduate Student Office and Lounge

The Comparative Literature Graduate Student Office and Lounge is located in Kaplan Hall 345. Desks are reserved for Teaching Apprentices who are currently employed in the Department, but all Comparative Literature students are welcome to use the computers and the adjacent lounge. Students are responsible for the room’s cleanliness. Food should not be left on any surface. The refrigerator should be cleaned weekly and old food should be discarded immediately. The microwave and coffee machine should also be cleaned regularly. Students may ask the Student Services Advisor for cleaning supplies if none are available in the room.

Keys

Students should contact the Student Services Advisor for keys to the Department main office (Kaplan Hall 350) and the Graduate Student Office and Lounge (Kaplan Hall 345). No deposit is required; lost keys will incur a $5.00 per key charge.

Mail

Mail is usually delivered and sorted by 4:00pm on regular business days. All faculty and graduate student mailboxes are located in the Department main office (350 Kaplan Hall). The Department’s mailing address is:

UCLA Department of Comparative Literature
415 Portola Plaza, Kaplan Hall 350
Los Angeles, California 90095-1536

Photocopies and Scanning

A photocopier with scanning capabilities is available for use in the Department main office. Your access code is the last four digits of your University Identification Number (UID).

Royce Reading Room

The Royce Reading Room, located in 250 Royce Hall, houses the libraries of several departments within the Division of Humanities, including: Comparative Literature, Asian Languages & Cultures, French & Francophone Studies, Germanic Languages, Italian, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and the Scandinavian Section. The Reading Room is only accessible to faculty and graduate students in these departments. The Reading Room hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00am – 7:00pm and Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm. The Reading Room is closed on all University Holidays, during the inter-quarter periods, and during the summer. The librarian is Satik Andriassian, who can be contacted via email at sandriassian@humnet.ucla.edu.

Technical Assistance

The Center for Digital Humanities (CDH) provides technical assistance to faculty, students, and staff in the Division of Humanities. For computer-related questions or problems, please contact:

• The Department Technical Analyst at (310) 206-8520, or in 351 Kaplan; or
• The CDH Help Desk at (310) 206-1414. Help Desk hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.

CAMPUS RESOURCES

Bruin Bill

All students are assigned a Bruin Bill account that records all charges and payments associated with registration, housing, transportation, as well as other service charges (e.g. library fines, student health insurance fees, etc.) Students can access Bruin Bill 24/7 via MyUCLA (under “BruinBill Accounts”).

Fees are assessed monthly via BruinBill. Payment is due on the 20^th of the month following the posting date of the charge. If the 20^th falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date is the last business day prior to the 20^th. You will receive an automated e-Bill reminder to their officially designated email accounts each month.

BruinCard

The UCLA BruinCard is the official campus identification card. This card serves as a library card (when activated at the UCLA Library), building access card, and can be used as a debit card for purchases on-campus and at select Westwood vendors. Students may obtain a BruinCard by bringing an unexpired government-issued photo identification (i.e. driver’s license, passport, etc.) to 123 Kerckhoff Hall. The BruinCard Center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more details about BruinCard and its features, please visit www.bruincard.ucla.edu.

BruinDirect Deposit

BruinDirect is the electronic disbursement of BAR refunds directly to a student’s personal U.S. bank account. BAR refunds include: scholarships, grants, fellowships, stipends, loans, and any non-payroll payments. All fellowship recipients are strongly encouraged to enroll in BruinDirect via MyUCLA to ensure timely receipt of stipend monies. Online enrollment is active immediately upon registration. A BruinDirect FAQ guide is available online at https://grad.ucla.edu/gss/library/bdfaq.pdf.

California Residency

Upon arrival in California, a student who is a U.S. Citizen and wishes to establish California residency for tuition purposes should formalize ties with the state as soon as possible (i.e., get a driver’s license/California ID, register automobile, register to vote, change the permanent address on University records to a California address, and file a resident tax return). California residents are not responsible for paying Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST). Students who are eligible for California residency must apply for residency by the end of their first year.  Students who are U.S. citizens and do not apply for residency after their first year in the PhD program will be responsible for paying Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition until California residency has been approved.  The Department will not cover this cost under any circumstances. Students should review the Petition for Residence Classification and begin gathering the requested documentation as soon as possible. Failure to follow all directions may result in rejection of the petition (generally submitted in Spring or Summer for Fall). Students whose petition for residency is denied will be responsible for paying nonresident tuition. If rejected, students have a chance to appeal to UCOP; if that appeal is rejected, the UCLA Residence Deputies accept petitions every quarter.

Evidence of intent must be dated ONE YEAR before the term for which a student seeks residence classification. According to the Registrar, evidence of intent to make California your permanent residence includes: registering to vote and voting in CA elections, designating CA as your permanent address on all school and employment records, getting a CA Driver’s license or a CA identification card, getting CA vehicle registration, paying CA income tax as a resident (see intent on form).

Please review the UCLA Residency website for more details: https://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Fees-Residence/Residence-Requirements

Contact the Residence Deputy at 1113 Murphy Hall (residencedeputy@registrar.ucla.edu or 825-3447) for more residency information.  Per University policy, only the Residence Deputy is authorized to apply and interpret policy on tuition residency.

MyUCLA

MyUCLA, UCLA’s portal to life on campus, provides 24/7 access to students’ academic and financial records. Key features include:

• HOLDS: Lists holds posted by specific offices that limit service and access.
• REGISTRATION STATUS: Reflects payment status, withdrawal status, registration type, etc.
• ENROLLMENT: Allows students to process study list changes, including: adds, drops, changes in grading basis or variable units, and section exchanges, before the posted deadlines; provides quarterly enrollment appointment information; features enrollment-related tutorials; search for classes and enroll from search results or add to Class Planner; enroll from the waitlist via Permission to Enroll (PTE) number.
• GRADES AND TRANSCRIPTS: View official final grades, term units and GPA; order academic and verification transcripts; view/print student copy transcript (unofficial).
• CLASS INSTRUCTION: View/manage CCLE grades; view/download student rosters; view weekly schedule grid; access to class-associated features; e-mail messaging to enrolled students in associated classes; view evaluation reports; view, store, calculate and submit final grades; view, edit, submit letters of recommendation; view/download student roster with photos; activate turnitin.com services for associated classes.
• BRUINBILL: View charges and payments associated with registration, housing and transportation, as well as other services; view disbursed scholarship, fellowship, or grant funds.
• FINANCIAL AID: Overview of financial aid awards and notices; summary status of financial aid disbursements.
• OFFICIAL EMAIL/ADDRESS/PHONE: Manage addresses, phone numbers, and official e-mail.
• PREFERRED NAME: Request preferred name to be used in place of legal name.
• PRIVACY OPTIONS: Manage how public information is shared.

A comprehensive list of MyUCLA features is available online at http://my.ucla.edu/features/.

Parking & Transportation Services

On-Campus Parking

All graduate students (except for those in graduate professional schools) interested in purchasing parking permits are required to apply for on-campus parking quarterly. Students can access the online parking application using their UCLA Logon ID. Personalized parking options will display based on campus data (class standing, housing status, graduate student major, etc.) Parking offers will be prioritized according to class standing in the student database. Links to the online parking application and information regarding permit types, deadlines, rates and fees, the prioritization process, are available at https://main.transportation.ucla.edu/campus-parking/students.

Daily parking permits are also available for purchase at parking information booths found at various locations on campus (cash or BruinCard only). Some on-campus lots also feature self-service parking pay stations for short-term or all-day parking. Maps with lot information and daily parking permit rates are available online at https://main.transportation.ucla.edu/campus-parking/visitors.

Teaching Apprentices can apply for parking by contacting the Senior Academic Personnel Coordinator in 361B Humanities. The Department has approximately seven spaces that are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking is approximately $258.00 per quarter and must be paid in full via cash, check or credit. The Department cannot guarantee parking for students who are not TAs.

Other Transportation Options

Options include vanpools, carpools, public transit, bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles. Go Metro passes provide unlimited rides on any Metro rail or bus line, and BruinGO! passes offer unlimited rides on any Santa Monica Big Blue Bus or Culver CityBus. When you buy a Go Metro pass, you get a free BruinGO! pass automatically loaded onto your TAP card. The BruinGO! Pass is available to students for $45/quarter, while the Go Metro pass is available to students for $60-65/quarter.

Information regarding specific transit providers that service the UCLA/Westwood area is available online:

Santa Monica Big Blue Bus
Culver City Bus
Metro

Commuter options are detailed online at: https://main.transportation.ucla.edu/getting-to-ucla/commute-options. More information is also available in-person at 555 Westwood Plaza, Room 200.

Security

Suspicious activity or emergencies can be reported to the UCLA Police Department (UCPD) at (310) 825-1491. Students walking on campus after dark can request a UCPD Community Service Officer walking escort by calling (310) 794-WALK 15 minutes before leaving their current location.

All students are advised to keep windows and doors locked when away from the Graduate Student Office and Lounge. The Department discourages students from keeping valuables, including briefcases, purses, laptop computers, etc., in Departmental spaces, and is not responsible for lost or stolen personal items.

Sexual Violence Prevention Training

All graduate students are required to complete Think About It: Graduate Students and an in-person Title IX Training for Graduate Students to fulfill the University’s mandated legal and policy requirements for sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention education.

Think About It: Graduate Students is an interactive online course that addresses issues of sexual violence and sexual harassment prevention. The program provides all of the content required by recent federal law as well as that required by the UC Interim Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence. Students should receive a link via email to the Think About It program at their official email addresses on file. The program requires an estimated 2 hours to complete. Students who did not receive an online invitation by September 18 should visit https://grad.ucla.edu/titleIX for further instructions on receiving their online invitations.

All new graduate students are also required to complete an in-person Title IX Training for Graduate Students, which is co-facilitated by the CARE Program and the Title IX Office. All new students must attend one of the graduate student sessions that will be offered throughout the first 6 weeks of the Fall quarter. For training dates, times, venues and registration details, please visit https://grad.ucla.edu/titleIX.

The Graduate Division will track all students’ participation. Graduate students who have not completed Think About It: Graduate Students and the in-person Title IX Training for Graduate Students by November will have a hold placed on their records that will prevent winter enrollment until they complete both training sessions and may affect financial aid and stipend disbursement.

Student Health Care

Students who are enrolled in 12 units or more during an academic year quarter are automatically eligible to receive health care through the University Student Health Insurance Plan (USHIP). The cost of USHIP is included in the quarterly assessment of fees.  Spring GSHIP coverage extends through the end of summer.  More information regarding the Student Health Insurance Plan is available on the Student Health website: www.studenthealth.ucla.edu.

The Arthur Ashe Student Health Center is located on campus facing Bruin Plaza. Services are available Monday through Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. (walk-in hours on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – Noon). Students can schedule appointments with health care providers via MyUCLA, in person, or by phone at (310) 825-4073.

UCLA Logon ID

The UCLA Logon ID is a campus online identifier. These credentials are used for authentication to most online services on campus. UCLA Logon IDs also provide access to services such as email, network access, web hosting, etc. New students can create their UCLA Logon IDs at https://accounts.iam.ucla.edu/#/.