Graduate Program Handbook

1.1 Degrees offered

The M.A. program is designed for students who plan to continue working toward a Ph.D., for potential community college teachers, for individuals who want to acquire an overall background in the study of language and literature, and for those interested

Master of Arts (MA)

The M.A. program is designed for students who plan to continue to work toward a Ph.D., for potential community college teachers, for individuals who want to acquire an overall background in the study of language and literature, and for those interested in writing and editing careers. The MA degree is offered with areas of concentration in

• Language
• Literature
• Public Engagement
• Rhetoric and Writing Studies

Both a thesis plan and a non-thesis plan are available. Proficiency in one foreign language (the equivalent of four semesters of college-level coursework) or equivalent interdisciplinary literacy (MAPE) is required.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will obtain a broad knowledge of several of the historical fields in, literary genres of, and major critical approaches to British, American, and World Literatures in English; or, broad knowledge of writing studies issues and methodologies; or broad knowledge in literary and rhetorical public engagement and its methodologies; or broad knowledge of linguistics issues and methodologies. Students will demonstrate specialized competence in the primary and secondary literature of an appropriate specialized sub-field of literature or writing or public engagement or language.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

The MFA in creative writing provides top-level training and experience to writers of promise, in order to best prepare them to be publishing creative writers and /or to pursue careers in college-level teaching. In addition, the program allows apprentice writers to develop their gifts amidst a community of artists in a university setting; the program also provides a link between student writers and the wider professional community of published writers, editors, and agents. Students produce bodies of original work, based on an understanding and study of historic, contemporary, and avant-garde literatures, culminating in a book-length thesis. Students are expected not only to produce creative work, but to develop traditional scholarly and pedagogical skills, so as to better articulate their knowledge—to a potential audience including readers, colleagues, and students—as befits the recipient of a terminal degree in English.

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of their degree program, MFA candidates should be able to:

• Demonstrate mastery of manipulation of elements of craft/technique within their chosen area of emphasis. (in fiction, this is defined as: form (the novel, novella, and short story); generic tropes; narrative structure; point of view; tone; and voice. In poetry, this is defined as: traditional forms; line/enjambment; imagery and metaphor; meter; rhyme and free verse);
• Demonstrate an understanding of the contemporary publishing landscape for fiction (both genre and literary) and/or poetry, for book-length works as well as for individual stories/poems;
• Demonstrate the ability to curate/edit the creative work of others for publication;
• Create a book's-length of work of publishable creative writing, as well as identify its audience/market;
• Analyze and describe their creative work within the context of historical trends/movements and genres in literature;
• Compile a professional portfolio demonstrating an understanding of future career options and approaches to the same.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Ph.D. program is designed for students preparing to be teachers and scholars at universities and community colleges. The Ph.D. is offered with areas of concentration in

• Literature
• Rhetoric and Writing Studies

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will obtain a broad knowledge of several of the historical fields in, literary genres of, and major critical approaches to British, American, and World Literatures in English; or, broad knowledge of writing studies issues and methodologies; or, broad knowledge of linguistics issues and methodologies. Students will demonstrate specialized competence in the primary and secondary literature of an appropriate specialized sub-field of literature or writing or language.

1.2 Emphases

Our programs of study allow for and encourage study and training across the various fields in the department, resulting in a remarkably productive and exciting intellectual atmosphere.

Literature (MA and Ph.D.)

The English Department offers a wide range of courses in English, American, and Anglophone literatures and cultures. Our faculty members publish in leading journals and have authored recent books on topics ranging from Shakespeare’s first folios to postmodern American lyric. We have particular strengths in modernist studies; archival and media studies; twentieth-century and contemporary American, British, and comparative literatures; and cultural studies and theory. Faculty members also teach in a variety of programs across campus, including the Gender, Race, and Identity Program.

Our Ph.D. graduates have been appointed to tenure-track positions at schools across the country and abroad as well as non-tenure-track jobs and careers outside of academia. MA students have gone on to advanced graduate study in areas including English, law, education, and business, and to careers in politics, business, editing, and many other fields. Our students are active in the profession, from organizing panels at national conferences to working at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Graduate students may have opportunities for teaching a range of courses and for sponsored travel and research.

Rhetoric and Writing Studies (MA and Ph.D.)

Focusing on those interested in careers in academic research and teaching, program administration (first-year writing, writing across the curriculum, and writing center), as well as community and workplace literacy, the Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing Studies is designed to balance theory/practice and teaching/scholarship. In addition to seminars in classical and modern rhetoric, feminist rhetoric, research methodologies, composition pedagogy, rhetorical studies of cultural practices, and various other topics, the curriculum offers internships that place students in community and school settings. We also strongly emphasize students' development as writers, with workshop courses offered in the craft of writing, advanced nonfiction, and creative nonfiction.

The Rhetoric and Writing Studies faculty are committed to collaborative activity with students, engaging with them in local internship opportunities, conference presentations, scholarly research, program development and assessment, and writing projects. In addition, students receive active mentoring in teaching and administration, as well as opportunities to serve in leadership positions in the Core Writing Program and the University Writing Center. Ph.D. students in Rhetoric and Writing Studies also develop expertise in one cognate area, such as American literature, oral history, women's literature, critical theory, environmental literature, narrative theories, secondary school pedagogy, business/technical writing, or linguistics. Qualified Ph.D. candidates have opportunities to teach intermediate and upper-division courses in their areas of emphasis.

The MA in Rhetoric & Writing Studies is designed for students who wish to strengthen their skills as writers while deepening their understanding of theories of writing from the fields of rhetoric, composition, and writing studies. Cognate work in linguistics, literature, or literacy studies further enriches the study of writing. Students may choose either a non-thesis or thesis program of study. This emphasis supports a range of professional pursuits, including technical and professional writing, literacy studies, the teaching of composition, and rhetorical studies. Students in the program are active in publishing, participating in conferences, and serving as writing interns in businesses, community agencies, or educational institutions.

The Ph.D. program of study in Rhetoric and Writing Studies has had notable success placing its graduates in tenure-track positions. Placements have occurred at a wide range of colleges and universities, including Indiana University of Pennsylvania; UT San Antonio; UC Davis; Arizona State; Saint Mary’s College of California; and University of Northern Colorado, to name only a few. Other graduates place into industry jobs, for example a recent graduate is now a Narrative Writing Specialist at The Change Companies. The MA Rhetoric & Writing Studies program has placed graduates in community colleges, positions in the public and private sectors, and Ph.D. programs throughout the US.

Public Engagement (MA)

Our English department, located in a land-grant institution, has always had an outreach mission. That mission is especially crucial now as we seek to reinvigorate the humanities and serve the communities that nurture the University. We are the department with particular knowledge in reading, writing, and language study—the skills most crucial to the current technological age. The Public Engagement emphasis brings these talents to bear on issues of public concern. The emphasis prepares students with a required seminar in public intellectualism and emphasizes experiential learning and the development of interdisciplinary literacy. It includes core coursework in rhetoric and in literature. But it also incorporates any course in the English department that may serve a public engagement student’s particular commitments. For instance, a course in postmodern poetics might be useful to a student committed to creating a space for local spoken word; a course in rhetoric and Marxism might be useful to a student who does labor advocacy work; a course in environmental literature might be useful to a student active in local sustainability movements; and a course in literature and film might be useful to a student who wants to facilitate community reading groups. Like a magnet, the Public Engagement emphasis draws expertise from across the English faculty to help students tailor their MA to their interests in public engagement.

The Public Engagement MA emphasis is designed to serve students whose career goals may include teaching, working for non-profits, and/or going on for a Ph.D. in literature or rhetoric programs that emphasize community activism.

Language (MA)

The MA program of study in Language and Linguistics is designed primarily for students who have some background in linguistics but did not major in the field as undergraduates. The program is an excellent complement to BA or advanced degrees in Anthropology, Composition and Rhetoric, English Literature, Foreign Languages, Philosophy, Psychology, or Speech Pathology. The MA can serve as a terminal degree, or as preparation for further study in a Linguistics Ph.D. program.

The program provides students the opportunity to study the English language and to master the analytical tools of linguistics, which can be applied to the study of any language. In addition to a firm grounding in the basic concepts of linguistics, students receive training in phonology, morphology, syntax, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, the history of the English language, and Old English.

Creative Writing (MFA)

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in creative writing is designed for students who wish to pursue a professional degree with emphases on both students’ writing and graduate-level scholarship in English. The degree involves a three-year course of study, requiring a series of rigorous workshops centered on the development of students’ creative work, in addition to coursework in literary history, critical theory, and literary craft. Students will have the opportunity to develop a significant body of publishable creative work with an understanding of and the ability to describe the work’s historical/ literary context.

As the terminal degree in the field of creative writing, the MFA degree prepares graduates to teach at the collegiate level, as well as for employment in the fields of publishing, literary agenting, and editing. The degree also guides writers toward publishing in nationally prominent presses, journals, and magazines.

The MFA program offers specializations in fiction and poetry and welcomes writers who aspire to high levels of literary quality, including fiction writers working within traditional genres (i.e., young adult, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, etc.).

Contact Information

The Director of Graduate Studies, James Mardock, is available to advise applicants to our program. To schedule an appointment, contact the front office staff at (775) 784-6689.

To learn more about our graduate program, explore the links above. For an introduction to the University of Nevada and the surrounding area, visit the About the University page.

For information about English Department graduate faculty, please see Graduate Faculty on the Department of English page.

Applications must be submitted with the Graduate School’s application process. The application deadline for the following Spring Semester (MA only) is October 1. The application deadline for the following Fall semester is January 15. The Program does not admit students for the Spring semester. See the English department’s website for additional information concerning the admission process and admission criteria.

2.1 Transfer credits

These are credits transferred from another institution. Credits completed at the University in another program or as a graduate special do not need to be transferred. Transfer credit can be requested on the Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request form available on the Graduate School website, and must be signed by the student, major advisor, and graduate director. Transfer credits applied to a master’s program must comply with the time limitation on master’s work (6 years). Thus, if a student took a course five years prior to admission, they would have to complete the degree within one year for the course to apply to the degree. Credits from a completed master’s degree will be exempt from the 8-year time limitation for those students pursuing a doctoral degree.

3.1 Master of Arts (MA)

The Department of English offers four areas of emphasis within its MA program: Language, Literature, Rhetoric and Writing Studies, and Public Engagement. These emphases serve a variety of students with a wide range of professional goals and ambitions.

Applicants to the MA program must have an undergraduate major or minor in English or its equivalent from an accredited college or university, and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Potential applicants who do not meet these minimum requirements should talk with the Director of Graduate Studies to determine which undergraduate English courses to take should they wish to prepare for graduate studies in English.

General Requirements

The following general requirements apply in all emphases within the MA program, except where clearly stated in the specific descriptions for each emphasis.

1. Time Limit.

All requirements must be satisfied during the six calendar years immediately preceding the granting of the degree.

2. Graduate Committee.

As soon as is practical and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, a student should choose an advisory committee and complete a Program of Study. The graduate program in English emphasizes a close working relationship between the student and his or her advisory committee. Advisory committees for master's students consist of a chair and a second member from the graduate faculty in the Department of English and one member of the graduate faculty from another University department.

3. Choice of Thesis or Non-Thesis Plan.

Most of our MA emphases allow students the option of writing a thesis or of substituting coursework for the thesis. We encourage students to follow the non-thesis plan unless there is a compelling reason to select the thesis plan.

4. Total Credits.

Both the non-thesis and thesis plans require 31 credits of graduate work; for the thesis plan, 6 of those will be thesis credits. No more than 3 credits of Internship and 3 credits of English 790 Special Topics (Independent Study) may be counted toward the degree. Except in the case of required internships, independent study and internship credits may not be used to fulfill course requirements but may be counted for the total number of credits required for degrees.

5. Transfer Credits.

No more than nine total credits applicable to the approved program of study may be accepted from graduate courses taken at another institution and/or taken at the University of Nevada, Reno on graduate special status. These courses must have been completed within the six-year time limit for the MA degree and must be approved to count toward the degree by the student's committee chair, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate School.

6. Residence.

In the non-thesis plan, a minimum of 23 credits must be earned in residence; in the thesis plan, the minimum is 21 credits.

7. Continuous Registration.

Graduate School regulations require graduate students to maintain continuous registration of at least three credit hours per semester to remain active in the pursuit of a degree. This means that students studying for comprehensive exams or writing theses must (even if they are not in residence) register for at least three credit hours each semester (summers excluded) until they graduate.

8. Seminar Requirement.

All MA students are required to take a substantial portion of their coursework at the 700 level. In the Public Engagement emphasis, at least 16 credits must be completed in courses numbered 700 or above. In the Literature, Rhetoric and Writing Studies, and Language emphases, 19 credits must be numbered 700 or above in the thesis plan, or 16 credits in the non-thesis plan.

9. Foreign Language Requirement.

Competence in one foreign language is required. French, German, Spanish, Italian, Latin, or Greek are recommended, but other languages may be approved by the student's advisory committee. The student is strongly advised to complete the work necessary to meet this requirement before becoming a graduate student, or as soon as possible after beginning graduate study. The requirement may be met either by coursework or by examination. Coursework: competence is demonstrated by the student completing fourth-semester college-level coursework in the language with a grade of C or better in the final term of the course, or by the student completing the second semester of a sophomore reading course with a grade of B or better. Examination: the student must pass a proficiency exam given by the Department of World Languages and Literatures at the University of Nevada, Reno.

10. Comprehensive Examination.

In order to register for 795 (comprehensive exam), a student must have met these requirements:

• Filed a completed Program of Study with the Graduate School;
• Completed all but the last semester of coursework toward the degree for the MA;
• Met the foreign language requirement for their degree and area of emphasis;
• Met with their committee chair to work out plans for completing the written and oral portions of the exams;
• Returned the completed “Approval to Register for Comprehensive Exams” form (available in NevadaBox) to the English department office prior to the end of registration.

The MA program requires a comprehensive exam as a part of the degree requirements. Students must register for English 795, Comprehensive Exam, 1 credit, the semester they will be completing their exams. In general, the exam includes three parts: a) a professional paper; b) a written examination over a set reading list; c) an oral exam of about an hour and a half, covering the professional paper or portfolio and the written exam. Examinations for each program emphasis are detailed below. A student must have completed the professional paper or portfolio and have passed the written exam prior to taking the oral exam. Failed written or oral exams can be retaken only once, no sooner than two months after the failed attempt, and the student must register for ENG 795 a second time in the following semester.

11. Thesis (thesis plan only).

Students choosing a thesis plan will first prepare a thesis prospectus, in consultation with the chair of the advisory committee, for the committee's approval. The finished thesis, after meeting the approval of the advisory committee, is defended in the final oral examination, which also covers the written exam. In the Writing program, the final oral defense is separate from the discussion of the portfolio and written exam. While the thesis is in progress, the candidate should register for the six required hours of thesis credit (English 797), including one hour to be taken during the writing of the prospectus. Documentation and bibliography should follow the current MLA Style Manual. Precise guidelines for thesis format and submission are available at the Graduate School. Students doing research involving human subjects must check with the Office of Human Subjects Research in Ross Hall regarding necessary protocols and review procedures.

12. Graduation.

To graduate in any given semester, the student must file an Application for Graduation by the date specified for that semester in the University Catalog and meet that semester's deadlines for submission of the Notice of Completion and (if on the thesis plan) the final copy of the thesis to the Graduate School. Students should be aware that graduation application dates at the University of Nevada, Reno are unusually early: the deadline is generally eight weeks prior to graduation.

13. Paperwork.

The student is responsible for knowing the degree requirements and for submitting all Graduate School forms on time. Early in their graduate careers, students should become familiar with the most important of these forms: the Program of Study, the Notice of Completion, and the Application for Graduation. Most Graduate School forms are available on the web on the Graduate School website.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Specific Requirements

The Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing is designed for students who wish to pursue a professional degree with emphases on both students’ writing and graduate-level scholarship in English. The degree involves a three-year course of study, requiring a series of rigorous workshops centered on the development of students’ creative work, in addition to coursework in literary history, critical theory, and literary craft. Students will have the opportunity to develop a significant body of publishable creative work with an understanding of and the ability to describe the work’s historical/literary context.

As the terminal degree in the field of creative writing, the MFA degree prepares graduates to teach at the collegiate level, as well as for employment in the fields of publishing, literary agenting, and editing. The degree also guides writers toward publishing in nationally prominent presses, journals, and magazines.

The MFA program offers specializations in fiction and poetry and welcomes writers who aspire to high levels of literary quality, including fiction writers working within traditional genres (i.e., young adult, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, etc.).

Applicants to the MFA program in creative writing must have a Bachelor’s degree or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from an accredited university, school, or college, and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants need not have received their previous degree in English, but all applicants must demonstrate readiness to engage in graduate-level scholarship in English.

By the end of their degree program, MFA candidates should be able to:

• Demonstrate mastery of manipulation of elements of craft/technique within their chosen area of emphasis. (In fiction, this is defined as: form (the novel, novella, and short story); generic tropes; narrative structure; point of view; tone; and voice. In poetry this is defined as: traditional forms; line/enjambment; imagery and metaphor; meter; rhyme and free verse);
• Demonstrate an understanding of the contemporary publishing landscape for fiction and/or poetry, for book-length works as well as for individual stories/poems;
• Demonstrate the ability to curate/edit the creative work of others for publication;
• Create a book-length of work of publishable creative writing, as well as identify its audience/market;
• Analyze and describe their creative work within the context of historical trends/ movements and genres in literature;
• Compile a professional portfolio demonstrating an understanding of future career options and approaches to the same.

3.3 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Department of English offers two areas of emphasis within its Ph.D. program: Literature and Rhetoric and Writing Studies. Students in each emphasis design their specific programs of study following departmental guidelines and in consultation with their advisory committees. Specializations are available in a variety of fields within each emphasis.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have an MA in English or its equivalent from an accredited college or university, an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0, and a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.5. Potential applicants without an MA in English should talk with the Director of Graduate Studies to determine whether their graduate work in a related field is comparable to that expected.

Detailed information on applying to the Ph.D. program is found here: Apply to the University of Nevada, Reno. Ph.D. admissions are entirely separate from MA admissions; completion of the MA program at the University of Nevada, Reno does not ensure admission to the Ph.D. program.

General Requirements

The following general requirements apply in all emphases within the Ph.D. program, except where clearly stated in the specific descriptions that follow.

1. Time Limit.

All requirements must be satisfied during the eight calendar years immediately preceding the granting of the degree.

2. Advisory Committee.

As soon as practical (typically in the third semester) and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, a student should choose an advisory committee and complete a Program of Study. The graduate program in English emphasizes a close working relationship between the student and his or her advisory committee. Advisory committees for doctoral students consist of a chair and two other members from the graduate faculty of the Department of English and two members from the graduate faculty in other departments.

3. Residence.

A Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of six semesters of full-time work beyond the baccalaureate degree, of which at least two successive semesters (excluding summer sessions) must be spent in full-time residence at the University of Nevada, Reno. (Full-time residence requires a minimum of nine credits per semester. Teaching assistants taking at least six credits per semester are also considered to be in full-time residence.)

4. Continuous Registration.

Graduate School regulations require graduate students to maintain continuous registration of at least three credit hours per semester to remain active in the pursuit of a degree. This means that students studying for comprehensive exams or writing dissertations must, even if they are not in residence, register for at least three credit hours (usually ENG 799) each semester (summers excluded) until they graduate.

5. Total Credits.

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must complete a minimum of 73 graduate credits, including at least 49 credits in coursework and 24 dissertation credits beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students are required to take at least eight courses in residence, for a minimum of 24 credits. No more than 4 credits of English 736 Internship and 3 credits of ENG 791 Special Topics (Independent Study) may be counted toward the degree. Except in the case of required internships, independent study and internship credits may not be used to fulfill course requirements but may be counted for the total number of credits for degrees.

6. Transfer Credits.

A maximum of 24 credits in graduate courses with grades of B or higher may be transferred from another university and applied toward the requirements for the Ph.D. Students with a master's degree in English from another university can thus transfer as 24 credits, at most. Transfer credit requests must be approved by the student's committee chair, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate School. Whether courses taken elsewhere may substitute for specific course requirements at Nevada will be determined by the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the student's advisory committee.

7. Seminar Requirement.

Exclusive of dissertation credits, a total of 31 credits, at least 19 of which are beyond the master's degree, is required in courses numbered 700 or above.

8. Foreign Language Requirement.

Students may meet the foreign language requirement in one of two ways: 1) competence in one foreign language; or 2) coursework in linguistics and the nature of language. The choice of languages or linguistics coursework is left to the student in consultation with his or her advisory committee; preference should go to those languages that would prove most useful to the student over a lifetime of reading and research. Competence in a language is defined as completion of the equivalent of four semesters of college level work in the language with a grade of C or better in the final semester, or as completion of the second semester of a sophomore reading course with a grade of B or better. The requirement is considered satisfied when a college transcript shows such a grade in the appropriate final course (whether the earlier courses are shown or not), or when the student has passed at the appropriate level a test administered by the Department of World Languages and Literatures. As an alternative to the foreign language, the student's advisory committee may allow her or him to substitute a three-semester sequence of specified graduate courses in linguistics, language, and language-related topics from other disciplines, such as psychology or anthropology.

9. Comprehensive Examination (written)

In order to register for ENG 795 (comprehensive exam), a student must have met the following requirements:

1. Filed a completed Program of Study with the Graduate School;
2. Completed all coursework toward the degree for the Ph.D.;
3. Met the foreign language requirement for the student's degree and area of emphasis;
4. Met with the student's committee chair to work out plans for completing the written and oral portions of the exams;
5. Returned the completed “Approval to Register for Comprehensive Exams” form (available in NevadaBox) to the English department office prior to the end of registration.

After completing coursework and the foreign language requirement, the Ph.D. student must pass a comprehensive examination, consisting of a written test and an oral review. The options for Ph.D. exams in each program emphasis are detailed under “Specific Requirements” below. The student's advisory committee is responsible for the evaluation of the exam. Graduate School regulations stipulate that if more than one negative vote is cast, the examination is failed. If this happens, the student may be allowed to repeat specific areas of the exam, or the entire exam. However, no part may be retaken more than once, and three months must elapse between attempts.

10. Comprehensive Examination (oral)

After passing the written exam, the student must also pass an oral examination, administered by his or her advisory committee and lasting approximately two hours. The oral exam will review the written exam and--in the Rhetoric and Writing Studies emphases--the student's writing portfolio (described in the "Specific Requirements" pages). As with the written examination, a failed oral exam may be retaken only once. Students who have completed all coursework, finished the foreign language requirement, and passed both the comprehensive written and oral exams are formally admitted to Ph.D. candidacy. The student must register for ENG 795, Comprehensive Examination, and one credit in the semester he or she will be completing the oral exam.

11. Dissertation.

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must present a dissertation that makes a significant scholarly or critical contribution to knowledge. A dissertation prospectus must be submitted to and approved by the candidate’s advisory committee before work begins on the dissertation. Typically this prospectus will include a bibliography and an extensive description of contents. Since the dissertation requires close and constant supervision by the chair of the advisory committee, the candidate should develop the dissertation in residence. When considerable progress has already been made, the candidate may be permitted to complete the dissertation elsewhere, under such arrangements as his or her advisory committee may specify and the Graduate Dean approves. In the process of working on the dissertation, each candidate must register for at least twenty-four credits of dissertation under ENG 799.

Documentation and bibliography should follow the current MLA Style Manual or Chicago Manual of Style. The Graduate School has formatting requirements and submission guidelines. Students doing research involving human subjects must check with the Office of Human Subjects Research in Ross Hall regarding necessary protocols and review procedures.

12. Dissertation Defense (final oral examination).

After the dissertation has been accepted by the candidate's advisory committee, an oral examination specifically covering the dissertation and related topics will be administered. The student must pass this oral exam with not more than one dissenting vote of his advisory committee. The oral exam may be repeated once, but at least three months must elapse between attempts.

13. Graduation.

To graduate in any given semester, the student must file an Application for Graduation by the dates specified for that semester in the University Catalog and meet that semester's deadlines for submission of the Notice of Completion and the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate School. Students should be aware that graduation application dates at the University of Nevada, Reno are unusually early: the deadline is generally eight weeks prior to graduation.

14. Paperwork.

The student is responsible for knowing the degree requirements and for submitting all Graduate School forms on time. Early in their graduate careers, students should become familiar with the most important of these Graduate School Forms: the Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request, the Program of Study, and the Admission to Candidacy/Comprehensive Examination Report, the Application for Graduation, and the Notice of Completion.

3.4 Graduate School academic requirements

All graduate students must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0. If their GPA drops below 3.0 they are either placed on probation or dismissed. Undergraduate courses will not count towards graduate GPA.

View Graduate School requirements

Probation

Students whose cumulative graduate GPA is 0.1 to 0.6 points below that needed for a 3.0 GPA are put on probation. Students are placed on academic probation for one semester. If they fail to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 by the end of one semester, they are dismissed from their graduate program. Thesis, dissertation, S/U graded credits, and transfer credits have no impact on a student’s GPA.

Dismissal

Students whose cumulative graduate GPA is 0.7 or more grade points below that needed for a 3.0 GPA are dismissed. Dismissed students are no longer in a graduate program but may take graduate-level courses as a Grad Special. Students wishing to complete their degree must obtain approval to take graduate-level courses, raise their graduate GPA to at least 3.0 and then re-apply to a graduate program. Any courses taken to raise their GPA will be included in the graduate special/ transfer credit limitation (9 credits for master’s degrees).

Please refer to Nevada System of Higher Education CODE on Student Program Dismissal Procedures (SPDP) and review conference policies: (NSHE CODE, Chapter 11, Sections 1-3). If program dismissal is based upon failure to maintain required grades or a required GPA as described above, SPDP does not apply and the student may be summarily dismissed from the English graduate program.

4.1 Master’s degrees

All coursework must be completed within six years preceding the awarding of the degree.

Sample Timeline: MA (two years)

First Year

Fall

• Read degree requirements (general and program-specific) on English Web site and Graduate School Web site
• Read the Graduate Student Survival Handbook on the Graduate School Web site
• Meet with Director of Graduate Studies in English in the early weeks of the semester
• Meet twice with appointed faculty mentor
• Plan approach to fulfill the requirements for your degree (including language requirements)
• Submit Transfer Credit Evaluation form (if applicable) to Director of Graduate Studies
• Meet and talk with faculty members who share your interests

Spring

• If you do not have a TA but wish to, apply (or reapply) for the TA by the deadline
• Choose a committee chair, and in consultation with chair form rest of your committee; use DocuSign to submit Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form
• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign language requirement
• In consultation with committee chair, consider the thesis vs. non-thesis option (if you choose thesis, begin to consider topics)
• Draft Program of Study for approval of Director of Graduate Studies; submit it through DocuSign
• Begin focusing plans for the MA comprehensive exam/final project(s)/thesis

Summer

• Continue preparation for exam/final project(s)/thesis
• Consider doing a summer internship, field institute, or volunteer work
• Consider and begin to research longer-term goals (more graduate school vs. careers, etc.)
• Continue taking language classes if requirements not yet met

Second Year

Fall

• Meet with chair early to discuss progress through degree
• Prepare for the MA comprehensive exam and/or work on final project(s)/thesis
• Apply to graduate schools with early deadlines (if applicable)

Spring

• Finish coursework
• Apply to graduate schools and/or jobs
• Complete comprehensive exam/final project(s)/thesis
• Submit application for graduation to Graduate School early
• Submit Notice of Completion (and thesis) by Graduate School deadline

Note: A teaching assistantship in the MA program may be held for a maximum of two years. The MA degree must be completed within six years from the time the student first earns graduate credits that you apply toward the degree. This timeline represents a very general model for your progress toward the degree. Students should keep medium- and long-range goals in mind, and consult frequently with their mentor/chair.

Sample Timeline: MFA (three years)

First Year

Fall

• Read degree requirements, general and MFA-specific, on English website and Graduate School website
• Read the Graduate School Survival Handbook on the Graduate School website.
• Meet twice with faculty mentor
• Meet and talk with faculty who share your interests, even if you’re not taking classes with them
• Submit Transfer Credit Evaluation form (if applicable) to Director of Graduate Studies.
• In consultation with faculty mentor, plan approach to fulfill MFA requirements

Spring

• If you do not have a TA but wish to, apply (or reapply) for the TA by the deadline.
• Meet with faculty mentor to strategize the creation of a committee and reading list.
• Attend AWP conference in April; seek out other venues for networking and professionalization
• Begin submitting work for publication, if you have not already, and continue to do so throughout your time in the program

Summer

• Consider doing a summer internship or volunteer work
• Begin to think about the shape of your thesis and whom you might want to chair, and sit on, your committee

Second Year

Fall

• Choose a committee chair, and in consultation with chair form rest of your committee; use DocuSign to submit Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form
• Draft Program of Study for approval of Director of Graduate Studies; submit it through DocuSign
• In consultation with chair, establish the rest of your committee.
• In consultation with chair, establish reading list for comprehensive examination and plan for summer work to develop and focus plans for the thesis.

Spring

• Take an interdepartmental elective in a field related to your literary interests or the subject of your thesis.
• In consultation with committee chair and Director of Graduate Studies, prepare Program of Study form and file it with Graduate School.
• In consultation with committee chair, prepare thesis prospectus and submit it to full committee for approval

Summer

• Read, or reread, the texts on your list.
• Begin work on annotated bibliography.
• Consider and begin to research longer-term goals (more graduate school versus immediate job search, publishing goals, etc.).
• Begin writing/compiling/revising thesis

Third Year

Fall

• Meet with chair early to discuss progress toward degree.
• Continue work on thesis.
• Prepare for, and take, comprehensive exam.
• Apply to graduate schools with early deadlines (if applicable).
• Finish coursework.

Spring

• Complete and submit thesis.
• Apply to graduate schools and/or jobs.
• Submit application for graduation
• Defend thesis.
• Submit Notice of Completion to Graduate School

Note: A teaching assistantship in the MFA program may be held for a maximum of three years. The MFA degree must be completed within six years from the time the student first earns graduate credits that you apply toward the degree. This timeline represents a very general model for your progress toward the degree. Students should keep medium- and long-range goals in mind, and consult frequently with their mentor/chair.

4.2 Doctoral degrees

All coursework must be completed within eight years preceding the awarding of the degree. Credits transferred into doctoral degree from a completed master’s degree are exempt from this eight-year limit.

Sample Timeline: Ph.D.

First Year

Fall

• Read degree requirements (general and program-specific) on English website and Graduate School website
• Read the Graduate Student Survival Handbook on the Graduate School Web site
• Meet with Director of Graduate Studies in English in the early weeks of the semester
• Meet twice with appointed faculty mentor
• Plan approach to fulfill the requirements for your degree (including language requirements)
• Submit Transfer Credit Evaluation form to Director of Graduate Studies
• Meet and talk with faculty members who share your interests

Spring

• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign languages
• Start thinking about who you might want to chair your committee and about fields for your exams
• Consider applying for internships, volunteer work that gives professional experience
• Consider attending a professional conference and/or joining a few professional organizations

Summer

• Consider doing a summer internship, field institute, or volunteer work
• Consider and begin to research possible scholarly focus areas
• Continue language classes if requirements not met

Second Year

Fall

• Choose a committee chair, and in consultation with chair form rest of your committee; use DocuSign to submit Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form
• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign language requirement
• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign language requirements
• Draft Program of Study for approval of Director of Graduate Studies; submit it through DocuSign
• Discuss comprehensive exams with your chair and begin planning your approach
• Become more professionally involved (memberships, internships, conferences, etc.)

Spring

• Complete coursework and any outstanding requirements (foreign language, etc.)
• In consultation with chair, complete reading list for exams

Summer

• Continue preparing for comprehensive exams
• Consider doing a summer internship, field institute, or volunteer work
• Become more professionally active (presenting work, publishing book reviews, etc.)

Third Year

• Complete any outstanding coursework or requirements (foreign language, etc.)
• Complete comprehensive exams this year
• When comp exams are passed, submit Admission to Candidacy form to Graduate School
• In consultation with chair, begin to determine dissertation topic
• Draft a dissertation prospectus
• Talk with your chair about the following issues:
• Presenting papers at conferences and making professional connections
• Sending out an essay or two for publication
• Applying for grants and fellowships
• Attend department Academic Job Placement Workshop
• After you have completed comprehensive exams, consider diversifying teaching

Fourth Year

• Get dissertation prospectus approved by committee if you haven’t already done so
• Determine dissertation completion timeline with your chair
• Consider sending out modified dissertation chapters for publication
• Continue presenting papers at conferences and making professional connections
• Attend department Academic Job Placement Workshop
• Familiarize yourself with the job market and application procedures
• Draft strong c.v., cover letter, writing sample(s), statement of teaching philosophy
• Continue to diversify teaching experiences
• Consider applying for research and/or dissertation fellowships
• Consider attending the MLA (and/or CCCC) conference

Fifth Year

• Complete your dissertation
• Defend your dissertation
• Participate in department Academic Job Placement Workshop
• Revise c.v., cover letter, writing sample(s), statement of teaching philosophy
• Establish a dossier and solicit letters of recommendation
• Go on the job market
• Continue to diversify teaching experiences
• Plan to attend the MLA (and/or CCCC) conference for job interviews
• Continue applying for jobs through spring
• Submit application for graduation to Graduate School early
• Submit Notice of Completion to Graduate School
• Submit dissertation to Graduate School

Note: A teaching assistantship in the Ph.D. program may be held for a maximum of three years. The Ph.D. degree must be completed within six years from the time the student first earns graduate credits that you apply toward the degree. This timeline represents a very general model for your progress toward the degree. Students should keep medium- and long-range goals in mind, and consult frequently with their mentor/chair.

The student advisory committee assists the chair in writing and evaluating comprehensive exams, theses and dissertations (including prospecti), and oral defenses. Members sign all milestone degree completion forms. The relationship and communication between the student and members of the advisory committee should be approved by the student’s chair; some committee members may wish to be more involved in the drafting of dissertations and theses than others, but the committee chair should always be the student’s first point of contact.

In consultation with their chair, students should form their advisory committees in their second semester (MA) or their third semester (MFA and Ph.D.). The Graduate School requires committee formation no later than the third semester (MA) or the fourth (MFA and Ph.D.).

5.2 Doctoral programs

Consist of a minimum of five graduate faculty members; the chair, at least two faculty members from the student’s major department/program, at least one faculty member from a department in a field related to the student’s major, and at least one Graduate School representative.

In case of interdisciplinary graduate programs, the Graduate School Representative cannot have a primary appointment in the same department (or other appropriate major unit) as the student's committee chair.

Formal approval of all student advisory committees is made by the Graduate Dean.

4.2 Doctoral degrees

All coursework must be completed within eight years preceding the awarding of the degree. Credits transferred into doctoral degree from a completed master’s degree are exempt from this eight-year limit.

Sample Timeline: Ph.D.

First Year

Fall

• Read degree requirements (general and program-specific) on English website and Graduate School website
• Read the Graduate Student Survival Handbook on the Graduate School Web site
• Meet with Director of Graduate Studies in English in the early weeks of the semester
• Meet twice with appointed faculty mentor
• Plan approach to fulfill the requirements for your degree (including language requirements)
• Submit Transfer Credit Evaluation form to Director of Graduate Studies
• Meet and talk with faculty members who share your interests

Spring

• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign languages
• Start thinking about who you might want to chair your committee and about fields for your exams
• Consider applying for internships, volunteer work that gives professional experience
• Consider attending a professional conference and/or joining a few professional organizations

Summer

• Consider doing a summer internship, field institute, or volunteer work
• Consider and begin to research possible scholarly focus areas
• Continue language classes if requirements not met

Second Year

Fall

• Choose a committee chair, and in consultation with chair form rest of your committee; use DocuSign to submit Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form
• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign language requirement
• Check progress toward degree requirements, including foreign language requirements
• Draft Program of Study for approval of Director of Graduate Studies; submit it through DocuSign
• Discuss comprehensive exams with your chair and begin planning your approach
• Become more professionally involved (memberships, internships, conferences, etc.)

Spring

• Complete coursework and any outstanding requirements (foreign language, etc.)
• In consultation with chair, complete reading list for exams

Summer

• Continue preparing for comprehensive exams
• Consider doing a summer internship, field institute, or volunteer work
• Become more professionally active (presenting work, publishing book reviews, etc.)

Third Year

• Complete any outstanding coursework or requirements (foreign language, etc.)
• Complete comprehensive exams this year
• When comp exams are passed, submit Admission to Candidacy form to Graduate School
• In consultation with chair, begin to determine dissertation topic
• Draft a dissertation prospectus
• Talk with your chair about the following issues:
• Presenting papers at conferences and making professional connections
• Sending out an essay or two for publication
• Applying for grants and fellowships
• Attend department Academic Job Placement Workshop
• After you have completed comprehensive exams, consider diversifying teaching

Fourth Year

• Get dissertation prospectus approved by committee if you haven’t already done so
• Determine dissertation completion timeline with your chair
• Consider sending out modified dissertation chapters for publication
• Continue presenting papers at conferences and making professional connections
• Attend department Academic Job Placement Workshop
• Familiarize yourself with the job market and application procedures
• Draft strong c.v., cover letter, writing sample(s), statement of teaching philosophy
• Continue to diversify teaching experiences
• Consider applying for research and/or dissertation fellowships
• Consider attending the MLA (and/or CCCC) conference

Fifth Year

• Complete your dissertation
• Defend your dissertation
• Participate in department Academic Job Placement Workshop
• Revise c.v., cover letter, writing sample(s), statement of teaching philosophy
• Establish a dossier and solicit letters of recommendation
• Go on the job market
• Continue to diversify teaching experiences
• Plan to attend the MLA (and/or CCCC) conference for job interviews
• Continue applying for jobs through spring
• Submit application for graduation to Graduate School early
• Submit Notice of Completion to Graduate School
• Submit dissertation to Graduate School

Note: A teaching assistantship in the Ph.D. program may be held for a maximum of three years. The Ph.D. degree must be completed within six years from the time the student first earns graduate credits that you apply toward the degree. This timeline represents a very general model for your progress toward the degree. Students should keep medium- and long-range goals in mind, and consult frequently with their mentor/chair.

Graduate students may apply for teaching assistantships, which will allow them the opportunity to teach first-year composition and sophomore-level humanities courses. Our TA training program provides supportive mentorship and a research-based pedagogical foundation. Doctoral candidates may also have the opportunity to teach courses in their fields. Both masters and doctoral students are eligible for funding to support their professional presentations at academic conferences. Summer Research Assistantships provide an opportunity to work with faculty on their research projects.

All graduate students holding an assistantship (teaching GTA or GRA) are considered Nevada residents for tuition purposes. Non-resident tuition is only waived for the duration of the assistantship. To be eligible for an assistantship, students must be admitted to a degree-granting program and be in good academic standing. The student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and must be continuously enrolled in at least 6 graduate level credits (600-700) throughout the duration of the assistantship. 

State-funded assistantships (GTA/GRA) may be held for a maximum of: three (3) years for master’s degree students and five (5) years for doctoral degree students.

6.1 How to Apply for a Teaching Assistantship

New Applicants

New applicants to the English Graduate Program may apply for a Teaching Assistantship at the same time as they apply for admission.

Current Students

If openings exist, current students may apply for a Teaching Assistantship every semester. Students who have applied before but have not been appointed to a Teaching Assistantship, or who would like to apply for renewal of a short-term assistantship, must reapply. See below for deadlines and instructions.

Deadlines

Fall TA: complete applications are due January 15.

Spring TA: complete applications are due October 1.

Applications that are not complete by these deadlines will not be considered.

Required Materials

• An application letter, which should be specifically aimed at making clear the applicant’s current experiences, qualifications, and/or ambitions as a teacher.
• Application for Teaching Assistantship
• Three letters of recommendation written within the last year, which if possible should address the applicant’s current experiences, qualifications, and/or ambitions as a teacher. (If you plan to re-use letters from a previous application, ask Kim Boehner to transfer them to your new application file.)
• CV

Where to Submit your TA Application

Current students should submit their TA application to the current Director of Graduate Studies, via email, before the deadline. Letters of Recommendation can be sent by email directly to the DGS. 

The most updated information on graduate assistantships is available from the Graduate School: General information and the Graduate Assistantship handbook.

Graduate students have multiple opportunities for financial aid at the University.

The English Department offers a variety of annual awards and scholarships. The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships provides information and assistance in applying for loans and University merit-based scholarships. The University’s Graduate Student Association also provides its own scholarships, grants, and loans to qualified graduate students.

On-campus employment opportunities are available at the University. Teaching Assistants who wish to take on additional work must get approval for an overload (see the FAQ section).

For additional financial aid options, see the list of external funding opportunities, below.

7.1 English Department Support

In addition to Teaching Assistantships, other forms of financial support are available through the English Department, including Letter-of-Appointment teaching, Travel Awards, Summer Research Assistantships, Scholarships, and Fellowships.

7.2 Letter-of-Appointment Teaching

LOAs teach first-year courses on a part-time, course-by-course basis. If you are interested in applying to teach as an LOA, please contact the English Department's Core Writing Program. In addition to being paid for the courses they teach, LOAs receive reduced tuition, for up to six credits, equal to the number of credits they are teaching. For example, if an LOA teaches a 3-credit course, then the tuition for 3 of the graduate credits he or she is taking that semester is reduced.

7.3 Travel Awards

Graduate students may apply for up to $400 per year toward travel to a conference at which they are presenting a paper.

7.4 Summer Research Assistantships

Continuing graduate students are eligible to apply for a summer research assistantship, designed to provide supplemental financial assistance, to give students an opportunity to gain experience in various academic fields, and to help prepare them to undertake their own future research projects. SRAs pay $15 per hour up to a maximum of $1200 (80 hours) for a student to work on a faculty member's summer research project.

7.5 Scholarships and Fellowships

The English Department awards a variety of annual scholarships and fellowships, including the Douglass Memorial Scholarship for teaching, the Ronald Memorial Dissertation Fellowship, the Macmillan and DQ Scholarships for writing, and the Leonard Scholarship for academic excellence. We also have had good success nominating our students for University and system-wide scholarships, such as Access Scholarships and the Regents Outstanding Scholar Award.

7.7 Graduate Student Association

Located in the Fitzgerald Student Services Building, the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is an indispensable resource for students looking to fund their educations.

The Office provides information and assistance on a variety of student financial aid issues, including applying and receiving student loans, filling out the FAFSA, and links to University and external merit-based scholarships. Additionally, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, in collaboration with the Graduate School, administers a limited number of general scholarships for graduate students.

7.7 Graduate Student Association

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) at the University of Nevada, Reno is one of the main sources of financial aid for the University’s graduate student population. Each spring semester, the GSA sponsors an awards program for outstanding UNIVERSITY graduate students, and awards scholarships and grants in several categories, including research, teaching, and mentoring.

In addition to merit-based scholarships and loans, the GSA also provides travel grants to graduate students attending professional conferences and offers a number of need-based scholarships, grants, and loans for current graduate students, including scholarships for childcare and medical hardships, loans for purchasing computer equipment, and grants for students experiencing unexpected financial crises. Additionally, the GSA Household Items program collects and distributes various furniture items and other household necessities for current graduate students. Visit the GSA website or in person at the Joe Crowley Student Union.

7.8 Writing & Speaking Center

The University Writing & Speaking Center provides writing assistance to the University’s entire student population, from undergraduate to graduate, at any stage of the writing process. Writing tutors assist students via one-on-one peer consultation or small group instruction.

The Writing Center is partially funded by student fees, and staffed entirely by a team of committed undergraduate and graduate students. New writing consultants are hired at the end of each semester. Find employment opportunities on the Writing & Speaking Center website.

7.9 Extramural Scholarships and Fellowships

Below is a brief listing of some of the many national and local financial aid opportunities available to qualified graduate students.

External search websites

GRAPES: Search engine for graduate funding

The UCLA Graduate Division has an open search engine to identify funding sources for graduate students and postdocs. The UCLA GRAPES database contains information on over 500 private and publicly funded awards, fellowships, and internships for prospective and current graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

Advanced search options allow users to refine their search by field, academic level, award type, award amount, and other criteria.

Humanities Fellowships for ABDs

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships

The Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships are designed to encourage original and significant study of ethical or religious values in all fields of the humanities and social sciences, and particularly to help Ph.D. candidates in these fields complete their dissertation work in a timely manner.

Henry Frank Guggenheim Emerging Scholar Awards

The foundation welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and the humanities that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence, aggression, and dominance. Highest priority is given to research that can increase understanding and amelioration of urgent problems of violence, aggression, and dominance in the modern world.

Jacob K. Javits Fellowships Program

This program provides fellowships to students of superior academic ability—selected on the basis of demonstrated achievement, financial need, and exceptional promise—to undertake study at the doctoral and Master of Fine Arts level in selected fields of arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in the Humanities and Original Sources

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation fellowships are for students in the humanities or in a related element of the social sciences who are planning to do dissertation research primarily in original source material in the holdings of archives, libraries, historical societies, museums, related repositories, or a combination.

Mellon Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies Dissertation Completion Fellowship

This program assists graduate students in the humanities or related social sciences in the last year of Ph.D. dissertation writing. Students must have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation.

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowships

The Dissertation Fellowship Program seeks to encourage a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education.

Grants for Women

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships

The AAUW Educational Foundation supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented. AAUW offers a variety of fellowships to both international and American female students. 

Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund Grants

Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF) awards grants to outstanding women from developing countries, who are completing degrees at U.S./Canadian universities, and are committed to improving the wellbeing of women and children in developing countries.

Grants for Minority Students

Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships for Minorities

Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships for Minorities are three-year awards in the fields of behavioral and social sciences, literature and languages, history, philosophy and religion, life sciences, chemistry, earth sciences, physics and astronomy, engineering, mathematics and computer science. There are around 40 of these awards, which are open to U.S. citizens or nationals who are members of the following minority groups: Alaskan Natives (Eskimo or Aleut), Native American Indians, Black/African Americans, Mexican Americans/Chicanos, Native Pacific Islanders (Polynesian or Micronesian) and Puerto Ricans.

All domestic degree-seeking graduate students, who are enrolled in six or more credits (regardless of the course level) in a semester, will be automatically enrolled and billed for the University-sponsored health insurance for each term they are eligible (fall and spring/summer). If a student has other comparable coverage and would like to waive out of the student health insurance, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the University online waiver form prior to the deadline. If approved, a health insurance waiver is good for the current academic year only. A new waiver must be submitted each academic year. All international graduate students are required to carry student health insurance, and the cost will be automatically added to your student account. Any international graduate students with insurance questions must contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) directly.

The Graduate School grants a Leave of Absence for medical reasons and other emergencies. Leaves of Absence are treated the same as Withdrawals for financial aid purposes. If the student returns to his/her study prior to the date indicated on the Leave of Absence Application, he/she needs to request to the Grad School to be reinstated. Note that the Graduate School’s clock still ticks during the student’s Leave—6 years for MAs, 8 years for Ph.D.s.

Continuous Enrollment: To maintain “good standing” all graduate students are required to enroll in a minimum of three (3) graduate credits each fall and spring semester until they graduate. International students may be required to enroll in nine graduate credits each fall and spring semester depending on the requirements of their visa. All students holding assistantships (whether teaching or research assistantships) are required to enroll in a minimum of six (6) graduate credits each semester they hold the assistantship.

Leave of Absence: Students in good standing may request a leave of absence by completing a Leave of Absence form during which time they are not required to maintain continuous registration. Usually, a leave of absence is approved for one or two semesters. The leave of absence request may be extended by the student filing an additional leave of absence form. Students applying for a leave of absence should not have any “incomplete” grades which could be changed to “F” and have a detrimental impact on their cumulative GPA. Requests for leave of absence must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the leave is to begin.

Reinstatement: When a student has been absent for one semester or more without an approved leave of absence, he or she may request reinstatement via the Reinstatement form. This form allows the program the option to recommend the student be re-admitted to their graduate program based on their previous admission OR require the student to re-apply for admission which would require students to submit a new application for admission and pay the application fee. The Notice of Reinstatement to Graduate Standing must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the reinstatement is to begin.

The Graduate Student Association represents all graduate students and promotes the welfare and interests of the graduate students at the University of Nevada, Reno. The GSA works closely with appropriate University administrative offices, including the Graduate School and Student Services and reports to the President of the University. The GSA government functions through the Council of Representatives, Executive Council and established committees.

The Graduate Student Association functions as one of our graduate students’ greatest support services, offering funding to attend conferences, computer loans, and low-cost household items. In addition, the GSA offers a variety of loans and merit-based scholarships to graduate students.

GSA sponsors a number of social events throughout the semester, including a beginning-of-the-semester wine and cheese social, and an end-of-the-semester breakfast and massage.

Visit the GSA online in person at the Joe Crowley Student Union.

The University of Nevada, Reno is dedicated to providing its students with all the resources they need to have a successful academic career. The University is a Research One university, and students have access to extensive print and media-based resources at the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, the main University library.

Graduate students looking to take courses and get involved beyond the English Department may be interested in the University’s Gender, Race, and Identity Program. Students seeking options for additional funding, or for social, academic, and leadership opportunities can find them through the University’s Graduate Student Association. Additional support services and social opportunities can be found through the Center for Student Cultural Diversity, which welcomes all University students.

Visit Around Campus for a virtual tour of the University campus, including 360° panoramas.

11.1 Library

An indispensable resource on the University campus, the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center combines traditional library resources with new digital and multimedia technologies. At 295,000 square feet and five stories tall, the Knowledge Center is both the intellectual and cultural hub of the University campus.

In the main library, the Knowledge Center houses over 1 million volumes of books and journals, plus 15,000+ electronic journals and a growing collection of electronic books. In Special Collections, researchers have access to manuscripts, architectural records, and historical maps, in addition to more than 200,000 photographs, and over 20,000 volumes of historical, rare, and artists’ books. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, the Knowledge Center has excellent Interlibrary Loan agreements to make sure you always have access to all the research materials you need. Visit the University Libraries page for more information.

Additionally, the Knowledge Center is the home to the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame the @One Digital Media and Technology Center, and the Basque Library and Center for Basque Studies, the only Center for Basque Studies in the United States.

The Knowledge Center also contains a 163-seat auditorium with a stage, an art gallery, a sculpture garden, and special exhibit areas.

The Knowledge Center is an ideal study location as there are computers available throughout the library featuring extensive online databases, multiple group study rooms, and quiet study locations. Graduate students have dedicated study space within the Faculty & Graduate Reading Room, a large, spacious, and comfortable area located on the fourth floor of the Knowledge Center. Private study carrels may be reserved on an annual basis.

Bytes Cafe, which serves the popular Peet’s Coffee, is easily accessible on the main floor of the library. Additional food and drink concessions are available next door at the Joe Crowley Student Union.

11.2 Gender, Race, and Identity Program

The Gender, Race and Identity (GRI) program is an umbrella of several majors and minors, with a graduate certificate program as well as an MA degree, designed to enhance students’ understanding of the roles gender, race, and difference have played in shaping history, culture, and identity. The program is designed to enrich participants’ scholarly understanding of these issues and is open to graduate students from multiple disciplines across campus, including English.

Students wishing to earn a GRI Certificate as part of their graduate studies must complete 12 credits of approved coursework.

11.3 Multicultural Center

The Multicultural Center is a critical hub of cultural, LGBTQIA+, gender-focused services, programs, and social justice initiatives that support student success and increase graduation rates of students at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Center empowers students to be innovative colleagues in creating a better-integrated community at the University and beyond.

All programs and services are offered at no cost and include: academic advisement, leadership development, retention services, financial management counseling, career and major exploration, time management, goal setting, and study skills training. Additionally, the Center sponsors a number of intercultural student organizations, while students who wish to simply study or relax can do so in the Center’s computer lab, study area, or plasma TV, Blu-Ray, and video game lounge.

Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about rules and regulations as well as the most important policies that apply to graduate students in English. If you have a question not answered here, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies.

12.1 Audits

To audit a class the student must sign up through Admissions & Records. You cannot sign up for an audit through MyNevada. Audit credits DO count toward the 6 credits required to maintain a TA-ship or the 3 credits required to maintain active standing. But audit credits do not count toward the total number of credits required for the degree, and audited courses may not be used to fulfill degree requirements. Audit credits are not always covered by Grant-in-Aid. Although audited courses cannot be applied to a degree program, they do appear on a student’s transcript.

12.2 Comprehensive exam (795), Thesis (797), and Dissertation (799) enrollment

To enroll in the Comprehensive Exam (795), students must have completed their foreign language requirement(s) and filed their Program of Study. To enroll in thesis (797) or dissertation (799) hours, students must have filed their Program of Study. Permission forms to register for these course numbers are available in NevadaBox and require your chair's signature.

12.3 Deadlines

The two most important sources for information about deadlines are the Graduate School’s website and the University Academic calendar, accessible from your MyNevada webpage. It is a good idea to consult these sources every semester, print the pages, and record key dates in your planner. Here are the links:

• Graduate School’s List of Graduation Deadlines
• Academic Calendar

12.4 Grant-in-Aid caps for TAs, and Letters of Exception

The Graduate School’s Grant-in-Aid for TAs is capped at 9 credits per semester, but exceptions can be made. If your curricular needs are such that you plan to enroll in more than 9 credits in a given semester, notify the Director of Graduate Studies a semester in advance, explaining what courses you will be taking and how they contribute to your graduate program. Pending approval of your request, the Director of Graduate Studies will send a Letter of Exception to the Graduate School, which will consider making an exception to the 9-credit fee waiver cap. There is a processing time involved, so notify the Director of Graduate Studies as soon as you know what courses you plan to take.

12.5 Grant-in-Aid for Foreign Language courses

If you are a TA and are registered for a foreign language course to meet requirements for your degree, you should notify the Director of Graduate Studies of the course. The Director of Graduate Studies will send a Letter of Request to the Graduate School, which will then consider covering your foreign language course through a grant-in-aid fee reduction. However, the Graduate School does not grant fee reductions for an open-enrollment course through the University department of Online and Independent Learning. Summer foreign language courses are not covered by grant-in-aid.

12.6 Incompletes for 795, the Comprehensive Exam

If a student does not take the exam in the semester for which he or she registered, the instructor assigns a grade of “I” (incomplete), and the student may take the exam the following semester without reregistering. After the student takes the exam, the instructor uses a “Change of Grade” form to submit the grade. 

If the student does not take the exam the following semester, the Incomplete will revert to a “U” (Unsatisfactory = Fail) unless an Incomplete Extension form is filed. That form is available from Admissions and Records (in person—it is not online).

12.7 Internships (ENG 736)

The steps to setting up an internship are as follows:

• Enlist an English Department faculty member to supervise the internship.
• Choose an internship and a site supervisor.
• Write an internship proposal that both the faculty supervisor and site supervisor agree to.
• Download ENG 736 Internship permission form from NevadaBox.
• Get your faculty supervisor's signature. (Must determine # of credits; internships are variable credit and can be taken from 1-4 credits.)
• Signatures needed: faculty supervisor, committee chair, site supervisor, Director of Graduate Studies
• Return signed form to the front office and you will be cleared to register.
• Internships may not be used to fulfill course requirements for the degree (unless the degree requires an internship).

No more than 4 credits of ENG 736 may be counted toward the degree.

12.8 Minimum Enrollment

Students in graduate programs at the University are required by the Graduate School to enroll in a minimum of 3 graduate-level credits in each fall and spring semester to remain in graduate standing. Those failing to do so will be dropped from graduate standing to graduate special status. It is at the discretion of the Department of English, subject to the regulations of the Graduate School, whether students who fail to maintain graduate standing are to be readmitted to the program at any subsequent date. Students who are unable to take the minimum number of credits in a given semester should thus request a leave of absence in writing, using the form available from the Graduate School, if they wish to retain their standing in a graduate program. (See Leave of Absence, above.)

To keep a teaching assistantship, a graduate student must continue to make satisfactory progress in a graduate degree program. A TA must register for a minimum of 6 graduate credits each semester to maintain an assistantship. In addition, he or she must pass at least 10 graduate credits each year. It should be noted that these are Graduate School minimums; meeting them does not prove satisfactory progress in English.

12.9 Overload work for those on TA

If you are a TA in English and you wish to take on additional work of any kind (e.g., tutoring, extra teaching, paid research help to a faculty member), please first talk with your committee chair about the advisability of that extra work. If your chair approves of that extra work in the context of your work for the TA and your progress on your degree, please ask your chair to send an email to the Director of Graduate Studies expressing approval of that extra work. If the Director of Graduate Studies approves the work overload, the DGS sends the appropriate form to the Graduate School. The overload work must be approved by the Graduate School before the TA begins the work.

12.10 Program of Study

The English Department strongly advises students to form their advisory committee and file their Program of Study form in a timely fashion. MA students should complete their Program of Study form in their second semester of study, while MFA and Ph.D. students should do so in their third semester. Filing your Program of Study on this schedule will reduce delays in your time to graduation. You may not sign up for the Comprehensive Exam (ENG 795) until your Program of Study is filed and your foreign language requirement has been met.

A PDF version of the Program of Study form (not accepted for formal submission, is available from the Graduate School.

The following is an ordered plan for Programs of Study, from the first to the last step. Although it looks involved, we have found that this procedure saves everyone time in the long run. Please bring your transcripts, course records, draft Program of Study, and checklist to all meetings.

1. Fill out a draft Program of Study during or after consultation with your chair. Please note that, for English graduate students, the total credits required for the degree should be based on English program requirements (e.g. Non-thesis MA 33, thesis MA 31, MFA 60, Ph.D. 73) and not the minimums listed on the graduate school POS instructions.
2. With your chair, check the form, look at transcripts, and use a degree checklist, making note of how the foreign language requirement has been met. The Chair does not sign in this step.
3. Meet with the Director of Graduate Studies to check the form.
4. After the Director of Graduate Studies okays the draft form, enter the information into the DocuSign powerform on the graduate school website. The powerform will be channeled to your chair, the members of your committee, and the DGS, before automatically going on file with the Graduate School. You will be notified that your approved Program of Study is on file or that revision is necessary.