Doctoral Qualifying Exam
The Doctoral Qualifying Exam (DQE) consists of an oral examination in which three faculty examiners question the Ph.D. student about the primary and about the contextual/secondary fields of study. The primary field relates directly to a student's proposed dissertation topic, including both primary and secondary texts. The contextual or secondary field, which also encompasses both primary and secondary sources, is selected for its relevance to the primary field. Both grow out of work done in English 8830.
Dissertation
A dissertation stands as the final requirement for the Ph.D. degree. It represents an original and substantive contribution to its field and grows out of sustained thought, research, consultation, and writing, typically taking 18-24 months to complete.
Information and details around the qualifying exam and dissertation can be found on the English Department PhD website.