English PhD

The PhD in English requires 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree or 60 semester hours beyond the master’s, including 51 hours of coursework, and a minimum of 9-hours dissertation.

Residency Requirement for the PhD in English

Students may satisfy residency requirements in one of two ways:

I. Serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GAT) or Graduate Research Assistant (GAR) for at least one academic year. GATs and GARs will carry at least the minimum course load to maintain the assistantship, and GATs must successfully complete ENG 675. GATs will be mentored and observed in both the Writing Center and in teaching assistants' classrooms. In addition, students will be expected to observe others as they tutor and teach. Students will be encouraged to participate in the Spanish and English Graduates for Academic Development organization and to submit papers for presentation in regional and national conferences. Students will also be expected to maintain contact with the Doctoral Coordinator for English periodically to make sure they are on track to complete their degree.

OR 

II. Without the one-year teaching assistantship and ENG 675, students are required to take no fewer than four classes each year. In addition, students must maintain a portfolio of “residency activities” that contribute to professional development in their area of focus for each academic year prior to the completion of the comprehensive exam. The portfolio should document that development; in particular, the portfolio should be prefaced by a brief (2-3 pages) reflective analysis of the activities for that year. 

Examples include: 

• Conferences and workshops (attendance, participation, organization, etc.) 
• Lectures and presentations 
• Professional development activities 
• Departmental academic advisement 
• Development of multimedia resources 
• Participation in student organizations (e.g. SEGAD)

The Doctoral Coordinator will evaluate portfolios as part of students' annual review of academic progress. If professional development activities are judged inadequate, students will be informed within two weeks of the evaluation and asked to meet with the Doctoral Coordinator to make a plan to meet residency requirements. 

English Ph.D

Concentration (18 semester hours)
18 semester hours minimum of ENG courses.18
Dissertation (9-12 semester hours)
No less than 9 semester hours
ENG 718Doctoral Dissertation3-12
Secondary Area (6 semester hours)
6 semester hours minimum in ENG courses6
Professional Internship (21 semester hours)
21 semester hours of ENG courses21
Note: ENG 615 Professing English, is required of all doctoral students.
Note: ENG 675, Teaching College Reading and Writing (Colloquium), is required of all Graduate Teaching Assistants
Note: No more than 49% of coursework can be online.
Research Tools
For completion of the Ph.D. in the Department of Literature and Languages, students must meet the Research Tool requirement, which may be satisfied by completing one of the following two options:
Option 1. Completion of 12 undergraduate hours or more of a foreign language; or 6 graduate hours or more in a foreign language; or existing fluency in second language; or ability to pass a foreign language proficiency test.
Option 2: Completion of 4 of the following courses: ENG 501, ENG 520, ENG 599, ENG 615, ENG 675, ENG 680, ENG 681, ENG 686, ENG 775, ENG 776.
These courses will count toward the total required hours for the degree.
Electives (6 semester hours)
6 semester hours of ENG courses6
Total Hours60

English Ph.D. with emphasis/concentration in Applied Linguistics 

Fully online

Applied Linguistics Track

Students begin with a general advisor (usually Program Director of MA/MS) – unless there is a different arrangement – this will usually change after the Professional Evaluation Process to a specific advisor.

On completion of 6 courses (18 credit hours) or two years in the program whichever comes first, PhD students will undertake a Professional Evaluation Process (PEP).  This is usually in consultation with the program advisor but may be with another fulltime faculty member.

[NOTE:  For students who have completed their MA/MS in Applied Linguistics at TAMUC, the 18 hour rule does not apply]

The 18 hours must include:

ENG 501 Structure of English (or its equivalent)
ENG 555 General Linguistics (or its equivalent)
ENG 599 Bibliography and Methods (or its equivalent)
ENG 615 Professing English
ENG 686 Quantitative Methods
ENG 687 Qualitative Methods

Professional Evaluation Process (after 18 credit hours).

  1. Completion of 18 applicable graduate hours at a minimum of 3.5  (i.e., no more than 3 Bs in the first 18 hours of classwork). 
  2. If applicable, performance in a teaching or research assistantship.
  3. Evidence of engagement in professionalization in the field: This may include:
    1. Joining a professional organization such as TESOL, AAAL, local/regional TESOL groups
    2. Giving a professional presentation
    3. Attending a regional/national/international conference
    4. Attending workshops/symposia/guest lectures in person or online
    5. Volunteer activities in literacy/refugee/library programs
  4. One page career orientation plan: The plan should cover both short-term (during the PhD Program) and long-term career plans/goals and the appropriate preparation plan.
  5. Qualifying Exam (Submission of two research papers & an oral exam)
  1. The student submits two research papers to the PEP committee for their consideration.  These may be PhD course papers that have been graded by faculty or an original research contribution proposed for a conference or publication.  At least one member of fulltime faculty must sign off on each paper as appropriate to submit for PEP.
  2. Oral Exam (30-60 mins): The objective of the oral exam is for the PEP committee to determine your ability to successfully complete the program. Several areas of competence are considered: 1) your comprehension of principles and concepts basic to the discipline; 2) the strength of your academic writing; and 3) your facility with research and scholarly activity.
18 hours in area of Emphasis/Concentration
Choose 6 from the following:
ENG 501Structure Eng Language3
ENG 555General Linguistics3
ENG 557Teaching English as a Second/Other Language Methods I3
ENG 558Sociolinguistics3
ENG 559Lang & Culture in Class3
ENG 562Psycholinguistics3
ENG 597Special Topics0-3
ENG 657Teaching English as a Second/Other Language Methods II3
ENG 658Sound Systems of English: Pedagogical Applications of Phonology & Phonetics3
ENG 670Pragmatics & Language Tchg3
ENG 671Discourse Analysis3
ENG 672Second Language Acquisition3
ENG 682Machine Learning for Linguists3
ENG 683Algorithm Design for Linguists3
ENG 686Quantitative Methods for Linguists3
ENG 687Qualitative Methods3
6 hours in Secondary Area
These 6 hours comprise advisor approved courses for individual student degree plans
ENG 502Introduction to Graduate Studies in English (3 semester hours required)3
Choose 1 course (3 semester hours) from the following:
ENG 513Composing in the 21st Century 3
ENG 570Cultural Rhetorics3
ENG 613Digital Humanities3
ENG 680Composition Studies 3
21 hours in Professional Internship
ENG 615Professing English (3 semester hours required)3
Remaining 15 semester hours from the following options:
ENG 599Bib & Methods of Research3
ENG 611Writing with Digital Media3
ENG 675Colloq: Teach Coll Rdg & Wtg3
ENG 681Academic Discourse3
ENG 688Teaching and Researching L2 Writing3
ENG 697Special Topic3
ENG 771Writing Democracy3
ENG 776Methods and Methodologies in Writing Studies3
Plus 3 semester hours from the following options:
ENG 509Literary Genres3
ENG 510Introduction to Film Studies3
ENG 515Histories & Theories of Rhetoric3
ENG 519American Lit in Transition3
ENG 520Contemporary Critical Practices in English Studies3
ENG 526Studies in Shakespeare3
ENG 531Maj Fig & Mov Brit Lit3
ENG 534Med Renaiss Brit Lit3
ENG 597Special Topics0-3
ENG 610Studies in Film Genres3
ENG 677Issues in Literacy3
ENG 697Special Topic3
ENG 710Film Theory & Criticism3
ENG 780Text and Genders3
6 semester hours of electives
Electives are chosen in conjunction with the advisor and based on each student’s individual focus. Relevant courses from the following departments can meet this requirement:
Department of Literature and Languages
ENG 509Literary Genres3
ENG 510Introduction to Film Studies3
ENG 513Composing in the 21st Century 3
ENG 515Histories & Theories of Rhetoric3
ENG 519American Lit in Transition3
ENG 520Contemporary Critical Practices in English Studies3
ENG 526Studies in Shakespeare3
ENG 531Maj Fig & Mov Brit Lit3
ENG 534Med Renaiss Brit Lit3
ENG 559Lang & Culture in Class3
ENG 562Psycholinguistics3
ENG 570Cultural Rhetorics3
ENG 597Special Topics0-3
ENG 610Studies in Film Genres3
ENG 613Digital Humanities3
ENG 671Discourse Analysis3
ENG 672Second Language Acquisition3
ENG 677Issues in Literacy3
ENG 680Composition Studies 3
ENG 686Quantitative Methods for Linguists3
ENG 687Qualitative Methods3
ENG 697Special Topic3
ENG 710Film Theory & Criticism3
ENG 780Text and Genders3
ENG 682Machine Learning for Linguists3
ENG 683Algorithm Design for Linguists3
Department of Computer Science and Information Systems
Any 6 semester hours in CSCI (excluding CSCI 518 & CSCI 595)
Department of Psychology and Special Education
PSY 511Cognitive Science3
PSY 514Theories of Human Learnng3
PSY 515Neuro/Bio Bases of Behavi3
PSY 517Intro to Hum-Comp Inter Design3
PSY 572Psychological Assessment and Measurement3
PSY 573Intellectual Assessment I3
PSY 575Personality Theories and Assessment3
PSY 597Special Topics0-3
PSY 602Applied Regression Analysis3
PSY 605Single Subject Designs3
PSY 610Nonparametric Statistics3
PSY 612Psy Ed Statistics3
PSY 620Intro to Human Cognition3
PSY 621Advanced Cognition3
PSY 625Cognition & Instruction I3
PSY 626Cognition/Instruction II3
PSY 627Social Cognition3
PSY 645Introduction to Learning Technology3
PSY 670Multivariate Analysis3
PSY 671Advanced Tests & Measurements3
PSY 681Intermediate Statistics3
Sociology & Criminal Justice
SOC 535Readings in Sociology3
SOC 574Sociological Theory3
SOC 576Data Analysis in Social Research3
SOC 577Qualitative Methodology3
Research Tools
1) Option 1: Completion of 12 undergraduate hours or more of a foreign language; or 6 graduate hours or more in a foreign language; or existing fluency in second language; or ability to pass a foreign language proficiency test.
2) Option 2: Completion of 4 of the following courses: ENG 501, ENG 520, ENG 599, ENG 615, ENG 675, ENG 680, ENG 681, ENG 686, ENG 775, ENG 776
9 Dissertation Hours
ENG 718Doctoral Dissertation9
Total Hours60

Successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam is required of all students.

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