Doctoral Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy degree given for scholarship in theater history, theory, or criticism, not creative or artistic work, is offered in three areas:

• Western theater
• Asian theater
• Comparative Asian-Western theater

The PhD degree is not conferred for the acquisition of academic credits. It is granted only to candidates who demonstrate outstanding ability to do imaginative research and who present the results in a cogent dissertation.

A candidate for the degree is required to successfully complete three semesters of full-time residence, required courses (detailed below), other courses as deemed necessary by the student's doctoral committee, examination in the research language(s) used in the student's dissertation research, a written and oral comprehensive examination and an oral defense of the student's dissertation.

The minimum residence requirement is three semesters of full-time work or the equivalent in credits at the University. At the end of the second semester in residence, the graduate faculty will provide the candidate with an assessment of her or his progress to date.

Required courses in the Western area are THEA 600, plus three other 600Πto 700-level courses from a depart- mental list of approved courses; required courses in the Asian area are THEA 464, 465, and 466, as well as THEA 660 if the candidate's dissertation requires field research. The curriculum of the comparative Asian-Western theater area is determined by the student's doctoral committee. A high level of accomplishment in the foreign language or languages appropriate to the proposed area of research is required and will be determined by examination.

Proficiency in teaching, whether lecturing before large classes or teaching smaller classes and leading discussions, is considered part of the training of all PhD candidates, who should demonstrate this proficiency by giving several such lectures or by serving as teaching assistants.

Written comprehensive examinations and two hours of oral comprehensive examinations are required of all candidates dates before admission to candidacy. These are given after a student has completed the language requirement and before embarking on the dissertation. Written comprehensive exams shall consist of nine questions, one or more of which will specifically address the candidate's major area of research and one or more of which may be of a special nature at the discretion of the candidate's committee.

The comprehensive includes questions on both Asian and Western drama and theater; further guidelines are available from the graduate adviser. The questions on the written portion are posed by the theater and dance graduate faculty and members of the student's committee. The doctoral committee consists of at least five graduate faculty, of whom a majority are from the Department of Theatre and Dance and at least one from another department.

Applicants for admission to the program must submit a detailed statement of the dissertation research they propose, three letters from those acquainted with their academic work, a sample of their research (such as a seminar paper or a master's thesis), and official GRE General Test scores.

The application deadline for admission in the fall semester is February 1 (January 15 for foreign applicants). Spring semester application deadline is September 1 (August 1 for foreign applicants).

Requirements include a broad background in the humanities, a master's degree in theatre or its equivalent, and competence in dramatic production. Candidates for the PhD who do not complete all requirements within seven years after admission into the doctoral program may be readmitted to candidacy only on the approval of the department's doctoral faculty and the Graduate Division.

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