Graduate Coursework Requirements

For the M.A., the university requires eight courses, a scholarly report, and a general examination. A research paper submitted for a graduate class may count as the scholarly report. The general exam will be satisfied by a one-hour discussion of coursework by two members of the graduate group.

All M.A. students are required to complete at least one 7000-level seminar. M.A. students are not required to complete distribution requirements.

Ph.D. students who wish to obtain their M.A. are required to complete all components of the M.A. degree, including the scholarly report and the general exam.

Ph.D. students are required to complete a total of fourteen grade-bearing graduate seminars in their first two years of the program, including five 7000-level seminars. Two of these courses are required: ENGL 6000, the first-year Proseminar, and ENGL 8000, Pedagogy. Ph.D. students are required to complete distribution requirements.

Graduate Coursework Rules

M.A. and Ph.D. students may take one graduate-level seminar per semester in a department outside of English, for a maximum total of two seminars for M.A. students and 4 seminars for Ph.D. students. "Outside courses" may be taken in other departments at Penn or at participating institutions through the Ivy+ Exchange and Penn-Rutgers Exchange programs.

Ph.D. students may count two grade-bearing independent studies toward their coursework requirements, contingent on the permission of a faculty advisor and the Grad Chair.

M.A. students may count Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) seminars, hosted by the School of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS), toward their coursework requirements, though they must confer with the Grad Chair about whether the course will count as an "outside course." Ph.D. students are generally not allowed to count MLA seminars toward their coursework requirements. Requests for an exception should be directed to the Grad Chair.

M.A. and Ph.D. students in coursework may audit a maximum of 2 courses per semester above and beyond their registered courses. This includes undergraduate- and graduate-level language courses in other departments.

Ph.D. students who have finished their coursework requirements may audit or take for credit one additional graduate seminar per semester.

All graduate seminars are graded. Both M.A. and Ph.D. students must maintain a 3.0 (B) average to be considered in good academic standing. Students who take incompletes will be considered not in good standing until the incomplete is resolved. See the Academic Good Standing page for full details.

For full rules governing coursework requirements, please see the Graduate Program Handbooks.