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• I. Program Description
• II. Fields, Exams, and Dissertations
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I. Program Description

A. Statement of Purpose

The Department of American Civilization at Brown University was founded in 1945. As the first catalogue statement explained, its purpose was "to provide the student with a more comprehensive and better unified knowledge of American Civilization...than would be possible within the limits of a single department." This rigorous interdisciplinary approach still informs the program's goal of reaching a better understanding of the diverse cultures, groups, and experiences that make up American Civilization.

The core of the graduate program has traditionally been American history and American literature and these disciplines continue to serve as a basis as some students explore new approaches to, or study outside of, these fields.

B. The Masters Degree (Under revision)

1. Course Requirements:
   The M.A. requires the satisfactory completion (that is, with a grade of B or higher) of eight semester courses, of which only one may be transferred from an accredited graduate program outside Brown.
2. Distribution Requirements:
   The student pursuing the Masters is required to complete satisfactorily the AC201 seminar, three other graduate seminars, and four one-hundred-level courses. The faculty strongly suggests that no more than half these courses be taken in a single discipline.
3. Duration of Study:
   Normally completed within one year, all requirements for the Masters must be completed within five.
4. Financial Aid:
   Full-time students accepted for a Masters only and all part-time students are not eligible for financial aid.
5. Entry into the Ph.D. Program:
   The student accepted as a candidate for a Masters-only who, upon successful completion of all requirements for that degree, wishes to pursue the Ph.D. must make written application. Successful completion of the Masters does not ensure acceptance in the Ph.D. program.

C. The Ph.D. Degree

1. Course Requirements:
   The Ph.D. requires the successful completion of twenty-four course credits beyond the B.A. Students entering with a Masters Degree must have twenty-four total course credits, sixteen must be from Brown and up to eight may be transferred from another University, but transfer of credits from another institution will occur only after successful completion of the first year and the approval of the Graduate Advisor.
   
   During the first year, all Ph.D. students are required to complete satisfactorily the AC201 seminar, three other graduate seminars, and four one hundred level lecture courses (In exceptional cases, the graduate advisor may approve specific conditions for "upgrading" a one hundred level course to earn graduate seminar credit. Students should take two hundred level courses whenever these are available, however.) The faculty strongly suggests that no more than half these courses be taken in a single discipline. (see I.C.4.) In addition, students are required to complete AC252 (American Studies: Theory and Method) and another research seminar as described in I.E.1 before taking their preliminary examination. Students who enter Brown with a Master's Degree may follow a slightly different track, described below.
2. Language Study:
   Students who expect to pursue language study connected with their graduate program should consult with the department chair and graduate advisor during the first semester. Efforts will be made to arrange for language study over the summer or during the second year. In some cases, students may take language courses during the first year, but these may not be substituted for any required courses. A required course, other than AC201, may be postponed to the second year to accommodate language study needed during the first year.
3. Preparation of Fields and the Preliminary Exam:
   During the second year, Ph.D. students choose field advisors and begin preparing four fields, not more than two of which can be within the same general discipline. "Discipline" does not mean "department" alone, but designates a broad subject area and methodology. For example, a student might have three field advisors who are members of the English department if the fields are sufficiently diverse and interdisciplinary in content and methods. A student may not have three fields made up primarily of literary texts and literary criticism, however, even if the three field advisors are from different departments.
   
   For the student entering with a B.A., approval of these fields must be secured from the Faculty by the end of the fourth semester and successful passage of the preliminary exam must be achieved by the end of the fifth semester. For the student entering the Program with the M.A., there are two options. The student may follow the same schedule as students entering with the B.A. only or, after consultation with the graduate advisor during the second semester, the student may choose the "fast track." Students on the "fast track" will take two graduate seminars and two reading courses designed to aid field preparation in the second semester. They will secure approval for the fields by the end of the third semester, and achieve passage of the preliminary exam by the end of the fourth semester. The faculty expects that either in the course of their M.A. or in their Brown graduate seminars, fast track students will have produced a publishable scholarly essay equivalent to that expected of second year students, so in their second year fast track students are required to take only AC252. (see I.E.1.).
4. Dissertation Proposal:
   Within one semester of passing the preliminary examination, the Ph.D. student must submit to the Faculty for approval a dissertation proposal signed by his or her dissertation director and readers. Any student who cannot meet this deadline must petition the Faculty for an exception.<
5. The Dissertation:
   Every candidate for the Ph.D. degree in American Civilization must complete a dissertation. Final acceptance of the dissertation comes only after it has been approved by the dissertation director, the readers, and the Graduate School. As stipulated by the Graduate School, students must complete the dissertation no later than five years after passing the preliminary examination.
6. Duration of Study:
   The Program considers five years to be the normal period for completion of all Ph.D. requirements, though it recognizes that for some students an additional year might be necessary. It should be noted, however, that it is extremely rare for financial aid to be granted to a student beyond the fifth year.
7. Application for Financial Aid:
   No later than the second week of the second semester, continuing students desiring financial aid for the next academic year shall submit a financial aid application to the Graduate Advisor, and a GAPSFAS form to the Graduate School.

D. The First Year

1. Counseling:
   The advisor to all incoming graduate students is the faculty member designated as the Graduate Advisor. Students should avail themselves of his or her time and advice.
   
   1. Immediately following orientation each incoming graduate student will be given an appointment to meet jointly with the Chair and the Graduate Advisor. Students are expected to come to that meeting having reviewed the course announcement and having arrived at a tentative course selection for their first semester.
   2. Prior to early registration each semester thereafter students are expected to make an appointment with the Graduate Advisor to discuss their choice of courses for the following semester.
2. Course Requirements and Distribution:
   All incoming full-time graduate students are expected to enroll in eight courses the first year. In all cases where a grade option is offered, the student must choose ABC/NC. During the first semester students are expected to take AC201, one other graduate seminar, and two lecture courses. Second semester, they are expected to select two graduate seminars and two lecture courses. No more than half of these courses should ordinarily be in one discipline. (see I.C.4.) Additionally, none of these courses may be reading courses(except for students on the fast track).
3. Evaluation:
   At the end of each semester, the Graduate Advisor will solicit letters of evaluation from each faculty member with whom the student has worked.Following the end of each semester, first year students will be sent a written notice apprising them of the quality of their semester's work.
4. Financial Aid:
   Financial aid during the first year comes directly from the Graduate School and is determined by university-wide competition. No first year graduate student is eligible for a Teaching Fellowship or a Teaching Assistantship in American Civilization.

E. The Second Year

1. Course of Study:
   During the second year, students have three main tasks.
   
   1. They must take AC252 during the first semester.
   2. In either the first or second semester, second year students must take a graduate seminar that includes the preparation of a conference or publication quality paper in one of the student's major fields. This requirement will be waived for fast track students who will be assumed to have completed such a paper in either their M.A. courses or in their first year at Brown.
   3. Second year students must also formulate the interdisciplinary and cohesive plan of study constituted by the four fields. Students should seek and follow the advice of their field advisors as to the best way to achieve this goal. If students have not previously taken a course with a faculty member, they sometimes audit a lecture course or seminar. Generally students work with potential field advisors more informally in reading courses. Field proposals are due before the end of the second semester.
   
   Course Load: Students who receive a teaching fellowship, teaching assistantship or proctorship should register for three semester courses; those who receive a university fellowship, outside fellowship, or no financial aid register for four each semester. One course must be AC252, and one must be another graduate seminar. This second graduate seminar requirement is waived for fast track students, who must, however, take AC252.
2. Counseling:
   Although by the second year students normally begin availing themselves of faculty with whom they have taken courses for advice, the Graduate Advisor remains their principal advisor. Within a month after the beginning of the fourth semester, students are expected to make an appointment with the Graduate Advisor to discuss their academic progress and their proposed fields.
3. Evaluation:
   At the end of the first semester, the Graduate Advisor will solicit letters of evaluation from at least three faculty members with whom students have studied. These letters, due no later than the end of the second week of the second semester, will assist the Graduate Advisor and the Chair in recommending students for various forms of aid in the third year.
4. Financial Aid:
   During the second year, financial aid, which is granted primarily on the basis of academic merit, comes in three forms; straight grants-in-aid and fellowships; work-study and non-work-study proctorships; and teaching assistantships. While the American Civilization Department is deeply committed to obtaining support for all students whom it encourages to go beyond the Masters, it cannot ensure with absolute certainty that it will always be able to obtain such support.

F. The Third Year

1. Course of Study:
   First Semester: Students should register for three reading courses in preparation for their preliminary examinations. These examinations are normally scheduled in December.
   
   Second Semester: Even though they have reached candidacy, students should continue to register for three reading courses per semester until they have completed all their course requirements (24 course credits for students who entered with a B.A. Students entering with an M.A. must have 24 total course credits, 16 must be from Brown and up to 8 may be transferred from another University, subject to the approval of the Department and the Registrar). Students should use this semester to prepare their dissertation proposals, due before the Faculty no later than one semester after the preliminary examination.
2. Counseling:
   During the third year, the primary advisor of each student becomes his or her chosen dissertation advisor.
3. Evaluation:
   At the end of the first semester the Graduate Advisor will solicit letters of evaluation from three professors familiar with the student's current work. It is normal that these professors will be the student's field advisors.
4. Financial Aid:
   During the third year, financial aid, which again is granted primarily on the basis of academic merit, comes in three forms: work-study and non-work-study proctorships; teaching assistantships; and teaching fellowships. One semester of teaching, either as a TA or TF, is required for the Ph.D.; this requirement is normally filled during the third year.

G. The Fourth Year

1. Course of Study:
   Students should continue to register for three reading courses per semester until they have completed their course requirements. Thereafter they should register for THESIS. During this year students prepare the dissertation under the direction of their chosen dissertation advisor.
2. Counseling:
   The primary advisor of each student continues to be his or her dissertation advisor. Students themselves are responsible for ascertaining the appropriate university deadlines for dissertation submission and for complying with them.
3. Evaluation:
   At the end of the first semester the Graduate Advisor will solicit from the student's dissertation director a letter of evaluation reporting on the progress being made on the dissertation.
4. Financial Aid:
   Financial aid is distributed as in the third year. A student can usually expect to be teaching at least one AC190 seminar in the fourth year.

H. The Fifth Year

1. Course of Study and Counseling:
   These remain the same as for the fourth year. The student will normally complete and defend the dissertation the fifth year.
2. Financial Aid:
   Fifth year students cannot be certain of support since they have the lowest priority in the distribution of financial aid. Hence, during the fourth year, doctoral candidates should apply for outside grants and fellowships and for positions outside the Department and/or the University in order to guarantee themselves support for the fifth and any subsequent years.