1. General Information

General information for prospective and current graduate students about graduate program procedures and policies.

New Students

Orientation information for graduate students new to the program. Includes information on personnel, computing, parking, and library services.

Residency

How to obtain Iowa residency for the purposes of in-state tuition.

Admission Status

Admission status is important because you must hold full admission status before you can complete your degree .

Program Advisers and Major Professors

Each entering graduate student is assigned a program adviser who provides guidance until you have selected a major professor to chair your Program of Study (POS) committee.

Graduate College English Language Requirements

The Graduate College requires students who are nonnative speakers of English to take the English Placement Test before their first semester. If these students are hired to work as teaching assistants, they must also take the SPEAK/TEACH test before beginning any teaching responsibilities.

Academic Information

Information on a wide variety of program topics, including transfer credits, POS Planning Sheets, independent studies, creative component/research credits, grade appeals,incompletes, and much, much more.I

Assistantships

Assistantships are awarded to students on a competitive basis. These assistantships are usually available only to students who have been granted full or provisional admission to the Graduate College. Students on restricted admission status may be eligible to hold assistantships, but such awards can be made only on a semester-by-semester basis. Assistantships are not available to students on non-degree status. Assistantships include monthly stipends for 9 months during the academic year (summer appointments are separate), tuition scholarships, and health insurance benefits.

Departmental Awards

A listing of graduate student academic awards given by the Department of English.

Other Financial Help

Financial resources are available to graduate students in the form of professional advancement grants, university and federal loans and work-study jobs, as well as fellowships, travel, and foreign study grants available from off-campus sources.

Graduate Minors

Information for students pursing a graduate minor, both within the department and in other departments.

Certifications

Certification courses and credits are ordinarily taken in addition to those required for degrees in the English Department.

Graduation

This is a special section of the Program Manual because the administrative procedures for graduation can appear imposing. However, with advance planning, everything should go smoothly. Graduation questions not covered in this section can be directed to Lori Meyer in the Graduate College (1137 Pearson, 294-4531).

Job Placement

The Department of English provides some job placement services for Ph.D. students applying for academic positions (first placement only). These students have access to English Department stationery (obtainable from the Graduate Secretary in 403 Ross) for letters and vitas. The graduate secretary also has an example dossier which students can use as a guide.