Handbook

Code of Conduct

Your conduct as students and in the workplace, including 2028, the mailroom, UH offices, and the annex, should be governed by the general UIC Student Disciplinary Policy.  You can access the policy in it’s entirety, but it is necessary to particularly highlight the following sections:

1. Health and Safety Students are expected to behave in a manner that promotes the health and safety of the university community. Violations of this standard include, but are not limited to:
2. Physical Abuse/Threats/Violent Behavior: Intentional and unwanted physical contact with another person, or physical behavior and/or threats (expressed or implied) directed to any person (including oneself), that: a. Endangers the safety, physical or mental health, or life of any person, or creates a reasonable fear of such action; b. Substantially interferes with an individual’s academic, employment, and/or living conditions/environment, or access to university resources and opportunities; and/or c. Restricts the freedom of movement of another person by use of physical force
3. Harassment: Unwelcome advances or conduct (e.g., physical, psychological, verbal, written, or digital-based), directed toward one or more individuals that is sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to substantially interfere with a person’s academic, work, or living environment/conditions and/or impair a person’s equal access to university resources, activities, or opportunities, and/or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
4. Bullying/Cyberbullying: Intentional, repeated, persistent, and/or aggressive behavior (physical, verbal, or written) directed at another person, either in person or through electronic (e.g., email, instant messaging, text messages, blogs, mobile phones, pagers, online games, websites, and social media sites), telephonic or other means, that intentionally or unintentionally causes fear, distress, or harm to another person’s body, emotions, self-esteem, or reputation.

Violations of the policy will be grounds for dismissal from the program.  Should you have violations to report, you may do so at: https://dos.uic.edu/community-standards/. 

If you have questions or concerns about your own or others conduct in the graduate workplace, please make an appointment to speak with the DGS.

This Handbook is a guide for current and entering graduate students in the English Department at UIC.  It provides information on degree requirements, course offerings, funding, teaching opportunities, awards, and department policies; it also serves as a guide for students preparing for the MA thesis, the PhD qualifying examination, the PhD dissertation, and the PhD dissertation defense.  This information can also be found on the department’s website, but is consolidated here for convenience.

The graduate curriculum for both MA and PhD degrees was revised in 2023, to better reflect the broad range of faculty expertise and developments in the field of English.  This handbook has been updated accordingly.

Announcements of courses, events, advising sessions, and job opportunities can be found in department emails and the Grad Office weekly newsletter.  Reading and responding to emails from department executive officers (Head, Associate Head, DGS, DUS), the director of First-Year Writing, directors of the Program for Writers and English Education, and the Grad Program Coordinator is an essential requirement of your employment as a graduate worker.

The Grad Program Director and the Director of Grad Studies are de facto advisors for all students in the Graduate Program.

Students in the Program for Writers should also consult the Director of the program for advising matters.

Master’s students working toward licensure in the Teaching of English should also consult the Director of the Program in English Education.

Feel free to seek out advice at any time.

The Director of Graduate Studies is a tenured faculty member serving on a rotating basis.  The Graduate Program Coordinator is a full-time staff member.  The Office of Graduate Studies for the Department of English is located at 2002 University Hall.  The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) office is 2000 University Hall.  The Graduate Program Coordinator keeps regular business hours and is available for consultation at almost any time. DGS office hours are posted on the website; the DGS is generally also available by appointment.  Make a habit of checking in with the DGS every semester.

Student Conduct

The UIC Student Code of Conduct and Student Disciplinary Policy apply to Graduate Students in English as both students and as graduate employees, and are applicable in the workplace including seminar rooms, 2028, the mailroom, UH offices, and the annex.  Violations of the policy will be grounds for dismissal from the program, so students should familiarize themselves with the policy in its entirety.

MA students take a total of 32 hours of coursework, of which English 500 and English 597 are the only required courses.

Credits can be fulfilled by taking any 500 and / or 400-level offerings in the department.  MA students may count up to five 400-level courses (20 hours) toward the 32 hour coursework requirement.  At least 24 of the 32 hours must be in the department of English; MA students may take up to two courses (8 hours) outside of the department for credit toward the degree. Credit toward the MA is not given for any course in which the student receives a grade of less than B.

All courses are four (4) credit hours except the following: ED 402, 403, 421, 425, SPED 410 (3 hrs each) and ENGL 596 & 597. ENGL 597 – Thesis Research may be taken for 0-4 hours; ENGL 596 – Independent Study may be taken for 1-4 hours.

MA students take a maximum of 4 hours of MA Project Preparation ( ENGL 597). No more than 4 hours of credit in ENGL 596 may be counted towards the degree.

MA Creative Writing Students must take at least 12 hours but no more than 16 hours of creative writing workshops.  Students admitted to the Program for Writers shall take their required three workshops in their designated genre.  Students who wish to enroll in a workshop outside their genre (as an elective beyond the required three) must request permission from the Director of the Program for Writers.  The workshop in nonfiction does not require permission.  Students outside the Program for Writers must also request permission to enroll in a workshop.

The MA in English Education has two tracks, one for licensure, and the other for students who are already licensed or just want an MA focused on teaching English.

MA English Education students (no licensure) must take two classes from ENGL 482, 486, 487, 488, or 555.

MA English Education students (licensure) must take the following courses:

English Methods Courses: ENGL 486, 487, 488

Education Methods Courses: ED 402 or 403; ED 421 or 445; ED 425; SPED 410

At least two electives, which may include Education courses (like ED 402 or 403, and ED 421 or 425) that are required for licensure

Student Teaching: ENGL 498, 499

ENGL 555 is required in order to hold a TAship.  MA students who seek a TA position in their 2nd year must apply in their 1st semester of their 1st year.  If accepted, they should take ENGL 555 in the 2nd semester of their 1st year. ENGL 555 may count towards the 32 required hours. The granting of the 2nd-year TAship depends on FYW course availability pending first-year student enrollment in the upcoming year, as well as excellent work done in ENGL 555; thus, the TAship is not automatically granted to students who merely complete ENGL 555 with a passing grade.  All MA teaching assistants teach 2 sections of ENGL 160 in the fall semester of their 1st year, and 1 section of ENGL 161 in the spring semester of their 2nd year.  Please note that the TAship is issued only for students in the 2nd year of the MA program.  The TAship will not be renewed for any additional years in the MA program beyond the 2nd year.

Credit towards the MA is not given for any course in which a student receives a grade of less than a B.

MA Project

Each student in the Master’s Degree Program must submit an MA Qualifying Paper (also known as the MA Project). MA Students working on their Qualifying Paper can register for English 597: Master’s Project Research. The following guidelines are intended to serve as a general outline of procedures to be followed as students prepare their papers; more specific questions will arise which should be discussed with the thesis Director (see below).

Project Timeline

Students planning to write an MA Qualifying Paper should find a Director for the project by the first semester of their second year at the latest. (A student writing a project in the spring of the 2nd year should ideally find a Director for the project in the spring of the 1st year.) Students should enroll in English 597 in spring of the 2nd year to write their papers, but they should begin planning and discussing their projects earlier.  Students should submit the Master’s Project Certificate of Approval to the Office of Graduate Studies by the last week of classes of the semester in which they plan to graduate.

Project Director and Reader

The MA project has a Director and a second reader. The Director is a professor in the English department, usually one with whom the student has worked previously in some capacity. The second reader should be a professor in the English department or in any other department in the university.  The project Director and the reader review drafts of the paper and complete a Master’s Project Certificate of Approval once they are satisfied that the paper has been completed in a satisfactory manner.

Project Content and Style

The Critical Qualifying Paper should be approximately 25 pages in length, following the directions for format and annotation set forth in the MLA Style Manual, The Chicago Manual of Style (14th edition), or the APA Style Manual, as the Director of the paper determines.  The paper should represent work done at the graduate level.  It may be a revised version of one written for a 400- or 500-level course or an independent study.  Critical Qualifying Papers should demonstrate:

• thorough knowledge of the text(s) selected for analysis.
• ability to draw sound and theoretically-informed conclusions from critical analysis and scholarly research.
• knowledge of relevant critical and theoretical works, if applicable.
• knowledge and use of relevant scholarly tools where appropriate (including manuscript sources, standard editions, letters, biographies, and bibliographies).
• good writing and scholarly form appropriate to the subject matter.

The Creative Qualifying Paper:

Students in the Program for Writers submit a substantial collection of the student’s work, such as a volume of poems, a novella, a portion of a novel, or a collection of stories.  A miscellaneous volume, containing, for example, poems, critical essays, and short stories, is also acceptable and the nature of the project will dictate the length of the manuscript (prose manuscripts usually run 50-75 pages; poetry manuscripts usually run 25-50).

Grading

Students are given a grade of “S” or “satisfactory” after having completed English 597.  If the project is not complete, they are given a grade of “DF” or “deferred”; the student must complete work to receive the satisfactory grade and their degree.

Timeline for the MA Degree

Semester One: coursework; required course ENGL 500

Semester Two: coursework; possible course ENGL 555

Semester Three: coursework; formulate project plan; identify project advisor and second reader

Semester Four: coursework and project

Heed Graduate College timelines for declaration of intent to graduate and for project submission.

NB: MA students seeking licensure will generally need more than four semesters.

Coursework

PhD students take a total of 36 hours of coursework of which ENGL 503 is the only required course.  PhD students may count up to two 400-level courses (8 hours) toward the total 36 hours of coursework.

At least 24 of the 36 hours must be in the department of English; PhD students may take up to two courses (8 hours) outside of the department for credit toward the degree.

Credit towards the PhD is not given for any course in which a student receives a grade of less than a B.

Creative Writing:

In addition to the requirements above, students specializing in Creative Writing are required to take three workshops (12 hours), not including translation and publishing workshops.  Students shall take their required three workshops in their designated genre.  Students who wish to enroll in a workshop outside their genre (as an elective beyond the required three) must request permission from the Director of the Program for Writers.  The workshop in nonfiction does not require permission.  Students outside the Program for Writers must also request permission to enroll in a workshop.

To fulfill the remaining hours of coursework, creative writing students must take at least 12 hours of seminars. Independent studies cannot be substituted for seminar hours.

English Education:

No requirements specific to their area of emphasis; program of study is designed in consultation with the faculty advisor.

Other Requirements

Teaching:

Students must take ENGL 555 before holding a TAship, and generally do so during their first year (555 taken as a UIC MA is accepted.)  All teaching assistants teach sections of both ENGL 160 and 161 in the first two semesters of their assistantship.  Second-year and beyond teaching assistants are often assigned to other lower-level courses in English appropriate to their specialization.

PhD students with serious interest in another discipline may pursue an Interdepartmental Concentration in subjects such as Gender and Women’s Studies or Latin American and Latinx Studies (consult the Graduate College for the latest approved concentrations and requirements), or may opt instead to develop a competency.  Interdepartmental Concentrations are formal processes via the Graduate College.  Competencies are foci pursued during your studies and narrated in your job application materials.

Recommended Competency Options for English PhDs (2 courses or equivalent suggested)

Foreign language

Gender and Women’s Studies, Black Studies, Latin American and Latinx Studies, Central and

European Studies, Museum Studies

Another discipline on campus such as Art History, Philosophy, Political Science

Academic administration

First-Year Writing administration

Humanities Programming administration

Post Coursework Credit Requirements

PhD students are also required to take:

4 hours (but no more) of ENGL 591

at least 4 hours of ENGL 592

32 hours of ENGL 599

ENGL 591, 592, 599 do not count towards the 36 hours of coursework required for the degree. The total minimum hours for a PhD are 72 beyond the MA.

Credit towards the PhD is not given for any course in which a student receives a grade of less than a B.

Preliminary Exam

Timeline

Year 2: Empanel committee; prepare for the preliminary exam by reading from lists and meeting with list advisors

Year 2: summer: read

Year 3: fall: read

Year 3: spring: Week 10 of spring semester, complete the exam’s written portion; Week 12-15, complete the exam’s oral portion

In Year 3, Students should register for at least 4 hours of ENGL 592, Preliminary Examination Research. Register with your examination committee Chair, or with a professor whose examination list you are working on.

General Examination Information:

All students must pass written and oral examinations before admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree. The written section of the examination consists of three parts: a research paper and two essays separately addressing questions on two examination lists (which cover a field, topic, or genre). Following the written part of the exam, the examination committee meets with the student for a two-hour oral defense of the written work.

The Department of English views the preliminary examination as both preparation of the candidate’s teaching areas and preparation for dissertation research. With this dual purpose in mind, the test has been designed to allow simultaneous study of broad fields (teaching areas) as well as focused study of specialized a topic within the field (a possible dissertation topic). The preliminary exam should imply an understanding that theory, rhetoric, and/or criticism are part of a thorough study of literature, culture, pedagogy, and language.

Committee Composition:

By the end of spring semester of second year, PhD students must empanel an exam committee. Failure to empanel a committee on time may be grounds for dismissal. The exam committee Chair may be the originally assigned first-year advisor or another faculty member with whom the student anticipates doing future work; in either case the student must request the advising relationship. The Chair and the student, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, identify four additional members of the Graduate Faculty at UIC to serve on the doctoral examination committee. The three major members of the committee must be members of the Graduate Faculty in English, and two of them should have tenure. NTT faculty members can be on committees with permission from the Graduate College. The composition of the examination committee should represent the student’s specializations. Two professors on the committee are responsible for two field/topic/genre lists; one (often the Chair) is responsible for supervising the research paper. An additional faculty member from English participates in all aspects of the exam, as does an optional external member (either from outside the department or the university). The committee, organized by the Chair, is formally appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College, and conducts the preliminary examination.

 Details on the Written and Oral Examination:

The written portion of the preliminary exam consists of answers to two questions, each question associated with one reading list, and one paper, for which there is generally also a list or bibliography. Reading lists will be under the direction of a professor who will, in dialogue with the student, supply or devise the list. The professor will also be available to discuss readings with the students and will write the question for that list’s subject area. The student should check in with each member of the committee periodically while preparing for the exam. Each reading list will cover the basic texts that a candidate in that field would be expected to know; the remainder may be modified for each student, as seems necessary in individual cases. The research paper and its accompanying bibliography is devised in consultation with the professor who is supervising the project. It often serves as the basis for a dissertation, or (for creative writers) for a critical accompaniment to creative work. Although requirements for it vary, students should expect to write a paper of article or chapter length (20-30 pages), with a bibliography that reflects extensive research on the student’s chosen topic. Expectations on the numbers of works on lists should be worked out with each individual professor.

All students must pass a written and oral examination before admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree.  The Department of English views the preliminary examination as both preparation of the candidate’s teaching areas and preparation for dissertation research.  With this dual purpose in mind, the test has been designed to allow simultaneous study of broad fields (teaching areas) as well as focused study of specialized topic within the field (a possible dissertation topic).  The preliminary exam should imply an understanding that theory, rhetoric, and/or criticism are part of a thorough study of literature, culture, pedagogy, and language.

1. The two remaining lists should complement a student’s chosen teaching areas and research. Students are encouraged to review sample examination lists in the GSO. Typical examination lists often fall into the following areas: A period or field list (examples: History of Rhetoric; American Literature, 1865-present; History of the English Novel)
2. A topic list (examples: Literature of the City, Gender and Film, Prison Literature)
3. A genre list (examples: History of the Novel, History of Lyric, History of Drama)

These are only meant as examples; students devise lists with the faculty members with whom they work. Breadth on these lists is encouraged, since they can help to prepare a student for future teaching and job opportunities.

Lists are living documents, revisable by the student in consultation with the professor up until the final weeks before the exam. Questions may be generated individually by each professor, or jointly after discussion of the committee’s professors. Evaluation of all questions is done by all members of the committee. The committee will include a fifth member who will read the exam but will not write a question.

The written examination in response to the questions is completed during the designated exam period (see below). Students should expect to write 10-15 pages in response to the questions, providing answers that are as organized and detailed—using specific examples and quotations from their lists—as possible.

 Procedural Notes:

The duties of the Chair include:  discussing the overall exam with the student in light of the student’s goals; discussing and suggesting appropriate faculty; contacting other faculty to enlist their participation in the exam. The Grad Office will gather and circulate the exam questions and answers among the student’s committee members.

The Graduate College requires submission of a Committee Recommendation Form in the semester of the exam.  Heed announced deadlines.

The exam takes place from Friday to Monday during Week 10 of the semester. Questions are released at 10am Friday; answers are due at 10am Monday. No later than one week prior to the exam, the Grad Office collects the questions from the question-writing members of the committee.

An oral examination follows the written examination by approximately two weeks and explores issues raised by the written examination. Prior to the oral exam, the committee meets to determine whether the written exam merits proceeding with the oral exam. The oral portion of the exam lasts approximately two hours to discuss the committee’s responses to the written exams. The committee members may pose additional questions, related to either the answers of the written exams or simply to the subject matter.

If the examination section has been failed, it may be retaken once at the option of the preliminary examination committee, but with different questions. The re-examination must be retaken within one year. At the discretion of the committee, students may be asked to retake the oral defense, the written examination, or some combination thereof. The committee may also decide the student’s preparation is inadequate to proceed to the dissertation. f so, the student will be informed immediately.

A student who has passed the preliminary examination will arrange with a tenured faculty member to become the student’s dissertation Chair. Note that a non-tenured professor can direct or supervise a dissertation even though they cannot chair it.

Prospectus

After the qualifying exams are passed and a director identified, the student will write a prospectus, a document that serves as the plan for the dissertation and as the occasion for an advising meeting called the Prospectus Colloquium.  The prospectus should be at least 10 pages; it should include a bibliography where applicable, and should have content appropriate to the student’s chosen concentration.  The prospectus colloquium should take place in the fall semester of fourth year, i.e. the semester after passing the exams.  In cases of exam delay, both the exams and the prospectus may be held in the same semester.

The prospectus colloquium is internal to the department and requires a total of four faculty members.  If the student has already identified the fifth member required for the dissertation, they may participate in the prospectus colloquium.  After a successful prospectus colloquium, a signed form must be submitted to the Grad Office.

Dissertation

Degree candidates in English Studies write dissertations involving innovative research in criticism, theory, rhetoric, and/or literary/cultural histories.

Candidates pursuing the creative writing option are expected to produce as a dissertation one of the following: a novel, a volume of short stories or poems, a play or group of plays, or a unified collection of essays.

The dissertation committee will consist of a director and four other faculty members, one of whom must be from outside the English department (either from another department at UIC or from another university/college).  The Graduate College requires the CV of the outside member.

The format of the completed dissertation must meet the minimal requirements set by the Graduate College.

Optional Critical Paper for Students in the Program for Writers

Students in the Program for Writers may elect to prepare a critical paper of approximately 30-40 pages in addition to their creative dissertations in their designated genre.  Students pursuing this option are to provide a 1-2 page description of the critical paper for the prospectus meeting.  The faculty member directing this portion of the dissertation project may be one of the members of the preliminary examination committee.  Students must inform the Grad Office that they intend to submit a critical paper as part of the dissertation, so that the appropriate paperwork can be submitted to the department; students should also consult with the director of the preliminary exam committee for advice on appropriate faculty directors for this portion of the dissertation project.

Dissertation Defense

Candidates defend the completed dissertation before their committee, consisting of the director, three faculty members from English, and the required outside member.

Timeline for the PhD Degree

Years One and Two: complete all coursework, form exam committee by end of second year

Year Three: exams

Year Four: fall semester, hold Prospectus Colloquium

PhD students who have passed the prospectus are entitled to one semester of dissertation leave, which can *only* be taken in the spring semester.  If the prospectus is passed in Year 4 fall semester, the leave may be taken in Year 4 spring.  If the prospectus is passed in Year 4 spring semester, the leave may not be taken until the following (Year 5) spring.

Year Five: write dissertation

Year Six: finish dissertation, begin job search, defend dissertation

Dissertation Leave

PhD students who have passed the prospectus are entitled to one semester of dissertation leave, which can only be taken in the spring semester. If the prospectus is passed in Year 4 fall semester, the leave may be taken in Year 4 spring. If the prospectus is passed in Year 4 spring semester, the leave may not be taken until the following (Year 5) spring.

Note: Students cannot accept additional assistantship appointments on campus during their dissertation leave semester. However, hourly appointments that advance students’ professional interests and that do not exceed 4 hours weekly are permissible.

Please consult the DGS for more information on work appointments during dissertation leave.

Please note that the policy requires submission of a statement by the thesis or dissertation author on the use of AI in the project.

Policy:  Graduate theses and dissertations are intended to demonstrate and provide a record of independent thinking, original research, and technical mastery in a field of study. The core contribution of the thesis, as determined by the author’s advisor(s) and thesis committee, must be the original work of the author and cannot be that of any other party or generative AI. Therefore, the student’s research and writing as presented in the thesis must represent that effort, even if AI tools are used as support. That is, the student’s original scholarship, including writing, critical thinking, and analysis, must be evident regardless of other included supportive materials.

Any AI use must receive documented pre-approval by the student’s thesis committee and must be limited to a clearly defined scope. To confirm adherence with this expectation, a clear and comprehensive statement must be included as an appendix of the final thesis or dissertation describing the role of generative AI in the scholarly process and what was authorized as appropriate use. The student and the thesis committee are responsible for ensuring any permitted use of AI aligns with disciplinary standards and reflects the student’s independent judgment and originality. Unauthorized use of generative AI tools is considered unauthorized assistance under UIC’s code of academic integrity. Unauthorized use of AI tools may also be considered a violation of institutional policies on academic honesty and plagiarism, including those related to integrity in research and scholarly activities.

Guidance: Students and advisors should be aware of the potential risks and limitations associated with generative AI, such as ethical concerns about plagiarism from the content on which the AI was trained, the possibility of inaccurate information, accountability issues, and data security and privacy concerns. It is crucial to critically evaluate AI-generated content and ensure that its use aligns with the norms and standards of the student’s discipline. In particular, students must review and are responsible for the thoroughness, accuracy, and objectivity of all included AI-generated content. Using Generative AI in graduate theses puts the student at risk for future challenges to their expertise or routine scanning of prospective employee’s theses for plagiarism and generative AI. If you need to use AI services, use secure AI services provided by the UIC IT (ACER) office.

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies assigns all new students to faculty advisors upon entering the program.  A student may choose a new advisor, so long as the faculty member agrees.  Ph.D. students initiate the choice of directors of the preliminary examinations and dissertation.   Advisors report to the DGS on all their students’ progress each year on a form distributed to them by the Graduate Office.

For students who do not meet the guidelines for progress to degree, advisors and students should meet to discuss problems impeding progress and ways of helping students to advance. Those students who exceed the guidelines by a year or more without extenuating circumstances (such circumstances might include new parenthood, illness, or departure of an advisor) will have their cases addressed by the Graduate Committee and the DGS.  The DGS will report the Committee’s recommendations to the advisors and students concerned.

If, according to the Advisor’s report the following year, the student’s progress has not improved, the Graduate Committee will review the case and consider advising dismissal from the program, even if the student has not exceeded the Graduate College time to degree limit.

Reviews

Students in their 2nd and 4th years of PhD study complete a Review with the Director of Graduate Studies in order to ensure that sufficient progress is being made towards the degree, and to make an affirmative decision to remain in the program.  Students may be dismissed from the program at either review.

Funding

Graduate Appointments

Ordinarily graduate appointments are made on an annual basis.  International students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week (50% FTE) during Fall & Spring semesters for on-campus assistantships.  Fellowships open to applications that will be announced; a limited number of fellowships are open only to nomination upon admission to the program.

Board of Trustees Tuition-and-Fee Waivers

Every semester, the department will issue a call for applications for BOT waivers, a limited number of which are available for full-time students, part-time students, and summer session. Preference is given to PhD students and outstanding MA students.

Travel Awards

The Department offers PhD students annual travel funding up to $600 for conference presentations (your name must appear on the conference program).  You should begin by filling out the intent form no later than the third week of the semester in which you plan to travel.  Once notified of approval by the DGS Office, you should then fill out the application form, get your advisor’s signature, and turn it in to the DGS Office to be signed.  The DGS will pass the form on to the department’s business manager for processing.

Teaching Assistantships

Generally graduate teaching assistantships involve First-Year Writing, other lower-division English courses appropriate to the assistant’s background, Teaching Assistantships for lecture courses, and/or tutoring in the Writing Center.

All teaching assistants are required to carry at least eight hours of coursework per semester. Zero hour registration is not permitted while holding a TA appointment. Students holding TAships in the Spring semester automatically receive a tuition and fee waiver for the Summer term, but are not required to register unless they hold a summer teaching appointment.

Teaching assistantships are available, on an annual basis, to PhD students for a maximum of six years, and to a limited number of MA students during their second year.  Students with additional fellowship assistance within or outside the university are not provided with an automatic extension of assistance from the department beyond the sixth year.  Extensions of assistance are at the discretion of the DGS, the department Head, and the Associate Head.

Additional information on assistantship tuition and fee waivers found here: https://grad.uic.edu/funding-awards/assistantships/

Policies and Regulations Governing Teaching Assistantships

Assistantships may be reduced or revoked at the discretion of the Director of the First-Year Writing Program and/or the Director of Graduate Studies.

Hourly Work Requirements

All Teaching Assistants are required to attend Comp Camp during the week before classes begin in Fall semester.  All Teaching Assistants assigned to a composition course must attend regular staff meetings.

Teaching Evaluation

Teaching Evaluation is mandatory for all Teaching Assistants, who are required to participate in the departmental student evaluation of courses which occurs in all classes each semester. These evaluations are made available to the Head or those he/she designates, without the option of the teaching assistant to withhold them.  Faculty will also occasionally visit Teaching Assistants’ classes to evaluate their teaching progress.  These evaluations will be consulted in considering Teaching Assistants’ applications for renewal.  Teaching Assistants may also wish to make these available to faculty writing recommendations for their placement files.

Teaching Observation

Teaching Observation is mandatory for all Teaching Assistants, and the reports will be used in the same manner as evaluations.

The Department of English acknowledges excellence in writing and teaching through several different awards.  Specific application procedures are distributed to graduate students each year, generally in spring.

Anne Hopewell Selby Award:

Relatives, colleagues, and other friends of the late Anne Hopewell Selby, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Illinois at Chicago, have established a fund in her memory for awards for distinction in Graduate Studies in English. Annually the department of English designates one graduate student enrolled in the department who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship in English to receive an award, which is paid from the income derived from the memorial fund.  The student so designated is selected by a committee appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies on the basis of a substantial critical essay (an essay written for a course during the academic year, an MA Qualifying Paper, or a PhD Dissertation chapter) submitted to the committee; recommendations by faculty members familiar with the student’s academic performance; and the student’s total academic record.  Students in all specializations are eligible for the award, presented at the department’s annual spring celebration.

Kogan Bonus Award:

The Scholarship Association of the University of Illinois at Chicago has established the Kogan Bonus Award for doctoral students in English.  This $1,000 award is non-renewable.  The recipient of the Kogan Award is chosen by a committee appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies.  The award is designed to enhance a student’s professional development, and selection of the winner is based upon the strength of a student’s work, with particular emphasis on the quality of the PhD dissertation.

Distinguished Teaching Award: 

Named in memory of the late Frederick Stern, UIC Professor of English and teacher par excellence, this award is presented annually to an advanced doctoral student whose performance as a Teaching Assistant, as judged by department faculty, ranks at the highest level of professional competence.  The award consists of a cash prize of $500 for the recipient of the award.  Students construct a dossier of teaching materials submitted to a committee appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies.

The Charles Goodnow Endowed Award for Creative Writing:

Given annually for an outstanding work of prose or poetry written by a student in the Program for Writers.

Gloria Fromm Award:

This award is presented by the English Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago to recognize excellence in work in British studies by a graduate student over the past academic year.  This award honors the memory of Gloria Fromm, Professor of English and scholar of British modernism.  The award consists of a cash prize of $500.

Reynolds Dissertation Award:

The W. Ann and Rachel Reynolds Dissertation Fellowship is open to graduate students in English Studies entering the 6th (or 7th) years.  Its purpose is to enable the completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation.  The fund aims to support students who have strong prospects but “may be in need of a boost to complete their dissertations.”  Recipients will be working toward the completion of their dissertation at the time of the award.

Paul Carroll Award:

The Paul Carroll Award is for an outstanding advanced PhD student (usually ABD) and considers the totality of scholarship, writing, and service to the program.

Michael Anania Award:

The Michael Anania Award is a juried prize for students in the Program for Writers in poetry based on a one-time submission of 3-5 poems in the spring semester.

Betty Stuart Smith Award:

The Betty Stuart Smith Award acknowledges and encourages significant accomplishment in either poetry or prose. Selection is based upon the application for graduate admission, and is made by a committee appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies.

All applications are completed online.

Current UIC English MA students wishing to apply to the PhD should contact the Graduate Program Director before December 15th to arrange for submission of materials, since your application is not processed via Slate.