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To earn a PhD at Washington University, a student must complete all courses required by their department; maintain satisfactory academic progress; pass certain examinations; complete all requirements for doctoral candidacy; fulfill residence and Mentored Experience Requirements; write, defend, and submit a dissertation; and apply for program completion (graduation) via Workday Student.

For the details of doctoral degree general requirements in Arts & Sciences, including an explanation of Satisfactory Academic Progress, students should review the Doctoral Degree Academic Information page of the Arts & Sciences Bulletin.

Program Requirements

  • Total Units Required: 48 
  • Degree Length: Five years
    • Note: Students must be enrolled in 9 graduate credits each semester to retain full-time status. As students complete their coursework, if enrolled in fewer than 9 graduate credits, they must enroll in a specific Arts & Sciences graduate course that will show 0 units but does count as full-time status. Students should connect with their department to ensure proper enrollment prior to Add/Drop.
    • The dual PhD degree in Hispanic Studies and Comparative Literature requires the study of Hispanic Studies literature and culture, over the course of which the student virtually duplicates the courses and other preparations expected of a doctoral candidate in Hispanic Studies. In addition, students complete the 12-unit core requirement for the Comparative Literature PhD program, which includes COMPLITTHT 5200 Introduction to Comparative Literature and at least one course in any three of the four categories (Transcultural Studies; Translation Studies; Literature, Politics, and Society; and Media Ecologies, Media Histories, Media Poetics), one of which must be a 5000-level seminar with Comparative Literature. For a description of this core, please review the requirements for the PhD in Comparative Literature.
  • Grade Requirement: Students must obtain a minimum grade of B– in graduate courses for them to count toward the degree. Students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

PhD in Hispanic Studies and Comparative Literature

The dual PhD programs require a focus on a "home" literature, in which the student normally duplicates the courses and other preparations expected of a doctoral candidate in that literature or program. This focus is combined with training in approaches, methods, and theories offered by the program in Comparative Literature and articulated by its core requirements. It is expected that students in the dual programs include one or more comparatist elements in their comprehensive examinations and dissertation. Requirements in the home departments vary.

The dual degree student must in any case complete a minimum of 12 units of course work in Comparative Literature: the 12-unit core requirements for the comparative literature program. These core requirements include COMPLITTHT 5200 Introduction to Comparative Literature and three additional Comparative Literature courses (3 units each) distributed among three of four designated categories. 

Upon joining the dual degree program, students must be competent in a minimum of two languages pertinent to their work and their objectives. They must also meet the language requirements of the department in which the primary literature program is located. After joining the program, students have the possibility of acquiring reading knowledge of an additional language pertinent to their dissertation work.

Required Courses

  •  Students complete the 12-unit core requirement for the Comparative Literature PhD program, including COMPLITTHT 5200 Introduction to Comparative Literature and at least one course in any three of the four categories (Transcultural Studies; Translation Studies; Literature, Politics, and Society; and Media Ecologies, Media Histories, Media Poetics), one of which must be a 5000-level seminar with Comparative Literature. Consult the PhD in Comparative Literature for more information about the requirements for that program.
  • Courses as required for the PhD in Hispanic Studies: 36 Hispanic Studies units (12 courses, including one independent [SPAN 5999 Independent Study] and two cross-departmental (skill-based/CREATES) or seminars from outside of Hispanic Studies. (Refer to the PhD in Hispanic Studies for the listing of course requirements.)

Language Requirements

  • Upon joining the dual degree program, students must be competent in a minimum of two languages pertinent to their work and their objectives. Proficiency in both languages will be evaluated by an expert in each language.
  • Students must also meet the language requirements of the department in which the primary literature program is located. 

Qualifying Examinations

  • Comparative Literature PhD dual degree students will take the comprehensive examinations required in Hispanic Studies. At least one of these examinations must entail a comparatist element; this element is to be identified and negotiated with the examination committee, which will include at least one faculty member representing Comparative Literature.

Dissertation Committee

  • The dissertation committee should include at least one faculty member representing Comparative Literature. The dissertation itself should — in its theoretical grounding, approach, transnational or transcultural scope, and/or interdisciplinarity — speak to the field of Comparative Literature as currently constituted.

Qualifying Examinations

Progress toward the PhD is contingent upon the student passing examinations that are variously called preliminary, qualifying, general, comprehensive, or major field exams. The qualifying process varies according to the program. In some programs, it consists of a series of incremental, sequential, and cumulative exams over a considerable time. In others, the exams are held during a relatively short period of time. Exams may be replaced by one or more papers. The program, which determines the structure and schedule of the required examinations, is responsible for notifying the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, of the student’s outcome, whether successful or unsuccessful.

Doctoral Candidacy

Candidacy marks the transition from coursework and initial study to independent research and dissertation writing. At this stage, the student is considered prepared to contribute to their field through independent scholarship.

The status of candidacy for WashU Arts & Sciences doctoral students indicates a student has, at minimum, completed and passed their qualifying exam/paper and pre-candidacy requirements. Pre-candidacy requirements are determined by each PhD program. Those requirements may include, for example, completion of required coursework; completion of required foreign language exams; completion of the Mentored Experience Requirement; successful submission of the Title, Scope and Procedure form; and completion of the oral presentation to propose the dissertation to their Research Advisory Committee.

Pre-Candidacy Requirements

The pre-candidacy requirements for Hispanic Studies and Comparative Literature are as follows:

Hispanic Studies students must complete all pre-candidacy requirements and advance to doctoral candidacy by the end of their sixth semester.

Mentored Experience Requirement

Doctoral students, MFA in Writing students, and MFA in Dance students at Washington University must complete a department-defined Mentored Experience Requirement. The Mentored Experience Requirement is a degree requirement that is notated on the student's transcript when complete. Each department has an established Mentored Experience Implementation Plan in which the number of units that a student must earn through Mentored Teaching Experience(s) and/or Mentored Professional Experience(s) is defined. Each Mentored Experience Implementation Plan outlines how doctoral students within the discipline will be mentored to achieve competencies in teaching at basic and advanced levels. Some departments may elect to include Mentored Professional Experiences as an avenue for completing some units of the Mentored Experience Requirement. Doctoral students will enroll in ASGS 8005 MTE - Assistant in Instruction Experience, ASGS 8010 MTE - Assistant in Instruction Experience, or ASGS 8015 MTE - Assistant in Instruction Experience; ASGS 8020 MTE - Mentored Independent Teaching Experience; or ASGS 8120 MTE - Mentored Professional Experience to signify their progression toward completing the overall Mentored Experience Requirement for the degree.

The Doctoral Dissertation

A Research Advisory Committee (RAC) must be created no later than the end of the student's second year; departments may set shorter timelines (e.g., by the end of the student's third semester) for this requirement. As evidence of the mastery of a specific field of knowledge and of the capacity for original scholarly work, each candidate must complete a dissertation that is approved by their RAC.

A Title, Scope, and Procedure form for the dissertation must be signed by the committee members and by the program chair. It must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, at least one year before the degree is expected to be conferred or before beginning the eighth semester of full-time enrollment, whichever is earlier.

A Doctoral Dissertation Guide and a Dissertation Template that give instructions regarding the format of the dissertation are available on the website of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Both should be read carefully at every stage of dissertation preparation.

The Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, requires each student to make the full text of the dissertation available to the committee members for their review at least one week before the defense. Most degree programs require two or more weeks for the review period; students should check with their faculty.

The Dissertation Defense

Approval of the written dissertation by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is strongly recommended before the student can orally defend the dissertation. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee that examines the student during the defense consists of at least five members. Normally, the members of the RAC also serve on the Doctoral Dissertation Committee. The dissertation committee is then additionally augmented to ensure that the following criteria are met:

  1. Three of the five members (or a similar proportion of a larger committee) must be full-time Washington University in St. Louis faculty members or, for programs involving Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated partners, full-time members of a Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated partner institution. All members must be authorized to supervise PhD students and have appropriate expertise in the proposed field of study. One of these three members must be the PhD student's primary thesis advisor, and one may be a member of the emeritus faculty.
  2. All other committee members must be active in research/scholarship and have appropriate expertise in the proposed field of study whether at Washington University in St. Louis, at another university, in government, or in industry.
  3. At least one of the five members must bring expertise outside of the student's field of study to the committee, as judged by the relevant department/program and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

The approval processes outlined in the RAC section of the Doctoral Council bylaws also apply to the Doctoral Dissertation Committee, including approval of each dissertation committee by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

The student is responsible for making the full text of the dissertation accessible to their committee members for their review in advance of the defense according to program rules. Washington University in St. Louis community members and guests of the student who are interested in the subject of the dissertation are normally welcome to attend all or part of the defense but may ask questions only at the discretion of the committee chair. Although there is some variation among degree programs, the defense ordinarily focuses on the dissertation itself and its relation to the student's field of expertise.

Attendance by a minimum of four members of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee, including the committee chair and an outside member, is required for the defense to take place. This provision is designed to permit the student's defense to proceed in case of a situation that unexpectedly prevents one of the five members from attending. Students should not plan in advance to only have four members in attendance. If four members cannot attend, the defense must be rescheduled. The absence of all outside members or of the committee chair also requires rescheduling the defense.

Students, with the support of their Doctoral Dissertation Committee chair, may opt to hold their dissertation defense in person or by utilizing a virtual or hybrid format.

Submission of the Dissertation

After the defense, the student must submit an electronic copy of the dissertation online to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, by the established deadline for their graduation term. Dissertations must be submitted no later than three months after the oral defense of the dissertation. Petitions for an extension to the three-month limit may be submitted to the director of graduate studies for consideration and approval. 

The submission website requires students to choose among publishing and copyrighting services offered by ProQuest's ETD Administrator. Students are asked to submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates separately. The degree program is responsible for delivering the final approval form, signed by the committee members at the defense and then by the program chair or director, to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Students who defend their dissertations successfully have not yet completed their PhD requirements; they finish earning their degree only when their dissertation submission has been accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Master’s Degree Along the Way/
In Lieu of a PhD 

A master's degree in Hispanic Studies in lieu of a PhD can be offered to students enrolled in the dual Hispanic Studies and Comparative Literature PhD program who have completed 36 credits of required Hispanic Studies coursework and passed their comprehensive exams.

Visit the Romance Languages and Literatures page
for additional information about this program.

As part of their degree requirements, PhD students must complete a program-defined Mentored Experience Requirement (MER) as per these guidelines. The Mentored Experience Implementation Plan (MEIP) is the written articulation of a program-defined degree requirement for PhD students to engage in mentored teaching activities and/or mentored professional activities, collectively referred to as the MER.

Mentored Experience Requirement (MER)

Philosophy of Teaching

Teaching development for graduate students in Hispanic Studies features a comprehensive and systematic apprenticeship in the theory and practice of teaching Romance Languages with ample supervision throughout. The goal of the Mentored Experience is to prepare students for an academic career or for a career outside academia.

Students in Hispanic Studies begin fulfilling their MER in year 1 and usually complete the requirement by the beginning of their fourth year in the program.

Preparatory Engagement

Preparatory Engagement activities are those that represent an introduction to the foundational skills associated with teaching or communication. Pedagogical preparation engagement activities are normally completed before students are permitted to engage in assisting or teaching in a classroom.

Students will participate in the following preparatory engagement activities:

  1. Teaching Orientation for those beginning the Mentored Teaching Experience (MTE). This is an intensive one-week program in August prior to the opening of classes.
  2. A mentorship program during the first teaching semester for those beginning the Mentored Teaching Experience (MTE). This mentorship offers training in second language acquisition and provides a space for students to discuss their language instruction experience and day-to-day challenges.
  3. An optional one-semester course on contemporary Spanish language teaching. Seminar topics may include an overview of second language acquisition theories; historical and contemporary teaching methodologies; integration of technology into curriculum; issues in testing and assessment; and working with Heritage-language learners.

Mentored Teaching Experiences (MTEs)

Assistant in Instruction (AI)

An Assistant in Instruction (AI) is a PhD student who is directly engaged in the organization, instruction, and/or support of a semester-long course primarily taught by a faculty member. An AI receives mentorship from a faculty member related to best practices in classroom engagement, instruction in the field, interpersonal engagement, and other relevant skills. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each AI experience. To complete each AI assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must register for the appropriate course number for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for course numbers and details.

Students are required to do one AI assignment at 10 MER units. AIs assist with course development, instruction, and assessment. AIs may have the opportunity to teach up to three times or 10% of the course contact hours. The faculty instructor provides mentoring, observes the graduate student’s teaching one or two times a semester, and provides written feedback to the student and the Director of Graduate Studies.

The assistant in instruction experience will be completed in 3200-, 3600-, and 4000-level courses taught in the Hispanic Studies section. 

Mentored Independent Teaching (MIT)

MIT is a semester-long experience for PhD students who engage as the primary instructor or co-instructor of a course under the mentorship of a faculty member as part of the MER. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each MIT experience. To complete each MIT assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must register for the appropriate course number (ASGS 8020 MTE - Mentored Independent Teaching Experience) for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for more details.

All students will complete two or three MIT assignments at 20 MER units each, dependent upon if they take one or two MPEs.

All first-year PhD students participating in an MTE are team members of multi-sectional language courses under faculty supervision. This includes observations, consultations, and written commentary. Mid-career graduate students have exposure to teaching at several levels, primarily in multi-sectioned courses. At all times, graduate students work under faculty supervision with frequent consultation. They have opportunities to plan curricular units, develop assignments, evaluate students, and begin teaching literary and cultural analysis.

This teaching experience usually includes a range of language learning courses, from the 1000 to 3000 levels. Advanced students may also be invited to participate in the teaching of a literary and culture course that they design and develop.

Mentored Professional Experiences (MPEs)

The MPE is an unpaid professional experience for PhD students that allows students to develop skills and experiences relevant to their intended career outcomes. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each MPE. To complete each MPE assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must submit the Mentorship Registration Request form for approval and register for the appropriate course number (ASGS 8120 MTE - Mentored Professional Experience) for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for more details.

Students are required to complete at least one MPE for 20 MER units and may opt to take one additional MPE for another 20 MER units, dependent upon if they take two or three MITs.

Prior to beginning an MPE, the mentor and the student will agree on a set of expectations for the position. These expectations will include the number of hours of engagement per week, which may vary but must amount to a total engagement time of 150 to 180 hours. A student may not do an MTE and MPE in the same semester. There are many innovative ways in which students may fulfill a Mentored Experience requirement with a Mentored Professional Experience (MPE). One example is as an editorial assistant for the Revista de Estudios Hispanicos, one of the world's top five journals in Hispanic Studies that our department publishes. Internships at think tanks in the United States, Spain, or Latin America could provide another opportunity for an MPE. Likewise, students could fulfill an MPE with humanities or arts organizations locally or beyond St. Louis or by connecting with units on campus such those listed below. All of these options would expand the opportunities for our students to gain experience in areas of higher education/humanities work, though not in the classroom per se, and thus enhance their professional profile and portfolio. Examples of on-campus MPE opportunities include the Career Center, the Center for Diversity & Inclusion, the Kemper Art Museum, Overseas Programs, and the WashU Libraries.

Examples of local off-campus opportunities include Casa de Salud, the Interfaith Committee on Latin America, the International Institute of St. Louis, Laumeier Sculpture Park, Missouri History Museum, the Migrant and Immigrant Community Action (MICA) Project, MIRA (Missouri Immigrant & Refugees Advocates), the Missouri Humanities Council, and the Regional Arts Commission.

Required Pathways for Completion

Students work with their faculty mentor and their Director of Graduate Studies to plan how and when they will complete their MER. Students register during the normal registration period for courses in accordance with one of these approved pathways.

Pathway #1
ASGS 8010 Take one time
ASGS 8020 Take two times
ASGS 8120 Take two times

Pathway #2
ASGS 8010 Take one time
ASGS 8020 Take three times
ASGS 8120 Take one time