I. Required American Studies Courses (18 credit hours)

A. AMS 801, 802, 803 and 804 (12 credit hours)

These courses constitute a four-semester sequence. Students entering the doctoral program who have not completed this sequence of courses should take 801 during the fall semester of their first year of doctoral work and the remaining courses in subsequent consecutive semesters. This sequence of core courses is designed to initiate and reinforce the process of preparation toward completion of the doctorate-in particular, to provide direction toward completion of the doctoral written examination paper and the development of a doctoral dissertation topic.

B. Two graduate seminars on broad general topic areas related to American studies (e.g., race and ethnicity; gender; sexuality; class; religion; political economy; material culture; popular culture; social and cultural theory; visual arts). Given the program's recognition of and commitment to the critical examination of difference and power in American life, students are strongly encouraged to include among these two seminars at least one that focuses on issues of race and ethnicity, gender, class, or sexuality. These would include seminars taken in taken in American Studies or in other master's or graduate programs that are relevant to the student's concentration.

II. Elective Courses and Options (12 credit hours)

Elective courses should be closely related to a student's concentration and thus contribute to the development of the doctoral written examination.

III. Required Research Skills (FLORS)

(1) reading knowledge in any two foreign languages (see "Foreign Languages" below), or

(2) fluency (excellent reading and conversational abilities) in any one foreign language in which there is a substantial body of literature dealing with the United States, or

(3) two research skills that are relevant to a student's research interests and will be used in the student's concentration in the doctoral program (see "Research Skills" below), or

(4) reading knowledge of one foreign language and one research skill.

IV. Doctoral Residency Requirements (Not In-state Residency)

Ph.D. students must spend two semesters involved full-time in academic pursuit at the University of Kansas. This requirement may be satisfied in any of the following ways:

at least 9 credit hours per semester;
at least 6 hours in a summer session;
at least 6 credit hours plus a 50% research or teaching appointment per semester;
at least 3 credit hours plus a 50% teaching or research appointment in a summer session

Employment outside of the university may be petitioned to be used to fulfill the residency requirement if it pertains directly to dissertation research.

V. Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

This consists of a written examination and an oral examination. See the Graduate Handbook for more detailed information.

VI. Post-Comprehensive Continuous Enrollment

After passing the comprehensive oral examination for the doctorate, the Graduate School requires that doctoral candidates must be continuously enrolled in at least six hours each fall or spring semester, and three hours each summer session, until 18 hours have been completed or until graduation, whichever comes first. After the minimum 18 hours are completed, if the dissertation is not yet complete the student may enroll in just one hour per semester/summer session until the dissertation is completed. Post-comprehensive enrollment may include enrollment during the semester or summer session in which the comprehensive oral examination has been passed provided that the exam is taken before the first day of the term's final exam period.

See the Graduate Handbook for additional information about the PhD program.