University of California, Santa Barbara

French Graduate Student Handbook
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1. WELCOME

Adding an Emphasis
   Minor Emphasis
  The Doctoral Emphases in Women's Studies
The Interdisciplinary Ph.D Emphasis in European   Medieval Studies
Our Vision of French and Francophone Studies
Optional Emphasis in Applied Linguistics
Guidelines for Professional Development
 
Our Graduate Faculty
7. THE PhD EXAMS

2. GETTING STARTED

  THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
  Timing
   Reading List Information
  Writing the Exam
  Oral Component of Exam
  Retaking the Exam
 THE FIELD EXAM

3. ACADEMIC BASICS

  Timing

   Minimum GPA

  Procedure
  Reading List Information
  Dissertation Prospectus
  Retaking the Field Exam
Ph.D. COURSELOADS AND EXAM TIMETABLES

4. EXCHANGE PROGRAMS (and other opportunities)

For Those with the MA from UCSB

5. THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE

For Those with the MA from another institution
8. OTHER CONSIDERATION FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS
  Choosing a PhD Committee
  Changing Dissertation Topic
  Advancement to Candidacy
9. WRITING THE DISSERTATION
 
10. FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  Teaching Assistantships
  TA Fee Offset
  Other Employment
  The FAFSA
 Campus Fellowships

6. THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM

  Department Fellowships
  Extramural Fellowships
  Nonresident Tuition Fellowships
  Fellowship Payment
 Taxes
  Deferral of Payment of Fees
 Emergency Loans

  Students with the MA from another Institution

 11. Health Insurance & Student Health Services
MA READING LIST
RECOMMENDED LIST FOR THE PH.D

  

LITERARY CRITICISM, CRITICAL THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY


1. Welcome

Welcome to the Department of French & Italian. We hope that your time with us will be happy and productive, and will equip you for the career you desire. This handbook should serve as an on-going reference source during your time in our graduate program.

Chair Catherine Nesci
Director of Graduate Studies Dominique Jullien

Vice Chair and Director of Graduate Recruitment, Admissions and Fellowship

Cynthia Brown
Department Manager Mary Anderson
Graduate Program Assistant Rosa Pinter
Undergraduate Program Advisor Margaret McMurtrey
Financial & Personnel Assistant Rosa Pinter
The French Librarian Jane Faulkner


1.1 Contact Persons

For questions concerning administrative details, contact the Graduate Program Assistant, Rosa Pinter.
For inquiries about the academic program (grades, course offering, scheduling, exams, etc.), contact the Director of Graduate Studies (faculty member, on a rotating basis). If a personal problem arises, it is appropriate to approach the Director of Graduate Studies or the Department Chair for advice.

1.2. Useful Links :
Consult regularly our departmental website for information about courses, lectures, and other events as well as information about graduate studies and useful research links:

http://www.french-ital.ucsb.edu

Consult the Graduate Division web site for information about all graduate programs at UCSB and pertinent information for graduate life:
http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/source
For Graduate Life Essentials, find information via graddiv at: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/gradlife/essentials/
For Financial Aid, see the Source, a financial aid resource, at: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/Source/
Also see UCSB Financial Aid Office
Consult ProQuest Information and Learning for abstracts of dissertations: http://www.umi.com/umi/dissertations/
The French Page of UCSB Davidson Library:
http://www.library.ucsb.edu/subjects/french/french.html
The Interdisciplinary Humanities Center at UCSB, also a source of fellowships:
http://www.ihc.ucsb.edu/

1.3 Mission Statement

The Department of French and Italian is committed to studies exploring the richness of the literary, intellectual, and cultural traditions of France and Italy and of other French- and Italian-speaking communities around the world.

Goals of the Graduate Program:

MA students will develop a strong general base in all periods of French literature, considered in their historical and cultural contexts.

PhD students will build upon this base, while also developing expertise in a more specialized historical, thematic or subject area.

1.4. Our Vision of French and Francophone Studies

Follow this link to learn about our vision.

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1.5. Guidelines for Professional Development

The French faculty at UCSB believe that success in our graduate program, as in any post-graduate professional endeavor, requires that students make a serious personal commitment to their academic and intellectual development. The following guidelines are meant to give you an idea of what is expected of you as a graduate student:

1. Regular attendance and active participation in graduate seminars.

2. Many hours of preparation outside class for each seminar: a general rule of thumb is 3 hours of preparation for each hour of seminar time.

3. Additional time for the preparation of seminar presentations and final seminar papers. Since students are attending 2 or 3 seminars at the same time, it is absolutely essential that they choose paper and exposé topics for each seminar as early as possible (no later than the 3rd week of class) and begin immediately to carry out research on these projects.

4. Attendance at departmental lectures and receptions, designed to promote intellectual interaction with visiting scholars that may well affect future career opportunities.

5. Weekly brown-bag lunches with the Director of Graduate Studies during the first year. All incoming students are expected to attend these informal discussions, which are arranged with students' schedules in mind and offer a unique opportunity to meet departmental faculty in an informal setting, learn about their research, and discuss a variety of profession-related issues that impact students' decision-making at all levels.

6. Teaching. It is important to realize from the outset that a good deal of hard work is involved in the pursuit of graduate studies. Students must devote particular effort to establishing and maintaining a productive balance between their academic pursuits and their teaching obligations. This is a delicate issue, as the former tend to be more long-range in nature (exposés once or twice a quarter, final papers and exams, Masters and PhD exams, the dissertation, etc.) while the latter tend to be more immediate (daily class preparations and corrections, weekly office hours with students, TA meetings, etc.) Attaining such an equilibrium can be particularly tricky during the first year, especially for students unfamiliar with the fast pace of the 10-week quarter system. Early attention to this problem will prove critical to the student's academic success. It will also prepare students for the rigors of an academic career, and provide an advantage in a competitive job market, since the teaching-research equilibrium continues to be a major issue that all university faculty must deal with throughout their careers.

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1.6 Our Graduate Faculty

Graduate Faculty Listed by Fields
Faculty Profiles
Affiliated Faculty

William J. Ashby. Ph.D., University of Michigan. Professor, and Provost of the College of Creative Studies. Romance linguistics, history of French language, socio-linguistics.

Cynthia J. Brown. Ph.D., UC Berkeley. Professor. Medieval literature, late medieval poetry, the transition from manuscript to print culture, the book as cultural artifact.

Jody Enders. Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania. Professor. Medieval literature, history of rhetoric, performance theory, interrelations of law and literature.

Claudio Fogu. Ph.D., UC Los Angeles. Assistant Professor. Modern and Italian history, modern Italian literature and cultural studies, Mediterranean studies.

Dominique Jullien. Ph.D., Université de Paris III-Sorbonne Nouvelle. Fellow, Ecole Normale Supérieure. Agrégée de Lettres. 19th and 20th century literature and culture, Proust Studies, Borges Studies, Intertextuality, Travel narratives.

Anne Maurseth. Ph. D., University of Trondheim, Norway. Assistant Professor. 18th century literature and culture, Enlightenement studies, literary theory, rhetoric, epistemology and science.

Sydney Lévy. Ph.D. UC Irvine. Professor. Contemporary poetry, literary theory, fantastic literature, science and literature.

Didier Maleuvre. Ph.D. Yale University. Associate Professor. 19th- and 20th-century literature; aesthetic theory, philosophy, & history of art.

Catherine Nesci. Ph.D., Université de Paris VII-Jussieu. Fellow, Ecole Normale Supérieure. Agrégée de Lettres. Professor and Chair. Enlightenment and modern literature and culture, literary theory, women's studies, cultural & intellectual history.

Eric Prieto. Ph.D. New York University. Associate Professor. 20th-century literature, Francophone literature, music and literature, narrative poetics, aesthetics.

Jean Marie Schultz. Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley. Supervisor of French Language Program.Foreign Language Pedagogy; Second-Language Acquisition; Foreign Language Writing; 19th & 20th-century French literature and culture.

Cynthia Skenazi. Doctorate, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Ph.D. University of Michigan. Professor. Renaissance literature and culture, Belgian literature in French, Rhetoric, literature and architecture.

Jon R. Snyder. Ph.D. Yale University. Professor. Renaissance Studies, Literary Theory.

Ernest Sturm. L.L.B., New York University Law School; Ph.D., Columbia University. Professor. 18th-century Literature, Existentialism, literature and philosophy.

Ronald W. Tobin. Ph.D., Princeton. Professor and Associate Vice-Chancellor for Academic Programs. 17th-century literature, French Classical theatre, food in literature.


2. Getting Started

2.1 The Graduate Division
Located on the 3rd floor of Cheadle Hall, the Graduate Division is the University's office for graduate affairs. It monitors admissions, fellowships, degree checks, and graduate student employment. The Dean of the Graduate Division is Charles Li, also professor in the Department of Linguistics.

2.2 Establishing California Residency

If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, but not a California resident, you need to take steps immediately upon your arrival at UCSB to establish California residency. If you do so, by your second year of enrollment you should not be liable for the nonresident tuition fees. These steps include registering to vote here, opening a bank account, obtaining a California driver's license, and registering your car in California.
.
2.3 The Quarter System
UCSB is on the quarter system; each quarter is 10 weeks long, followed by a week of final exams. Fall quarter runs from approximately the 4th week of September through the 2nd week of December. Winter break is 3 weeks long. However, Teaching Assistants must grade finals and turn in grades before leaving. The French language common final is always on the 1st day of exam week-i.e. a week before the break begins, so you should be able to get your grades in and leave on time. Winter Quarter runs from the 1st week of January through the 3rd week of March. Spring Break lasts one week. Spring Quarter runs from approximately the last week of March through the 2nd week of June. Details of the academic calendar are available every quarter in the Schedule of Classes booklet.

2.4 Registering for Classes
Except for new students, who will register after meeting with the Director of Graduate Studies during Orientation Week, you will register for classes during the 5th week of the previous quarter. The Director of Graduate Studies will set up appointments to confer with you before you register by computer on GOLD. Note: If you are a TA, be sure to register for French 500 (Apprentice Teaching) each quarter. These 4 units do not count towards your degree, but are essential for guaranteeing that teaching positions are funded by the state. You should register for at least 12 units per quarter. Consult the quarterly Schedule of Classes for specific deadlines, including the new deadline for adding classes, which has been moved up to the 3rd week of the quarter.

2.5 Transfer of Units (rare)
According to UC policy, students entering our program who began, but did not complete, a graduate program at an accredited college other than a branch of UC, may transfer up to 8 units of credit for graduate French courses completed with a grade of B or better. The units must not have been used toward completion of a degree at the previous institution attended, and must have been earned while registered in a graduate program. Up to 12 quarter-units from another UC campus may be transferred to UCSB, under the same terms. Such units will be treated as Pass/No Pass, and will not be counted in calculating the GPA. Students seeking transfer of credit must complete at least one quarter of registration before they can transfer units; students complete a Graduate Student Petition ($15) which must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies before it goes to Graduate Division for review.

2.6 Transfer of Credit (not units) toward Prerequisites
According to departmental policy, with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, students entering at the PhD level may be exempted from up to 3 of the 8 area requirements (6 centuries + Francophonie + Intellectual and Cultural History) based on prior graduate coursework in which they have received the grade of A. No units of credit from such previous courses will count toward the degree.

Students entering at either the MA or PhD level may be able to transfer credit for Old French from a course taken elsewhere at the BA or MA level.

3. Academic Basics

3.1 Minimum GPA

All students need to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be in good academic standing, which is necessary for academic appointments such as a TAship. The Graduate Division monitors the grades of all T.A.s, and will intervene if a T.A.'s GPA falls below the minimum. In such cases, university policy takes precedence over any departmental offers of a year-long TAship.

3.2 Procedure for Incompletes
Taking incompletes in graduate seminars is strongly discouraged. In an emergency, and with the prior approval of the professor, you may file a petition for an incomplete. This must be done prior to the last day of the quarter (the day of the last final, not the day grades are due). Otherwise, the incomplete will appear as an F on your transcript. Your petition will include a timetable, agreed upon by your professor, for submission of the incomplete work. In no case may this work be submitted later than the end of the subsequent quarter. Petitions for incompletes are available from the Registrar.

3.3 Courses outside the Department
At the MA level, students can take one course outside the Department. At the PhD level, students can take two outside courses. Students must concurrently take one course in the department, and must write papers in both. Courses taught by faculty from the Department of French & Italian for other programs (ie. the Comparative Literature Program and the Consortium for Literature, Theory, and Culture) are considered to be within the department. For courses taken while participating in our exchanges with the Universities of Bordeaux and Paris-VIII, see "Exchanges."

3.4 Leaves of Absence

Students may apply for a leave of absence if they are experiencing one of the following: (1) medical/health difficulties; (2) pregnancy or parenting needs; (3) a family emergency; (4) required military duties; (5) the need to conduct research or to study away from the campus (e.g. to participate in our official exchanges with l'Université de Paris-8 or l'Université de Bordeaux); or (6) to file either a terminal master's thesis or a PhD dissertation in the final quarter at UCSB using the University filing fee rather than registering and paying fees. The following are not considered reasons for a leave of absence: financial hardship and the desire not to pay fees; desire to take time off from the pressure of study; the need to focus energies on exams or thesis; the burden of outside employment; the desire to protect immigration status. Students who are approved for a leave by the departmental Director of Graduate Studies and Graduate Division are guaranteed reentry into the program when the leave is over and are eligible for certain services on campus. Leave of Absence petitions and additional information about leaves are available in the Graduate Division.

3.5
Lapse of Status
Students who do not register or pay fees for a given quarter "lapse status" and are no longer eligible for student privileges, including employment as TAs, access to Student Health Service and Student Health Insurance, etc. A student who has lapsed for one or more quarters must submit a Petition for Reinstatement to Graduate Standing to the departmental Director of Graduate Studies when seeking to return to registered status. Approval of reinstatement is not done automatically, but is granted at the discretion of the Department.

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4.
Exchange Programs & Other Opportunities

4.1. Exchanges with the Universités de Bordeaux-III & Paris-VIII:
We have exchange programs with l'Université de Paris-VIII and with l'Université de Bordeaux . Students who have completed the MA and are native English speakers are eligible to apply to this program, which entails teaching English to French university students for one academic year. Students who have not completed their PhD. coursework will be required to audit at least one French university course, and to write at least one seminar-like paper based on the course audited. These papers will be credited as 599 courses, for both unit and coverage requirements, upon the student's return (4 units per paper, 8 units maximum). Based on the subject matter and in conference with the DGS, the units will count as courses within or outside the department.

Participants in the exchange programs are responsible for their own housing and health insurance, but will receive advice from returning exchange students. ( Note: participants are required to write a brief report of their experiences. Ask to see the folder of reports from former exchange students, on file in the office.) Our students have discovered that the cheapest source of the health insurance required for the student visa is through the International Student I.D. Program. For details, telephone 1-800-GET-AN-ID.

You must fill out a petition for an official Leave of Absence, and your year spent in this program IS counted in "normative time," as well as in the university's time limits for completion of the master's and doctoral degrees, 4 and 7 years respectively. For more information, see 6.2, Normative Time.

Those with student loans may have trouble convincing their lending institution that they are still in school when they are not actually registered, which is the case with the Leave of Absence. (The student loan authorities do recognize the Sorbonne and Paris-VIII as qualifying institutions; if you are registered there while in Paris , you will not be expected to start repaying loans.) The Department and the Graduate Division will be happy to write letters to your bank, on request. You may also want to investigate "In Absentia Registration." Under this system, you are still registered at UCSB, but pay slightly lower fees.

4.2. The Summer Institute of French Cultural Studies at Dartmouth College :
Depending on the availability of funds, an advanced graduate student will be selected to represent our Department at the Summer Institute of French Cultural Studies that take place at Dartmouth College every summer. Directed by Lawrence Kritzman (Pat and John Rosenwald Research Professor in Arts and Sciences at Dartmouth), the Institute examines the disciplinary boundaries and pedagogical practices in the foreign language classroom by pairing prominent scholars from a variety of fields and different institutions of higher learning from both sides of the Atlantic.

4.3 The Chateaubriand Fellowship:
American students who are advanced to candidacy are urged to apply for the Chateaubriand Fellowship, sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The fellowship enables students to conduct research in France 6-12 months. For details, go to:

http://www.frenchculture.org/education/support/

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5. THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE

5.1 Course of Study
Students are expected to complete the MA degree in 2 years. The Director of Graduate Studies will help you to arrange a schedule that meets all the requirements and prepares you for the MA exams.

5.1.1 The 8 "Areas"

In order to ensure comprehensive coverage of the broad spectrum of French literature and culture, our program's course offerings are organized into 8 "areas." These include the 6 traditional chronological periods (medieval, renaissance, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries) and two subject areas: Francophonie and Intellectual/Cultural history.

MA students are required to take seminars in 5 of the 6 chronological periods and to write papers in at least 4 of them. Note that the MA exam will cover the 6 chronological periods, so students are encouraged to take courses in all of these. Moreover, students planning to continue on for the PhD are encouraged to consider taking courses in as many of the 8 areas as possible. This will give them more flexibility later on, as coverage of all 8 areas is required for the PhD (see 6.3 below).

5.1.2 Required Units and Courseload Options

Students must take a minimum of 48 units of classwork (12 courses) for the MA. Units earned in French 500 (Apprentice Teaching) do not count toward the degree.

MA students have the option each quarter of taking either 2 graduate seminars and writing 2 papers (1 per seminar), or taking 3 seminars and writing only 1 paper. Students choosing the latter option must complete all coursework (reading, exposés, class discussion, exams) for all 3 seminars, and must make a commitment regarding the seminar for which they will write their 1 paper no later than the second week of classes. Classes in which papers are written must be taken for a letter grade; classes in which no papers are written must be taken on a pass/no pass basis. Note that students will not be able to choose the 3-course option every quarter, since they are required to write at least 9 papers during the 2-year MA program. (In other words, the 3-course/1-paper option can be done a maximum of 3 times.)

During the quarter that you will be taking the MA exams, you may sign up for 2 courses and write only 1 paper. Again, you must indicate in which class you will be writing the 1 paper no later than the second week of classes.

With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, you may take one graduate seminar outside the department that will count toward the 48 units required for the MA. You must concurrently take at least 1 seminar in the department, and must write papers in both.

5.1.3 Theory requirement

In addition to the "area" and unit requirements, students must take at least 1 seminar in literary theory, and write a paper in that course. Courses satisfying this requirement are: 276: Theory of Fantastic Lit.; 279: Contemporary Theory; 280J: Contemporary Criticism. At least one of these courses will be offered every 2 years.

5.2 Third Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate proficiency in a third language in addition to French and English. The minimum requirement for the MA is a third language chosen from among the Romance Languages, German, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic. This requirement can be satisfied by 1 year of college-level language with a minimum grade of B+ in the final quarter (you can audit the first 2 quarters), by a B+ or better in German 2G, by placing into level 5 or above on a foreign language Placement Exam (verification required), or by passing a written translation examination. Students planning to continue on for the PhD should also pursue the study of languages that may be specifically relevant to their area (for example, Latin, Greek, and/or Italian for the Renaissance).

5.3 Teaching requirement

Candidates for the MA must have completed at least 2 quarters as a TA, unless they successfully petition the Department for an exemption.

5.4 Bibliography Workshop Requirement
Incoming students must attend a bibliography and critical writing workshop in the fall, as well as a special tour of the Davidson Library's French resources.

5.5 Courses Outside the Department
MA students are limited to one graduate course outside the department, for credit toward the degree.

5.6 MA Reading List Information
The MA Reading List consists of approximately 7 major literary works for each of the 6 centuries covered in the MA course of study, and focus topics. Some of these works will be covered in your coursework; some you will need to read on your own. The MA exams will only draw upon works included in the MA Reading List. A copy of the MA Reading List can be found at the end of this handbook.

5.7 The MASTERS' Exams
The MA exams are taken at the end of the second year of study, in the 4th week of the Spring Quarter. In special circumstances they may be taken in Fall Quarter, but not in Winter. The exams consist of two mornings (Thursday & Friday) of written exams, followed approximately 3 weeks later by a 30-minute oral exam. All portions are in French. The student must pass the written exams before taking the oral. Exam questions from previous years are available for consultation and photocopying in the main office. (Note: there is no guarantee that the format will be exactly identical to previous years. However, it will conform to the guidelines below and to the reading list. The exam committee will try to ensure that students are tested on every century/period and every text from the list.) The format is as follows:

Day 1: Textual Analysis (2 hours) and Synchronic Question (2 hours) (total: 4 hours)
Textual Analysis: Students choose from 3-4 passages representing different periods and genres, and write on one (2 hours).
Synchronic Question: Students choose one century from the 3-4 proposed, and formulate and answer their own question, based on the 3-4 authors listed for the given century.

Day 2: Diachronic Question (3 hours)
Students choose one question from the 2-3 proposed, and answer it, discussing at least 3 of the authors proposed (2 hours).
Dictionaries are permitted; other texts are not. No notes permitted.
The exams will be graded by a 3-member MA Exam Committee, appointed by the Chair each fall. Each of the 3 written sections of the exams will be graded pass/fail only. If a student fails one portion of the written exam, (s)he will be asked to retake that section the following quarter (excluding summer quarter). If a student fails 2 sections of the written exam, (s)he will be asked to retake the entire exam the following quarter. All sections of the written exam must be passed before taking the oral. If a student fails the oral exam, (s)he may retake it up to two more times at two-week intervals. One may attempt the oral exam three times; thereafter the MA Exam Committee will make decisions on an individual basis.

M.A. Oral Exam
For the oral exam, each student meets with the 3-person MA exam committee for approximately 40 min., to discuss written exam answers or respond to other questions about the written exam. The committee will give guidelines on which aspects of your exam to review and/or enhance for the oral.

5.8.1 Continuation to the PhD

Although students admitted into the MA program are conditionally admitted into the PhD program, continuation to the PhD is by no means automatic upon completion of the MA. Continuation is by invitation only, and is competitive.

5.8.2 Acceleration from MA to PH.D
In exceptional cases, the department may elect to invite outstanding MA/PhD candidates (for example, students with an MA in a related field from an outside institution who clearly perform at the doctoral level) to enter the PhD program at the end of winter quarter of their first year in the program. In such cases, students will be asked by the Department Chair, after receiving unanimous support from the faculty, to take the Pre-Qualifying exam no later than the spring of their second year in the program. These students will then follow the PhD guidelines for those entering the PhD program with the MA from another institution.
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6. THE PHD PROGRAM


6.1 Admission

Our department has no separate MA program; all students admitted into the MA program are conditionally admitted into the PhD program as well. Thus, for the purposes of applying for fellowships, all graduate students in our department are considered to be PhD students. However, for academic purposes, continuation beyond the MA degree is by invitation only, based on academic record. Completion of the MA program with distinction is a prerequisite for admission to the PhD program. Coursework, the MA exam, and fulfillment of TA duties will all be taken into consideration.

6.2 Normative Time
At UCSB, "normative time" is the number of years department faculty believe reasonable for a full-time student, entering under normal circumstances, to complete the PhD. As of Fall 1999, normative time is as follows:
** 7 years for those who earn the MA at UCSB (2 years for the MA plus 5 for the PhD)
** 6 years for those who entered with an MA from another institution
In addition, the university has its own "time to degree" limits: 4 years for the MA and 7 years for the PhD, with the possibility of a one-year "grace period." The year abroad is counted in normative time.

Note: For ALL PhD students, there is a 4-year time limit for advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. (See 10.0 "Advancement to Candidacy,"). However, we expect that students entering with the MA from another institution will advance more rapidly than this, and probably complete the degree before reaching normative time. (See "P-3 Status," below.) Again, for students earning the MA at UCSB, the 2 years spent in the MA program are counted in these 4 years; such students must complete their exams and advance to candidacy by the end of their second year beyond the MA. Students who are beyond normative time cannot be considered for campus fellowships.

Normative Time

A. For those earning the MA at UCSB
2 years MA work, UCSB
2 years to advance to candidacy
2-3 years for thesis
(1 year abroad)
6-7years

B. For those entering with the MA from another institution
2 1/3 years to advance to candidacy
2-3 years for thesis
(1 year abroad)
4 1/3-6 years


6.2.1 Normative Time and Employment

Students who are beyond normative time can only be employed on campus if an exception is granted by the Dean of the Graduate Division. Although University policy states that a student may be a TA for 12 quarters, exceptions to this policy are usually granted, up to an absolute maximum of 18 quarters. Summer teaching appointments are not counted in these calculations.

6.2.2 "P-3" Status

Students who have been advanced to candidacy for more than 9 quarters (3 years) are considered to be "P-3," and cannot be considered for campus fellowships. They can, however, be awarded TAships at the discretion of the department, within the guidelines outlined above.

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6.3 PhD Coursework & Requirements
The following guidelines reflect changes effective Fall 2003. These apply to students starting the MA/Ph.D. or the Ph.D. in Fall 2003. They also apply to students who have completed the MA in spring 2003 and are continuing in the Ph.D. program. Students admitted into the Ph.D. program prior to Fall 2003 have the choice of following the new or the old set of rules in their entirety.

6.3.1. Students with the M.A. from UCSB
.
Beyond the requirements for the MA , continuing students are required to complete 24 units of coursework for the PhD (2 seminars per quarter for one year). This number represents a minimum. Students are encouraged to take and/or audit other courses, both within and outside of the department, that match their interests and planned areas of specialization.

They are also required to complete coverage of all 8 areas (ie. the 6 centuries + Francophonie + Intellectual and Cultural History; see 5.1.1 above) and so must select their courses so as to fill any gaps that remain after completion of the MA. PhD students must have written papers in all 6 chronological periods; this number includes papers written at the MA level.
Finally, they must make sure to fulfill the requirements listed under 6.5, below.

6.3.2 Students with the M.A. from another institution.
Those students who earned the M.A. at another institution must pass 32 units of graduate seminars at UCSB (2 seminars per quarter for one year + one quarter), while also completing the requirements under 6.4 and 6.5, below. Once they have completed the 32 units, they are encouraged to continue taking seminars, but may also sign up for Directed Reading and Research (French 596) with the chair of their dissertation committee, until they have passed their exams. (Again, the university's absolute time limit for passing exams and advancing to candidacy is 4 years; however, the department's guidelines are stricter; see previous section on Normative Time.)

It is imperative that incoming students meet with the Director of Graduate Studies during their 1st quarter at UCSB in order to review their academic record and map out a program that will insure a grounding equivalent to UCSB's MA program.
Like continuing students, incoming students must have written papers on 4 different centuries and taken courses in the 4 remaining areas (ie. 2 centuries, plus Francophonie and Intellectual and Cultural History). They must also have covered the department's requirements in Old French and literary theory. Most of this work will be done at UCSB. But a limited number of course exemptions will be allowed. See 2.6.

6.4 Prequalifying Exam (for students with the M.A. from another institution)

All students who enter the doctoral program with an M.A. degree from another institution must take the Pre-qualifying Exam at the end of their first year in the program. This is a one-hour oral exam, taken in the 3rd week of Spring Quarter, and prepared in the following way:
At the beginning of exam week winter quarter of their first year, incoming PhD students will be given a list of 3 short works from different genres and periods. From this list, which will not include any texts taught in seminars during the preceding fall and winter quarters, students will select one text on which they will prepare a 20-minute oral exposé to be presented to the faculty exam committee during the 3rd week of Spring quarter. Students will then be expected to field follow-up questions from the committee members. The committee members will grade the exam on a pass/fail basis. Permission to continue in the Ph.D. program is contingent upon success in the Oral Pre-Qualifying Exam (along with good results in coursework and teaching). This exam may not be retaken. The list of texts will change annually.

6.5. Further Requirements for ALL Ph.D. students

1. Documented proficiency in a third language (see 5.2 above).
2. Old French. May be satisfied by French 206 or an equivalent course elsewhere, or by passing the final exam for French 206 with a grade of B or better. (Note: This course does not satisfy the century requirement for medieval literature.)
3. One course in literary theory (in addition to the one required for the MA).
4. 2 courses/quarter, writing 1 paper in each, until required units completed. (Note that PhD candidates may take up to two graduate courses outside the department, upon consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. See section 3.3.)
5. At least one paper must be written in English, even if your native language is not English
6. 3 quarters' experience as a TA (be sure to sign up for 4 units of French 500 [Apprentice Teaching] every quarter that you are a TA).
7. Successful completion of the Comprehensive and Field exams, described in 7 below.

6.6 Adding an Emphasis

6.6.1 Minor Emphasis
In designing their program of study at UCSB, PhD students are encouraged to select a sub-field that intersects with and reinforces their area of study within the discipline. Such choices might include visual culture, cultural and social theory, epistemology, anthropology, women's studies, medieval studies, rhetoric, intellectual history, etc. While not mandatory, incorporating a sub-field into students' graduate program of study has several benefits: to provide a focus in the preparation of the field exam lists (which imply mastery of at least one subfield; see 7.2.3, below); to encourage a more coherent choice of seminars taken outside the department (currently a maximum of 3 for PhD candidates beginning the MA program at UCSB);and to offer a secondary emphasis that will make students even more attractive candidates in the current academic marketplace, where interdisciplinarity and flexibility are considered especially desirable traits.

The Women's Studies Program and the Medieval Studies Program each offer an interdisciplinary doctoral emphasis open to students in our department.

6.6.2 The Doctoral Emphasis in Women's Studies
Women's Studies doctoral emphasis students are required to successfully complete four seminars that will enhance their understanding of feminist pedagogy, feminist theory, and topics relevant to the study of women, gender and/or sexuality. Students pursuing the emphasis in Women's Studies will successfully complete four graduate courses. Only one may be taken in the student's home department.

  1. Issues in Feminist Epistemology and Pedagogy (Women's Studies 270/Fall). A one quarter seminar that considers Women's Studies as a distinct field. It offers an interdisciplinary exploration of feminist theories of knowledge production and teaching practices.
  2. Special Topics in Women's Studies (594AA-ZZ). A one quarter seminar offered by a Women's Studies faculty member on topics of central concern to the field of Women's Studies. Or Research Practicum (Women's Studies 280/Winter). A cross-disciplinary seminar in which fundamental questions in contemporary feminist research practice are considered in light of students' own graduate projects. Students may fulfill the Area 2 requirement by taking either a Special Topics Seminar or the Research Practicum.
  3. Feminist Theories . A one quarter graduate seminar in feminist theory offered by any department, including Women's Studies.
  4. Topical Seminar. A one quarter graduate seminar outside the student's home department that addresses topics relevant to the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality.

For more information, please visit the website at: http://www.womst.ucsb.edu/

 6.6.3 The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Emphasis in European Medieval Studies

The interdisciplinary Ph.D. emphasis in Medieval Studies is designed primarily for Ph.D. candidates specializing in European and Mediterranean cultures (roughly 500-1500), although students focusing on other medieval cultures may also participate if they fulfill the requirements. For relations to existing majors, course and dissertations requirements, and all other pertinent information, please visit the website at the following URL: www.medievalstudies.ucsb.edu

6.6.4 Optional Emphasis in Applied Linguistics:

Applied Linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of research and instruction that provides theoretical and descriptive foundations for the empirical investigation and solution of language-related issues, especially those of language education and issues of bilingualism and biliteracy, language policy, language assessment, translation and interpretation, lexicography, rhetoric and composition. Students who demonstrate competence in these areas increase their opportunities for employment, as many job descriptions indicate a preference for candidates with an emphasis in applied linguistics or second language acquisition. Also, with the ever-increasing number of second language learners at the K-12 levels, it is essential for all teachers and educational researchers to have a fundamental understanding of language learning and teaching theories and practices.

Students who petition to add the emphasis must fulfill the following requirements in addition to the requirements for the PhD. in their home department:
(1) a minimum of two courses taken from the core group of applied linguistics courses, which provide them with the basics of linguistics, second language acquisition theories, second/foreign language teaching methodologies, and practical applications of theory to teaching (Second Language Acquisition Theory and Research; Second Language Teaching Methodology; Foreign/Second Language Teaching Practicum; Topics in Applied Linguistics); (2) a minimum of two courses in one of five sub-areas (Linguistics, Discourse, Second Language Acquisition; Language and Society, Socio-cultural Perspectives, Multilingualism and Multiliteracy; Language, Literacy and Composition Studies; Language and Cognition, Psycholinguistics; Language Acquisition Using Technology); (3) required independent study (4 units), taken with the student's advisor, leading to a research paper describing theoretical, empirical, or applied work in applied linguistics.

In addition to the course and unit requirements described above (including the research paper), a PhD. qualifying examination (or a separate exam) will test the student's knowledge within the applied linguistics emphasis. At least one faculty member of the applied linguistics program shall participate in the qualifying (or separate) examination.
For additional information consult the website: http://www.appliedlinguistics.ucsb.edu/

 Please note that these three doctoral emphases have their own course and programmatic requirements. Our students should keep in mind that they are limited to 2 courses outside the department until they have fulfilled all departmental course requirements. Additional courses outside the department may be taken after advancement to candidacy.


7. Ph.D. Exams

New protocol, effective Fall, 2003. Note: students can petition the department to take exams earlier than scheduled.

7.1 The Comprehensive Exam.

7.1.1 Timing. The topic and master reading list for the Comprehensive Exam will be chosen by the faculty and announced at the end of fall quarter for the following academic year. (Thus, for example, the topic and list for the 2006-2007 Comprehensive Exam will be announced at the end of the Fall 2005 quarter.) Continuing students will take the exam no later than exam week in Fall Quarter of their second year, followed by an oral in the 2nd week of winter quarter. Incoming PhD students will take the exam no later than the first week of Spring Quarter of their second year, followed by an oral in the 4th week of the quarter. The student's personalized reading list (see below) must be submitted for approval no later than the first week of the quarter in which the exam is to be taken.

7.1.2 Reading List.
The topic and master reading list will be set by the Comprehensive Exam Committee (CEC) in consultation with the entire faculty. The list will consist of 30-35 works, including literary works from all historical periods and a selection of secondary works.
The master reading list will be quite long, consisting of:

From this list, the student will make selections, designing his/her own personalized list, as follows:
1) The theoretical bibliography, which is meant to define and frame the exam topic, is required of all students, in its entirety.
2) From the list of literary works, the students will select a total of 30-35 literary works, with each century represented by at least 5 works.
3) The recommended critical readings are not a required part of the student's personalized list. Nonetheless, it is strongly recommended that students familiarize themselves with these readings as they will help students to deepen their understanding of the literary works and the socio-cultural environment of each period.

Drafts of this personalized list should be submitted to the graduate advisor early enough so that it can be vetted by the comprehensive exam committee and modified, if necessary, so that the final version of the list is ready for approval by the first week of Fall quarter.

7.1.3 Writing the Exam. At the beginning of the week set aside for the exam, the Exam Committee will provide the student with a list of 3-5 questions, based on the previously assigned reading list and topic. The student will select one of these questions, and take one week to write a 15-20-page essay, in French, in response to the chosen question. He/she must make sure to cover four of the six historical periods in the essay.

7.1.4 The Oral Component of the Exam. An oral follow-up will be scheduled in the second week of winter quarter. The purpose of the oral is to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the written exam and to give the candidate a chance to expand/explain the written exam, in response to questions from the exam committee.

7.1.5 Retaking the Exam. In the event that the written exam is deemed unsatisfactory, the student is allowed to re-take the exam, based on the same reading list and topic, the following quarter and with a similar timetable. Students are allowed to re-take the exam only once.

7.2 The Field Exam

7.2.1. Timing. Soon after successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam, the student will meet with the DGS to talk about his/her field of specialization and the constitution of the Field Exam Committee. The Field exam must be taken no later than the 2nd quarter after the written part of the Comprehensive Exam is taken. For continuing students, this means no later than spring quarter of the second year. For students with the MA from elsewhere, this means no later than fall quarter of the third year (summer counts as a quarter).(See "PhD Courseloads and Exam Timetables," below). In exceptional cases, and only if all members of the Field Exam Committee (FEC) agree and will be present, the Field Exam may be taken in summer. Six weeks before the exam is scheduled, the student submits the necessary material (prospectus, reading list, cover letter, form) to the FEC.

7.2.2 Procedure. The Field Exam consists of a 2-hour oral based on a 8-10 page (double-spaced) dissertation prospectus and a 3-part reading list. The student works with the Field Exam Committee to define the topic of the dissertation and to draft the reading list. When these are approved by the FEC, the student submits the following to the Grad Studies Committee for approval, no later than six weeks before the exam:
a. Prospectus
b. Three-part reading list
c. Short cover letter (one pg. maximum, giving the rationale for the reading list and justifying the relationship between its parts)
d. Form signed by the FEC, approving prospectus and reading list

7.2.3 Reading List.

The Reading List should be divided into 3 parts, as follows:
a. The specific project (20 works). A reasonable list of the primary and secondary sources that define the central issues specific to the dissertation project. It is expected that secondary sources will outnumber primary sources in this list.

b. The broader field (8 to 10 works). The purpose of the second part of the list is to ensure that the student is reasonably familiar, in breadth and depth, with the broader field from which the dissertation project emerges. This section could focus, for example, on the literature of a traditional historical period, the area with which the student will identify as a specialist, an area such as Francophone literature and culture, or a justified hybrid between traditional and emergent fields, such as literature and cinema in the 20th century. Students should be prepared to answer specific questions about any work listed.

c. Neighboring topic (8 to 10 works). The third part of the list is organized around a historical, theoretical, generic or other topic that relates closely to the first two lists. (Example: if the dissertation topic is literature and dance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a list composed of primary and theoretical works on time, movement and/or performance might be germane to the dissertation.) Although this area of inquiry may overlap with or be the extension of the first two parts of the reading list, it should be recognizably different. Like the first 2 parts, its purpose is to help the student establish the necessary broad-based, scholarly foundation for writing a successful dissertation.

7.2.4 Dissertation Prospectus. The prospectus describes the dissertation project. It should provide an idea of its arguments, address its methodology, situate the project within existing scholarly trends, define the new grounds of its arguments and offer some concrete details as an illustration of its arguments.

7.2.5 Retaking the Field Exam. In the event that the exam is deemed unsatisfactory, the student is allowed to re-take it, based on the same reading lists and topics, the following quarter and with a similar timetable. Students are allowed to re-take the exam only once.


7.3 PhD Courseloads & Exam Timetables

7.3.1 For Those with the MA from UCSB

Year 1 in PhD Program
End of Fall Quarter : next year's topic & reading list (30-35 works) for the Comprehensive Exam announced by faculty, with input from grads.(Lists will thus have certain standardized elements + individualized elements.) Continuing students take 2 courses per quarter, FWS, or until they have completed the required 24 units beyond the MA's 48 units.

Year 2 in PhD Program: No more required coursework
Fall Quarter , exam week: Comprehensive Exam: receive list of 3-5 questions on Monday; turn in 15-20-pg. paper on one of them the following Monday, by noon .
Winter Quarter , 2 nd week: oral follow-up to written exam
Meet with Grad Advisor to discuss area of interest & select 3-person Field Exam committee (probably the same as dissertation committee), begin defining topic and compiling reading list
Spring Quarter
Week 3-4 :

1. Student completes 8-10-pg. dissertation prospectus
2. Student completes 3 reading lists:

3. Student gets signature from Field Exam Committee, approving prospectus & reading list
4. Student submits to Grad Studies Committee:

Exam Week:
2-hour oral, based on prospectus & reading lists

Year 3 in PhD Program

Fall Quarter: Student is advanced to candidacy, if all exams completed in spring.
Student has 3 years remaining to complete thesis within normative time (through year 5 in PhD program, for a total of 7 years, counting the MA).

Students returning from a year abroad would count the year of their return as Year 1. Depending on how many courses they took abroad and the transfer of credits, they might be finished with coursework before the end of Year 1. The year abroad counts in normative time; thus those returning from abroad would have 2 years to complete the thesis within normative time , after completing the schedule of exams outlined above. The university allows a one-year "grace period" beyond normative time. Though not encouraged, advanced students who are citizens or permanent residents always have the option of lapsing registered status, and paying a filing fee (currently ca. $120) when they file their dissertation.

7.3.2 For Those with the MA from another institution

Year 1 in PhD Program
Take 2 courses per quarter, FWS
Fall Quarter, Exam Week : next year's topic & reading list (30-35 works) for the Comprehensive Exam announced by faculty, with input from grads.(Lists will thus have certain standardized elements + individualized elements.)
Winter Quarter, Exam Week : receive list of 3 works for Prequalifying Exam, select one to read and prepare 20-min oral exposé.
Spring Quarter, 3 rd week: Prequalifying Exam (20-min. exposé, follow-up questions)

 Year 2 in PhD Program
Fall Quarter : Take 2 courses, for a total of 32 units beyond the MA
(One can petition to take the Comprehensive Exam in fall, along with those with the MA from UCSB. See that timetable, above, 7.3.1)
Spring Quarter
Week 1 : Comprehensive Exam : receive list of 3-5 questions on Monday; turn in 15-20-pg. paper on one of them the following Monday, by noon .
Week 4 : oral follow-up to written exam
Meet with Grad Advisor to discuss area of interest & select 3-person Filed Exam Committee (probably the same as dissertation committee), begin defining topic and compiling reading list.

Year 3 in PhD Program
Fall Quarter, Weeks 3-4:
1. Student completes 8-10-pg. dissertation prospectus
2. Student completes 3 reading lists:

3. Student gets signature from Field Exam Committee, approving prospectus & reading list
4. Student submits to Grad Studies Committee:

Exam Week: 2-hour oral, based on prospectus & reading lists

Winter Quarter: Student is advanced to candidacy, if all exams completed.
Student has 3 years + 2 quarters remaining (11 quarters) to complete thesis within normative time (through year 6 in PhD program).
Note: the year abroad counts in Normative Time. The university allows a one-year "grace period" beyond normative time. Though not encouraged, advanced students who are citizens or permanent residents always have the option of lapsing registered status, and paying a filing fee (currently ca. $120) when they file their dissertation.


8. Other Considerations for Advanced Students
Approaching the Dissertation

8.1 Choosing a Ph.D. Committee
Students should begin thinking about their field(s) of specialization and their dissertation topic as soon as possible. Based on these considerations, students with the M.A. from UCSB should be ready to choose a Ph.D. committee by Fall quarter of their 1st year in the doctoral program. Those with the M.A. from another institution should be prepared to do so by the end of Spring quarter of their first year in the program. The committee will be comprised of three faculty members from the Department, with an optional fourth member from another UCSB department.

8.2 Changing Dissertation Topic
The focus of your thesis will naturally evolve as you progress in your research. However, a radical change in topic (different century, different genre) will require retaking one or both of the qualifying exams. Your committee and the Graduate Studies Committee will determine what is required.

8.3 Advancement to Candidacy
When required coursework and written and oral exams are successfully completed, the student is advanced to doctoral candidacy, effective the following quarter. This entails payment of an advancement to candidacy fee (approximately $65).
Once advanced to candidacy, you are no longer obligated to take formal classes, but must register for 8-12 units of French 599: Dissertation and Research Preparation, and, if you are a TA, 4 units of French 500 (Apprentice Teaching), for a total of 12 units. International students, once advanced to candidacy, have 3 years (9 semesters) of reduced nonresident tuition (one-fourth of the current full rate). They must finish their dissertations before this period expires; the Department cannot pay NRT beyond that point.

9. Writing the Dissertation

Doctoral candidates may write their theses in English or in French. It is imperative that they meet regularly with the chair of their dissertation committee, for support and guidance, and to ensure that they are pursuing a productive line of inquiry. Researching and writing the doctoral thesis should not take more than 2-3 years. Anything beyond that is considered beyond "normative time," and fee offset support (DCFOP) will be withdrawn (see 6.2, Normative Time). Soon after Advancement to Candidacy, the student must submit to his/her committee a 10-12 page prospectus, with bibliography, describing the thesis topic.

The Center for Academic Skills Enrichment (CASE) has staff to assist graduate students with the writing of their theses. The Graduate Division gives guidelines on the final format of the thesis. (It is especially important to verify required margins before photocopying hundreds of pages.) For details, consult the Guide to Filing Theses and Dissertations at UCSB, available on the Grad Division website. You may file your dissertation during a quarter when you are not a registered student, but to do so you must pay a filing fee equal to one-half of the registration fee.

Candidates may continue to work as Teaching Assistants while writing their thesis, as long as adequate progress is being made. There are, however, certain limits set by the university on the number of quarters a student may hold a TA-ship (see 11.1 below).

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10. FINANCIAL SUPPORT

10.1 Teaching Assistantships
Teaching assistantships are the chief source of financial support to our graduate students. For 2005-2006, a TAship pays $1,619 per month (before taxes) for 9 months ($14,572 annually), plus health insurance. Please note that paychecks are issued at the end of the pay period. Thus, your first paycheck will not arrive until Nov. 1; the last paycheck arrives July 1. With a TAship, it is possible to defer payment of fees until the arrival of your first paycheck. Make sure to request a deferral letter from the Graduate Program Assistant. Also, in emergencies, it is possible to borrow against your first paycheck. See 11.9, "emergency loans."

The university limits TAships to 12 quarters, with exceptions allowed up to a maximum of 18 quarters. (Summer TAships are not counted in this tally.) Renewal of TAships is based on academic and pedagogical performance. Note: if a student's GPA falls below 3.0, his/her TAship will be withdrawn, according to university policy, which supersedes any departmental contracts for a one-year TAship.

10.1.1 TA Fee Offset
The TA fee offset pays the education and registration fees. (It does NOT pay nonresident tuition.) The student is still responsible for miscellaneous fees, which total approximately $197 per quarter in 2005-06.

10.2 Other Employment
Other employment may be available in the Department, through faculty research grants or readerships. TAships for large upper-division classes may be available for advanced graduate students. For domestic students, any additional employment beyond a 50% TAship must be approved by the Graduate Division, which will want assurances that you are making good progress to the degree. For foreign students, employment beyond 50% is only possible during holidays, spring break, and summer.

Graduate students may also be invited to teach during UCSB's Summer session, on a competitive basis. Please note that Summer TAships are subject to 9% FICA withholding, like most forms of employment in the U.S. (This is not the case, however, for TAships during the regular school year. Regular TA salary is "sheltered" from FICA because TA's are considered primarily as students, not employees.)

10.3 The FAFSA
All domestic students who wish to be considered for any kind of financial aid, including TAships, fellowships, and loans, must file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every year, between Jan. 1 and March 2. You can obtain paper applications in the Financial Aid Office, or can fill out the form online, at www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Students who do not file the FAFSA by March 2 will not receive priority consideration for need-based aid.

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10.4 Campus Fellowships
The Graduate Division's website is the best source for information on both university and extramural fellowships. See http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/financial*. Consideration for most fellowships is dependent upon being nominated by the department's Admissions and Fellowships Committee, but certain dissertation-related fellowships can be applied for by the student. You are urged to take the initiative and search the Graduate Division's website, as described above.
Recipients of some UCSB fellowships (including Chancellor's, Regents, Humanities Special, Doctoral Scholars) have campus employment restrictions: the department may offer them one quarter of TAship only (considered 50% employment), with the option of an additional 25% position during another quarter. Such offers are at the discretion of the department.
Students who are beyond normative time or have P-3 status cannot be considered for university fellowships.

10.4.1 Department Fellowships
The Pierre and Geneviève Delattre Memorial Fellowship and the Jean Belin Fellowship may be awarded to incoming or continuing students at the discretion of the department's Admissions and Fellowships committee, on the basis of merit. The amount of the award varies from year to year. Pierre Delattre was a world-renowned phonetician who taught in the department from 1964 to 1969; Geneviève Delattre was a distinguished Balzac scholar, active in the department from 1964-1986. The Jean Belin Fellowship was introduced in 2005-06 by the family of the late Jean Belin, French scientist, local francophone and supporter of the arts.

10.5 Extramural Fellowships
Advanced students are strongly encouraged to compete for extramural fellowships. The Graduate Division's website is the best source of information on Extramural Fellowships: http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/source Again, take the initiative and search the database for appropriate sources of funding.

American students who are advanced to candidacy are urged to apply for the Chateaubriand Fellowship , sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The fellowship enables students to conduct research in France 6-12 months. For details, go to:http://www.frenchculture.org/education/support/

10.6 Nonresident Tuition Fellowships
We have very limited funding for nonresident tuition fellowships, made available to us by the Graduate Division. Awards may be made for full or partial payment of nonresident tuition, on a year-to-year basis. Tuition fellowships cover nonresident tuition costs only; recipients must still pay university fees (registration fee, education fee, health insurance if not covered by a TAship). Tuition fellowships are awarded primarily to domestic out-of-state applicants (US citizens or permanent residents), who are expected to take steps immediately upon their arrival at UCSB to establish California residency. If the proper steps are taken, residency becomes effective one year later.

For international students (who cannot establish California residency) there is a reduction in non-resident tuition fees after you have advanced to candidacy. The fee will be reduced by 75% (you will pay 25%) for up to 3 years from the date of advancement to candidacy. If you have not completed the degree within 3 years of advancement, non-resident tuition will revert to 100%, for which you will be responsible.

10.7 Fellowship Payment
Most university fellowships will be credited directly to your BARC account, in 3 equal installments, at the beginning of the 3 quarters of the academic year. If there is a surplus after all fees have been paid, you may receive a stipend check, available shortly before the beginning of the quarter. International students, pick up your first check in Accounting, where you will sign a citizenship statement. All other checks are available at the Cashier's Office, 1212 SAASB.

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10.8 Taxes
Fellowships that are paid directly for tuition and fees are not considered taxable income. Stipends used for other purposes are taxable income. Thus a student receiving a fellowship which includes a stipend, the payment of fees, and tuition, will pay taxes only on the stipend. A student receiving a stipend from which he or she is expected to pay fees and tuition will subtract those items and pay taxes on the remainder. Nonresident tuition fellowships, fee offsets, and travel grants are not taxable.

TA salaries are taxable. The amount you pay for tuition, fees, books, and course materials may not be deducted from this salary for tax purposes.

For international students, the University is required to withhold taxes at a rate of 14% for federal taxes and 5% for state taxes. All international students must bring their passports and complete a "statement of citizenship" at the Accounting office (301 Student Affairs Bldg.) at the beginning of fall quarter and again after Jan. 1, for the new calendar year. If you are from one of the countries listed below, which have tax treaties with the U.S., you can avoid having some of the 14% federal tax withheld. (For students from France, the first $2,000 that you earn per calendar year is exempt from withholding; the remainder is subject to withholding, but may be refunded when you file income tax forms in March-April.)

Countries with Tax Treaties with the United States:
Austria, Belgium, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Trinidad & Tobago, and the former USSR

10.9 Deferral of Payment of Fees
Teaching Assistants may defer payment of fees until they receive their first paycheck of the quarter. Request a letter from the Graduate Program Assistant, and take it to the Cashier's Office, 1212 Student Affairs Bldg. There is a $25 fee for deferrals.

10.9.1 Emergency Loans
Teaching Assistants can borrow against their first paycheck, starting on the first day of fall quarter. Request a letter from the Graduate Program Assistant confirming that you are a TA, and take it to the Financial Aid Office. They will lend you one month's TA salary, which is repaid in 3 installments, automatically deducted from your Nov. 1, Dec. 1, and Jan. 1 paychecks. A one percent interest fee is charged. Other small emergency loans may be available through the Alumni Association. If you have financial problems, you can discuss them with the Graduate Program Assistant.


11. Health Insurance and Student Health Services
Major medical health insurance is provided at no charge for all Teaching Assistants. For all other graduate students, enrollment in the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan is automatic and part of the registration process. Students who can show evidence of comparable outside health insurance coverage can be exempted from this fee. The health insurance begins on the first day of the fall quarter and continues for one year, if the student is enrolled for all 3 quarters. Spouses and dependents are eligible for enrollment in the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan, for a fee. Details and an application form are in the GSHIP handbook distributed at the beginning of fall quarter, or on the Student Health Services website:
http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/studenthealth/insurance/index.asp

For minor illnesses and injuries, go to the campus Student Health Service center. There is an annual deductible; after it is met, basic services are free for the rest of the plan year. A co-payment is charged for the eye clinic, the dental clinic, and physical therapy. For details, consult the website listed above, the SHS brochure or call 893-3371. Except in emergencies, you should go to the SHS center first; they will refer you elsewhere if necessary. If you are outside of a 50-mile radius of Santa Barbara, you can seek medical attention wherever available, but you must notify SHS no later than 72 hours (3 days) after receiving treatment, if the expenses are to be covered by your health insurance policy. For local emergencies or for major medical problems, your policy covers treatment at Goleta Valley Community Hospital and at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Again, notify SHS within 72 hours if you sought attention elsewhere.

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last update CN 10/10/2006