Ph.D. Program

Course requirements

Upon entering the program, students will choose a specialization in either literature or linguistics. The specific details of each student’s program will be developed in consultation with the graduate adviser and/or mentor with the following general requirements.
The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 48 units, chosen in consultation with the graduate adviser. 

Literature students will take the following courses:

SPA 203 (Research Methodology)- for those entering the program in Fall 2025 and those who have not completed SPA 203 already, there is no longer a SPA 203 requirement but a 1st year requirement of 2 workshops or trainings.
SPA 390-The teaching of Spanish in College (to be eligible for TA employment)
4 units: SPA 201 (Literary Theory I) 
4 units: SPA 202 (Literary Theory II) 
8 units: Two Linguistics courses – chosen from SPA 205-217, 291
16 units: Four courses in literary and cultural studies, balanced thematically and geographically, selected from SPA 200-level seminars in consultation with the Graduate Advisor.
8 units: Two courses in the track (Linguistics or Literature) selected from any course between SPA 222-285.
8 units: Other electives at the graduate level taken generally within the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and chosen with the approval of the Graduate Advisor.
48 units total 

Linguistics students will take the following courses:

SPA 203 (Research Methodology)- for those entering the program in Fall 2025 and those who have not completed SPA 203 already, there is no 203 requirement but a 1st year requirement of 2 workshops or trainings.
SPA 390-The teaching of Spanish in College (to be eligible for TA employment)8 units: Two Literature courses 
4 units: SPA 205 (Spanish Phonology)
4 units:  SPA 206 (Spanish Syntax) or LIN 231
4 units: SPA 207 (History of the Spanish Language)
4 units: SPA 212 (Applied Linguistics)
8 units: Two elective linguistics graduate seminars within the Spanish dept.
16 units: Four elective graduate seminars
44 units total 

Foreign language requirements

As early as possible, Ph.D. students will demonstrate competence in reading comprehension in two languages other than English and Spanish (Portuguese is one of them) which are pertinent to the student’s research. The language requirement must be fulfilled before the qualifying exam. 

Portuguese Requirement

  • Students will demonstrate competency in Portuguese (by taking POR 31 or POR 1-2-3 and receiving a satisfactory grade (B+ or higher). 

    or

  • Students will demonstrate more advanced competency in Portuguese by taking POR 31 or POR 1-2-3, and one additional Portuguese course chosen from: 
    • intermediate Portuguese language (POR 21, 22, or 23),
    • a 100-level Portuguese seminar 
    • a graduate-level seminar focused on Portuguese
    • or a Portuguese-focused independent study with a qualified faculty member. Students must receive a B+ or higher in these courses. 

Students will demonstrate competency in one other language that is relevant to their research and professional goals in one of the following ways:

  • Completion of an elementary language course or course sequence, offered at UC Davis, through UC Online, and so on, with a grade of B+ or higher;
  • Completion of an elementary language course or course sequence, with a grade of B+ or higher, prior to enrollment in the program;
  • Demonstrated fluency in or heritage language knowledge of the language, provided it is relevant to the student’s research. 

Students are strongly encouraged to begin their language courses in the first year of the program. 

 

 

Residence requirement

Ph.D. students must be in residence for a minimum of six regular quarters of full-time enrollment (12 units per quarter). Two six-week summer sessions may be counted as the equivalent of one regular quarter for purposes of satisfying this requirement. A minimum of two units must be taken in each summer session.

Designated emphases

Spanish graduate students may participate in a Designated Emphasis (DE), a specialization that might include a new method of inquiry or an important field of application which is related to their existing Ph.D. program. The Designated Emphasis is awarded in conjunction with the Ph.D. degree and is signified by a transcript designation; for example, “Ph.D. in Spanish with a Designated Emphasis in Critical Theory.”

Students interested in completing a DE in conjunction with their Ph.D. program should submit the Application for Designated Emphasis. The form is available from the graduate program assistant and must be signed by the student, the
student’s graduate advisor and the chair of the DE. The student must be admitted to the DE prior to taking the qualifying exam.

Students must complete all the requirements for the Spanish program, as well as the courses required for the selected DE (see the following list of DE requirements). A faculty member representing the DE must serve on the student’s qualifying exam committee and dissertation committee. The student will be examined on the DE as part of the qualifying exam.

Specific questions about DE requirements should be addressed to the staff contact or DE chair.   All DEs require that the students' dissertation research topic incorporates the area of the DE. Students must have a DE representative on both the Qualifying Exam and the Dissertation committee.

Reading lists

Literature Specialization

Students of literary and cultural studies are required to construct individualized reading lists that incorporate the following three fields:

Reading Lists: Students of literary and cultural studies are required to construct individualized reading lists that incorporate the following fields:

  1. Depth Field (Specialization):

    This field may be defined in terms of region/nation, period, genre, and/or theme (see below for definitions of these terms). This section of the reading list will often reflect a student’s area of research without being merely a basic bibliography of the dissertation, but instead defining an entire field of study. No more than half of the works on this list may be taken directly from the student’s dissertation prospectus. 

    Region/nation may include any – or any combination – of the following: Spain, Portugal, Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, Central America, the Caribbean, the Latino US, the Andes, Southern Cone, Transatlantic Hispanic, Lusophone world. Additional regions or variations on those listed above should be made in consultation with the Major Professor. and the Qualifying Exam Chair. 

    Periods will normally consist of any – or any combination – of the following: Medieval Iberia, Early Modern Iberia, 18th/19th century Iberia, 20th/21st century Iberia, Colonial Latin America, 19th Century Latin America, 20th century Latin America, contemporary Latin America; any divergences from these periodic divisions should be made in consultation with the Major Professor.   

    Genres may include: poetry, prose fiction, essay, crónica, testimonio, graphic narrative, cinema or other forms of visual culture, autobiography/memoir or any other genres relevant to the student’s research, in any combination, selected in consultation with the Major Professor.  

    Themes should ideally expand upon the topic to be covered in the student’s prospectus/dissertation. For instance, for a dissertation project that proposes to examine the representation of indigenous subjectivities in contemporary Central American fiction, a student may choose to select a depth field focused on the representation of indigeneity in contemporary Latin American fiction, or the representation of indigeneity from throughout the history of Central American literary expression. A theme should be selected in consultation with the Major professor. 

    This list should consist of a minimum of 30-40 works of literature (or of nonliterary cultural production, such as film, where appropriate). In addition to these works, appropriate theory, criticism and/or literary/cultural history may be included in this field. 

  2. Breadth Field 
    This much more general field should cover Iberia or Latin America (in its entirety) and encompass at least three periods and/or at least three genres. A transatlantic/transoceanic approach to this field is also possible. This list should be made in consultation with the student’s Major Professor and the Qualifying Exam Chair, and after consulting sample lists filed in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese in the office of the Graduate Program Coordinator.  

    This list should consist of a minimum of 30-40 works of literature (or of nonliterary cultural production, such as film, where appropriate). In addition to these works, appropriate theory, criticism and/or literary/cultural history may be included in this field. 

  3. Optional Designated Emphasis 
    Students may apply to 1 or more Designated emphases (DE): Incorporation of appropriate DE readings into qualifying exams may be a requirement for the fulfillment of DE. Note that any student who wishes to obtain two DEs will need to include the second DE field as another reading list. DE reading lists should be constructed according to DE program requirements.

    All lists are subject to the approval of the student’s Major Professor and the Qualifying Exam Chair. Students should construct their lists using as a basis the lists available from the graduate program staff.

Linguistics Specialization

All Students: A copy of the reading list should be submitted to the graduate program coordinator for inclusion in the student’s academic file.

The written examination in linguistics will be based upon four fields: two from Group I, one from Group II and one from Group III, defined below. 

Group I (two fields):

  • Phonology/Dialectology
  • History of Spanish
  • Syntax/Grammar

Group II (one field):

  • Pragmatics
  • Semantics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • or any other field in linguistics (e.g. psycholinguistics, discourse analysis, etc.)

Group III (one field):

  • Applied Linguistics

A Qualifying Paper (QP) is an optional part of the written exam which replaces one of the fields for Linguistics student or one depth question for Literature students. The paper needs to conceptualize a research problem, situate the problem in an ongoing discussion in the field, and show awareness of different methodological avenues for addressing the problem. The paper should sustain an original and clear argument while integrating the knowledge of the topic in the field. The QP will be read by the examining committee and has to be submitted together with the dissertation prospectus

Dissertation proposal

Six weeks before the scheduled date for the qualifying exam, the student must present a dissertation prospectus to his or her exam committee members. A copy should also be submitted to the graduate program staff for inclusion in the student’s academic file. This proposal, although preliminary in nature, will outline the overall scope of the dissertation, will specify the theoretical approach, and will include an appropriate critical bibliography. The prospectus should be roughly 20-30 pages

Qualifying Exam

Application for Qualifying Exam
During the quarter prior to the Qualifying Exam the student, in consultation with his/her Major Professor and Graduate Advisor, nominates five faculty members to serve on his/her Examination Committee; the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) approves committees on a form, available in the graduate program coordinators office or on the OGS website.   This committee should consist of the faculty members that the student expects to have on his/her Dissertation Committee, and at least one member of the Examination Committee must be from outside the faculty membership of the program and at least three should be from the graduate program. In addition, if the student has completed a Designated Emphasis, at least one member of the Examination Committee must be affiliated with that DE program. The dissertation director may not act as Chair of the QE committee.

Students are encouraged to look at previous exams which are available from the graduate program coordinator.

The written examination will be administered in Spanish, although some parts of the exam (e.g. questions related to DEs) may be administered in English. Any question posed in Spanish should be answered in Spanish.

The written portion of the qualifying exam in literature will cover the depth, breadth, and third field areas covered in the student's approved reading lists. The exam will be given over the course of two eight hour days (with time allotted for a lunch break), and will consist of three questions the first day, and two the second day. While there is no prescribed length, answers will normally range from 12 to 20 typed pages per day (24 to 40 pages total). The student may not consult any notes or reference materials during the exam (currently not required)

Candidates in linguistics will be examined in four fields: two from Group I, one from Group II and one from Group III. The exam will consist of two questions in each field (8 questions).

  • Group I (two fields):
    Phonology/Dialectology
    History of Spanish
    Syntax
  • Group II (one field):
    Pragmatics
    Semantics
    Sociolinguistics
    or any other field in linguistics (e.g. psycholinguistics, discourse analysis, etc.)
  • Group III (one field):
    Applied Linguistics
  • Fourth Field Option: Students may opt for doing three areas of the written examination and fulfill the fourth area by presenting an original publishable quality paper in the field of their choice. This Qualifying Paper (QP) cannot be the same as the dissertation prospectus.  The QP needs to conceptualize a research problem, situate the problem in an ongoing discussion in the field, and show awareness of different methodological avenues for addressing the problem. The paper should sustain an original and clear argument while integrating the knowledge of the topic in the field. The QP will be read by the examining committee and has to be presented in advance together with the dissertation prospectus.

The oral portion of the qualifying exam, conducted in Spanish, will last a maximum of two hours and will cover both that candidate’s area of specialization and the broader fields of study as represented by the reading list.

At the conclusion of the oral exam, the committee will submit the results of the exam to Graduate Studies indicating all members who were in attendance or absent. There are four results the committee can make:

  • Pass (Note: Conditions may not be appended to a pass decision)
  • Not Pass; with the option to retake all or part of the examination within a specified time period, or to satisfy specific requirements.
  • Fail

No exam; if at any time during the examination the committee determines that the student is unable to continue the exam, whether due to illness or other extreme circumstances, the committee may judge the examination as “No Exam” and must notify Graduate Studies of their decision and the circumstances.

In cases where the committee reports a “Not Pass” or “Fail”, the chairperson of the exam shall inform the student of the right to appeal the committee’s decision for cause. The appeal should be directed to the Associate Dean of Students who will submit the matter to the Administrative Committee of the Graduate Council for review and recommendations.

In all cases, the chairperson of the exam committee is responsible for reporting the votes and supplying other information as required to the Graduate Council. In all cases, the Associate Dean of Students shall inform the student in writing of the results of the Qualifying Exam.

Upon recommendation of the qualifying exam committee and with the approval of the Graduate Council, a student who has not passed the exam may repeat the qualifying exam once. The exam must be held by the same committee except that members may be replaced, with the approval of the graduate adviser and the Associate Dean, for cause such as extended absence from campus. Failure to pass the exam on the second attempt means that the student is subject to disqualification from further study for the doctoral degree in that program.

After a second exam, a vote of Not Pass is unacceptable; only Pass or Fail is recognized by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Advancement to candidacy

Upon successful completion of the qualifying exam, the student is given an application for advancement to candidacy by the examining committee chair. The student, in consultation with their major professor, provides the names of the three faculty members who will serve on the dissertation committee. This committee is appointed to direct the student’s research and guide him/her in preparation of the dissertation. When the candidacy form is filled out and signed by the graduate adviser and major professor, the student submits the form to Graduate Studies. Students admitted to a Designated Emphasis must have the candidacy application approved by the director of the DE as well.

International students must be advanced to candidacy before the first day of the quarter to qualify for the Nonresident Tuition Reduction Fee.

Dissertation

A dissertation on a subject chosen by the candidate, bearing on the principal subject of study, and of such character as to show ability to prosecute independent investigation must be approved by the committee in charge of the dissertation and by the Graduate Council before the degree will be recommended. Special emphasis will be laid upon this requirement, and in no case will the degree be granted merely for the faithful completion of a course of study, however extensive.

The student, in consultation with his/her major professor, nominates three (or more) faculty members to serve on his/her Dissertation Committee. These nominations are submitted to the Chair of the Graduate Committee for program approval. Once approved at the program level, they are submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for formal approval in accordance with Graduate council policy. The major professor serves as Chair of the Dissertation Committee.

Detailed instructions on the format of the dissertation and abstract may be obtained at http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/filing.html. The candidate shall file with the Dean of Graduate Studies one copy of the dissertation approved by the committee in charge. There are forms that should be completed and submitted to Graduate Studies with the dissertation. Links to these forms can be found at the web address listed above.

Normal progress schedule

For an understanding of normal progress in the PhD degree, please see the Spanish PhD timeline.

Course load

Graduate students must enroll in 12 units each quarter to be considered full-time. In order to be eligible for fellowships or employment, graduate students must be registered full time. 

Part-time students are limited to no more than 6 units per quarter. Doctoral students advanced to candidacy are not eligible for part-time status. Apply for Part-Time Status

Teaching Assistants are expected to enroll in 12 units of course work while serving as a TA. To bring enrollment up to 12 units, professional development units (e.g., 390, 396, 397) can be used. Professional level courses (300s) do not contribute toward graduate seminar units required for the degree. 

Graduate Student Researchers must be enrolled in 12 units of course work while serving as a GSR. To bring enrollment up to 12 units, 299 units can be used.

How to arrange an independent study (299)

Students should not enroll in 299 until they have completed their required coursework.  Once the required coursework is completed, the student will typically enroll in SPA 299 with his or her Major Professor. These units can help students to achieve full-time status while studying for exams or writing the dissertation. To set up a 299, seek permission from the instructor and then complete the course enrollment form available through the graduate program coordinator. This form describes weekly contact hours and expectations of what will be completed during the quarter.  Once you have permission from the instructor, request the Course Registration Number (CRN) from the Graduate Program Coordinator in order to enroll via sisweb.

FAQ's

  • How do I petition to count a course from another university toward my PhD at UC Davis?
  • You may NOT apply for requirements to be substituted with courses you took at another University, until you've completed one year in the graduate program.  Then you must write a petition letter addressed to the graduate committee, append your course syllabus & final paper if the request is for a graduate seminar substitution (as opposed to a foreign language requirement), and bring them both to Maria.  Here is a sample letter: sample petition letter [.doc]
  • I plan to take a course similar to one of the Spanish Ph.D. requirements. Is it possible to have it count for that requirement?

  • You must write a petition letter addressed to the graduate committee requesting a course substitution, append your course syllabus, and bring them both to Maria.