Doctor of Philosophy

All courses counted towards the 135-unit requirement for the Ph.D. must be at the graduate level.  During each quarter preceding advancement to TGR status, students must complete (for a letter grade) at least two graduate courses (200- or 300-level) offered through the department. 

Students should plan on taking a course with a departmental faculty member each quarter and are encouraged to take courses with as many department faculty members as possible during the first six quarters of study. While students are expected to demonstrate breadth across areas, accommodations in coursework can be made in consultation with the Department Director. 

During the first three years of study, students must meet with their primary advisor and the Department Director or their designee early in Spring quarter of each year to plan a course of study for the units to be completed during the Summer quarter. Students who transfer graduate units from another institution may adjust the course of study outlined below.

In consultation with the Department Director or their designee, students in their first year choose one major field and two minor areas of study from the following:

• A1. Medieval and Early Modern Iberian Literature and Culture

• A2. Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Iberian Literature and Culture

• A3. Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Iberian Literature and Culture

• B1. Colonial and Nineteenth-Century Latin American Literature and Culture

• B2. Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Latin American Literature and Culture

• B3. Luso-Brazilian Literature and Culture

• C. U.S. Latinx Literature and Culture

Areas of Study Coursework:

• At least four graduate-level courses must be taken in the major field.

• Students must select one minor area from a group (A, B, C) other than their major field. 

• At least two graduate-level courses must be taken in each minor area

See DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

In the Autumn quarter of their first year, students will receive a digital reader containing selections of readings related to all areas of Iberian and Latin American literature and culture. These texts will serve as the basis for the Qualifying Exam, which will be administered during the Spring quarter of the student's first year of study. Students who fail this examination may request to retake it during the Autumn quarter. A second fail of the Qualifying Exam will result in dismissal from the Ph.D. program. See DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

The Comprehensive Exam is designed for students to demonstrate intellectual competence in multiple areas of study. This exam consists of two parts: 

1. a written submission 

2. an oral presentation (based upon the submitted reading list and research paper and will last no more than two hours)

This exam must take place prior to the last day of instruction in Spring quarter of the second year of graduate study. Students must select a major and two minor areas for the exam from the following options: 

• A1. Medieval and Early Modern Iberian Literature and Culture 

• A2. Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Iberian Literature and Culture 

• A3. Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Iberian Literature and Culture 

• B1. Colonial to Nineteenth-Century Latin American Literature and Culture 

• B2. Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Latin American Literature and Culture 

• B3. Luso-Brazilian Literature and Culture 

• C. US Latinx Literature and Culture 

Students must select one minor area from a different group (A, B, C) to their major field. 

In consultation with each member of the committee, the student must select:

• one major area and two minor areas of study from the list provided

• a reading list of 100 works (approximately 50 for the major area and 25 for each of the minor areas)

Students who fail this examination may request to retake it at the beginning of the Autumn quarter of the next academic year. A second fail of the Comprehensive Exam will result in dismissal from the Ph.D. program. See DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

Students are expected to follow department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of the second year in residence. In reviewing a student for admission to candidacy, the faculty considers a student’s academic progress, including but not limited to:

• Advanced language proficiency

• Performance in courses and completion of required coursework

• Performance on departmental examinations and milestones

• Completion of at least three units of work with each of four Stanford faculty members

In addition to successfully completing departmental requirements for years one and two a student is only admitted to candidacy if the faculty makes the judgment that the student has the potential to complete the degree program requirements successfully. Candidacy is determined by faculty vote. Failure to be admitted to candidacy results in the student’s dismissal from the Ph.D. program.

In the Department of Iberian and Latin American Cultures, the University Oral Exam is a review of the dissertation prospectus covering content relevant to the area of study, rationale for the proposed investigation, and strategy to be used in the research; this type of examination is intended to assist the student in refining a dissertation topic and to ensure mastery of theoretical and methodological issues as well as the materials needed to conduct the research effectively. Students are required to take a University Oral examination after successfully completing the Comprehensive Examination and before the end of the Autumn quarter of their fourth year.  See DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

The standard format in our field is a monograph comprising five chapters, including the introduction and dissertation. Depending on the topic and approach, other structures may be considered and should be discussed with the advisor as the project develops. In consultation with their advisor, students may submit a collection of three to four published or publishable articles, together with an introduction. Students are expected to submit the dissertation by the end of their fifth year in the program. See the DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

In addition to Spanish and English, students must attain advanced low proficiency in one other language useful for the student’s research or area of concentration. This language requirement must be satisfied as soon as possible, but no later than by the Winter quarter of the third year. Proficiency will be assessed by testing at the Language Center (C1 level required), or by completing 5 quarters of language study or the equivalent.

Upon entering the program, students must contact the Language Center and arrange to take the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) to determine their fluency in the target language.