Rice Shield

WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY

Minutes of the Faculty Meeting

February 16, 2000

Attendance: Approximately 64

Announced Agenda: 4 items

    1. Approval of minutes of January 27, 2000 (shown as approved in Minutes of 01-27-00))
    2. Bachelor of Science Degrees (Attachment A)
    3. Graduate Program in Language, Literature and Culture (Attachment B)
    4. Other reports and announcements

President Malcolm Gillis called the meeting to order at 4:02 pm in McMurtry Auditorium of Duncan Hall. Alan Chapman served as Parliamentarian. No guests from the Media were present.

1. Minutes of 01-27-00 Faculty Meeting: APPROVED as circulated.

2. Creation of Bachelor of Science Degrees in the Wiess School of Natural Science: Gillis called on Gerald McKenny, chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum (CUC), to lead the discussion of a proposal to reclassify existing Bachelor of Arts degrees as Bachelor of Science degrees for majors in certain departments in the Wiess School of Natural Science. As shown in Attachment A, these include the current Departments of Chemistry, Geology, Physics and Astronomy, and the interdepartmental major in Chemical Physics. McKenny summarized CUC's reasoning in three statements:

The relevant handouts (Attachment A) included Proposals A and B from Kathy Matthews, Dean of Science; a Memo from Ken Whitmire (Chair of Chemistry) and Stan Dodds (Associate Chair of Physics) to include Chemical Physics; and a Summary of proposed requirements for the BS degrees in the various Physics options.

John Polking began the discussion with a friendly emendation by pointing out that Math 121 and 122 no longer exist and should be omitted in the Summary of Physics/Astronomy requirements. The corrections are shown in the final document in Attachment A. To a question by Gillis, Polking responded that the error has no substantive impact on the proposal under consideration.

Moshe Vardi asked if definitions and/or distinctions exist in writing for the BA and BS degrees. Currently the General Announcements list as one difference the BA requiring at least 60 hours outside the major, whereas the BS is not so constrained. Matthews mentioned that the "60-hour outside the department" requirement for the proposed Natural Science BS was included to assure all that the current BA degrees in the affected departments are indeed equivalent to BS offered at other universities. Stan Dodds pointed out that the BS degrees in the engineering school (which already vary from one department to another) were created to accommodate requirements of some accrediting agencies which would violate our 60-hour BA requirement. Adoption of this proposal would create yet another type of BS (NSCI and ENGI) with different requirements. Matthews affirmed that the 60-hour limit for the NSCI BS was an integral part of the proposal. McKenny said that if this proposal is adopted, any subsequent change in the 60-hour limit would need to come before the CUC and the full faculty for approval.

The motion was APPROVED unanimously by voice vote. The second reading of this proposal will occur on March 15.

3. Program in Language, Literature and Culture: Gillis called on Maarten van Delden to lead the discussion of the proposed Graduate Program in Language, Literature and Culture (GPLLC), as is described on the 13-page document shown as Attachment B. After van Delden apologized for addressing the faculty without a tie, the President ceremoniously loaned him his tie for the remainder of the discussion (laughter/applause). Van Delden proceeded to summarize the material in the handout and pointed out some strengths:

In response to a question from Vardi about the relationship of this program to others at Rice, van Delden stated that the program is flexible enough to involve other departments should they want to join. Jim Kinsey was puzzled about the format of the proposal by expressing his opinion that it looked more like a "white paper," especially the section on resources which deals with issues outside the purview of the faculty. Gillis agreed that that material should not be considered in a vote on the proposal for the new graduate program. Bernard Aresu defended the inclusion of such information for the benefit of some of the committees through which the proposal had to pass. He agreed that it should have been removed before the document came before the faculty. Dodds felt that some of the material under discussion might actually be of interest to the faculty, e.g. the part that requires students to teach four language courses during their second and third years in exchange for a tuition waiver. With concurrence from Judith Brown, Gillis said this was not a "new" idea but was simply a way of "regularizing" activities now in place. Ewa Thompson questioned the listing of courses in the proposal that are not now taught at Rice. Who will teach these courses? She also questioned a few course listings as being too "narrow" for the Ph.D. Klaus Weissenberger said some of the courses (e.g. on the Exile and Holocaust) were merely examples of what could be done and would certainly change as the faculty changes. The intent was to draw on what is available at Rice, not as a ploy to bring in additional personnel. In response to questions about the appropriateness of certain courses raised by Matthias Felleisen, Weissenberger stated that the courses and faculty listed reflected the available personnel when this proposal was initiated a couple of years ago. Addition of new faculty since then have changed the picture considerably, but the original personnel were carried forward in the proposal.

Robert Patten urged the faculty to consider the overall picture of what we are voting on rather than to focus too critically on individual courses and topics which may change from year to year. This is a new type of graduate program that will combine traditional training in a foreign language with a larger kind of focus and enrichment of social studies which is about to become a major intellectual development in our humanities discipline. The point of this proposal is to combine language training and some form of a more broad study of the associated culture with all of its various representations. Just how it is implemented will of course vary with the faculty present at any given time.

Polking commented that any time the faculty vote on a new academic program, they are putting trust in those who will develop and administer the program. He the made the following specific proposal:

"I move that the faculty approve a graduate program in language, literature, and culture based on the requirements listed in II. Requirements and nothing else."

Vardi began the discussion by raising the issue (Section IV) of the MA degree being awarded as a "consolation prize" for those whose performance was deemed inadequate. Since that is not a part of Polking's motion, the comment was ruled out of order. As a friendly amendment, John Hutchinson asked if the requirement under IV.2

"Students will be expected to teach 4 languages courses during their second and third year."

should not be made a part of Polking's motion. Polking agreed, as did Weissenberger, and Gillis so ruled. Responding to a question from Paula Sanders, Matthews affirmed that in the Science and Engineering Schools graduate students are required to do some teaching as a part of their degree program. Aresu said the same thing was true in French. These examples serve as precedents for this proposed requirement. Felleisen worried about throwing graduate students into teaching assignments without any training in the process themselves. Van Delden then read II.2 which requires all first year graduate students to take a course on language pedagogy before beginning their teaching in the second and third years. Lane Kauffmann, Aresu, and Weissenberger cited other ways graduate students receive language pedagogy training before entering and in-service supervision during the classroom teaching experience..

The question was called, and the Polking motion with the Hutchinson amendment PASSED by voice vote with only two faint negative votes.

For future reference, the approved motion is reprinted here:

"II. Requirements

The program will normally consist of three years of course work, as specified below, and two years of dissertation research and writing. In addition, students will receive instruction in second language acquisition, including the option of a sequence leading to a certificate (see 6, below), and will be required to teach an undergraduate language course for four semesters. Instruction in second language acquisition and pedagogy as well as the supervision and evaluation of graduate students will be provided by a faculty member with a specialization in the field of applied linguistics and language learning. Both departments [Spanish and German] are currently conducting searches for tenure-track faculty in those areas.

1. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 19 (three-hour) graduate level courses or seminars over the first three years of study in order to be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D.

2. One of these courses will be LING 610, a course on language pedagogy, which must be taken in the first year of preparation for required language teaching in the second and third years.

3. A sequence of two Core Courses is required of all graduate students during their first year in the graduate program: a Core Seminar in Literary Theory and a Core Seminar in Language and Cultures.

4. Each student must take a minimum of ten graduate courses in his or her specialized field (e.g. Spanish LLC, through the Spanish Department) before the end of his/her sixth semester. These courses will be predominantly taught in the language of the specialized field.

5. Each student must take a minimum of six cognate courses, normally grouped in two areas. Cognate areas must be constructed (in consultation with the student's major advisor) so as to represent meaningfully related principles and bodies of knowledge.

6. Students may opt to take further courses on second language acquisition and teaching methodologies, with the ultimate aim of gaining a Certificate in Language Pedagogy from the Center for the Study of Languages. To receive this certificate, students must take, in addition to LING 610 (Methods), LING 611 (Technology) and LING 612 (Topics). LING 611 and 612 may constitute one of the cognate areas.

7. With the approval of the program director and at least one faculty member each from their chosen NLC and cognate fields, students admitted to the program with an M.A. from another institution may transfer courses from that degree, not to exceed a total of 18 credits.

8. As soon as possible after enrolling in the program, the student should choose a major advisor from the core NLC field in which he/she plans to work. By the beginning of the third semester, the student must submit for approval a study plan for the general examinations and an examination committee of at least three faculty members (including the major advisor and one member of the cognate field).

9. Students must pass their general examinations by the beginning of the seventh semester. The exams will be organized as follows:
a. An examination based on a reading list established by the NLC department in consultation with the student.
b. An oral examination based on a dissertation proposal submitted by the student.
c. A substantial essay of professional quality with an interdisciplinary orientation. If the student has chosen to make Ling 611/612 one of the cognate areas, the essay must be written about the other cognate area.

10. A translation test to establish reading proficiency in a language other than English or the language of the NLC field.

[+ sentence taken from IV.2 - 'Students will be expected to teach 4 language courses during their second and third years.']"

As an expression of our thanks, Gillis officially conferred on van Delden the tie he had worn so proudly while leading this discussion. This proposal will be up for second reading on March 15.

4. Remarks: Gillis noted that there would be a memorial service held in the Rice Stadium to remember the four firemen who died while fighting a fire in Massachusetts and the two who died more recently here in Houston. On behalf of Rice University, Gillis sends our sympathy to the families of the deceased. Firemen from all over the state are expected to be present. While traffic to the event will inconvenience faculty, staff, and students, he felt that the activity was a well worth it considering the great service our firemen provide in contributing to our safety. Mark Scheid gave directions for appropriate ways to enter the campus during the memorial.

There being no further remarks, the meeting was adjourned at 4:48 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Joe W. Hightower, Secretary of the Rice Faculty

ATTACHMENT A

BS Degree in the Wiess School of Natural Science

PROPOSAL A. CREATION OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN THE WIESS SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES

Introduction:

During the Academic Year 1995 -1996, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences undertook an intensive self-study program of all aspects of the Division's operations. As a result of that initiative, a strong sentiment among both students and faculty was discovered for offering of Bachelor of Science degrees. This sentiment appeared to be based upon several perceptions: (1) Science students generally perceive BS degrees to be more prestigious than BA degrees. (2) For science graduates who choose to go directly into the job market without an advanced degree, pay scale, raises and promotions are perceived to be better for BS compared to BA degree holders. (3) BS degree programs are perceived as leading to graduate study (which is by-and-large the major intention of most Departments in the Division), as compared to BA degrees which are viewed as leading into more interdisciplinary career paths. As a result of an informal survey conducted during the self-study, Dean James Kinsey appointed a divisional Curriculum Committee to examine the feasibility of offering both BA and BS degrees, among other issues. The Committee has met since that time and has collected data in order to help assess the desirability of such a change. Dean Kathleen Matthews has chosen to continue the Committee as originally established.

Findings:

Each faculty member of the committee was asked to collect data concerning degrees offered and degree requirements for departments at other relevant universities. In examining the data, there were clearly many diverse patterns and no hard-and-fast rules guiding whether degrees should be regarded as BA or BS. There were, however, some tendencies:

1) BS degrees tended to be aimed at leading to graduate study in the selected field.

2) BA degrees generally allowed more flexibility in the program of study. The total number of hours for BA degrees was in some cases not very different from those required for BS degrees at institutions which offered both. The primary difference lying in the restrictions placed on the types of courses taken.

3) BS degree programs more often required a research component or senior thesis.

It turns out to be very difficult to locate reliable data on the issue of salary discrepancies. We spoke with Cheryl Matherly of Career Services about their experience concerning the issue of starting salaries for BA versus BS degree holders. Unfortunately the traditional source of data, the annual salary survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, does not break down the salary data by type of degree awarded. While Rice graduates tend to do better than the national averages for starting salaries for bachelor's degrees in general, Matherly indicated that what makes the issue very difficult to assess is that Rice students may not even be considered for certain jobs because they have a BA rather than a BS degree. Matherly indicated that many companies have a very narrowly-defined job description that will not allow them to consider BA candidates for BS positions, even though the Rice degrees in science are generally equivalent to BS degrees offered from other institutions.

Conclusions of the Committee:

After discussing the data extensively, the Committee concluded that there were no clear national standards that would warrant changes in the Rice University science curricula. However, the Committee felt strongly that there were significant advantages to having both BA and BS degree options that would make this a desirable change to institute at this time. The major advantage of such a system is that it would allow more flexibility in study pathways and enhanced ability of students to pursue multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies. Such programs of study are highly marketable in today's society and are highly sought after by students.

In considering offering both BA and BS degrees, the Committee recognized that many of the current degree offerings of the Departments in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences philosophically followed the pattern observed for BS degrees elsewhere. Because only BA degrees have historically been awarded at Rice University in the Sciences, it has been observed that the BA degrees in science have uniformly become degree programs intended for students wishing to pursue advanced study. This career path, however laudable, is clearly not that desired by a large number of students who wish to major in science. The Committee, therefore, feels that labeling the current degree requirements in the Division as Bachelor of Science degrees recognizes the reality of the existing degree requirements and major programs and allows for the establishment of a Bachelor of Arts degrees in some departments which would meet the demand for programs that may be more readily interfaced with other majors and career paths. Student reaction to the labeling of the current degree as BS degrees and the creation of BA degrees in science has been uniformly positive since this idea was first suggested. We anticipate that such a BA degree offering will lead to more double majors between the sciences and humanities or social sciences.

Proposal:

The Curriculum Committee of the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, therefore, proposes the following changes in its degree offerings:

1. Currently existing major requirements leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in the departments of Chemistry, Geology, and Physics of the Wiess School of Natural Sciences be reclassified as Bachelor of Science degrees. Copies of the existing degree requirements may be found in the General Announcements. While minor adjustments of these requirements may be made if this proposal is adopted, we have chosen not to deal with those details here. It should be emphasized, however, that the conversion of the BA to BS degrees will not be accompanied by an increase in the number of required hours.

2. Departments within the Wiess School of Natural Sciences should be encouraged to create new major programs of study which lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Given that the main philosophical difference between the BA and the BS degree is that the latter will be viewed as the degree that primarily leads to graduate work in that field while the BA is conceived as being directed towards students who want a broader, interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary degree program, the Committee recommends that BA degrees be distinguished from the BS degrees offered within a department by one or more of the following criteria: (1) That the BA degree should not require independent research or a senior thesis. (2) That the BA degree should have greater flexibility in course selection. (3) That the BA degree require fewer hours within the major.

3. As with all degree requirements, the major departments will retain jurisdiction over what the major requirements will be for their own majors.

The Department of Mathematics and the Departments that supervise majors within the Biosciences have determined not to offer the BS degree at this time. These departments still have this issue under consideration.

PROPOSAL B. CREATION OF BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE PROGRAMS IN THE WIESS SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES

This proposal is contingent upon the adoption of Proposal A: Creation of Bachelor of Science Degree Programs in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences in which the current degree offerings of the Departments in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences are henceforth classified as Bachelor of Science degrees.

This proposal outlines the creation of four specific new Bachelor of Arts degree programs in Chemistry, Geology, Physics and Space Physics and Astronomy which follow naturally from the pedagogical philosophy upon which Proposal A was based. Note that an independent major in Space Physics and Astronomy has not been previously offered. There has been, however, a major in Physics with an emphasis in Space Science and Astronomy.

Additionally, the Space Physics and Astronomy Department Proposes the creation of a new BS Degree Program in Astrophysics. Since this degree is new, it is also described here.

1. The Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry Degree Program

The following courses are required for completion of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in Chemistry.

120 hours

Chem 121/151 (4), Chem 122/152 (4), Chem 211 (3), Chem 212 (3), Chem 213 (1), Chem 214 (1), Chem 311 (3), Chem 312 (3), Chem 360 (3), Chem 351 (2), Chem 352 (2), Math 101 (3), Math 102 (3), Math 211 (3), Math 212 (3), Phys 101 (3), Phys 102 (4), Nsci 230 (3), plus two advanced laboratory modules (1 hr each) and at least one course from Chem 401 (3), Chem 430 (3), or Chem 495 (3). With departmental approval, advanced laboratory modules may be substituted for Chem 213 and Chem 214.

Students in the Chemistry BA major must satisfy the distribution requirements and complete no fewer than 64 semester hours in addition to the Departmental requirements for the Chemistry major for a total of 120 hours.

Additional comments: The BS option for Chemistry is 68 chemistry credits and 60 additional credits for a total of 128 credits. There will be no BA option in Chemical Physics.

2. The Bachelor of Arts in Geology Degree Program

The following courses are required for completion of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in Geology.

120 hours

One of the following four 100 level courses: Geology 101; Geology 102; Geology 107; Geology 108. Required: Geology 105; Geology 311; Geology 312; Geology 331; Geology 332; Geology 334. At least 12 semester hours in additional courses at the 200-level or higher, from an approved list in Science and Engineering (including Geology and Geophysics). The following supporting courses are also required: Mathematics 101 Single variable Calculus I; Math 102 Single Variable Calculus II, Chemistry 121-122 or 151-152 General Chemistry I & II

Five credit hours of the following are also required: Biology 201-202, Biology 211, Biology 213, Math 211, Physics 101 or 111, Physics 102 or 112, Physics 125-126, Natural Science 230 or CAAM 210-211 or COMP 210 Students in the Geology BA major must satisfy the distribution requirements and complete no fewer than 67 semester hours in addition to the Departmental requirements for the Geology major for a total of 120 hours.

Additional comments: The BS option for Geology is 68 Geology credits and 60 additional credits for a total of 128 credits. Geophysics will not have a BA option.

3. The Bachelor of Arts in Physics Degree Program

The following courses are required for completion of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in Physics.

120 hours Required Courses: Phys 101 (3), Phys 102 (4), Phys 201 (3), Phys 202 (3), Phys 231 (1), Phys 301 (4), Phys 302 (4), Phys 311 (3), Phys 331 (2), Phys/Spac4xx (3), Phys 425 (3), Math 101 (3), Math 102 (3), Math 211 (3), Math 212 (3), Math/Caam 3xx or Nsci 230 or Caam 210/1 (3)

Students in the Physics BA major must satisfy the distribution requirements and complete no fewer than 72 semester hours in addition to the Departmental requirements for the Physics major for a total of 120 hours.

Additional comments: The BS option for Physics is 68 to 77 Physics credits depending upon the area of specialty and 60 additional credits for a total of 128 to 137 credits. Chemical Physics will not have a BA option.

4. The Bachelor of Arts in Space Physics Degree Program

The following courses are required for completion of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in Physics.

123 or 124 hours

Required Courses: Math 101 (3), Math 102 (3), Math 211 (3), Math 212 (3), Phys 101/111, Phys 102/112 (4), Phys 201 (3), Phys 202 (3), Phys 231 (1), Chem 121 (4), Spac 100 (1), Spac 230 (3), Phys 331 (2) or Nsci 230 (3), Spac 350 (3), Phys 301 (4), Chem 311 (3) or Phys 425 (3), Spac 360 (3), Chem 312 (3), Elec 361 (3), Spac 400 (1), Spac 470 (3). Plus two courses from Spac 443, Spac 450 or Spac 430. Additionally, majors must take in both semesters of their senior year the seminar course Spac 400 (1 hr per semester).

Students in the Space Science BA major must satisfy the distribution requirements and complete no fewer than 60 semester hours in addition to the Departmental requirements for the Physics major for a total of 123 - 124 hours.

5. The Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics Degree Program

The following courses are required for completion of the degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Astrophysics (joint with Physics).

135 hrs

Required courses: Math 101 (3), Math 102 (3), Math 211 (3), Math 212 (3), Phys 101/111, Phys 102/112 (4), Phys 201 (3), Phys 202 (3), Phys 231 (1), Phys 301 (4), Phys 302 (4), Phys 311 (3), Phys 425 (3), Chem 121 (4), Nsci 230 or Caam 211 (3), Caam 336 (3), Spac 100 (1), Spac 230 (3), Spac 350 (3), Spac 360 (3). Plus one of the following topical groups or a topical group devised by student and approved by the department: (1) Space Physics: Spac 480, Spac 470, Spac 443; (2) Instrumentation: Spac 450, Spac 430, Elec 361; (3) Astronomy: Spac 451, Spac 480, Phys 312. Additionally, majors must take in both semesters of their senior year the seminar course Spac 400 (1 hr per semester) and Spac 490, Undergraduate research (2 hrs per semester).

Students in the Astrophysics BA major must satisfy the distribution requirements and complete no fewer than 60 semester hours in addition to the Departmental requirements for the Physics major for a total of 135 hours.

 

ATTACHMENT B

Proposal for a Graduate Program in Literature, Language, and Culture

Introduction

In January 1998 the Dean of Humanities convened a committee consisting of Bernard Aresu (French Studies), Peter "Carl" Caldwell (History), James Copeland (Linguistics), Margret Eifler (German and Slavic Studies), Lane Kauffmann (Hispanic and Classical Studies), Maria-Regina Kecht (German and Slavic Studies), Wesley Morris (English), Maarten van Delden (Hispanic and Classical Studies), and Albert Van Helden (History, chair). The committee was charged with drafting a proposal for a Ph.D. program with two separate tracks in German and Spanish literature, language, and culture (hereafter LLC), drawing on the strengths of current faculty and the Center for the Study of Languages.

Although the Department of German and Slavic Studies offer an M.A. in German, and the Department of Hispanic and Classical Studies offers an M.A. in Spanish, neither department currently has a Ph.D. program. The Department of French Studies has a Ph.D. program. The committee was asked to consider various ways in which French Studies might participate in a joint Ph.D. program, but it was to be understood that funding for the graduate program in French Studies would remain separate and any participation of the department in a joint Ph.D. program would be entirely voluntary.

The committee had a series of meetings during the spring semester of 1998. Its members investigated the market demand for fresh Ph.D.'s in LLC, looked at various LLC graduate programs around the country, invited two members of successful programs to come to Rice to consult with the committee [1], and exhaustively discussed a number of options. In the fall of 1998, the Language Steering Committee [2], to which the GPLLC report was referred, approved additional suggestions provided by faculty members from both the Departments of Hispanic and Classical Studies and German and Slavic Studies.

Both committees realize that they cannot specify a Ph. D. program in all its details. If the program is approved and instituted, the participants will have to deal with a number of issues of detail. What follows is an outline of a dual track Ph. D. program in German and Hispanic LLC in which French Studies may wish to participate at least in part.

I. Aims and Principles

The Committee recognizes the significance of the reshaping of literary studies that has taken place in recent decades. The expansion of the canon and the emergence of cultural studies, along with the ongoing strength of national language and literature departments and the development of new approaches to second language acquisition, have made both specializa-tion and diversity essential requirements of a successful doctoral program. Broader phenomena, such as the evolving structure of knowledge and research in the contemporary uni-ver-sity, changing demographic patterns, and concurrent changes in the academic job market, similarly argue for an integrated yet flexible approach to the graduate curriculum in the interrelated fields of literature, language, and culture. The Graduate Program in Literature, Language and Culture (hereafter GPLLC) will aim to equip graduate students with the diverse kinds of knowledge, skills, and training they will need in order to succeed in the shifting academic and cultural landscape of the 21st century. Its ability to focus on language and culture in addition to literature will also make this innovative program attractive to under-represented minorities, enabling them to explore such fields as Hispano-American studies or Latin American language and culture. Accordingly, departments will make every effort to bring the program to the attention of minority students.

Students in the GPLLC will acquire a solid grounding in a national literary-cultural field (NLC field), interdisci-plinary expertise, basic language pedagogy, and supervised teaching experience. In addi-tion to taking the required number of courses in a core NLC field, students will also pursue studies in cognate areas to be defined in consultation with advisors. This will enable stu-dents to attain interdisciplinary breadth while tailoring their plan of study to their individual interests and desired career paths.

The overarching aim of the GPLLC is the integration of diverse fields of knowledge and disciplinary perspectives in the study of literature, language, and culture. The chief means of achieving this will be vigorous intellectual dialogue in which cultural and linguis-tic diversity are respected and explored, and a plurality of inter-pre-tive methods are practiced. Throughout the course of study and on the preliminary exams and dissertation, students in the program will be expected to prac-tice the modes of reasoning and discursive skills required of suc-cess-ful members of the profession: the critique and defense of ideas, the formulation and pursuit of research problems, presenta-tions and papers leading to pub-lica-tion, etc. These skills, integral to the life of the mind, are also highly useful in other professions.

II. Requirements

The program will normally consist of three years of course work, as specified below, and two years of dissertation research and writing. In addition, students will receive instruction in second language acquisition, including the option of a sequence leading to a certifi-cate (see 6, below), and will be required to teach an undergraduate language course for four semesters. Instruction in second language acquisition and pedagogy as well as the supervision and evaluation of graduate students will be provided by a faculty member with a specialization in the field of applied linguistics and language learning. Both departments are currently conducting searches for tenure-track faculty in those areas.

1. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 19 (three-hour) graduate level courses or seminars over the first three years of study in order to be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D.

2. One of these courses will be LING 610, a course on language pedagogy, which must be taken in the first year in preparation for required language teaching in the second and third years.

3. A sequence of two Core Courses is required of all graduate students during their first year in the graduate program: a Core Seminar in Literary Theory and a Core Seminar in Language and Cultures.

4. Each student must take a minimum of ten graduate courses in his or her specialized field (e.g. Spanish LLC, through the Spanish Department) before the end of his/her sixth semester. These courses will be predominantly taught in the language of the specialized field.

5. Each student must take a minimum of six cognate courses, normally grouped in two areas. Cognate areas must be constructed (in consultation with the student's major advisor) so as to represent meaningfully related principles and bodies of knowledge.

6. Students may opt to take further courses on second language acquisition and teach-ing methodologies, with the ultimate aim of gaining a Certificate in Language Pedagogy from the Center for the Study of Languages. To receive this certificate, students must take, in addition to LING 610 (Methods), LING 611 (Technology) and LING 612 (Topics). LING 611 and 612 may constitute one of the cognate areas.

7. With the approval of the program director and at least one faculty member each from their chosen NLC and cognate fields, students admitted to the program with an M.A. from an other institution may transfer courses from that degree, not to exceed a total of 18 credits.

8. As soon as possible after enrolling in the program, the student should choose a major advisor from the core NLC field in which he/she plans to work. By the beginning of the third semester, the student must submit for approval a study plan for the general examinations and an examination committee of at least three faculty members (including the major advisor and one member from the cognate field).

9. Students must pass their general examinations by the beginning of the seventh semester. The exams will be organized as follows:

a. An examination based on a reading list established by the NLC department in consultation with the student.
b. An oral examination based on a dissertation proposal submitted by the student.
c. A substantial essay of professional quality with an interdisciplinary orientation. If the student has chosen to make Ling. 611/612 one of the cognate areas, the essay must be written about the other cognate area.

10. A translation test to establish reading proficiency in a language other than English or the language of the NLC field.

III. Organization

The program will be administered by a Program Director appoint-ed by the Dean of Humanities. The Program Director will have the task of recruiting applicants, making recommendations for admissions, coordinating resources, and administering the program. The program will be supervised by a GPLLC Committee consisting of one member of each department participating in the program plus the Director who will serve as its chair. The GPLLC Committee will

  • review graduate applications and make recommendations for admission to the Language Steering Committee and the Dean of Humanities;
  • review all graduate students in the program at the end of each semester;
    approve all three-person general exams committees within the program;
  • approve all dissertation committees within the program.

IV. Resources

1. Faculty - It appears that current faculties in the Departments of German and Slavic Studies and Hispanic and Classical Studies will be able to offer the requisite number of graduate courses each year in the NLC areas. Cooperation with LLC programs and faculty members at the University of Houston may be attractive because it would give students more choices among the courses in his/her NLC area. Staffing in cognate areas will present few problems because the number of faculty members in the Humanities and Social Sciences divisions who offer courses that could be combined in cognate areas is large.

2. Stipends - The quality of the program will depend to a large extent on the quality of the graduate students it attracts. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in Humanities graduate programs at Rice funding level is a significant factor in the decisions of applicants to accept offers from Rice. The committee recommends that students accepted in the program with a B.A. be offered a four-year package of tuition waivers and stipends set at a competitive level, i.e. in excess of $10,000 a year, pending satisfactory progress toward the doctorate. Students will be expected to teach 4 languages courses during their second and third years. Further opportunities for summer funding, travel abroad, and fifth-year funding (fourth-year funding for students entering with an M.A.) will help make the Rice program attractive.

3. Teaching - The committee feels that a requirement to teach four semes-ters is appropriate: it is adequate to prepare students for teaching (especially in conjunction with the programs run by the Center for the Study of Languages) but not exploitative. The amount of teaching required of graduate students should not be determined by the staffing needs of the departments.

Note on the M. A. degree

The committee is unanimous in its strong aversion to offering an M.A. degree. Admission to the GPLLC program will normally be limited to students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy as their terminal degree. In those limited cases in which an M.A. degree is appropriate, there will be two routes to the Master of Arts degree. The first will require one year of course work and a thesis; the second will be granted after two years of course work in a non-thesis M.A. program that will be submitted for approval to the Dean of the School of Humanities and to the Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies, in accord with the process established by the Graduate Council.

_______________________

Appendix A

Sample programs that can be organized within the framework of GPLLC

GENERAL NOTE: All students in these programs must take three required Core seminars in their first year, regardless of the NLC field (National literary Cultural Field they choose):

Ling 610 (Methodology)

Core Seminar in Literary Theory (see sample courses in Appendix A, above) Core Seminar in Language and Cultures (Appendix A)

In addition to the three required core seminars and ten courses in a German or Spanish NLC field, students must take a total of six courses in two cognate areas. But they are not required to take three in each area.

The present German faculty body can provide an NLC field curriculum for a doctorate in the area of German Studies from 1700 to the Present. Augmentation for this time frame via cognate fields in History, Art History and Philosophy seems very substantial. The faculty will insist for any doctorate within this time frame of 1700 to Present, regardless of its field of specialization, on an "in-depth study" of the subject at hand and on its "wide-ranging contextualization". "In-depth study" would focus on departmental NLC courses that expound on theoretical, critical, and primary materials. "Wide-ranging contex-tu-alization" would be sought through significant outside cognate courses. Both venues seem very promising in producing very knowledgeable, well-rounded and very marke-t-able graduates.

1. Holocaust and Exile

NLC field courses:

German Cultural and Social Theory (Winkler)
Germany during the Weimar Republic (Winkler) Inner Emigration and Exile (Winkler)
20th Century Novel and Novel Theory (Eifler)
German-speaking Women Authors of the 20th Century (Eifler)
Film and Media Studies: the UFA Story (Eifler)
Aspects of Realism (Weissenberger)
Discourses of Alienation: From Nietzsche to the Holocaust (Weissenberger
Non-Fictional Prose in Exile (Weissenberger)
Lyric Poetry and the Exile Situation (Weissenberger)

Cognate areas: History:

HIST 455 :The State, Law, and Terror: 20th Century Russian and German Legal History (Caldwell)
HIST 456: Politics and Culture in Interwar Europe 1920-1940 (Caldwell)
HIST 459: Topics in Modern German History (Caldwell)
HIST 475: Radical Thought (Wolin) HIST 493:
The Age of Extremes: The Theory and Practice of Totalitarianism (Wolin)

Philosophy:
PHIL 509: Seminar in Aesthetics (Crowell)

Religion: RELI 451:
Philosophies and Theologies of History (Stroup)

Art History: HART 371: Art Between the Wars (Camfield)

2. German Film History: The Divergence of East versus West German Cinema

NLC field courses:

The Rise of the Modern Novel: From Enlightenment to first half of the 19th Century (Bledsoe)
19th Century Novel and Novel Theory: The Bildungsroman. (Eifler)
German Cultural and Social Theory (Winkler)
Germany during the Weimar Republic (Winkler)
History of the German Cinema I: The Ufa Story (Eifler)
Exile Literature (Winkler)
20th Century Novel and Novel Theory (Eifler)
The East-German Novel: From Post-War to Postunification (Eifler)
History of the German Cinema II: DEFA and New German Cinema (Eifler)
History of Women Film-making (Eifler)

Cognate areas: History:

HIST 355: Modern Germany 1890-1990 (Caldwell)
HIST 475: Radical Thought (Wolin)
HIST 547: History of Marxism in the 20th century (Caldwell)

History of Art:
HART 218: History of Film (McEvilly)
HART 330: Introduction to Film (Naficy)
HART 480: Theoretical Perspectives on the Visual Arts (Camfield)

3. Iberian Literature, Language and Culture, with a speciali-zation in medieval and early modern Spanish literature

This hypothetical individual chooses Mérida-Jiménez as a major advisor, and takes at least three seminars under that professor in medieval Iberian literature. She also takes a semi-nar with Urrutibéheity, either on the history of Castilian Spanish or on analysis of medi-eval documents; and two seminars on Golden Age literature with Castañeda, one of them on prose fiction. To add geographical and chronological dimension to her Hispanist port-folio, she takes two seminars in Latin American literature, one with Van Delden and one with Rea (emphases: narrative and women's literature), one seminar in modern penin-sular (Pérez) and one in theoretical issues and Hispanic texts (Kauffmann).

Her cognate areas could be:

(A) Medieval/early modern European history with an Iberian/Medi-terranean focus: the student would choose courses that comple-ment and expand the student's knowledge of Iberian history and culture, or provide useful comparative perspectives.
(B) Issues of multiculturalism and gender studies: the student would select courses or fields that provide useful theoretical approaches, analytical tools, and comparative perspectives useful for Iberian studies.

NLC field courses:

Medieval Spanish Literature (gender studies emphasis) (Mérida-Jiménez)
Spanish Chivalresque Narrative,15th-16th cc. (Mérida-Jiménez)
Iberian Lyric Poetry (Castilian, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese; medieval and early modern) (Mérida-Jiménez) History of Castilian Spanish OR Linguistic Analysis of Medieval Castilian Documents (Urrutibéheity)
Golden Age Prose (Don Quijote & Picaresque Novel) (Castañeda)
Golden Age Drama (Castañeda)
Women Writers of Latin America (Rea)
Modern Latin American Fiction (Van Delden)
Spanish Women Writers (19-20th cc) OR Modern Spanish Fiction (Pérez)
Literary Theory and Hispanic texts (examples from modern Spanish and Latin American literature) (Kauffmann)

Cognate areas:

Medieval & Early Modern Iberian Mediterranean History:

Seminar in Medieval History (Nirenberg)
Minorities and Religious Persecution in Medieval and Early Modern Europe (Nirenberg or Quillen)
Spain and Portugal in the Early Modern European Expansion (Seed)
Latin American Colonial History (Seed)

Issues of Multiculturalism and Women's and Gender Studies:

Gender and Society in Early Modern Europe (Quillen)
Christianity and Islam (Sanders or Nirenberg)
Medieval Jewish & Islamic Thought (Lobel)
Feminist Issues: Women's Voices in the Renaissance (Skura)
Narrative Constructions of Personal and Collective Identity (Lee)

4. Latin American Literature, Language, and Culture

This person chooses Rea or van Delden as a major advisor. He takes a total of six seminars in Latin American literature and culture (three with Rea and three with van Delden). He takes UrrutibÈheity's seminar, "Introduction to Spanish American Castilian" (a recently proposed addition to the Department's offerings). He takes three courses in peninsular literature: "The Art, Literature, and Philosophy of the Generation of 98" with Kauffmann; "Modern Spanish Fiction" with Pérez; and "Golden Age Prose" with Castañeda. The combination of courses in Latin American and peninsular literature should help this person become a well-rounded Hispanist.

The student's cognate areas:

A) Latin American History. This field deepens the student's know-ledge of the historical context within which Latin American litera-ture and culture have developed. It also helps prepare him for the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research and teaching in the contemporary university.
B) Critical Theory. This field provides the student with training in important theoretical issues affecting the study of literature and culture.

NLC field courses:

Latin American Theater (Rea)
Women Writers of Latin America (Rea) Literature of the Southern Cone (Rea)
The Spanish American Essay (van Delden)
The Twentieth-Century Mexican Novel (van Delden)
Modernity and Postmodernity in Latin America (van Delden)
Introduction to Spanish American Castilian (Urrutibéheity)
Art, Literature, and Philosophy of the Generation of 98 (Kauffmann)
Modern Spanish Fiction (Pérez)
Golden Age Prose (Castañeda)

Cognate areas:

Latin American History:
Colonial Latin American History (Seed)
The Mexican Revolution (Wolfe)
Main Issues in Caribbean History (Cox)

Critical Theory:
The Postmodern Break in French Philosophy (Goux)
Contemporary Debates on Culture (Marcus and Lee)
Feminist Literary Theory (Lurie)

5. Language and Culture Pedagogy options

These options of Cognate areas are designed to fit with a variety of NLC field sequences in Spanish or German LLC:

Second Language Acquisition:
Ling 611 Language Methodology Practicum (focus on technology)
Ling 612 Topics in Second-Language Acquisition (Barlow and Achard, to be offered)
Computer-assisted Language Instruction (Barlow, to be offered)
Theories of Second-Language Acquisition (Barlow and Achard, to be offered)

Language and Culture:
Hermeneutics and Linguistic Anthropology (Tyler)
Linguistic Analysis (Gildea)
Language in Society (to be offered by new faculty appointment in Linguistics
Studies in Hispanic Linguistics (Urrutibéheity)
Linguistic Structure of German (Copeland)
History of the German Language (Copeland)

____________________

Appendix B

Samples of Required Core Seminars [8]

Literary Theory:

  • Spanish 470: Comparative Studies in Literature and Theory (Kauffmann)
  • English 591: Studies in Literature and Other Disciplines (staff)
  • English 598: Literary Criticism and/or History (Morris)
  • French 584: Esthetic Theories of Modernism and Postmodernism (Goux)

Language and Culture:

  • Anthropology / Linguistics 406: Cognitive Studies in Anthropology and Linguistics (Tyler)
  • Anthroplogy / Linguistics 414: Hermeneutics and Linguistic Anthropology (Tyler)
  • French / Linguistics 4-592: Language and Power: The Politics of Language Use (Achard, to be offered)
  • Anthropology / Linguistic 513: Language and Culture (Tyler)
  • Anthropology 573: The Linguistic Turn: Language, Narration, and Modernity (Lee)

____________________

Appendix C

Courses in Cognate Areas [9]

Modernity And The Postmodern

  • Anth 560 Modernity And Social Space (3-0-3)
  • Anth 573 (F) The Linguistic Turn: Language, Narration, And Modernity (3-0-3)
  • Anth 615 (F) Theories In Modernity/Postmodernity I (3-0-3)
  • Anth 616 (S) Theories In Modernity/Postmodernity Ii (3-0-3)
  • Fren 545 Enlightenment And Counter- Enlightenment (3-0-3)
  • Reli 519 (S) Modernity, Antimodernity, And Postmodernity As Styles Of Religiosity (3 0-3)

Literary Theory

  • Anth 573 (F) The Linguistic Turn: Language, Narration, And Modernity (3-0-3)
  • Engl 582 Seminar: Feminist Literary Theory (3-0-3)
  • Fren 580 20Th-Century French Theory From Saussure To Irigaray I (3-0-3)
  • Fren 581 20Th-Century French Theory From Saussure To Irigaray Ii (3-0-3)

Cultural Theory / Interpretation Of Culture

  • Anth 532 (S) Contemporary Debates On Culture (3-0-3)
  • Anth 535 (S) Anthropology As Cultural Critique (3-0-3)
  • Anth 590 (F) Culture, Narration, And Subjectivity (3-0-3)
  • Anth 595 (F) Culture And Communication (3-0-3)
  • Soci 445 Sociology Of Culture (3-0-3)

History And Historical Interpretation

  • Anth 508 (S) History As A Cultural Myth (3-0-3)
  • Fren 553 History As Text In Modern France (3-0-3)
  • Hist 552 (S) Historical Interpretation (4-0-4)
  • Reli 517 (F) Philosophies And Theologies Of History (3-0-3)

Language And Interpretation

  • Anth 513 (F) Language And Culture (3-0-3)
  • Anth 573 (F) The Linguistic Turn: Language, Narration, And Modernity (3-0-3)
  • Anth 614 (F) Hermeneutics And Linguistic Anthropology (3-0-3)
  • Fren 580 20Th-Century French Theory From Saussure To Irigaray I (3-0-3)
  • Fren 581 20Th-Century French Theory From Saussure To Irigaray II (3-0-3)
  • Phil 553 Philosophy Of Language (3-0-3)

Gender Studies

  • Anth 511 (S) Masculinities (3-0-3)
  • Anth 527 (F) Gender And Symbolism (3-0-3)
  • Engl 580 Seminar: Women'S Studies (3-0-3)
  • Fren 571 Society, Culture, And The Body In Modern France (3-0-3)
  • Hist 589 Sex and Group Identity (4-0-4)
  • Wgst 430 Studies In Literary Criticism: Queer Theory (3-0-3)

Feminism And Feminist Theory

  • Engl 580 Seminar: Women's Studies (3-0-3)
  • Engl 581 Seminar: Feminism And Nationalism (3-0-3)
  • Engl 582 Seminar: Feminist Literary Theory (3-0-3)
  • Engl 583 (F) Seminar: Feminist Issues (3-0-3)
  • Engl 598 (F) Seminar: Literary Criticism (3-0-3)
  • Engl 599 (F) Seminar: Literary Theory (3-0-3)
  • Fren 534 (F99) French Feminist Theory
  • Wgst 420 Women And Gender In 19Th-Century Europe (4-0-4)
  • Wgst 461 Gender, War, And Representation In Modern France And England (3-0- 3)

Aesthetics

  • Hart 580 Theoretical Perspectives On The Visual Arts (3-0-3)
  • Hart 419 (F) The 18th Century (3-0-3)
  • Phil 509 Seminar In Aesthetics (3-0-3)

European Literature (Of A Period Related To Student's Work: 1750-1850 as an example)

  • Engl 532 Seminar: 18Th-Century British Literature (3-0-3)
  • Engl 533 Seminar: 18Th-Century Poetry And Satire (3-0-3)
  • Engl 537 Seminar: 19Th-Century British Fiction (3-0-3)
  • Engl 539 Seminar: British Romantics (3-0-3)
  • Fren 545 Enlightenment And Counter- Enlightenment (3-0-3)

German / European Intellectual History

  • Fren 545 Enlightenment And Counter- Enlightenment (3-0-3)
  • Fren 570 (F) Topics In French Cultural History (3-0-3)
  • Fren 571 Society, Culture, And The Body In Modern France (3-0-3)
  • Hist 545 (F) The German Ideology (4-0-4)
  • Hist 546 (S) An Age Of Extremes: The Theory And Practice Of Totalitarianism (4- 0-4)
  • Hist 548 (S) Marx (4-0-4)
  • Hist 573 (S) Topics In European Intellectual History (3-0-3)
  • Phil 508 (S) Seminar In Continental Philosophy (3-0-3)
  • Phil 509 Seminar In Aesthetics (3-0-3)
  • Phil 512 Seminar In Philosophy Of Mind (3-0-3)
  • Phil 521 (F) Seminar In Kant And Hegel (3-0-3)
  • Reli 520 (S) History Of Western Christianity: Reformation To The Present (3-0-3)

____________________

Appendix D

Graduate courses in German Literature, Language, and Culture

Faculty [10]: Robert Bledsoe, James Copeland, Margaret Eifler, Maria-Regina Kecht, Klaus Weissenberger, Michael Winkler

Robert Bledsoe (German Literature and Culture, 1750-1850):

  • The Rise of the Modern Novel: From Enlightenment to first half of the 19th Century.
  • Literary Theory: Of Readers and Reading.

James Copeland (Germanic Linguistics):

  • Linguistic Structure of German.
  • History of the German Language.

Margret Eifler (19th and 20th Century Literature, Contemporary Germany and Europe, German Cinema, Women Studies):

  • 19th Century Novel and Novel Theory: The Bildungsroman.
  • 20th Century Novel and Novel Theory: Kafka, Mann, Boell, Grass, Kant, Wolf, Handke, Jelinek,Benjamin, Adorno, Lukacs.
  • The East-German Novel: From Post-War to Postunification.
  • History of the German Cinema I: The Ufa Story.
  • History of the German Cinema II: DEFA and New German Cinema.
  • History of Women Film-making.
  • German-speaking Women Authors.

Maria-Regina Kecht (Language Methodology):

  • Topics in Language Methodology.

Klaus Weissenberger (19th and 20th Century Literature, Exile Literature, Lyric Poetry, Non-Fictional Prose):

  • Aspects of Realism
  • Nonfictional Prose.
  • Form and Structure of Poetry: 1700 to the Present.
  • Discourses of Alienation: From Nietzsche to the Holocaust.

Michael Winkler (Modern German and Comparative Literature):

  • German Cultural and Social Theory.
  • Turn of the Century Literature (Young Vienna).
  • Germany during the Weimar Republic.
  • Inner Emigration and Exile.

    ____________________

    Appendix E

Graduate courses in Hispanic Literature, Language, and Culture

Faculty: James Castañeda, Rafael Mérida-Jiménez, Lane Kauffmann, Bernardo Pérez, Joan Rea, Hector Urrutibéheity, Maarten van Delden

Castañeda:

  • Golden Age Theatre
  • Golden Age Prose
  • Golden Age Poetry

Mérida-Jiménez:

  • Studies in Medieval Spanish Literature
  • Spanish Chivalresque Narratives of the Fifteenth Century
  • Twentieth-Century Spanish Film

Kauffmann:

  • The Art, Literature and Philosophy of the Generation of 1898
  • The Spanish Essay from 1700 to the Present
  • Studies in Literary Semiotics
  • Comparative Studies in Literature and Theory

Pérez:

  • The Spanish Avant-Garde in Poetry, Painting, and Film
  • Spanish Women Writers from Rosalia de Castro to the Present

Rea:

  • Latin American Theatre
  • Women Writers of Latin America
  • Latin American Literature of the Southern Cone

Urrutibéheity:

  • History of Castilian Spanish
  • Linguistic Analysis of Medieval Castilian Documents
  • Introduction to Spanish American Castilian

van Delden:

  • The Twentieth-Century Mexican Novel
  • The Spanish American Essay
  • Modernity and Postmodernity in Latin America (proposed)

References, Footnotes to ATTACHMENT B

[1] Janet Swaffar, Department of Germanic Languages, University of Texas at Austin, and Randolph Pope, Department of Romance Languages and Comparative Literature Program, Washington University in St. Louis.

[2] The 1998-99 Language Steering Committee consists of Bernard Aresu (French Studies, Chair), Jim Copeland (Linguistics), Regina Kecht (Center for the Study of Languages and Department of German and Slavic Studies, Richard Smith (Asian Studies and History), Klaus Weissenberger (German and Slavic Studies), and Harvey Yunis (Hispanic and Classical Studies).

[3] See Appendix B

[4] Appendices A

[5] Appendices A and C

[6] A[emdoces D amd E

[7] Students entering the program with an M.A. would be offered a three-year package.

[8] From the current General Announcements, unless indicated otherwise

[9] From the current General Announcements

[10] Kecht (Director of the Center for the Study of Languages), Weissenberger (College Master), and Copeland (Linguistics), have reduced departmental teaching loads.

[11] Rea (Chile program) has a reduced departmental teaching load

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