Checklist for the American Studies Ph.D Student


  • Provide Graduate School with documents required as stated in letter of acceptance. These may include the following:
    • English proficiency examinations
    • Final transcripts and/or official evidence of B.A. and M.A. awarded
    • These documents must be in the Graduate School during the first semester of enrollment.
  • Form Preliminary Advisory Committee
    • This committee must have a chair or co-chair who is a member of the American Studies faculty or affiliate faculty.
    • The committee must have at least two additional members, but at least 50% of the advisory committee must be drawn from the American Studies faculty. Additional members may be added as appropriate.
  • Complete course requirements
    • AMST 60100 and 60200 (unless already taken as an M.A. student at Purdue)
    • AMST 60300
    • AMST 65000 (variable title/variable content AMST seminar; must be taken at least once)
    • Other courses necessary to prepare for preliminary examinations in the major field
  • Fulfill language and/or research methods requirement
    • This requirement must be completed before taking preliminary examinations.
  • File Plan of Study
    • A Plan must be submitted by the end of the second full semester of study. Please see the American Studies web site (http://www.cla.purdue.edu/american-studies/) for information on completing the Plan of Study.
  • Preliminary Examination
    • Students must submit their request to schedule the oral defense to the Program’s Administrative Assistant no later than three weeks prior to the defense date.
  • Defend dissertation prospectus
  • Form Dissertation Committee
  • Dissertation Format approval by Dissertation Committee
  • Request for Final Examination
    • Students must submit their request to schedule the dissertation defense to the Administrative Assistant no later than three weeks prior to the defense date.
  • Final Examination (Defense of Dissertation)
  • Declare degree candidacy
    • When registering for the final semester, indicate on the registration form (Form 23) or to the Administrative Assistant by email that you are a degree candidate