Department News 2010-2011 Season Showings Mission Statement Core Values Faculty Accomplishments Administration & Funding Placement Recent Dissertations Program Review Degree Requirements Exams - Stages I and II Dissertation Requirements Other Important Program Information Audio Clips - Music from our Fall 2007  presentation  of   La  Virtù  De'  Strali D' Amore Performance Studies Graduate Certificate

Unity (1918) -  Spring 2007.  Directed by Dr. Jonathan Chambers and Assistant Director Vanessa Baker, Ph.D. candidate.

Mission Statement and Program Objective  

The doctoral program in the Department of Theatre and Film at Bowling Green State University is especially designed for those students planning careers as faculty members in higher education with a degree emphasis in the theories (both historical and contemporary), histories, and cultural applications of theatre and performance in various contexts. It is this aspect of the program that prepares students to contribute meaningfully to theatre and performance scholarship and to be effective teachers within those disciplines.

Practically, the course of study aims to prepare graduates to conduct original research in a way that will contribute to the level of scholarship in the student's area of specialization, to teach, and to participate in theatre production in educational settings in a range of capacities. Accordingly, students are evaluated in three areas: scholarship, teaching ability, and artistry. Thus, it is assumed that upon graduation the holder of a Ph.D. will possess a thorough understanding of the theory and history of theatre and performance.

While the mission of the Department is to prepare graduates who approach the theory and practice of theatre and performance in an integrated manner, it should be understood that the primary emphasis of any doctoral program in the arts focuses on historical, theoretical and pedagogical approaches to the subject matter rather than solely or even predominantly on artistic practice.

It should also be noted that in addition to offering a degree in film at the undergraduate level, the Department of Theatre and Film at Bowling Green State University also contributes in meaningful ways to the graduate level media studies program that is offered through the American Culture Studies program. Additionally, the Department supports student exchange/study abroad opportunities with the Department of Theatre at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Core Values  

Faculty Accomplishments  
The doctoral faculty in the Department of Theatre and Film are accomplished researchers and artists. Many serve or have served as leaders in numerous regional, national and international scholarly organizations, including the editorial boards of a number of refereed scholarly journals. Individual members of the faculty serve or have served as senior editor for Theatre Annual and editor for Theatre Topics .

Members of our faculty have published or are contracted to publish book length studies with:

• University of Michigan Press
• University of Mississippi Press
• Southern Illinois University Press
• Alta Mira Press
• Wayne State University Press
• Scarecrow Press
• University of Alabama Press

Essay length studies authored by our faculty have appeared in numerous prestigious journals including:

• The Drama Review
• Text and Performance Quarterly
• Theatre Topics
• Theatre Annual
• Journal of American Drama and Theatre
• Theatre History Studies
• Qualitative Inquiry
• Women's Studies Quarterly
• Popular Culture Review
• Spectator

In terms of artistry, the doctoral faculty has and continues to be involved practically in theatre in both university and professional contexts, participating as performers, directors, and dramaturges.

Administration & Funding  
The Department of Theatre and Film accepts two to four new students into the Ph.D. program annually. We seek to accept students who we believe are capable of contributing to the scholarly conversations in the field and, at the same time, excel as theatre educators and artists. Successful applicants will have already earned the M.A. degree in theatre or a related or cognate field (e.g., English, Communications, Performance Studies, History), and demonstrate their skills as readers and writers through the application materials they submit. Generally, the graduate faculty in the Department of Theatre and Film does not accept students into the program without funding.

To that end, applicants are categorized as “Priority One” when they have satisfied the following criteria:

Ph.D. applicants who meet three of the four criteria as stated above are categorized as “Priority Two.”

Applicants are categorized as “Priority Three” when they have satisfied the following criteria:

Ph.D. applicants who do not meet the criteria listed above will be considered only for conditional admission. Funding will considered only in exceptional cases for entering graduate students with verbal GRE scores below 475, and overall GPA of 2.5-2.75, and a GPA of less than 3.0 in the major area.

Exceptions must be argued on an individual basis by the department chair and/or graduate studies coordinator, and may take into account such issues as firsthand knowledge of the student's learning potential, as well as his or her ability to carry out assistantship duties competently and responsibly; this may be a significant factor is deciding on the funding status of students who have previously enrolled in coursework at Bowling Green State University. Students who are enrolled in or have completed the M.A. program in theatre at Bowling Green State University will not automatically be granted funding for doctoral study, but will be ranked and assessed on a merit basis in accordance with the standards stated above. In accordance with the recommendation of the Graduate College, funding will be denied to any student with GRE scores that fall in the lower 25th percentile in any of the required subject areas.

Roughly, 50% percent of our offers of admission and funding are accepted, even though we often compete for students against larger and wealthier institutions. Our admissions objective in the years ahead is to maintain this selectivity and smallness of scale, in order to provide all of our students the observance requisite to ensure their development as scholars, teachers, and artists of the theatre.

Placement  
In an extraordinarily competitive job market, the Ph.D. graduates from the Department of Theatre and Film at Bowling Green State University do exceedingly well. Over  95% of our graduates have found employment within higher education at institutions across the country and around the world. Generally, our students find employment in institutions that approach theatre studies in the liberal arts tradition.

Successful Ph.D. graduates have secured employment in higher education at Lander University, the College of William and Mary, Lafayette College, University of North Dakota, Ashland University, John Carroll University, Hillsdale College, Goshen College, Central Missouri State University, Truman State University, Northwestern College, California University of Pennsylvania, Seattle Pacific University, University of Otago in New Zealand, Stetson University, Charleston Southern University, Virginia Wesleyan, Lock Haven-University of Pennsylvania, Texas A & M University -Commerce, University of Toledo, Cerro Coso Community College, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Kennesaw State University, and National Taiwan University.

Recent Dissertations  

Recent Ph.D. thesis include:

Program Review  

Date of last review: University Program Review in 2005-2006 & National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) accreditation revalidated in 2001-2002.

Date of next scheduled review: NAST accreditation revalidation in 2011-2012.

Degree Requirements  

General Degree Requirements:

There are two options available to satisfy the Research Tool Requirement:

1.  Option One: Demonstrating Proficiency in a foreign language.

a.   This may be met through the student’s satisfactory performance on an examination administered by one of the language departments.  Students may take the exam on an individual basis after consultation with the appropriate examiner well in advance of the exam date, or may opt to take it at the conclusion of the courses FREN/GERM/LAT/SPAN 5000/6000.  The Educational Testing Service’s Graduate School Foreign Language Testing program may also be used to satisfy Option I.
b.  The Department of Theatre and Film will approve this research tool requirement only if the dissertation research requires foreign language proficiency.

2.  Option Two: Completing a Research Tool Sequence.

The student must successfully complete three 6000 or 7000 level graduate courses, totaling at least nine semester hours of approved graduate courses outside of Theatre, which must be grouped by research area and obviously relevant to the student’s area
of specialization.  One of these three tool courses must be a research methodology course in an appropriate field. The student must demonstrate that these courses taken to fulfill research tool requirements are essential preparation for the research and writing
of the dissertation.

a.   Graduate courses from any department may be used. However, courses used to satisfy degree requirements at another institution do not satisfy the option.  Courses selected to meet Option Two are in addition to the courses used to meet the other requirements for the Ph.D. degree. 
b. Selection of Option Two requires that the student submit a written explanation of how the selected courses are to be used in the dissertation research.  This statement must be endorsed by the Graduate Coordinator and the student’s academic advisor.
c. Courses selected to meet Option Two must receive a letter grade.

Graduate instructors do not have the option of allowing a student to take an S/U graded course—one that is listed as such in the Graduate Catalog—on a letter grade basis.
Students should also be advised that the grading policy for graduate-level tool courses is identical to that of all other graduate courses.
Tool courses DO affect the graduate grade point average of the student.
d. Courses taken as tool courses under Option Two are in addition to the 103-hour requirement and will not contribute to hours earned.

 D.  Credit Hour Breakdown:

30 hours – MA
9 hours – Approved Elective
46 hours – Curriculum Core
18 hours – Dissertation
103 Total Hours

Note: Research Tool Sequence – add 9 credit hours of Tools not included on TDP for total of 112 hours.  Foreign Language Sequence – add 3 credit hours of approved elective to be included on TDP for a total of 106 hours.

EXAMS STAGE I: IN-HOUSE QUALIFYING EXAM

Near the beginning of the second year of study the student, in consultation with his/her permanent advisor, will assemble a departmental committee of three or four. The majority of the committee must consist of regular members of the Theatre and Film faculty who hold the Ph.D., and the Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, and the student’s advisor must approve the composition of the committee. The committee is verified in writing by submitting the Coordinator/Chair Committee Approval form (Appendix B).  (Note: this form also verifies the choice of the student’s permanent advisor.)

Early in the second term of the second year of study, Ph.D. students will take the in-house Qualifying Examination.  The process for satisfying this requirement includes two steps:  (1) to submit a Research Portfolio, consisting of three research papers, and in turn (2) to sit an oral defense of those essays.  Two of the papers will be 10-15 pages in length, and one shall be 20-25 pages.  These prescribed page limits must be strictly observed.  The papers may be newly generated or seminar papers, which have been substantially revised.  Any student including a revised paper(s) must include with the Research Portfolio any earlier draft(s) that were evaluated by the faculty.  Any revised paper must be appreciably developed beyond the parameters of the early draft.  That is to say, the student must demonstrate his or her endeavors to incorporate feedback provided on the earlier draft, and/or offer new readings or observations than those made in the earlier draft, and/or include in the study new findings. 

In addition to the research papers, the student will submit a brief, 2-4 page rationale wherein s/he will discuss the ways in which the research papers demonstrate a breadth of knowledge in the fields of Theatre and Performance Studies.  Within this rationale the students must note how the research papers individually or collectively exhibit knowledge in four of the five following areas: Theatre and Performance History and Historiography; Theory & Criticism: Ancients through 19^th Century; Theory and Criticism: Modern and Contemporary; Dramatic Literature and Performance Texts; and Directing/Staging/Acting Theory.  This rationale essay must also include an account of how any revised pieces included in the Portfolio have developed in shape and scope since the earlier draft(s) were evaluated. 

Each student is required to consult with his or her permanent advisor in the process of articulating the contents of the Research Portfolio. Advisors typically read and respond to essays just one time before they are submitted as part of the Research Portfolio. As such, the responsibility for shaping the essays for review rests primarily with the student. In light of this, it is perhaps helpful for the student to think of Research Portfolio as an exam that is structured to test his/her qualifications, skills, and knowledge.  Thus, outside of helping the student determine what essays should be included, and providing comments at one time on one draft, the advisor will take something of a hands-off approach.  Finally, it is imperative that all the work within the Research Portfolio is the student’s work alone. The student is strictly forbidden from enlisting the help of others for the purposes of editing the contents of the Research Portfolio. 

Before the end of the second week of the Spring term, the student taking the exam will submit three complete copies of his or her Research Portfolio to his or her advisor.  The advisor, in turn, will distribute the copies to the student’s in-house, committee members (i.e., a committee of three).  Once the Research Portfolio has been submitted and distributed, the student, in consultation with his or her permanent advisor, will schedule an oral defense that includes all members of the student’s departmental committee.  This oral defense of the Research Portfolio should normally occur no later than three weeks following the submission of the Research Portfolio for review. 

Following the oral defense, the student’s advisor and committee members will evaluate each essay and corresponding oral defense using the designations “High Pass,” “Pass,” or “No Pass.”  The advisor will report the committee’s findings to the Graduate Coordinator who will compile the results and notify the student.  In a rare instance, if the student’s work on any of the papers and corresponding oral defense is evaluated as “High Pass” by two of the three committee members, the student’s record will reflect this accomplishment with the designation of “Pass with Distinction.”  If the student’s work is evaluated as unsatisfactory (i.e., “No Pass”) by two of the three committee members on one of the research papers and/or the corresponding oral defense, then she or he will revise the paper and resubmit for evaluation on or before April 1.  In the event that this occurs, the student will not be eligible for “High Pass” on that paper.  Depending on the will of the committee, the student may be required to discuss the revised research paper in the form of another oral defense.  If the student’s work is evaluated as unsatisfactory  (i.e., “No Pass”) by two of the three committee members on two or three of the research papers and/or corresponding oral defense, she or he will be required to retake the examination during the subsequent semester of study (i.e., fall of the third year).  Additionally, the student may be required to complete additional course work in preparation for the re-examination.  Generally, students who have not completed and passed the Qualifying Examination by April 15 will be ineligible for a renewal of assistantship (i.e., third year funding).  The student may rewrite the failed exam only one time.  Failing satisfactory completion of the Qualifying Exam will result in dismissal from the graduate program.

EXAMS STAGE II: SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIO

Once the student has passed the in-house Qualifying Examination, she or he must next complete and pass the Specialized Portfolio.  The Graduate College requires that all doctoral students take a “preliminary examination” that is both written and oral.  The Department of Theatre and Film meets the requirement through the Specialized Portfolio (sometimes referred to as Stage II).  The purpose of the Specialized Portfolio is not only to meet the Graduate College preliminary examination requirement but also to allow the student an opportunity to explore his/her area of specialization and to demonstrate a mastery of those issues to be explored in more depth in the dissertation.  It is the responsibility of the student and his/her advisor to schedule and plan the Specialized Portfolio.

A.  During the summer following the second year of study, and the fall term of the third year, the student will revise materials for inclusion in the Specialized Portfolio in consultation with his/her advisor.  The student is expected to submit a complete version of the Portfolio to the chosen advisor and departmental committee members no later than October 15 during the third year of study, in preparation for an in-house oral defense.  This in-house oral defense must take place by the end of the first week of November.  Based on the contents of the Portfolio, this departmental committee will assess whether or not the student is making adequate progress toward degree, and will make a recommendation to the Graduate Coordinator regarding the student’s eligibility to continue in the doctoral program. When this committee has made an affirmative recommendation, the student completes the top portion of the Graduate College’s “Preliminary Examination Application/Report” form (Appendix F), and submits it to the Graduate College.  Upon receipt of this application, the Graduate College will appoint a faculty member from another department to serve as Graduate College Representative.

B.  The second phase of defending the Specialized Portfolio is typically undertaken early in the second term of the third year of study. The student distributes the revised Specialized Portfolio (i.e., revisions stipulated during the preliminary, in-house defense) to all members of the student’s committee including the Graduate College Representative.  The student will then schedule a meeting with the full committee in order to conduct a second oral defense of the Specialized Portfolio.

C.  This second defense constitutes the oral component of the preliminary exam process that is recognized by the Graduate College.   With the Graduate College Representative in attendance, the committee as a whole takes this opportunity to review the contents of the Specialized Portfolio, including any revisions stipulated at the in-house review of these materials. When the full committee determines that the student has satisfied the preliminary exam requirement, all members certify approval by signing the bottom portion of the Preliminary Examination Application/Report form (Appendix F).

D.  Students are expected to pass the final stage of the oral defense of the Specialized Portfolio by April 1 of the spring term in the third year of study.  Generally, students who do not complete this requirement in a timely fashion will be ineligible for a renewal of assistantship (i.e., fourth year funding).  While students who receive funding through other sources may occasionally elect to follow a different timetable, it is expected that all students will successfully defend the Specialized Portfolio within one academic year following the completion of required coursework. Any student who fails to comply with these guidelines will automatically be judged as having failed to make adequate progress towards degree and will be dropped from the program.

E.  To complete the defense of the Specialized Portfolio, the student must:

-Pass Stage 1, the Qualifying Examination
-Satisfactorily complete the research tool sequence, be enrolled in research tool course(s) during the semester in which the initial defense is scheduled to take place, or clearly indicate on the tentative degree program that research tool courses will be taken during the third year of study.
-Have an accumulated grade point average of 3.2 in approved graduate courses (research tool courses not included). 

F.  The Nature and Scope of the Specialized Portfolio:

It is expected that the contents of the Specialized Portfolio will demonstrate the student’s level of preparation to conduct original research that will contribute to scholarship in his or her area of specialization.  Each element of critical and scholarly work in the Specialized Portfolio should be suitable for publication. Other elements (the vita and pedagogical position paper) should be suitable for inclusion in a job application packet. This means that the Portfolio documents must reflect original research, and that they must be written in a professional, error-free manner.  Consequently, students should anticipate that they may be asked to complete multiple revisions of the various elements of the Portfolio, and should allocate sufficient time to complete these revisions.  The Portfolio as a whole will be assessed in relation to the following factors:

-Thoroughness and relevance of research in the main research essay and context for review and analysis
-Rationale and theoretical grounding of the research essay
-Potential for publication and significance of original contribution to scholarship in the area of specialization
-Appropriateness of analysis and criticism, both in the research paper and the review essays
-Writing style (including attention to clarity and organization as well as mechanics of grammar and subtleties of prose style)

As a general practice, students generate initial drafts of materials for inclusion in the Specialized Portfolio in the course of completing requirements for 6000 and 7000 level seminar courses (whether theatre courses or tool courses) and focus primarily on revising and expanding these materials during the spring semester of the second year and early in the fall semester of the third year of study.  Because a significant portion of this revision often takes place during the student’s enrollment in THFM 7810, Research and Publication in Theatre and Performance Studies (second semester, second year), students should plan to have written at least initial drafts of all materials intended for inclusion in the Specialized Portfolio prior to the beginning of the spring semester of their second year of coursework. In so doing, students will be able to take advantage of the opportunities for feedback presented in that course. It is generally expected that students will seek the opinion of the primary advisor as to the suitability of the materials they propose to revise for inclusion in the Specialized Portfolio (at the very least, major components such as the research essay) prior to commencing the spring semester of the second year of study, and that they will remain in dialogue with the advisor throughout the process of revising and developing these materials.  It should be decided between the student and the advisor whether other committee members should be asked to offer feedback on Portfolio materials while the student is in the process of revision, or whether other committee members should be involved in the process only after the advisor has approved a complete version of the Portfolio for distribution to committee members.  Once again, it is imperative that all the work within the Research Portfolio is the student’s work alone. With the exception of the feedback that the student’s work receives from his/her advisor, committee members, and the instructor and students of THFM 7810, the student is strictly forbidden from enlisting the help of others for the purposes of editing the contents of the Research Portfolio. 

G. Contents of the Specialized Portfolio:

1.     Detailed professional resume/vita
2.     Annotated bibliography in the declared area of dissertation research
3.     Three book reviews (suitable for publication in an academic journal) focusing on recent academic texts in the area of theatre and performance (broadly defined). Length: 1000-1500 words.
4.     One critical performance review, approximately 1000-1500 words in length, (suitable for publication in an academic journal or other trade publication) of a professional performance event.
5.     A pedagogical position paper.  This essay, which should be 4-6 pages in length, should be a personal statement of teaching philosophy that also demonstrates the student’s awareness and implementation of pedagogical scholarship.
6.     The centerpiece of the Specialized Portfolio is an article-length work of original research suitable for publication. This should be approximately 25-35 pages in length, should address a well-defined topic in depth, and should make an original contribution to scholarship in the designated research area rather than merely reiterating or synthesizing the work of others.

DISSERTATION
The dissertation must be an appropriate culmination of the candidate’s program of study and must represent scholarly research appropriate in method and subject to the degree program.

A.  Advisor:
Normally, the major professor who supervises a student’s course of study is also the dissertation advisor.  All faculty directly involved in this process should be informed of the student’s intention as early in the process as possible.  The advisor must  
be a member of the theatre graduate faculty who holds a Ph.D., and moreover, must qualify as a member of the Regular Graduate Faculty (see page 2 of this handbook).  Before selecting a dissertation advisor, the student must consult the Graduate
Coordinator to determine the potential advisor’s eligibility to advise dissertations.

B.  Eligibility:

A student must have passed Exams Stage II: Specialized Portfolio before a dissertation topic can be approved.

C.  Selection of Topic:

The student and his/her advisor explore potential dissertation topics.  This process may begin as early in the student’s residency as s/he chooses.  The topic area should be well defined by the first term of the second year of study, and the method of research identified sufficiently early so that the appropriate research tool choices may be made.  The dissertation is expected to be a scholarly document, making an original contribution to knowledge and demonstrating the student’s potential as a scholar.  Potential topics should be carefully researched in advance, before proposal, to be certain they have not been investigated by someone else.

D.  Dissertation Committee:

Normally the dissertation committee should include those faculty members who served as assessors for the defense of the In-House Qualifying Exam and Specialized Portfolio/Preliminary Exam (verified by filing Appendix B), along with the Graduate College Representative assigned by the Graduate College (assigned upon submitting Appendix F).  Once the committee is officially constituted and approved by the Graduate College, any changes require special approval, which should be sought by means of petition to the Graduate College and must also be endorsed by the Graduate Coordinator and Chair in the Department of Theatre and Film (to do so, complete Appendix C).

E.  Prospectus Hearing:

1.     Once the student has the approval of his/her advisor to take the prospectus to committee, s/he will schedule a hearing. 

2.     At least two weeks before the scheduled meeting the student will provide his/her committee the dissertation prospectus.

3.     The prospectus should not only clearly outline the proposed topic of study, but should also demonstrate the student’s ability to complete the proposed research.  In order to satisfy this requirement, the student must demonstrate that s/he is thoroughly familiar with existing scholarship in the chosen area of specialization, and that the work s/he proposes to do will contribute substantially to the scholarly conversation in this area. Students should anticipate that the advisor may ask for substantial revision of the prospectus before allowing the student to distribute the document to the committee as a whole, and should budget their time accordingly. The dissertation prospectus should include the following components:

- Title
- Relevant background information to introduce and contextualize the proposed area of research
- Concise statement of the central research questions that the study will address (sometimes described as statement or description of research problem)
- Discussion of objectives of the study and justification of its significance
- Review of extant scholarship in the field and consideration of how this study will contribute original insights (Note: A list of titles of other scholarship is not sufficient to satisfy this requirement. Rather, the student must demonstrate that s/he is familiar with other work in the research area and that s/he is prepared to enter into scholarly conversation with others who have made contributions in this field.)
- A discussion of the research methods the student will employ in completing the study
- Principle sources of data
- Limitations of the study (Note: Limitations in this context does not mean an “apologia” for the shortcomings of either the researcher or the proposed study. Rather, it is an opportunity to delineate and justify the boundaries of the study—chronological,  geographical, types of data to be considered, etc.)
- Tentative organization of the study into chapters (Note: Proposed chapter titles are not sufficient, and should be supplemented by abstracts or tentative summaries of what will be covered in each section)

4.     At the hearing, the student will first orally defend and elaborate on the prospectus and receive feedback from the advisor and the committee on the proposed research project.  When the committee members are satisfied that the student is ready to proceed with work on the dissertation, they indicate their formal approval by signing the Thesis/Dissertation Topic Approval form (Appendix G).  This form must be filed with the Graduate College at least six months before the student expects to receive the degree. Thus, for example, if the student plans to graduate in the summer (typically the first week of August), the topic approval must be secured by the first week in February.  If human subjects are involved in the research (surveys, interviews, questionnaires, etc) prior approval of the dissertation topic by the BGSU Human Subjects Review Board must be secured. 

F.  Defense of the Dissertation:

The student works principally with the advisor in researching the topic and writing preliminary drafts.  At least two weeks prior to the date when oral defense of the completed dissertation is expected, the student must furnish each member of the committee with a readable draft in good form, including documentation and bibliography.  Committee members may require revision prior to the oral defense.  The student meets with the committee and a public audience for oral defense of the dissertation.  If the dissertation is successfully defended and the manuscript is acceptable in both content and form, the committee indicates its approval by signing the ETD Submission/Approval Form (Appendix H).  It should be noted that the approval form is divided into two sections, “Final Examination Report” and “Manuscript Approval.”  Thus it is possible, even though the final oral examination has been passed, for the committee to request substantive changes or additions before approving the manuscript.  In planning to meet Graduate College deadlines, the student should take this possibility under consideration. Only one negative vote is permissible.

G.  Abstracts:

Abstracts of dissertations must be provided along with the final draft.  (See “Thesis and Dissertation Handbook” for details.)

H.  Copyrights and Permissions:

Your use of photographs, images, and extended quoted material (i.e., entire published poems, or lengthy quoted material) in your dissertation require the consent of the authors/creators.  It is the student’s responsibility to secure those permissions in writing prior to defense of the dissertation. Consult with the Graduate College for the exact limitations on the use of others’ material.

I.  Final Copy:

1.  The final copy must meet strict Graduate College requirements and style must be thoroughly consistent with one of the major style manuals (e.g. most recent edition of the MLA Handbook or Chicago Style Sheet).  The manuscript is expected to adhere to
     these guidelines as well as those of the Graduate College. The Graduate College requires electronic submission of theses and dissertations.  For more detailed information, visit: http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/gradcol/etd/index.html. Deadlines for deposit of approved, error-free, electronic copy of the dissertation may be located in the “Dates to Remember” link on the Graduate College Web Page.
2.  Upon approval of the final manuscript and the ETD Submission/Approval Form (Appendix H) is signed it is to be taken to the Department of Theatre and Film Administrative Secretary who will make a copy of the form and send it on to the Graduate College.  At that time the student is to bring two single-sided, error-free final copies of the dissertation to the Department Secretary along with a check for $50.00 made out to the Department of Theatre and Film. This money is to cover the cost of binding of the student’s dissertation; one copy goes to Department and one goes to the dissertation advisor.

J.   Time Line:

Students must be aware that many faculty are not available for consultation during summer term.  To this end, students should make every effort to complete the dissertation during the regular academic year (i.e., fall and spring terms).

 REGISTRATION
 

A. Procedures:

1.   The assigned or chosen advisor must approve the student’s course selection before s/he registers.

2.   Registration for internships, practicums, independent studies, directed readings, and directed research requires an additional registration approval form (Appendix A), which is obtained from the Administrative Secretary in the main office of the Department of Theatre and Film.  Students must complete this form, which must include a brief statement of the independent work or internship, and signatures of approval by the advisor, the person directing the research or internship, and the Chair of the Department.  The Administrative Secretary will register students for these courses after proper registration papers are completed.  This must be done the first week of classes.

3.    Students wishing to register for courses in other departments are often required to obtain approval in advance from the Graduate Coordinator in that department.  Additionally, students must secure approval from the Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Theatre and Film, as well as his/her advisor.  When taking courses outside the Department of Theatre and Film, students are advised to meet with the instructor of record during his or her office hours before the first class meeting.

4.    Students must register for THFM 6970 if on assistantship.  All full-time graduate students must register for THFM 6950, a one-hour graduate seminar each semester.

B.  Limits on Hours of Registration:

1.     Students not on assistantship or fellowship have no minimum registration hours.
2.     No student may register for more than 18 hours of credit without permission from the Dean of the Graduate College.  Permission will not be granted to students on probation.  An excess credit fee is charged beyond 18 hours.
3.     Students holding assistantships are required to register for at least 12 hours of graduate credit each spring and fall semester.
4.     Non-service fellowship students must register for 16 hours each semester including the summer term.
5.     Students may not enroll for dissertation hours until they have successfully defended the Specialized Portfolio and dissertation prospectus.

C.  Registration When Not in Residence:

Graduate College requirements mandate continuous registration for one hour each semester, if a student leaves the campus, with all requirements for the degree completed except the dissertation, or the preliminary examinations.  This is not done automatically.  The Graduate College does not require this registration during the summer term unless the student is graduating at the August graduation.

D.  Time Limits:

*Graduate College requirements mandate that the degree be completed within eight years from the time the student first registered for doctoral work at BGSU.  Course work older than eight years becomes invalidated, and the student must revalidate his/her work, take additional work, or be dropped from the program. 

*Graduate College regulations provide that no student may receive more than four academic years of assistantship/fellowship support at the doctoral rate. 

*The usual pattern of degree work for students in continuous residence is:
*Years 1 and 2: completion or near completion of course work and research tool requirements, as well as successfully passing Exams Stage I by April 1 of the second year
*Year 3: successfully passing Exams Stage II by April 1 of the third year, and in-depth research into dissertation topic which should lead to drafting of prospectus and prospectus hearing scheduled either late in year 3 or early in year 4.
*Year 4: completion of the dissertation.

*A student in continuous residence who has not passed the review of the Research Portfolio (Exams Stage I) by the end of the second semester of his/her second year of study (April 1), or of the Specialized Portfolio (Exams Stage II) by the end of the second semester of his/her third year of study (April 1) is not making satisfactory progress toward the degree and may be deemed ineligible for further departmental funding (i.e., either third or fourth year funding).

*While students who receive funding through other sources may occasionally elect to follow a different timetable, it is expected that all students will successfully defend the Specialized Portfolio within one academic year following the completion of required coursework.  Any student who fails to comply with these guidelines will automatically be judged as having failed to make adequate progress towards degree and will be dropped from the program.

E.  Transfer Credits:

The Graduate College limits the number of graduate hours that may be transferred from another accredited institution to 39 semester hours: 30 master-level hours, plus nine hours of Ph.D. work.  Approval of transfer credit may be requested by memorandum at an early date.  Approval is accomplished by the same route as the TDP.  Students may petition for credit once they have completed eight hours of graduate work at Bowling Green State University.

GRADING

A.  Grades for Theatre 7990:
     Grades for Theatre 7990 are reported as “Incompletes” until the completed dissertation is approved.

B.  Incompletes:

An INC (incomplete) is given only when, for some approved reason, a student fails to take the final examination or to fulfill a definite requirement in a course.   An INC can be removed and a grade substituted if the student completes course requirements to the satisfaction of the instructor prior to the deadline established by the Graduate College.  The outside deadlines for removal of incomplete grades for the respective academic semesters are: 

Fall semester:  June 1
Spring semester:  September 1
Summer semester:  January 1

However, an individual instructor may come to an agreement with his or her student for an earlier deadline for removal of an incomplete grade.  For courses taken S/U, any mark of INC not removed by these deadlines will change to U.  For courses taken for a letter grade, any mark of INC not removed by these deadlines will change to F.  The graduate dean designate has the authority to extend the deadline for an incomplete.  The student must petition the graduate dean designate for such consideration in writing and prior to the expiration of the deadline.  The instructor’s support is required for approval of the request.

C.  Probation:

Students failing to meet the following minimal standards may be dropped from the program or placed on probation at the discretion of the Department of Theatre and Film Graduate Faculty, or the Graduate Dean.

1.  Minimal Standards:

a.  Students must maintain a graduate grade point average of 3.2 or better.
b. Students must make satisfactory progress toward a degree by completing all courses attempted each semester, and passing all exams within periods set forth in this handbook.

2.  Students on probation will be subject to the following regulations:

a. Permission will not be granted to enroll for more than 12 hours of credit.
b. Assistantships may be removed.

3.   Generally, students remaining on probationary status for more than one semester will be dropped from the program.

POLICY ON DROPPING STUDENTS

If the Department of Theatre and Film recommends that a student be dropped from a degree program, the student is no longer considered as a degree student, although the student may continue course work.  If a student is dropped from a degree program, all assistantship support is terminated.  If dropped, the student must petition the department for reinstatement as a degree student.  In certain cases, the department may elect to discontinue funding for a student making marginal progress without dropping that person from the program, in which instance the student will be eligible to seek support elsewhere or to cover their educational expenses by other means.  In certain instances, given just cause, a student may be dropped from the program even if s/he does not receive assistantship support through the Department of Theatre and Film.

REVALIDATION OF COURSE WORK

Credit for course work older than eight years will not apply toward degree requirements unless revalidated by retaking the course(s) or by a formal examination.  Time spent in the armed forces is exempted in applying this time limitation.  The appropriate application form is available from the Graduate College must be submitted through the following channels:

            A.  Chair of Department of Theatre and Film
            B.  Theatre and Film Graduate Faculty
            C.  Graduate Coordinator in Theatre and Film
            D.  Dean of the Graduate College

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

A. Directed Readings, Independent Studies and Directed Research:
    THFM 7840, 7850, and 7860 may be taken by doctoral students and included in the TDP under the following conditions:

1.     Subject matter not covered by an existing formal course or seminar is highly appropriate to a student’s program of study, or
2.     A required course cannot be offered within a reasonable time span for degree completion, or
3.     A student is engaged in supervised research not leading directly to the dissertation.  
4.     A maximum of two THFM 7840, 7850, and 7860 courses (or a total of six hours) may be included in the minimum required Ph.D. program and counted on the Tentative Degree Program.

B.  Evidence of Artistic Ability (Acting, Directing, Design, Playwriting, etc.):

All students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in theatre practice by participating in the production program on campus, or in the community where their work may be observed by the faculty.  This activity may be done on a voluntary basis, for credit under individual registration, or occasionally in discharge of work responsibilities for those on assistantship.  Production activity normally is planned in the spring for the following academic year, and those students with production obligations are urged to plan ahead so that the appropriate applications and petitions may be supplied to the faculty in advance.  Students with unusual programs may be asked to include participation experiences other than those specified above, as part of their graduate experience.  All students, in consultation with his/her advisor, must select an appropriate creative assignment for evaluation and assessment.  Once the assignment has been completed, the student will publicly discuss the project in an approved venue, such as the weekly scheduled graduate seminar.