About
In approximately 1 year, I will take my PhD Exams in order to move on to the next phase of the program in Comparative Literature in which I am currently enrolled. The exam will cover 6 lists of 20-30 texts each on topics which I have come up with in consultation with my exam committee. It will take place as soon as I’ve finished reading the assigned texts, and, afterwards, assuming I pass, I will move on to propose and then write a dissertation, which I plan to do from back home in Chicago. This means, basically, that there are 120-180 texts between me and Chicago. This blog is meant to fill that space.
Only, at the high end, 180 texts? This is not a comment about you, but what has become of UChicago?
First of all, I’m not at University of Chicago, as the information above clearly indicates, but an exam list of 180 texts is quite a lot, and not, as far as I can tell, at all low compared to most programs. What do you consider an appropriate number of texts, and how does this larger number help to better produce employable PhDs within a reasonable time to degree?