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The Graduate Program in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies

Overview of the Graduate Program in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies (YASP)

Courses in Yiddish language, literature, and culture have been offered at The Ohio State University for some eighteen years. In this time, Ohio State has grown to be the premier institution of Yiddish research, teaching, and scholarship in the hemisphere. Ours is the only North American University with two full-time Yiddishists. Professor David Neal Miller (Ph.D. University of California, Santa Cruz), Yiddish Program Director, teaches language, Yiddish and comparative literature, and critical theory. Professor Neil G. Jacobs (Ph.D. Columbia) teaches language, Yiddish historical linguistics and phonology, and Jewish geography. Ours is also the best-enrolled Yiddish program in North America.

Developments within the field, as well as the advent and ascendancy of cultural studies as a disciplinary model, have led the present generation of Yiddish scholars to look beyond the inherited language-and-literature paradigm to one in which Yiddish culture in its various manifestations (linguistic, textual, material, etc.) is viewed as a national culture-the culture of Ashkenaz.

The merger of the Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies Program (YASP) with the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures (GLL) positions the Program in an appropriately European context, draws upon existing strengths (German-Jewish literary and cultural studies, Holocaust studies) within the Department, creates opportunities for creative synergy, and leads the discipline in a direction appropriate for the present historical moment.

There are other areas in which we have a great deal of support from fine faculty in related fields and programs, such as the Humanities Institute, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, and Women's Studies.

For more information on our recent scholarly activity, please visit the Newsletter page.

Financial Support and GTA positions

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures considers all of its graduate students for financial support, which is given either via a University Graduate Fellowship, a departmental Fellowship, a Graduate Teaching Associateship, or a Graduate Research Associateship. A tuition and fee waiver would also be provided. Applicants are automatically considered for these forms of support.

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers the one-year Bernhard Blume Fellowship, with no teaching duties required, to enable incoming graduate students to concentrate fully on their German studies.

Another prestigious funding opportunity is the University Fellowship, which also carries no departmental duties; it is offered by the Graduate School of The Ohio State University. Applicants do not apply directly for the University Fellowship. Rather, the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee, which reviews applications, nominates outstanding candidates in order for them to be considered for this award by the Graduate School. If you hope for the opportunity to be nominated, the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee must have your complete application no later than January 15 (all applicants).

Teaching Associates in our department teach one introductory-level language class per quarter and benefit from an extensive training and mentoring system. Experienced Teaching Associates may go on to work in the Individualized Instruction program.

Currently, all fellowships, those offered by the department as well as by the university, and graduate associateships received by our graduate students range from roughly $17,200 (for 4 quarters) to $13,000 (for 3 quarters) plus a full tuition and fee waiver (approximately $9,975 for Residents of Ohio; approximately $24,125 for Non-residents).

Following the Ohio State links below will provide you with additional important information:

GRADUATE PROGRAM HANDBOOK
of the Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies Program

Revised September 1997

CONTENTS

I Introductory Material.
II Graduate Program Administration.
III Admission.
IV Advising.
V Registration and Scheduling.
VI Course Credit and Marks.
VII Master's Degree Program.
VIII Doctoral Degree Program.
IX Graduate Associates.
X Graduate Student Apprenticeship.
XI Fellowships and Study Abroad.
XII Grievance Procedure.
Appendix A: Basic Reading List (Master's Exam).
Appendix B: Course Distribution Requirements.
Supplement A: Romanized Key to Reading List.

I. INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL

1-1 The Graduate Program Handbook of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures sets forth the policies, rules, and procedures of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department. For specific policies, rules, and procedures not covered in the Graduate Program Handbook of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, the reader is referred to the current Graduate School Handbook of the University.

1-2 The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies. Specific objectives and requirements for these degrees are set forth in sections VII and VIII below.

II. GRADUATE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

2-1 The Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies Program is based on a reasoned balance of autonomy and synergy within the department. Some of the responsibilities for the governance of the graduate program in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies rest with the graduate faculty of Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies and the Yiddish Program Director; other responsibilities rest with the departmental Graduate Studies Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies. Final responsibility for all departmental administration rest with the Chair.

The structure of the graduate Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies Program is contained in this Handbook. For a detailed account of departmental governance, the reader may consult the Pattern of Administration of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures.

III. ADMISSION

3-1 General. Applicants to the graduate program in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies must meet the criteria for admission to the Graduate School. It is normally the case that beginning graduate students in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies come with no direct undergraduate education in the field. Therefore, applicants to the Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies graduate program must present evidence of intellectual promise, as demonstrated by a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (4.00 basis) in their undergraduate major. GRE scores are required for admission. Application materials must indicate that the applicant has the potential to succeed in the graduate program.

3-2 Additional materials. In addition to the evidence requested in 3-1 above, applicants for financial support must present:

  1. completed Application for Master's / Doctoral Programs;
  2. official transcripts from all previous college or university study;
  3. three letters of recommendation from individuals acquainted with the applicant's academic background and scholastic ability.

3-3 Deadlines. Deadlines for admission to the graduate program are the same as those specified by the Graduate School. Prospective graduate students who seek financial support from the University in the form of a Graduate Associateship or Fellowship are urged to have the entire application process completed prior to 15 January of the year in which matriculation is anticipated.

3-4 Conditional Admission. Graduate students may be admitted on a conditional basis if the Graduate Studies Committee is uncertain of the quality of the student's academic or linguistic preparation.

IV. ADVISING

4-1 New Student Advising. Incoming graduate students in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Students are advised during their first quarter by the Yiddish Program Director.

4-2 Subsequent advising. In subsequent quarters the advising is done by the student's faculty adviser in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies.

4-3 Master's Examination Adviser. A student approaching the Master's Examination selects an adviser in consultation with the Yiddish Program Director not later than one quarter before the Master's Examination (Plan B), or one quarter before the thesis is to be started (Plan A). The adviser is responsible for setting up the examination in conjunction with the Examination Committee and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The adviser will chair the Master's Examination.

4-4 Candidacy Examination Adviser. A student approaching the Ph.D. candidacy Examination selects an adviser in consultation with the Yiddish Program Director not later than a quarter before the Candidacy Examination. The adviser may be the same as the dissertation adviser. After consultation with the student, the adviser will propose the names of the Departmental members of the Candidacy Committee to the Director of Graduate Studies. In conjunction with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Advisory Committee, the adviser is responsible for coordinating the preparation of both the written and oral portion of the Candidacy Examination. The adviser is also responsible for the conduct of the examination and for ensuring a comprehensive and balanced examination (see The Graduate School Handbook).

4-5 Dissertation Adviser. Upon successful completion of the Candidacy Examination, the student selects the adviser and states preferences for other Dissertation Committee members. Final selection is subject to the approval of the adviser, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The adviser chairs the Dissertation Committee.

V. REGISTRATION AND SCHEDULING

5-1 Re-enrollment. Former students who have not been enrolled in the Graduate School for a year or more should contact the Graduate Studies Committee for permission to re-enroll.

5-2 Supplemental Candidacy Examination. Doctoral candidates whose candidacy has been canceled may, with the approval of the adviser and the Graduate Studies Committee, take a Supplemental Candidacy Examination.

VI. COURSE CREDIT AND MARKS

6-1 Credit by Examination (EM Credit). A student may earn up to ten hours of graduate credit on the basis of examinations taken after admission to the Graduate School. Permission to receive EM credit for a course with graduate credit must be requested in writing from the Yiddish Program Director. No EM credit will be given for a 900-level seminar. The examination will normally be administered by the faculty member who customarily teaches or has recently taught the course in question. In order for EM credit to be added to the student's official permanent record, it must be approved by the student's adviser, the Graduate Studies Committee, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The achievement level necessary to earn graduate credit by examination is "A."

6-2 Repetition of courses. Effective beginning Summer Quarter 1990, students who receive a grade of C or lower in a course required for the M.A. or the Ph.D. degree must repeat the course in order to fulfill the requirement. Students may, with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, repeat any course in which they have received a grade of C+ or lower.

6-3 Marks. The following courses are graded "S/U":

  • 693
  • 993
  • 998
  • 999

All other courses are graded "A-E."

6-4 Plagiarism. All cases of suspected plagiarism will be referred to the University's Committee on Academic Misconduct for investigation and action. Penalties imposed by this committee can be severe, so students are urged to familiarize themselves with the definition and discussion of plagiarism contained in section 1.6 of the latest edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations. (Copies are available from the Yiddish Program Director, Director of Graduate Studies or in the Department office.) If doubts about proper documentation arise, writers of papers and dissertations are also urged to confer with the instructor.

VII. MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM

7-1 Program Objectives. The Master of Arts degree program in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies at The Ohio State University is based on an academic curriculum intended to develop critical analytical skills and conceptual abilities in the study of Yiddish and Ashkenazic literature, linguistics, and culture. The program encompasses course study, the writing of research papers, a written examination of five hours (for Plan B candidates) or a written thesis (for Plan A candidates), and an oral examination of 60–90 minutes. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be expected to have: 1) an understanding of the main currents of Yiddish literary and Ashkenazic intellectual history, as well as a familiarity with pertinent currents of literary criticism and critical theory; 2) an understanding of the history and dialectology of the Yiddish language; 3) an ability to apply textual, philological, or linguistic analysis in coherent essay form; 4) proficiency in written and spoken Yiddish; 5) a general familiarity with the reference works, methods, and skills important to research in the field of Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies.

7-2 Required courses. The following courses are required for the Master's Degree in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies: Yiddish 611, Yiddish 612, Yiddish 651, Yiddish 721, and German 701, unless comparable courses have been completed elsewhere; two seminars in Yiddish at the 800 level or higher. Students requesting the waiver of a required course on the basis of work done elsewhere may be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the material by taking a proficiency test.

7-3 Credit Hours. A minimum of forty-five graduate credit hours is required to earn a Master's Degree in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies. Thirty-six of those credit hours must be completed at this University over a period of at least two quarters. No more than ten of the forty-five credit hours may be earned in courses graded "S/U."

7-4 Time Limit. The Department specifies no time limit for students who are not employed as Graduate Associates. See 9-4 below for limitations of support for Graduate Associates.

7-5 Study Options. A Master's Degree can be earned in one of the following ways: Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis). Master's Examinations will not normally be scheduled during the summer quarter.

7-6 Thesis (Plan A).

  • 7-6-1 Nature of the Thesis. The Master's Thesis is a scholarly, if small-scale contribution to knowledge. In researching and writing a Thesis the student will be expected to demonstrate the same breadth of knowledge and the same ability to handle the tools of literary, philological, and linguistic analysis demanded of these students who choose Plan B.
  •  
  • 7-6-2 Format. Information about the format of the Thesis and abstract is available in the Graduate School.

7-7 Master's Examination.

  • 7-7-1 Qualifying Yiddish Language Examination. Before a candidate is admitted to the MA examination (Plan A or Plan B), a departmental Yiddish language examination must be passed. Candidates must schedule the examination in advance of the quarter in which they intend to take the M.A. examination. This proficiency examination will normally be waived for native speakers of Yiddish and may be waived in other special cases by the Yiddish Program Director after consultation with appropriate other colleagues.
  •  
  • 7-7-2 Timetable. Students who enter the program with a BA in Yiddish are expected to take the MA exam at the end of their second year of graduate study. [According to Graduate School regulations (9-6-1), a student who has received an MA in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies from another institution must have this degree transferred to The Ohio State University.]
  •  
  • 7-7-3 Plan A. The Master's Examination for a student pursuing Plan A (thesis) will consist of an oral examination of approximately 90 minutes in length. This oral examination need not be confined to the thesis topic.
  •  
  • 7-7-4 Plan B. The Master's Examination for a student pursuing Plan B (non-thesis) will consist of a written portion and an oral portion. The examination will be based on (a) courses which the individual student has had and (b) the M.A. Reading List. Following successful completion of the five-hour written portion, there will be a one-hour oral examination. Master's examinations will be given only once each quarter.

    Students may be asked to type a verbatim copy of handwritten Master's examinations within 48 hours after completing the exam. The original handwritten copy is to be given to the student's adviser for verification.

    Students who wish to do so may make xerographic copies of their answers to the written questions provided they do so immediately after completing the written portion of the examination.
  •  
  • 7-7-5 Selection of the Committee. The Master's Examination Committee is composed of the student's adviser and one other Graduate Faculty member who is appointed by the Yiddish Program Director, after consultation with the candidate, at least one quarter before the Master's Examination (Plan A or Plan B).
  •  
  • 7-7-6 M.A. Examination. Student performance on the M.A. exam should demonstrate writing abilities, interpretive skills, and historical competence. For non-thesis candidates the exam consists of a five-hour exam and a one-hour exam. The following regulations concern the non-thesis option (Plan B) only.

    All students are responsible for the Departmental basic list of required readings in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies (please see Appendix B). [Students may make up to ten substitutions, but no more than three in any one section. All substitutions must be approved by both committee members before the quarter in which the exam is to be held.] In addition students must select one focal area from the rubrics designated on the basic list. For the focal area students must submit, subject to the approval of the examination committee, a supplementary list of 10–12 primary titles and 3–5 secondary works. (Exam questions and supplementary lists should be submitted to the Yiddish Program Director for purposes of record-keeping.)

    The written exam consists of four questions, three of which are devoted to the basic readings. Candidates will receive six questions on the basic readings, from which they must select three. For each student-designated focal area candidates will receive at least two questions from which they must select one. This means that students will have roughly one hour for each of the four exam questions, three devoted to basic readings and one devoted to a focal area. One exam question will require detailed interpretation of a particular text, textual passage, or linguistic corpus. In order to avoid overlap, students may not use the same text(s) to answer different questions. The one-hour oral exam entails but is not necessarily limited to a general discussion of the written exam. Taken in its entirely, the exam should demonstrate student familiarity with the broad range of Yiddish and Ashkenazic literature, linguistics, and culture.
  •  
  • 7-7-7 Reading List (Master's Degree). Please see Appendix A.

7-9 Evaluation. As soon after taking the Master's Examination as practicable, students will be given a formal written statement by the Yiddish Program Director indicating whether they will be encouraged to continue their studies toward a Ph.D. at The Ohio State University.

VIII. DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAM

8-1 General. The program for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies at The Ohio State University has as its aim a concentration and breadth of study designed to foster productive and independent scholarship. The program encompasses advanced course work, the writing of independent research papers on the seminar level, the successful completion of a written Candidacy Examination, followed by an oral examination of approximately two hours, for admission to candidacy for the degree, and the presentation of a dissertation that is a scholarly contribution to knowledge.

Each candidate for the Ph.D. is also required to demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken Yiddish as well as a good reading knowledge of German, Hebrew, or Polish (or another language if the student's research warrants such a substitution).

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program with an M.A. degree or its equivalent from another institution must complete the qualifying Yiddish language examination described in 7-7-1 unless this requirement is waived by the Yiddish Program Director. Such students are also required to take German 701 and a graduate theory course in literature or linguistics at the 700 level or higher unless transfer credit is awarded for equivalent coursework taken elsewhere.

The curriculum for the Ph.D. in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies is designed to provide and maintain a context and atmosphere in which scholarship and creative activity can flourish. Upon successful completion of the program of studies for the Ph.D. in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies, the student will be expected: to have a comprehensive knowledge and a critical understanding of Yiddish literary history and pertinent currents of literary criticism; to have a comprehensive knowledge of Yiddish linguistics; and, to have gained a solid foundation for independent scholarship in the field of Yiddish literature, linguistics, and the history of Ashkenazic culture.

Graduate students in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies are strongly encouraged to pursue a relevant program of study abroad, either at an institution with which Ohio State has an existing cooperative arrangement (e.g. Oxford University) or by other means.

8-2 Requirements for the Ph.D. A minimum of 135 graduate credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree (ninety graduate credit hours beyond the M.A.) is required to earn a doctoral degree. Of these, a minimum of 90 hours are to be in the core Yiddish component, and 45 hours in the Ashkenazic Studies and Theory component. See Appendix B (Course Distribution Requirement) for a list of courses satisfying this requirement. The following courses will be required of all Ph.D. students unless their equivalents have been taken satisfactorily elsewhere: Yiddish 611, Yiddish 651 (fulfilled if taken as part of the M.A.) and a total of six graduate courses at the 700 level or higher for which seminar papers are required. The Interdepartmental Seminar, 899, may be used as one of the six courses if available and offered for five units of credit. Seminars taken elsewhere may sometimes be substituted. The graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies will evaluate clean copies of papers and other materials submitted by the student and recommend whether or not seminars taken elsewhere may be substituted for one or two of those required by the department. Students requesting the waiver of a required course on the basis of work done elsewhere may be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the material by taking a proficiency test.

8-3 Foreign Language Requirement. Ph.D. students in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies are required to demonstrate a good reading knowledge of German, Hebrew, or Polish. The Department will allow the substitution of a language other than the above if the student's research interests or dissertation topic warrant such substitution. Permission for the substitution must be obtained from the Yiddish Program Director. The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by passing a translation test administered by the relevant department or by earning a grade of B or better in a course for reading knowledge of the targeted foreign language. The foreign language requirement must be completed prior to the writing of the Candidacy Examination.

8-4 Candidacy Examination. There is no Departmental reading list for the candidacy examination, which consists of both written and oral portions.

CATEGORIES

The three written portions of the examination will be based on topics from each of the categories listed below:
  1. literature [e.g., genre, authoriality, canon formation]
  2. linguistics [e.g., history of the language, Yiddish linguistic geography]
  3. one of the following:
    1. theoretical approaches to Ashkenazic cultural studies
    2. linguistic or literary theory
    3. film
    4. an interdisciplinary or comparative topic (e.g. the Yiddish-German interface)

Subject to the approval of the Examination Committee, students will designate a particular focus within each examination category. After consultation with the Examination Committee, students will submit a written formulation of the proposed topic and a reading list to the Committee for its approval. Student proposals must be approved in writing by the entire Committee by the end of the second week of the quarter in which the relevant portion of the examination is to be written.

FORMAT

While students may determine which topic will be addressed in a given format, students must demonstrate their proficiency by employing each of the following formats:

  1. one exam written in Hagerty Hall (6-8 hours) with questions determined by the Examination Committee
  2. one thirty-page research paper [Students who wish to submit an extended seminar paper to satisfy this requirement must demonstrate that considerable additional work has been involved. The Examination Committee will compare the original seminar paper with the thirty-page examination paper. While writing the research paper, students may discuss the topic with Committee members, but Committee members will not read drafts of the research paper.]
  3. one take-home exam written over the course of five consecutive days in response to essay questions determined by the Examination Committee.

SCHEDULING

The written portion of the general examination will normally be completed within two consecutive academic quarters (e.g. autumn/winter or winter/spring). No portion of the candidacy examination may be scheduled for a student who has not completed the minimum course requirements for the Ph.D. or who has any outstanding Incompletes for previous course work.

Students will type a verbatim copy of handwritten Candidacy Examinations within 48 hours after completing the final segment. The original handwritten copy is to be given to the student's adviser for verification, and the student will deliver a xerographic copy of the typed version to the faculty member designated as the Graduate School representative on the oral exam.

Students who wish to do so may make xerographic copies of their written examinations provided they do so immediately after completion.

If the results of any portion(s) of the written examination are judged to be unsatisfactory, that/those portion(s) may not be retaken until one complete academic quarter has elapsed.

An ORAL examination of two hours must be taken in the same quarter in which the last portion of the written examination is completed. Candidacy Examinations will be given only once each quarter and will not be scheduled during the summer quarter.

8-5 Advisory Committee for the Candidacy Examination. The Advisory Committee consists of the adviser and three other members of the Graduate Faculty of the Department (see 44 above).

8-6 Candidacy. Provided that the student is in good standing at the end of the quarter in which the Candidacy Examination is successfully completed, the student will be a candidate for the doctoral degree. Admission to candidacy signifies that the student is judged to be properly prepared to undertake work on the dissertation. A student is normally expected to enroll only in Yiddish 999 after passing the Candidacy Examination.

If a student fails to submit the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate School within five years of being admitted to candidacy, the candidacy is canceled. In such a case, with the approval of the adviser and the Graduate Studies Committee in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies, the student may take a Supplemental Candidacy Examination (see 5-2 above). This Examination will focus on the candidate's dissertation area and work and will, thus, be scheduled only after a completed draft of the dissertation has been submitted and approved by the candidate's Dissertation Committee. The exact nature of the Supplemental Candidacy Examination and the membership of the Supplemental Candidacy Examination Committee are determined by the student's adviser within the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee; however, the Supplemental Candidacy Examination must include an oral portion. The Graduate School Representative is appointed in the manner described in 9-7-11 of the Graduate School Handbook.

8-7 Dissertation. The dissertation is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the student's area of specialization. By researching and writing a dissertation, the student is expected to demonstrate a high level of knowledge and the capability to function as an independent scholar.

8-8 Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee is composed of the adviser, who must be a Category III Graduate Faculty member, and at least two other Graduate Faculty members. The adviser serves as chair of the Dissertation Committee. After consultation with the student, the adviser will propose the names of the Dissertation Committee to the Yiddish Program Director.

8-9 Dissertation Prospectus. Within six months of successful completion of the Candidacy Examination, all doctoral candidates must submit four copies of a Dissertation Prospectus to their dissertation adviser and Committee. The Prospectus must be approved and signed by all members of the Dissertation Committee and a copy of it, as approved, deposited with the Chairperson of the Department. As a last step in the process of prospectus approval, the candidate shall meet with the Dissertation Committee in order to reach an understanding about dissertation content, research methods, and submission procedures. The Prospectus should be concise and factual. It should discuss the following three issues:

  • 8-9-1 Description of the Project. Topic to be investigated: description of the project proposed, outline of its history and the state of research on it to date, delineation of the contribution of the dissertation to scholarly knowledge;
  •  
  • 8-9-2 Procedure. Discussion of the methodological approach to be used in terms of its envisioned major steps and phases;
  •  
  • 8-9-3 Bibliography. Enumeration of texts/editions to be relied on as well as the available secondary materials to be consulted.

8-10 Time Limit for Dissertation Prospectus. As a general rule the time limit of six months will not be extended. Circumstances beyond the candidate's control can, however, cause delays in the completion of a Prospectus. In such a case, the candidate may, in a letter to the Dissertation Adviser, request an extension of no more than sixty days, stating reasons for the request. The Dissertation Committee will discuss the merits of the request and will inform the candidate and the Yiddish Program Director in writing of its decision. A second extension will not be granted.

Failure to comply with these time limits will be regarded as failure to maintain "reasonable progress" and may make the student subject to penalties (cf. Graduate School Handbook, Sections 7-6 and 7-8, page 26).

8-11 Drafts of Dissertations. A draft of a dissertation unit (or of the entire dissertation) may not be distributed to a candidate's advisory committee without the permission of the dissertation adviser. Members of the dissertation committee (including the adviser) who are neither on leave nor on vacation must be given at least six weeks before the Graduate School's draft-approval deadline to read and comment on a complete draft. Exceptions to the above are permissible only by unanimous agreement between the Dissertation Committee and the candidate.

8-12 Final Oral Examination (Dissertation Defense) is open to all members of the Graduate Faculty of the Department and to graduate students. Those who attend must be present for the entire examination. Graduate Faculty members who are not members of the candidate's Final Oral Examination Committee may participate in the examination during its final ten minutes at the discretion of the chair. Only the members of the Final Oral Examination Committee may be present for discussion of the candidate's performance and the decision about its outcome. The student is considered to have completed the Final Oral Examination successfully when no more than one member of the Final Examination Committee registers a vote of unsatisfactory.

8-13 Submission of Dissertation. As stated in the Graduate School Handbook (9-11-2), one copy of the final version of the dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than one week before commencement. In addition, one clear photocopy of the final version, prepared at the Department's cost, is to be given to the Chairperson of the Department for inclusion in the Departmental Library.

8-14 Policy on Continuous Enrollment of Doctoral Candidates. Doctoral candidates neither employed as Graduate Associates at The Ohio State University nor on appointment as Fellows are required to enroll for one unit of Yiddish 999 during each autumn, winter, and spring quarter until such time as all requirements for the doctorate have been completed. The first year's enrollment under this policy will be considered as fulfilled by enrollment in Yiddish 999 during the first summer after admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. In the Department's view, continuous enrollment means continuous residence in the State of Ohio. The Chairperson of the Department will serve as advocate for a student who has maintained continuous enrollment and is challenged by the University to pay out-of-state tuition.

IX. GRADUATE ASSOCIATES

The career goal of candidates for an advanced degree in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies is almost always a teaching position. Accordingly, the Department makes available appointments as Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA), Graduate Research Associate (GRA), and Graduate Administrative Associate (GAA). The Department expects students in the graduate program to hold appointment as a GRA for at least part of their tenure in the graduate program. Students selected for GTA appointment must enroll in the GTA training course in their first quarter of teaching. A student who has participated in the teaching program will be expected to have acquired a basic knowledge of teaching methods and to have developed essential classroom skills.

9-1 Terms of appointment. Graduate Associates are normally appointed for an entire academic year at .50 FTE (twenty hours per week). Current rules of the College of Humanities allow the Department to renew the appointment of Graduate Associates annually up to a total of five academic years, and departmental policies for reappointment are spelled out in greater detail in section 9-4 below. The terms of appointment may occasionally be increased by the Chairperson of the Department based on departmental needs and the availability of funds. All associates must be enrolled for at least 7 credit hours any quarter they are employed.

Under special circumstances and at the student's request, Graduate Associates may sometimes be permitted to hold .25 FTE appointments. In such cases students must be enrolled for at least seven graduate hours though only one half of their fees will be authorized. Such appointments require the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.

9-2 Eligibility. To hold appointment as a Graduate Associate, the student must:

  1. be pursuing a graduate degree at the University;
  2. register for a minimum of thirty graduate credit hours during the academic year; of those, a minimum of ten per quarter must be in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies courses numbered 600 or higher; the teaching workshop does not count as part of the annual credit hour load. 100-500-level language courses will not be counted toward the Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies credit load. GAs—normally those in their first year of study—who enroll in at least six graduate courses during the academic year but who earn fewer than thirty hours because some of the courses (e.g. German 701) carry less than five units of credit will be considered to have fulfilled this condition of eligibility.

    Graduate students are strongly encouraged to take one or more graduate courses in related disciplines. GAs and Fellows who wish to take graduate work in other departments and have it count toward the Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies credit load must secure the permission of the Yiddish Program Director. If students are dissatisfied with the Director's decision, they may submit a formal petition to the department Chair.

    GAs are permitted to register for five hours of unsupervised reading hours (Yiddish 693) along with at least five units of formal course work in the quarter in which they write the M.A. Examination or complete the Ph.D. Candidacy Examination.

    GAs may enroll for such a course load only once in preparation for the M.A. examination. Doctoral candidates may enroll for such a course load no more than twice in preparation for the candidacy examination. No more than five such reading hours may be scheduled in one quarter. Doctoral students who have already satisfied all their coursework requirements may substitute Yiddish 993 for five units of formal coursework during one quarter of the Candidacy Examination.
  3. register for at least twelve graduate hours in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies during each quarter of appointment once candidacy for the doctoral degree has been achieved;
  4. register for ten graduate credits of formal course work in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies, if the appointment is for a summer session and the GA has not yet achieved candidacy for the doctoral degree;
  5. be in good standing in the Department and the Graduate School when the appointment or reappointment becomes effective;
  6. maintain reasonable progress toward a graduate degree in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies.

9-3 Criteria and Procedures for Selection of Graduate Associates. The Chairperson of the Department will appoint new Graduate Associates as needed from the pool of available applicants recommended by the Graduate Studies Committee. The criteria for initial appointment as a Graduate Associate are the same as those for admission to the graduate program in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies. In recommending candidates for appointment, the graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies will consider an applicant's probability of success as a graduate student and Graduate Associate based on:

  1. undergraduate major and cumulative grade average;
  2. proficiency in spoken and written Yiddish and English;
  3. scores from the Graduate Record Examinations;
  4. letters of recommendation and other materials submitted in support of the application.

9-4 Reappointment of Graduate Associates:

  • 9-4-1 Departmental Criteria and Procedures. The Chairperson of the Department renews the contracts of Graduate Associates based upon the recommendation of the graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies. Pending adequate funding from the College of Humanities, the Department has a total of fifteen quarters (excluding summers; eighteen quarters for students who participate in one of the one-year departmental overseas programs) of support available for a Graduate Associate making acceptable progress toward a degree. Financial support for Graduate Associates is available for no more than six quarters (excluding summers; nine quarters for students who participate in one of the one-year departmental overseas programs) for students pursuing the Master of Arts degree. Students entering the program with a Master's degree or its equivalent are entitled to receive up to twelve quarters (excluding summers; fifteen for students who participate in one of the one-year departmental overseas programs) on appointment. Candidates for reappointment will be asked each January to identify themselves in writing. Once the pool of candidates has been established, the graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies will meet to conduct its annual evaluation of each graduate student and to provide the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chairperson of the Department with its judgment of the relative standing of each.

9-5 Summer appointments. The Department cannot guarantee summer appointments for Graduate Associates. However, based on enrollments and availability of funds, the Department makes every effort to provide summer appointments for all Graduate Associates who desire employment. All such appointments: a) will be made by the Chairperson of the Department based on recommendations of the graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies at its annual evaluation of graduate students; b) must be considered tentative until actual summer enrollments are known. If enrollments and subsequent funding levels available to the Department are not sufficiently high, some offers may have to be withdrawn.

9-6 Stipend Levels. At the time of appointment or reappointment, a Graduate Associate will be notified in writing of the stipend to be paid. Stipend levels will be in accordance with policies established by the College of Humanities and will be made known as soon as available.

9-7 Support Services.

  • 9-7-1 Office Space and Equipment. Graduate associates share office and file space in Hagerty Hall. Computer access is also available on a shared basis in the graduate associate room (480 Hagerty), Individualized Instruction room (120), Hagerty Computer Lab (171A), and in various other campus locations. Graduate associates in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies will be trained in the use of the Macintosh operating system to render Yiddish graphemics normatively.
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  • 9-7-2 Benefits and Fee Authorization. Graduate students are given an opportunity to purchase student health insurance. Graduate students who present a paper at a professional meeting may apply for up to $250 assistance (if approved and funded) from the College of Humanities.

9-8 Purpose and Duties.

  • 9-8-1 Graduate Associates must be available for duty from the first day of any given academic quarter through the last day of its final examination period. No duty is required on days when OSU is officially closed.
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  • 9-8-2 The duties and responsibilities of Graduate Teaching Associates in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies will be explained in "Guidelines for Graduate Teaching Associates in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies" published separately.
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  • 9-8-3 A Graduate Research or Administrative Associateship is an apprenticeship experience. A student holding one of these positions assists faculty members in their research/administrative tasks. The Chairperson will assign GRAs/GAAs on the basis of written requests from faculty outlining appropriate research/administrative tasks.

9-9 Evaluating and Reporting the Performance of Graduate Associates. Primary responsibility for evaluation of Graduate Associates rests with the graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies as reported by the Yiddish Program Director to the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chairperson of the Department. That responsibility may be partially delegated as follows:

  • 9-9-1 At least once during each year of service, the Yiddish Program Director will evaluate in writing the performance of each Graduate Teaching Associate and forward the evaluation to the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chairperson of the Department. The evaluation shall be made available to the individual Associate.
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  • 9-9-2 Once during each quarter of service, the faculty member(s) to whom a Graduate Research or Graduate Administrative Associate is assigned will evaluate in writing the performance of the Associate and forward the evaluation to the Chairperson of the Department. The evaluation shall be made available to the individual Associate.
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  • 9-9-3 Departmental regulations stipulate that student reports on teaching are to be obtained for every course taught in the Department. Graduate Teaching Associates should consult the document Policy and Procedures for the Evaluation of Teaching in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies and must submit evaluations for each course they teach.

9-10 Outside Employment. Aside from such casual work as occasional translating, tutoring, etc., students are advised not to hold outside employment while on GA appointment. A Graduate Associate who finds it necessary to consider additional employment outside the University should first consult with the Yiddish Program Director and, whenever such employment is accepted, inform the Chair of the Department.

9-11 Termination of Graduate Associate Appointments. The Chairperson of the Department is responsible for ensuring that the quality of Graduate Associates' performance is maintained at a high level. Upon receiving evidence that a Graduate Associate is remiss in the performance of his or her duties, the Chairperson will investigate the situation carefully in consultation with the Graduate Associate, his or her supervisor, and the Yiddish Program Director. If the evidence is substantial, the Chairperson shall terminate the Associateship. A Graduate Associate whose appointment is thus terminated has the right to appeal (see Grievance Procedures in the Graduate School Handbook).

X. FELLOWSHIPS AND STUDY ABROAD

10-1 University Fellowships. The Graduate School of The Ohio State University offers a number of Fellowships, which are awarded on the basis of university-wide competition. Students are considered eligible if nominated for these awards by the Department.
  • 10-1-1 Graduate School Funded Fellowships (see Ohio State University Graduate School Handbook II,9). The Graduate School offers two distinct kinds of fellowships: the First-Year (Dean's Distinguished University, Distinguished University, University, Dean's Graduate Enrichment, Graduate Enrichment) Fellowship provides support for students applying to begin a graduate program at Ohio State for the first time; the Dissertation (Presidential) Fellowship provides support to students completing the final year of the doctorate.
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  • 10-1-2 Terms. First-Year University Fellows are normally appointed for four consecutive quarters—Autumn through Summer Quarter (September through August). Presidential Fellowships are awarded for a maximum of 12 consecutive months (four quarters). All graduate fellowship appointments are considered to be for 100 percent of full time.
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  • 10-1-3 Supplemental Associate Appointment. A Graduate School Fellow may hold a supplemental appointment as a 25 percent Graduate Associate on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee and with the approval of the Graduate School.

10-2 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships

Among the more prestigious graduate fellowships in foreign languages and cultures are the FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies) fellowships sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. FLAS fellowships are awarded to graduate students as the result of competitions administered by the various area studies centers at Ohio State.

The ultimate aim of the FLAS fellowships is to train graduate students who are true experts in their area of specialization. Ohio State graduate students—both students of the Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies Program and students in other departments who wish to draw upon original Yiddish-language sources and knowledge of Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies generally—are eligible to compete for these fellowships.

10-3 Research Grants-in-Aid for Graduate Students

GLL offers a limited amount of small Research Grants-in-Aid for graduate students. Grants may be used to offset the costs of research-related activities such as photocopying, research materials, and travel for research purposes. Grants-in-Aid are contingent upon available funds.

In order to apply, students should submit an application to the Yiddish Program Director in which they include a description of the project (250-750 words) and a budget. An explanation as to why this project cannot be funded by the Graduate Student Alumni Research Award program or documentation indicating that funding has been sought but not granted by that program must be included. The deadlines for the departmental Grant-in-Aid applications are the end of the third full week of Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. After consultation with the graduate faculty in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies, the Yiddish Program Director will forward the application to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) with a recommendation. The DGS, on behalf of the Graduate Advisory Committee forwards recommendations to the Department Chair.

10-4 Graduate Student Study Abroad Programs and Exchange Fellowships

  • 10-4-1 Yiddish at Oxford University, England. Under the terms of an exchange agreement, graduate students may pursue studies in Yiddish at Oxford University's Centre for Yiddish Studies as participants in the Summer Programme in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture, or during the course of the academic year at Oxford.
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  • 10-4-2 Utrecht Program on Netherlandic Jewry. A pilot summer program has been initiated with the James Boswell Instituut at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. The course has two foci: Dutch language instruction, and the history, culture, language, and literature of Netherlandic Jewry.

XI. GRADUATE STUDENT APPRENTICESHIP

11-1 Because students with experience teaching literature, linguistics, or culture will have an edge in training and on the job market, this program is designed to give Ohio State's Ph.D. candidates that edge. The program allows for closer interaction between faculty members and graduate students, and it allows this contact to continue also in quarters when faculty members are not directly involved in the teaching of graduate courses. It is expected that writers of letters of recommendation will devote some attention to work of this kind.

Students in the apprenticeship program register for Yiddish 693 (3-5 credit hours) with a faculty member who is assigned in that quarter to teach a literature, linguistics, or culture course on the 200–600 level. The suggestion to work together in this fashion can be initiated by a student or faculty member, but the final decision will be made by the faculty member. The faculty member and graduate student should already have a good working relationship; the student may want to work with his/her advisor, with someone whose classes he/she has taken, or with someone for whom the student has done exemplary research. Because of the need for a developed relationship as well as a good background, most students will be post-M.A. students and will have had experience teaching Yiddish 104 or its equivalent. Students read the texts and attend the sessions, prepare a written assignment (e.g., a paper or a journal), and teach or co-teach one or more class sessions. The faculty member and student apprentice should formulate a written agreement on workload before the start of the quarter. The apprenticeship will represent course work that is independent of the student's assignment as a teaching or research associate.

Students may arrange to work with material in which they are becoming experts (e.g., a particular linguistic, literary, or cultural area) or with material not frequently offered at the graduate level but of interest to them for one reason or another.

If the student has had a particularly successful apprenticeship, the faculty member may recommend to the Chair that the graduate student be assigned the course in a subsequent quarter or year.

XII. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

12-1 A graduate student with a grievance shall seek a resolution by discussing the matter with the person(s) concerned. If this step proves unsuccessful, the complainant shall take the case to the Director of Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies who will explore with the complainant possible ways of resolution. Should this endeavor not lead to a satisfactory solution of the case, the complainant shall take the grievance to the Chair of the Department unless the grievance is directed against the Chair.

During any phase of this procedure either party may call in a third party with the understanding that confidentiality shall be maintained by all persons involved unless the complainant agrees to further procedure.

If the procedures outlined above prove unfruitful in resolving the grievance, extra-departmental grievance procedures shall be employed (Ombudsperson, the Graduate School's Graduate Associate Grievance Procedure Guidelines.)

APPENDIX B: COURSE DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS

The Yiddish Component (Minimum: 90 hrs)

Yiddish 603 Advanced Yiddish Composition ¼ 5 hrs
Yiddish 611 History of the Yiddish Language 5 hrs
Yiddish 612 Yiddish Linguistic Geography 5 hrs
Yiddish 641 Language and Society in Interwar Vienna 5 hrs
Yiddish 651 Modern Yiddish Prose 5 hrs
Yiddish 697 Study at a Foreign Institution 15 hrs
Yiddish 721 Studies in Yiddish Literature 15 hrs
Yiddish 811 Seminar in Yiddish Studies 15 hrs
Yiddish 997 Dissertation Seminar 9 hrs
Yiddish 998 Research in Yiddish: Thesis 15 hrs
Yiddish 999 Research in Yiddish: Dissertation 20 hrs

Ashkenazic Studies and Theory Component (Minimum: 45 hrs)

Yiddish 790 Foundations of Contemporary Critical Theory 5 hrs
Yiddish 792 Interdepartmental Studies in the Humanities 5 hrs
Yiddish 890 Interdepartmental Studies in Critical Theory 5 hrs
German 701 Introduction to Bibliography and the Tools of Research 3 hrs
German 703 Introduction to Contemporary Critical Approaches to Literature3 hrs
German 801 Middle High German 5 hrs
German 806 History of the German Language 5 hrs
German 810 German Literary Criticism and Theory 5 hrs
German 980 Seminar in Germanic Philology 5 hrs
History 605.04 Jews in the Western World in Modern Times 5 hrs
History 605.10 Messiahs and Messianism in Jewish History 5 hrs
History 626.01 Hapsburg Empire, 1740–1918 5 hrs
Linguistics 611 Introduction to Historical Linguistics 5 hrs
Linguistics 661 Sociolinguistics 5 hrs
Linguistics 685 Languages in Contact 5 hrs
English 770.01 Folklore: Approaches and Research Methods 5 hrs

Joint Subject Option
Students may, with approval of their advisor, substitute up to
twenty credit hours of course work beyond that enumerated above
in a single appropriate Book Three listing for that portion of the
Ashkenazic Studies component, e.g. German at the 700 level or higher.

APPENDIX A: READING LIST

Supplement A: Romanized Key to Reading List.

Content Owner: Professor D. Miller.