| PH.D. PRELIMINARY EXAMS |
| Folklore and Folklife Program, University of Pennsylvania |
| Student: Eric Miller |
| 1) A geographic area statement: demonstrating the student's competence in the history and present state of folklore research (and related fields) of the student's intended area of specialization. Also possible is a focus on diasporas, especially since transcultural migrations are increasingly becoming a norm rather than an exception, and since folklorists have had an interest in these kinds of relocations. The paper will be tailored to suit the examinee's interests in conjunction with a faculty advisor, but there will be an emphasis on maintaining sufficient breadth. |
| exam title:
"The culture area, south India." |
| exam-essay #1 |
| bibliography #1 |
| 2) A topical statement: demonstrating competence in the kinds of topical domains addressed in departmental course offerings, e.g. "prose narrative," "art," "gender," public display"; great flexibility and possibilities for combinations are foreseen here, e.g. 'ethnicity and music/song,' or 'gender and verbal art.' Broad intellectual coverage is expected with an effort to account for interdisciplinary as well as international scholarship. |
| exam title:
"The performance of epic and the practice of lament: gender issues, and theoretical and methodological approaches." |
| exam-essay #2 |
| bibliography #2 |
| related bibliography: concerning goddess religion. |
| 3) A theory and practical statement: demonstrating expertise in the discipline's history, theoretical frameworks and problems. In conjunction with the faculty advisor, the examinee selects a meaningful segment from this domain. Examples might be "Enlightenment and the emergence of folklore," "postcolonial situations and the practice of folklore," ethnicity and race in folklore theory," "the legacy of literary approaches to folklore," etc. |
| exam title:
"Textualization and mediatization of performance forms." |
| exam-essay #3 |
| bibliography #3 |
| 4) A professional "script" in a domain of student's choice: demonstrating a student's ability to think through and plan an application of her/his knowledge, e.g.: a course syllabus (including a commentary/rationalization of each aspect, reading selections, assignments, teaching format/pedagogy): a museum exhibit plan/script (including commentary on artifact/visual selections, lay out, explanatory tablets/texts, and goals for potential audiences); public program, e.g. a grant proposal for doing an 'ethnic apprenticeship program' within a state arts council (goals, specifics, logistics or organization using the actual format of a granting agency). |
| exam title:
"Course syllabus: The Storytelling Process." |
| exam-essay #4 |
| bibliography #4 |
| From the Graduate Chair (e-mail to students, 2/26/01):
Each of the three exam papers is 15-18 pages with a bibliography, and the fourth -- the professional script -- is accompanied by a 2-3 page introductory paper. While your bibliography for any given paper might grow longer because the topic might be one you are working toward for your dissertation, in the paper itself you are showing competence in discussing a selection of the works from that bibliography. |
| For further information, please see the "Handbook of the Graduate Program in Folklore and Folklife." |