Combined Ph.D. Degree Program Film and Media Studies and East Asian Languages and Literatures

Program of Courses

Sixteen courses over a two-year period. In some cases, a candidate may be allowed to take up to two courses in the third year.

A.  Requirements in Film and Media Studies: Six courses:

  1. Films and Their Study (offered every other Fall term)
  2. Four additional seminars in Film and Media Studies

B.  Requirements in EALL: Eight courses

Students have some flexibility but must always gain approval from the DGS of EALL. They might take East Asian-related courses in the History, Anthropology or History of Art departments, as well as East Asian cinema courses offered through EALL, to fulfill the EALL course requirements, but they must also develop a plan of study that includes East Asian literatures.

C.  Other courses: Two courses

Students may gain up to two course credits for prior graduate-level coursework with the approval of the DGSs of both units

D.  Languages

International students must have a high proficiency in English at admission. Graduate coursework (seminars presentations, papers, etc.) at Yale is conducted in English.

  1. A minimum of three years of course study in an East Asian language upon admission. Students who have not studied classical Japanese or Chinese will do so in their first year in the program.
  2. Reading knowledge of one European language (usually French)
     

Advancement to Candidacy

A student advances to candidacy by passing the oral examination by the end of the 6th semester and after the dissertation prospectus is accepted by both EALL and Film and Media Studies, at the outset of the 7th semester at the latest.

The oral qualifying examination

It must include the participation of at least one faculty member from Film and Media Studies and one from EALL. The examination will be broken into three sections of approximately 30 minutes each:

  1. A significant aspect of East Asian literature
  2. A significant topic in Film and Media studies
  3. A topic involving Japanese Cinema and Culture
     

Dissertation prospectus

Not more than twenty pages normally is normally submitted following the oral examination to a committee of three faculty at least one from each of the two units. When that committee is satisfied with the prospectus it is ratified by the FMS executive committee.

Defense of Method

In the semester preceding its final submission, the candidate will present 80% of the dissertation for a 60-90 minute oral discussion of its aims and methodology.  One DGS and the three faculty members chosen as official readers, including one from each unit, provide corrections and advice to assist the candidate in bringing the dissertation to its best state for submission.

Study Abroad

Opportunities for study and residency in East Asia will be the same for students in the Combined Program as they are for all students in EALL. These include eligibility for all fellowships and grants administered by the Graduate School as well as the R. U. Light Fellowships for language study in East Asia and other grants and fellowships for language study, pre-dissertation research and research-related travel, and dissertation research and writing administered by the Council on East Asian Studies.