Introduction to Graduate Programs in English

Welcome to graduate study in the English Department! We are pleased that you have selected SUNY Cortland to pursue your graduate degree in English and expect that you will find the program a challenge as well as a basis for future intellectual endeavors.

This advisement manual has been written to clarify many questions that may arise during your graduate study. Additional sources where you can have your questions answered include the Graduate Catalog, the Associate Dean’s Office, and your advisor. You should consult with your instructor regarding questions concerning a specific course. Please read this manual in its entirety and consult it before contacting your advisor, since doing so may save everyone, including yourself, time and energy. The Graduate Catalog that is in effect when you enroll is the official document that outlines all the regulations by which you must abide. Your advisor will be happy to answer questions left unanswered in the advisement manual or the Graduate Catalog.

We encourage you to establish a file for all important documents received from the College—including your acceptance letter, candidacy confirmation, transcripts, and syllabi of completed courses. This manual, along with those important pieces of correspondence, should be placed in that file.  Also, PLEASE MAKE A COPY OF ANY CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU SEND TO THE COLLEGE AND PLACE THIS MATERIAL IN YOUR SECURE FILE.  If you follow this practice, you will never have to second guess whether or not you have completed certain requirements, such as filing for candidacy. If you have an official written record of transactions, you can avoid complications in progress toward your degree completion.  We wish you success as you pursue your graduate program in English at SUNY Cortland.