A normal full-time course load is three courses per semester. (Teaching Assistants usually reduce this by one course for each section they teach.)

Courses in the English Graduate Program are offered at the 500 and 600 (or seminar) levels. These levels correspond to different expectations about student workload: 500 courses normally require several short written assignments, while 600 courses normally require a long seminar paper.  There is no general distinction in content between the two levels.  All 500 and 600 level courses may be either introductory or advanced; individual course descriptions are the best guide to their degree of specialization.

At the end of each semester, students are asked to submit course evaluations of all courses they have taken.  These evaluations are held in the Graduate Office where they may be consulted by students choosing courses.