phd world literature

PhD in Literature

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Study literature, acquire and practice languages, learn a profession, find opportunities: follow your passion! Apply to an innovative, transnational and transdisciplinary program.

Literary Future

National literature is losing its significance; this is the era of world literature, and everyone should hasten its development. Goethe, On World Literature, 1827.

Please note: the Ph.D in Literature Program at the University of Notre Dame is no longer admitting new students.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Literature

Program description.

The graduate program in literature brings together scholars, creative writers and translators who share a commitment to transnational and interdisciplinary approaches to literary study and practice. The PhD in literature provides students with a flexible context in which to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, students have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines, such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy and the visual and performing arts.

Students pursuing the PhD in literature may, if their coursework supports it, submit a translation or creative writing project as part of their dissertation.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions such as: teacher/educator, writer, editor, publisher, translator and critic. Career settings may include higher education, nonprofits, cultural and historical organizations, publishing houses, government agencies, international development organizations, museums and archives, business/corporate entities and independent consulting.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Requirements

Visit the  Apply Now  webpage to begin the application process.  

Applicants to the Doctoral degree program should have:  

• A baccalaureate degree (BA or MA) or its equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education, normally in an arts and humanities field.  
• Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation from faculty, or other individuals, able to judge the candidate’s potential for success in the program.  
• Admissions Essay: Applicants must submit a 650-word narrative essay, which should be reflective rather than factual. The essay should address the applicant’s academic interests and goals and indicate how the program would enable such pursuits.  
• A writing sample: Submit an academic writing sample (e.g., a seminar paper or a critical essay). 
• International applicants must submit a TOEFL score of at least 80 on the internet-based test.  Scores must be less than two years old. See the  Graduate Catalog  for additional information regarding English proficiency requirements for international applicants.  
• Each application is considered holistically on its individual merits. You must submit all supporting documents before the Graduate Admissions Committee can review your application. 
• The Graduate Record Examination is not required. 

Deadline:  The application deadline is January 15. All applications completed by the deadline will be reviewed for admission. Applications submitted or completed after January 15 may be reviewed for admission only if spaces remain within the upcoming cohort and will be reviewed in order by the date the application file became complete.

Contact Information

Literature Graduate Programs Email: [email protected]

Dr. Charles Hatfield Associate Professor and Program Head Phone: 972-883-2780 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Advising Kelly Erb Phone: 972-883-6167 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Admissions Phone: 972-883-6176 Email: [email protected] Request Bass School Graduate Program Information

Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021

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Ph.d. in comparative literature.

The Department of Comparative Literature undertakes to promote and facilitate studies in the history, theory, and criticism of literature extending beyond the limits set by national and linguistic boundaries. The work of the department is designed to provide for the needs of students who wish to pursue a unified program of study involving literature in more than two languages.

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PhD in Comparative Literature for International Writers

This PhD track in comparative literature aimed at international writers proceeds from the conviction that advanced study and credentials in literary studies support and enhance the intellectual and creative work of writers by complementing and informing their endeavors with comparative historical, cultural, linguistic, and theoretical frameworks. It offers highly qualified international students the opportunity to advance their careers with academic training in comparative literary studies in the United States. 

“Writer” in our sense comprises fiction writers, poets, essayists, journalists, translators, screenwriters, filmmakers, and public intellectuals. As an internationally-renowned center of literary study in multiple languages and home to one of the best creative writing programs in the country, WashU offers a rich intellectual and cultural foundation for writers from all backgrounds. We recruit candidates who would benefit from pursuing such studies in a context where they can simultaneously work on their writing, make literary contacts, pursue comparative literary and theoretical studies and complete translations of their work (collaborating with fellow graduate students when appropriate). Students completing the program are not necessarily expected to pursue university teaching positions in the United States or elsewhere worldwide, although they may choose to do so; the degree is offered with the expectation that it will help them enter the world of writing and publishing beyond the academy and in their respective home countries.

Literature in the Making

Matthias Goeritz and Lynne Tatlock discuss the Literature in the Making seminar, the common course for the international writers track.

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Herta Müller at IWL in 2022

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The Institute for World Literature (IWL) has been created to explore the study of literature in a globalizing world. As we enter the twenty-first century, our understanding of “world literature” has expanded beyond the classic canon of European masterpieces and entered a far-reaching inquiry into the variety of the world’s literary cultures and their distinctive reflections and refractions of the political, economic, and religious forces sweeping the globe. Past guest lecturers and keynote speakers include Herta Müller, Orhan Pamuk, Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Spivak, Yoko Tawada, Dubravka Ugresic. Gis è le Sapiro among others,  Our seminars are taught by a wide range of scholars working across disciplines. Past seminar leaders include Susan Bassnett, Ursula Heise, Franco Moretti, Bruce Robbins, Gis è le Sapiro, Lawrence Venuti, Rebecca Walkowitz, and many more. Read more .

A Conversation with Orhan Pamuk (2020)

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Comparative Literature

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Harvard’s Department of Comparative Literature is one of the most dynamic and diverse in the country. Its impressive faculty has included such scholars as Harry Levine, Claudio Guillén, and Barbara Johnson. You will study literatures from a wide range of historical periods and cultures while learning to conduct cutting-edge research through an exhilarating scope of methods and approaches.

Your dissertation research is well supported by Harvard’s unparalleled library system, the largest university collection in the world, comprising 70 libraries with combined holdings of over 16 million items.

Recent student dissertations include “Imagined Mothers: The Construction of Italy, Ancient Greece, and Anglo-American Hegemony,” “The Untimely Avant-Garde: Literature, Politics and Transculturation in the Sinosphere (1909-2020),” and “Artificial Humanities: A Literary Perspective on Creating and Enhancing Humans from Pygmalion to Cyborgs.”

In addition to securing faculty positions at academic institutions such as Princeton University, Emory University, and Tufts University, graduates have gone on to careers in contiguous fields including the visual arts, music, anthropology, philosophy, and medicine.  Others have chosen alternative careers in film production, administration, journalism, and law.

 Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Comparative Literature and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Comparative Literature .

Writing Sample

The writing sample is supposed to demonstrate your ability to engage in literary criticism and/or theory. It can be a paper written for a course or a section of a senior thesis or essay. It is usually between 10 and 20 pages. Do not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt; you should edit the sample so that it is not more than 20 pages. Writing samples should be in English, although candidates are permitted to submit an additional writing sample written in a different language.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should give the admissions committee a clear sense of your individual interests and strengths. Applicants are not required to indicate a precise field of specialization, but it is helpful to tell us about your aspirations and how the Department of Comparative Literature might help in attaining these goals. The statement of purpose should be one to four pages in length.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Comparative Literature

See list of Comparative Literature faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Comparative Literature MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UCL is a leader in the thriving field of comparative literature, building on the great strength of its well-established language-specific literary and cultural degrees. With its exceptional range of modern and ancient languages, UCL provides an ideal environment for comparative inquiry. We actively support interdisciplinary research across languages and cultural periods, and welcome comparative projects that may benefit from joint supervisory support.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, and a Master's degree with Merit in a relevant field. In the first instance, candidates should establish a dialogue with a potential supervisor before making a formal application. Admission is normally dependent on the submission of a detailed research project proposal.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Research students can specialise in any aspect of comparative literature for which suitable supervision is available. Potential supervisors' disciplinary perspectives are drawn from language departments including the School of Slavonic & East European Studies, Greek & Latin, Anthropology, Geography, literary studies and queer studies and across UCL.

Who this course is for

This programme is for applicants with a background or interest in comparative literary study and research. It is suitable for both recent Masters graduates as well as early or mid-career professionals. This MPhil/PhD is for applicants who want to do multi-disciplinary research, who may have completed post-graduate training or study and want to develop an advanced critical analysis in a specific research area.

What this course will give you

The Comparative Literature programme draws on the collective expertise of specialists in the Faculties of Arts & Humanities, Social & Historical Sciences, the Institute of Education, the School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES).

We are especially interested in creative critical research and in proposals that articulate and examine new developments in literary and cultural studies, in the English-speaking world and beyond.

Training programmes are designed on an individual basis by the student's supervisor, and generally involve participation in activities offered by the department of the primary supervisor. Students also take advantage of training provided by the UCL Doctoral School and our departmental research student seminars.

The foundation of your career

PhD students may go on to academic careers in higher education or careers in research, in publishing or in creative writing. Graduates are able to use to their language, writing and communication skills in a range of different fields and industries such as translation, consultancy, teaching, marketing, international NGO's, charities, the arts and heritage.

Employability

Skills acquired as a result of taking this programme include: ability to conduct research in library archives and electronic archives; ability to synthesise and summarise large amounts of information; ability to use evidence in order to construct a convincing argument; ability to work with texts in more than one language; acquisition of sensitivity to the cultural register of texts; ability to plan workloads efficiently and meet deadlines.

Doctoral students develop a range of skills that are invaluable in academia and in numerous other fields where PhD holders are prized for their skills in communication, critical analysis, management of projects and intercultural mediation.

Supervision and mentorship is available from world-leading researchers with international and national contacts and collaborations across policy, government, cultural institutions, academia and industry. With 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021.

There are many opportunities for networking whilst undertaking this programme, namely in areas within membership of cultural institutions like the British Museum. There are also research organisations such as the British Library and cultural organisations, such as the Cervantes Institute. There are research hubs at UCL (IAS or the SAS) all available for great networking opportunities.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend and give papers at conferences, establishing contacts with academics and also peers working in their field.

Teaching and learning

Research students undertake relevant induction sessions and can take advantage of the Doctoral Skills Development Programme. PhD students meet regularly in term time with their supervisors and may be offered opportunities to gain valuable teaching experience and participate in reading groups and conferences.

Students are normally required to make a presentation on their plans to the departmental staff in the summer of their first year. All UCL research students have to submit a substantial report and defend their research plans in an Upgrade Exam in order to transfer from MPhil to PhD registration status, normally within 9 to 18 months of first enrolment.

The maximum length of the PhD thesis is 100,000 words. The ideal length of a PhD thesis in Comparative Literature is 80,000 words.

To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the Faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

PhD students should treat their research programme as a full-time job, which equates roughly to 35 hours per week, or 15 hours for Part-time students. Students agree to a timetable of regular meetings with the Principal Supervisor to effectively manage the progression of project aims. This is flexible, at some points it may be necessary to meet more or less often. Full-time students can expect to meet supervisors every two weeks during the academic year, and part-time students every four weeks. If a student has external funding, they should also ensure they meet the Terms & Conditions of the funder.

Research areas and structure

We invite proposals with a comparative, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary focus, including comparative studies of themes, genres, and periods, and research in the following fields: world literature, literary and cultural theory; material and visual cultures; reception studies; cultural history; comparative gender studies and performance studies; diasporas and migration studies; new media. 

Research environment

Research students are encouraged to participate in research seminars across and outside SELCS-CMII including networks such as the London Intercollegiate Network for Comparative Studies . Students contribute significantly to the research environment through the organisation of annual conferences, and participation in seminars and online journals. Students can access special collections in Modern Languages, Culture and History at UCL and other world-class libraries (Senate House and British Library) within walking distance of campus. As well as access to research support in the form of academic skills courses, student-led workshops and reading groups.

In the first instance, candidates should establish a dialogue with a potential supervisor before making a formal application. The length of registration for the research degree programmes is usually three years for full-time and five years for part-time. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9-18 months after initial registration.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may register as a completing research student (CRS) while you write up your thesis.

In the first year, you will be required to take part in a mandatory Skills Seminar Programme. You are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback and be given the opportunity to present your research to UCL academic staff and fellow PhD students.

In the second year, you will be expected to upgrade from MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the Faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is usually three years for full-time and five years for part-time. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9-18 months after initial registration. 

There is no compulsory placement in this programme, but we encourage students to apply to the Yale-UCL exchange programme that offers students to pursue their Comparative Literature studies for one term at the University of Yale.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at  Accommodation and living costs .

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, and conference registration fees.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library (hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions).

The wealth of departmental seminars / colloquiums / symposiums and student organised work in progress sessions give ample opportunities to present research, receive feedback and participate in discussion.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Depending on eligibilty students can apply for a fully funded LAHP studentship. For information about available funding and scholarships please visit our Funding and Scholarships webpage .

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Quirk PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 26 January 2024 Value: Fees and maintenance (3yrs) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

All applicants must identify and contact potential supervisors before making their application. For more information see our ' Need to Know ' page.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

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Welcome from the Directors of Graduate Studies

Welcome to the graduate program in Comparative Literature at Harvard University.

Our academic community is comprised of thirty-two faculty members and nearly fifty graduate students from across the globe that come here to study, teach, and publish on literatures in several dozen languages from a wide range of historical periods. We take great pride in this community, its academic accomplishments and collective efforts. And its intellectual profile is equally diverse. Critical theory, literary interpretation, and comparative philology provide the basis for work on translation, the history of ideas, media history and archeology, gender studies, drama, oral poetics, multilingualism, postcolonialism, the environmental and medical humanities, globalization, and world literature. Our students and faculty also work in a variety of fields contiguous with literature, including architecture and the visual arts, film and music, history, media practice, anthropology, philosophy, and medicine.

In our graduate seminars students analyze in comparative perspective the literatures and other cultural products of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Coursework is designed to meet individual interests. Our graduate students are encouraged as well to complement our doctoral seminars with courses in other literature and area studies departments (with which most of our faculty hold joint appointments), including African and African American Studies, the Classics, East Asian Languages  and  Civilizations,  

English,  Germanic Languages and Literatures, History, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Romance Languages and Literatures, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and South Asian Studies. Many of our students also engage in interdisciplinary work, taking courses and often earning qualification in secondary fields such as Visual and Environmental Studies, Medieval Studies, Music, the Study of Religion and the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality.  The stunning range of our students’ dissertation projects is well supported by Harvard’s unparalleled library resources. Our library system, the largest university collection in the world, comprises 70 libraries, with combined holdings of over 16 million items.

In the past few years, the faculty has restructured the Comparative Literature program so as to attend better to students’ needs as they prepare for a professional career in the twenty-first century. New course and language requirements allow students to engage more fully in sophisticated comparative work from their very first year at Harvard. We have also established specific guidelines for advising and faculty feedback from the first year through the completion of the Ph.D. Our new Survive and Thrive: Graduate School and Beyond seminar prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of graduate school. And our Renato Poggioli Graduate Colloquium series enables students of all levels to present their works-in-progress to peers and faculty, everything from seminar papers to mock job talks.

Given the nature of graduate projects, most of our students spend time abroad for language training and research. This work is largely funded by fellowships from the graduate school as well as from Harvard’s many area centers.

When in Cambridge, students enjoy the department’s home, the historic Dana-Palmer House at 16 Quincy Street. We look forward at Dana Palmer to welcoming you in the Fall with sheer delight and open arms!

For more on our graduate program, please consult the Guide for Graduate Students.

– Luis Girón-Negrón and Verena Conley

Founded as a graduate program in 1904 and joining with the undergraduate Literature Concentration in 2007, Harvard’s Department of Comparative Literature operates at the crossroads of multilingualism, literary study, and media history.

© 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College

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• Comparative Literature, PhD

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature

A candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must fulfill the general requirements of the Graduate College in addition to those specified for the master's degree. At least 12 additional gh of work, normally at the 500 level, should be taken in courses regularly offered by the literature departments; among these, courses cross listed with the program in comparative literature are especially recommended. The candidate is responsible for a knowledge of the history of the literature in one modern language. The student also selects a period of major interest and is responsible for a knowledge of two other literatures in this period, which are considered as minors. The periods may be the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Neoclassicism and the Enlightenment, or the modern (nineteenth and twentieth centuries). Some chronological variations in coordinating the minors will be allowed for students studying non-Western literatures. A preliminary examination, i.e. a four-part written examination based on the individual program, and an oral examination with emphasis on the thesis project must be passed. The candidate must present an acceptable thesis embracing several national literatures and pass a final oral examination on the thesis.

The Program in Comparative & World Literature offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy and is designed to provide a systematic study of subjects and problems common to several literatures. Its purpose is to enable students who have varied linguistic competence and preparation to explore the theory of literature and criticism; the interrelations of several literatures; the main currents, periods, and movements in literary history; the development of literary themes and types; and the relations between literature and the other arts. We consider the Master of Arts program to be the first step toward the Ph.D. degree; we expect students admitted to the M.A. program to receive the M.A. and go on to complete a Ph.D.  We therefore do not offer a formal terminal M.A. program.

Admission A student entering the program should have an undergraduate major in Comparative Literature, English, the classics, or a foreign language. Majors in history and philosophy or other humanistic areas that present suitable linguistic and literary competence may also be granted admission by the Admissions Committee. Students entering with a recognized Masters degree from another university or from another department of this University have the option of taking the comparative literature and critical theory component and a literary component of this program's regular Master of Arts examination at the end of the first year as a qualifying test. All other students typically take the Master of Arts examination at the end of their second year as the qualifying exam to proceed to stage two of the PhD. 

Applicants should  apply online , submit a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and a writing sample.

Original transcripts showing all undergraduate and graduate work completed should be sent to SLCL Graduate Student Services, 3070 Foreign Languages Bldg., 707 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL  61801. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required and should be submitted to institution code 1836. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at least 105 on the internet-based test (iBT); they must also pass the  speaking sub-section of the iBT  with a minimum score of 24. Applications are accepted for fall admission only. Application questions may be directed to  SLCL Graduate Student Services .

Graduate Teaching Experience Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program. Non-native English speakers must first pass a test of their oral English ability.

Financial Aid The Program aims to support all graduate students for five years through a combination of fellowships, teaching, and other means, but support is always contingent on the student making timely progress to the degree. Such progress is measured by course load, taking exams on time, grades, and other factors. 

For additional details and requirements refer to the department's  graduate handbook  and the  Graduate College Handbook .

Other Requirements

• Linguistic Mastery:  Mastery of at least three foreign languages (one of which can be English) and a research language.
• Comparative and Cross-Cultural Analysis:  Ability to analyze problems and questions that cut across national, linguistic, and cultural lines.
• Literary / Critical Theory:  Demonstration of mastery of major fields of theoretical inquiry current in the discipline, such as Marxism, psychoanalysis, post-structuralism, feminism / queer studies, post-colonialism.
• Teaching experience:  Ability to teach a wide range of literary topics; put together syllabi, tests, written assignments, and lectures. Familiarity with current trends in pedagogy for language, literature, and culture. Depending on the area of specialization, teaching in the target language or in the Rhetoric program. 
• Professionalization:  Completion of CWL 582 (Proseminar), including learning to give talks, making a syllabus, converting seminar papers into conference presentations and journal articles, learning to write book reviews, learning to write cover letters, fellowship applications, and grant applications.Preparation for the academic job market in literary studies and other allied fields.Preparation for relevant non-academic jobs, including editing and publishing, museum work, journalism, artistic and creative careers.

Graduate Degree Programs in Comparative Literature

• Comparative Literature, MA
• concentration:
• Medieval Studies

Program in Comparative & World Literature Chair of Department: Robert A. Rushing Director of Graduate Studies: Brett Kaplan Comparative & World Literature website 3080 Foreign Languages Building, 707 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 333-4987 Comparative & World Literature email

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website

Admissions Graduate College Admissions & Requirements

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PhD Program in English Language and Literature

The department enrolls an average of ten PhD students each year. Our small size allows us to offer a generous financial support package. We also offer a large and diverse graduate faculty with competence in a wide range of literary, theoretical and cultural fields. Each student chooses a special committee that works closely along side the student to design a course of study within the very broad framework established by the department. The program is extremely flexible in regard to course selection, the design of examinations and the election of minor subjects of concentration outside the department. English PhD students pursuing interdisciplinary research may include on their special committees faculty members from related fields such as comparative literature, medieval studies, Romance studies, German studies, history, classics, women’s studies, linguistics, theatre and performing arts, government, philosophy, and film and video studies.

The PhD candidate is normally expected to complete six or seven one-semester courses for credit in the first year of residence and a total of six or seven more in the second and third years. The program of any doctoral candidate’s formal and informal study, whatever his or her particular interests, should be comprehensive enough to ensure familiarity with:

• The authors and works that have been the most influential in determining the course of English, American, and related literatures
• The theory and criticism of literature, and the relations between literature and other disciplines
• Concerns and tools of literary and cultural history such as textual criticism, study of genre, source, and influence as well as wider issues of cultural production and historical and social contexts that bear on literature

Areas in which students may have major or minor concentrations include African-American literature, American literature to 1865, American literature after 1865, American studies (a joint program with the field of history), colonial and postcolonial literatures, cultural studies, dramatic literature, English poetry, the English Renaissance to 1660, lesbian, bisexual and gay literary studies, literary criticism and theory, the nineteenth century, Old and Middle English, prose fiction, the Restoration and the eighteenth century, the twentieth century, and women's literature.

By the time a doctoral candidate enters the fourth semester of graduate study, the special committee must decide whether he or she is qualified to proceed toward the PhD. Students are required to pass their Advancement to Candidacy Examination before their fourth year of study, prior to the dissertation.

PhD Program specifics can be viewed here: PhD Timeline PhD Procedural Guide

Special Committee

Every graduate student selects a special committee of faculty advisors who work intensively with the student in selecting courses and preparing and revising the dissertation. The committee is comprised of at least three Cornell faculty members: a chair, and typically two minor members usually from the English department, but very often representing an interdisciplinary field. The university system of special committees allows students to design their own courses of study within a broad framework established by the department, and it encourages a close working relationship between professors and students, promoting freedom and flexibility in the pursuit of the graduate degree. The special committee for each student guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress in a series of meetings with the students.

At Cornell, teaching is considered an integral part of training in academia. The field requires a carefully supervised teaching experience of at least one year for every doctoral candidate as part of the program requirements. The Department of English, in conjunction with the  John S. Knight Institute for Writing  in the Disciplines, offers excellent training for beginning teachers and varied and interesting teaching in the university-wide First-Year Writing Program. The courses are writing-intensive and may fall under such general rubrics as “Portraits of the Self,” “American Literature and Culture,” “Shakespeare,” and “Cultural Studies,” among others. A graduate student may also serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate lecture course taught by a member of the Department of English faculty.

Language Requirements

Each student and special committee will decide what work in foreign language is most appropriate for a student’s graduate program and scholarly interests. Some students’ doctoral programs require extensive knowledge of a single foreign language and literature; others require reading ability in two or more foreign languages. A student may be asked to demonstrate competence in foreign languages by presenting the undergraduate record, taking additional courses in foreign languages and literature, or translating and discussing documents related to the student’s work. Students are also normally expected to provide evidence of having studied the English language through courses in Old English, the history of the English language, grammatical analysis or the application of linguistic study to metrics or to literary criticism. Several departments at Cornell offer pertinent courses in such subjects as descriptive linguistics, psycholinguistics and the philosophy of language.

All PhD degree candidates are guaranteed five years of funding (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship and student health insurance):

• A first-year non-teaching fellowship
• Two years of teaching assistantships
• A fourth-year non-teaching fellowship for the dissertation writing year
• A fifth-year teaching assistantship
• Summer support for four years, including a first-year summer teaching assistantship, linked to a teachers’ training program at the Knight Institute. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.

Students have also successfully competed for Buttrick-Crippen Fellowship, Society for the Humanities Fellowships, American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), Shin Yong-Jin Graduate Fellowships, Provost’s Diversity Fellowships, fellowships in recognition of excellence in teaching, and grants from the Graduate School to help with the cost of travel to scholarly conferences and research collections.

Admission & Application Procedures

The application for Fall 2024 admission will open on September 15, 2023 and close at 11:59pm EST on December 1, 2023.

Our application process reflects the field’s commitment to considering the whole person and their potential to contribute to our scholarly community.  Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of academic preparation (e.g., performance in relevant courses, completion of substantive, independent research project). An applicant’s critical and creative potential will be considered: applicants should demonstrate interest in extensive research and writing and include a writing sample that reveals a capacity to argue persuasively, demonstrate the ability to synthesize a broad range of materials, as well as offer fresh insights into a problem or text. The committee will also consider whether an applicant demonstrates a commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity and offers a substantive explanation for why study at Cornell is especially compelling (e.g., a discussion of faculty research and foci). Admissions committees will consider the entire application carefully, including statements and critical writing, as well as transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a resume/cv (if provided). Please view the requirements and procedures listed below, if you are interested in being considered for our PhD in English Language and Literature program.

Eligibility: Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here . Applicants are not required to meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted online through the Graduate School application system . While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click submit, your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions.

Deadline: December 1st, 11:59pm EST.  This deadline is firm. No applications, additional materials, or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

PhD Program Application Requirements Checklist

• Academic Statement of Purpose Please describe (within 1000 words) in detail the substantive research questions you are interested in pursuing during your graduate studies and why they are significant. Additionally, make sure to include information about any training or research experience that you believe has prepared you for our program. You should also identify specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own specific questions.  Note that the identification of faculty is important; you would be well advised to read selected faculty’s recent scholarship so that you can explain why you wish to study with them. Do not rely on the courses they teach.  Please refrain from contacting individual faculty prior to receiving an offer of admission.
• Personal Statement Please describe (within 1000 words) how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and the research you wish to conduct.  Explain, for example the meaning and purpose of the PhD in the context of your personal history and future aspirations.  Please note that we will pay additional attention to candidates who identify substantial reasons to obtain a PhD beyond the pursuit of an academic position. Additionally, provide insight into your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn (productively and positively) together.
• Critical Writing Sample Your academic writing sample must be between 3,000 and 7,500 words (12-30 pages), typed and double-spaced. We accept excerpts from longer works, or a combination of shorter works.
• Three Letters of Recommendation We require 3 letters of recommendation.  At the time of application, you will be allowed to enter up to 4 recommenders in the system.  Your application will be considered “Complete” when we have received at least 3 letters of recommendation.   Letters of recommendation are due December 1 . Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their Online Application Delivery feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender’s. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page.
• Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended, or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the Graduate School will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
• English Language Proficiency Requirement All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. For more information, please view the  Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
• GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test are NO LONGER REQUIRED, effective starting with the 2019 application In March 2019, the faculty of English voted overwhelmingly to eliminate all GRE requirements (both general and subject test) for application to the PhD program in English. GRE scores are not good predictors of success or failure in a PhD program in English, and the uncertain predictive value of the GRE exam is far outweighed by the toll it takes on student diversity. For many applicants the cost of preparing for and taking the exam is prohibitively expensive, and the exam is not globally accessible. Requiring the exam narrows our applicant pool at precisely the moment we should be creating bigger pipelines into higher education. We need the strength of a diverse community in order to pursue the English Department’s larger mission: to direct the force of language toward large and small acts of learning, alliance, imagination, and justice.

General Information for All Applicants

Application Fee: Visit the Graduate School for information regarding application fees, payment options, and fee waivers .

Document Identification: Please do not put your social security number on any documents.

Status Inquiries:  Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also be able to check the completion status of your application in your account. If vital sections of your application are missing, we will notify you via email after the Dec. 1 deadline and allow you ample time to provide the missing materials. Please do not inquire about the status of your application.

Credential/Application Assessments:  The Admission Review Committee members are unable to review application materials or applicant credentials prior to official application submission. Once the committee has reviewed applications and made admissions decisions, they will not discuss the results or make any recommendations for improving the strength of an applicant’s credentials. Applicants looking for feedback are advised to consult with their undergraduate advisor or someone else who knows them and their work.

Review Process:  Application review begins after the submission deadline. Notification of admissions decisions will be made by email by the end of February.

Connecting with Faculty and/or Students: Unfortunately, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, faculty and current students are not available to correspond with potential applicants prior to an offer of admission. Applicants who are offered admission will have the opportunity to meet faculty and students to have their questions answered prior to accepting. Staff and faculty are also not able to pre-assess potential applicant’s work outside of the formal application process. Please email [email protected] instead, if you have questions.

Visiting: The department does not offer pre-admission visits or interviews. Admitted applicants will be invited to visit the department, attend graduate seminars and meet with faculty and students before making the decision to enroll.

Transfer Credits:  Students matriculating with an MA degree may, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, receive credit for up to two courses once they begin our program.

For Further Information

Contact [email protected]

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Our offices are not currently open to in-person walk-ins, but we are here to help.

If you are a PhD student and you have any questions for our advising staff or would like to schedule a Zoom meeting, please contact us at  [email protected] .

We appreciate your flexibility, and we hope everyone stays healthy.  If/when we are able to re-open in-person advising, we will update you.

PhD Program

The organization of the Department of Literature is unusual in that it is neither a department of English nor a department of Comparative Literature as either is traditionally construed. Rather, from its beginning, the Literature Department at UCSD has aimed to be a department of world literatures and cultures within a single unit committed to the multilingual historical study of the connections and conflicts between cultures and society. This commitment includes the ambitious project of teaching and conducting research in Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Latin, Russian, and Spanish, as well as the study and practice of writing.

At the graduate level we offer two distinct degree programs: a single Ph.D. in Literature and an MFA in Writing . The Ph.D. in Literature stresses the transnational outlook of our program and emphasizes its stake in theoretical, interdisciplinary, and cultural studies. 

The Department of Literature at UCSD offers an intriguing example of how the Humanities can renew their place in today’s university by reconfiguring literary and cultural studies in an era of unprecedented global exchange. The collective strengths of our diverse faculty suggest ways in which it might be possible to develop theoretical sophistication and openness to various forms of cultural production while remaining sensitive to the nuances of the literary text; to be up-to-date in the exploration of contemporary culture without losing sight of a rich historical legacy that extends back to antiquity; to offer fresh looks at familiar works while remaining attuned to new voices in contemporary culture and receptive to those who have not been clearly heard in the past; and to place local concerns in global context.

Degree Codes

• LT77   - PhD in Literature
• LT85   - PhD in Literature w/ Specialization in Critical Gender Studies
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Department of World Languages & Cultures

College of humanities, main navigation, doctoral studies, world languages & cultures phd.

The PhD in World Languages & Cultures is available with a specialization in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies (CLCS). For more information about the program and courses offered, please visit the  General Catalog .

Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies

The PhD emphasis in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies (CLCS) is characterized by its unique combination of depth and breadth — a combination that promotes innovative and illuminating intersections among diverse fields of study. All students must choose a minimum of two language/culture areas beyond English. Students with a European emphasis typically choose literature, culture, and theory seminars from at least two of the Department’s graduate focus areas (Spanish, French, and German). Strong offerings in Middle Eastern languages and literatures form another critical cluster. In addition, qualified students may tailor individualized programs of study that draw on faculty expertise in areas ranging from Japanese and Chinese literature to Russian and the classics, among others. All students will take theory and topic seminars taught in English that bring together overarching ideas from across the field. A heterogeneous approach to combining courses and topics is encouraged — an approach that continues in the student’s comprehensive examinations, independent research, and dissertation.

Recent graduate courses in CLCS: “The Sublime from Kant to Mishima, Murakami, and Kushner;” “Film, Popular Culture, and Psychoanalysis,” “The Idea of the Self East and West,” “Literary Translation,” and “Iran and the West”.

Entrance Requirements

A University of Utah MA with an emphasis in CLCS or an equivalent degree from another University. In most cases, the candidate’s graduate and/or undergraduate transcripts must demonstrate substantial literary and theoretical course work in at least   one   of the language/culture areas emphasized by the University of Utah graduate program (French or Spanish). Significant deficiencies in this preparatory coursework (courses required for the University of Utah MA with CLCS emphasis) must be made up before admission to PhD-student status. For minor deficiencies, admission is possible but make-up courses may be added as additional requirements to those outlined below. In compelling cases, students with a different entrance profile (e.g. MA-level training in areas other than French and/or Spanish) may be considered for admission providing that the student is sufficiently trained in general literary theory and criticism and that their areas of interest can be accommodated by faculty within the Department of World Languages & Cultures.

Required Course Work

Students must take a minimum of 10 courses beyond the MA CLCS emphasis. These courses normally include:

• At least   three   additional graduate-level courses listed under the CLCS catalog number in the Department of World Languages & Cultures. Students are encouraged to take seminars with a strong theoretical component.
• Seven   graduate-level courses distributed over two of the language areas emphasized by the PhD Program. Normally five of these are taken in the student’s primary area of emphasis and two are taken in the secondary area; however, other distributions may be approved by the student’s supervisory committee.
• A minimum of 14 semester hours of thesis research (CLCS 7970).
• In compelling cases, graduate-level course work in areas other than those described above (for example, classes in other language areas within the Department; allied fields in which a graduate program is offered at the University of Utah) may be approved as areas of emphasis.
• PhD students must also take WLC 6410: L2 Methodologies (Fall) if they did not complete a similar course while studying for the MA. This course does not count toward the overall 10-course requirement for the PhD.
• PhD students who are also TFs (Teaching Fellows) must attend a week-long teacher-training session immediately before each Fall Semester.

WLC PhD Course of Study Worksheet

Academic Advising and Supervisory Committee

During the first semester of PhD studies, the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), in conjunction with the CLCS Section Coordinator, will be the student's academic advisors. At the beginning of this semester, the student is to consult with and obtain the written approval of the DGS and the CLCS Section Coordinator, which will be placed in the student's departmental file for all coursework to be taken during that semester.  By March 1 of the student's first year (if matriculated in the Fall) or by October 15 (if matriculated in the Spring), the student will form a 5-member Supervisory Committee, in consultation with the DGS and the CLCS Coordinator.  From then on, the Chair of the Committee will be the student's advisor in planning her/his academic program and in preparation for the examinations, and will direct the student's work on the PhD dissertation.  Supervisory Committee members should include representatives from the department's CLCS faculty as well as from the language/literature areas and any allied field approved for emphasis.  At least one member of the Committee must be from outside World Languages & Cultures.

Language Proficiency

Students must prove advanced proficiency (defined by the department as the ability to do graduate work) in   one   language other than English.  PhD students specializing in European literature up to and including the Renaissance are required to demonstrate at least "Standard Proficiency" (defined by the Graduate School as 1020) in either Latin or Ancient Greek as a part of this language proficiency.

Qualifying Final Exams

At, near, or shortly after the end of all coursework, the student will take both a written and an oral exam called the Qualifying Exam. The Qualifying Exam will consist of 3 questions drawn from several focus areas (e.g., a   problem   such as "the subject," "representation," "difference," "gender [and] identity," etc.; a   literary period   or   genre ; a   theoretical direction   such a psychoanalysis, postcolonialism, deconstruction, etc.). At least one question of the exam will reflect   both of the student’s language/literature areas . The student will consult with the Supervisory Committee Chair to outline the general areas of the four questions. Several of the questions may be oriented toward the student's dissertation topic and may serve to connect what the student has learned from course work with the new research directions she or he expects to pursue in the dissertation.

Dissertation

Upon successful completion of the Qualifying Exam, the student will submit for approval a dissertation prospectus to all members of the Supervisory Committee within a reasonable time frame to be determined by the Committee Chair. Upon approval of the prospectus, and in regular consultation with the Committee Chair (now referred to as the Dissertation Advisor), the student will write a doctoral dissertation that represents a substantial and original scholarly contribution to the field. Upon completion of the dissertation and preliminary approval by the Supervisory Committee, the candidate will present him- or herself for a public oral defense of the dissertation, which constitutes the "Final Exam."

For more information about the program and courses offered, please visit the   General Catalog .

Department of English

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Ph.d. in literature.

Our PhD students are involved in a range of interdisciplinary and public initiatives. For example, some affiliate with interdisciplinary  Designated Emphases ; others have received grants to create  podcasts , convene interdisciplinary  working groups , or organize and annual graduate student conferences . Each year one student participates in a year-long exchange program with the  Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies  in Mainz, Germany; some have worked as Graduate Assistants and researchers for research centers such as the  Medieval and Early Modern Studies Program , the experimental media  Modlab , and the university’s  Datalab .

Students graduate with the qualitative and quantitative skills necessary for professional research and teaching in English, as well as extensive pedagogical training and a range of teaching experience that includes writing and composition, as well as designing and teaching Introduction to Literature courses. Our Alumni Directory  includes titles of recent dissertations, as well as information about the diverse careers for which the PhD has helped prepare our graduates. There is an option to complete an MA in literature , but it is not a stand-alone program.

Questions? Contact: [email protected]  

Admissions / Online Application

Degree requirements for the Ph.D. program   (links to more details) include 50 units of coursework with at least 44 units taken for a letter grade, proficiency in one foreign language proficiency before degree conferral, preliminary and qualifying examinations, and a dissertation. In addition, there are also opportunities for students to pursue a Designated Emphasis and gain teaching experience.

Coursework Requirements

2 Core Courses (8 units)

• English 200: Introduction to Graduate Studies (taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
• One survey course in literary theory (Critical Theory 200A or 200C taken for a grade).

1 Workshop (2 units)

• English 288: Prospectus Workshop (taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory); students may petition to complete this course independently with a Prospectus Adviser.

10 Graduate-level Seminars (40 units)

• All courses must be taken for a grade.
• Five courses must satisfy the breadth requirement (see below).
• Five courses will be comprised of electives (see below).
• Students may count one undergraduate 100-level course as one of their ten required courses.
• Aside from ENL 200, no course graded Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory may count as one of the twelve required seminars. Independent and group studies may not be taken for a grade.

13 Total Graduate Courses (50 units; 44 units taken for a grade)  Additionally, students who enter the Ph.D. program without a MA degree can earn one en route to the Ph.D. degree.

The English Ph.D. requires a reading knowledge of one foreign language before completing the degree; it is not an admissions requirement. This could be satisfied through previous or current coursework or an exam. Any of the following demonstrates proficiency:

Completion within the past eight years of 3 semester-length, or 4 quarter-length courses in a foreign language at the undergraduate level. Students must earn a passing grade, but courses may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Students may take the Placement Test offered by the UC Davis Language Center , testing out of the language at the intermediate level.

A Pass in the language exam offered in the English Department at the beginning of Fall or Spring quarter each year.

The breadth requirements must be fulfilled by coursework in the Department of English or coursework taught by English Department faculty.  Five courses (of the total 40 units above) will satisfy this requirement. Students must complete two Earlier Period courses, and two Later Period courses, and one Focus course. 

Earlier Period Courses Pre-1800; or Pre-1865 if the course focus is on American literature

Later Period Courses post-1800; or post-1865 if the course focus is on American literature

Focus Course Interdisciplinary, Identity, Genre, Other National, Method, Theory

Faculty and/or the Graduate Advisor may choose to designate a course as fulfilling more than one category, but students may use the course to fulfill only one requirement. For instance, a student could use a course on women in Early Modern literature to satisfy the Earlier Period requirement, or the Focus (Identity) requirement, but not both. A student could use a course on Cold War Drama to satisfy the Later Period requirement or the Focus (Genre) requirement, but not both.

The electives requirement can be fulfilled by actual offered seminars inside or outside the English Department.  Five elective courses will satisfy degree requirements. UWP 390 is acceptable as one of the electives. Also, be aware 299s are ungraded but still count towards overall units. With the approval of the Graduate Adviser, students may also enroll in a graduate class at another University of California campus through the Intercampus Exchange Program .

Students who enter the Ph.D. program with MA coursework from another institution may petition the Graduate Adviser for a Course Waiver up to three of the twelve required seminars; each approved petition will reduce the number of required courses by one. Students may not reduce their coursework to fewer than nine seminars.

Students holding an MA may also petition the Graduate Adviser for course relief for up to five of the breadth requirements; each approved petition allows the student to substitute elective courses. ENL 200 may not be waived or relieved.

For each waiver or relief request, students must submit to the English Graduate Office a Course Waiver or Relief Request form (available in the office) along with the syllabus from the course and the student's seminar paper.

Graduate students may participate in a Designated Emphasis (DE) , a specialization that might include a new method of inquiry or an important field of application which is related to two or more existing Ph.D. programs. The DE is awarded in conjunction with the Ph.D. degree and is signified by a transcript notation; for example, “Ph.D. in Literature with a Designated Emphasis in Native American Studies.”  More information .

In the Spring Quarter of the second year or Fall Quarter of the third year of graduate study, students take a Preliminary Examination in two historical fields and one focus field. Three faculty members conduct the oral examination, each representing one of the fields. Prior to taking the Preliminary Examination, students must have completed the following:

Introduction to Graduate Studies (ENL200)

Survey of Literary Theory (CRI200A or CRI200C)

Four of five Breadth Requirements

Four of five Elective Requirements

Additionally, students select one focus field. A student may devise her/his own focus list in collaboration with two faculty members or, as is more common, choose one from among the following:

Black Studies

Critical Theory

Disability Studies

Ecocriticism and Environmental Humanities

Film Studies

Media Technologies

Performance Studies

Postcolonial Theory

Psychoanalysis

Queer Feminisms

Queer Theories

Race and Ethnicity Studies

Science and Literature

Science Fiction

English 299 (Independent Study) is ordinarily used the quarters before the Preliminary Examination to prepare for the oral  examination and is graded Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory. Students may register for ENL 299 under the Graduate Advisor or a faculty member in the field of their exam for the quarter(s) they intend to study.

In the event that the student does not pass the exam, the exam chair will report the decision to the Graduate Adviser, who will work with the committee to decide whether the student should be given a chance to retake the exam (no less than six months later) or whether the student should be dismissed from the program. The Graduate Adviser will report this final decision to the student within 72 hours of the exam’s conclusion.

Any remaining requirements after taking the Preliminary Examination must be completed before scheduling the Qualifying Examination.

Students will select two historical fields from among the following list.   Students who would like to do non-consecutive historical fields need to get prior approval from the Graduate Adviser.  These lists and additional helpful documents can be accessed via our box folder "Preliminary Exam" in the English Graduate Program file.

The Qualifying Examination  happens as early as the spring of the third year and should be taken no later than the spring of the fourth year . The reading list for this exam, which is conducted orally, is constructed by the student in consultation with his or her three-person dissertation committee. When making their lists, students may consult the standard lists for preliminary exams available on the department's Box site. If the student has elected a designated emphasis (DE), materials from that field should also be incorporated into the Qualifying Exam reading list.

Graduate Studies requires the Qualifying Examination Application (GS319) to be submitted at least 30 days prior the the scheduled exam date.

Qualifying Examination Committee  The student, in consultation with their Prospectus Adviser and, if needed, the Graduate Adviser, nominates  four   faculty to serve on the Qualifying Examination Committee: 

• The three proposed Dissertation Committee members 
• One member must be from outside the English graduate program (this may be a member of the Dissertation Committee). 

The QE Committee is responsible for administering the exam. Neither the “Prospectus Adviser” nor the Dissertation Director (in many, though not all, cases these will be same) may be the chair of the QE Committee. Students with a designated emphasis (DE) must include one faculty member affiliated with the DE on both their qualifying and dissertation committee. DE paperwork must be approved before the QE application is submitted. The exam will focus on the Prospectus and the Qualifying Exam reading list. The bibliography of the prospectus will normally overlap substantially with the Qualifying Exam reading list.

The Qualifying Exam Report (GS343) must be submitted withing 72 hours of the exam. Upon successful completion, students receive the Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Plan B (GS321) .

If you are disabled, you are entitled to accommodations for all requirements of the program you’re enrolled in, a process formally handled by the Student Disability Center . We recommend starting the process of coordinating with the SDC early in your graduate school journey, as it can take time for the Center to process information.  We must work with the SDC to implement your accommodations for your exams.  Please indicate your need for accommodations to us as soon as possible, so we can include the Center in our exam scheduling process.  Please notify us by the fourth week of the quarter in which you intend to sit the exam.

The dissertation must be an original work of scholarship and/or interpretation. It may be critical, bibliographical, historical, or biographical in its subject. Students work with a dissertation director and consult with two official readers as well as with other faculty knowledgeable about the project. A dditional details . 

• Schools & departments

English Literature PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: English Literature

Upcoming Introduction to Postgraduate Study and Research events

Join us online on the 19th June or 26th June to learn more about studying and researching at Edinburgh.

Choose your event and register

Research profile

Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise in a community that really values research; and to make an original, positive contribution to learning in literature and related fields.

As the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, based in one of the largest and most diverse Schools in the University of Edinburgh, we are the ideal place for PhD study.

Our interdisciplinary environment brings together specialists in all periods and genres of literature and literary analysis.

Research excellence

Based on our performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF), over 90 per cent of our research and impact is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent by Research Professional. 69 per cent is graded at the world-leading level – the highest of REF’s four categories.

In Times Higher Education's REF analysis, English at Edinburgh is ranked fifth in the UK (out of more than 90 institutions) for:

• the overall quality of our publications and other outputs
• the impact of our research on people’s lives
• our supportive research environment

Given the breadth and depth of our expertise, we are able to support students wishing to develop research projects in any field of Anglophone literary studies. These include American studies, literary and critical theory, the history of the book, gender and sexuality studies, and global Anglophone literatures - where our specialisms include Pacific, African, South Asian, and African-American writing.

We have particular strengths in each of the main periods of English and Scottish Literature:

• Renaissance/early modern
• Enlightenment
• 21st century
• Contemporary

Emergent research themes in the department include the digital humanities, the economic humanities, the environmental humanities and literature and medicine.

• Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in English and Scottish Literature

Working with colleagues elsewhere in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and across the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between disciplines and/or languages.

• Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Over the course of your PhD, you’ll be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of usually between 80,000 and 100,000 words.

You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge.

• Read our pre-application guidance on writing a PhD research proposal

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research.

• Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

Training and support

Between the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the Careers Service, and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you’ll find a range of programmes and resources to help you develop your postgraduate skills.

You will also have access to the University’s fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.

Part of a community

As part of our research community, you will be immersed in a world of knowledge exchange, with lots of opportunities to share ideas, learning and creative work.

Activities range from talks by visiting speakers and work-in-progress seminars, to reading groups, conferences, workshops, performances, online journals and forums, many of which are led by PhD candidates.

Highlights include student reading for the James Tait Black Prizes, Britain's oldest literary awards which typically involve reading submissions across fiction and biography and advising the judges on the shortlists.

• Read an interview with 2022 James Tait Black reader, Céleste Callen

Our graduates tell us that they value the friendliness of the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.

A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.

Take a PhD with us and you will be based in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) in the historic centre of this world-leading festival city.

You will have access to the University’s many literary treasures. These include the libraries of:

• William Drummond
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon
• Hugh MacDiarmid
• Norman MacCaig

The Centre for Research Collections holds the W.H. Auden collection; the Corson Collection of works by and about Sir Walter Scott; and the Ramage collection of poetry pamphlets.

It also holds a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays put together by the 19th century Shakespearean James Halliwell-Phillipps, the correspondence of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle (the focus of one of the major editorial projects in Victorian studies of the last half-century), and the extensive Laing collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts, as well as letters and papers by - and relating to - authors including:

• Christopher Isherwood
• Rudyard Kipling
• John Middleton Murry
• Walter de la Mare
• George Mackay Brown
• Compton Mackenzie

Many of the University's Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, Computing Labs, and dedicated PhD study space in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).

Look inside the PhD study space in LLC

In the city

Our buildings are close to the National Library of Scotland (where collections include the Bute Collection of early modern English drama and the John Murray Archive), Edinburgh Central Library, Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Writers’ Museum and a fantastic range of publishing houses, bookshops, and theatres.

We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which annually welcomes around 1,000 authors to our literary city.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK masters, or its international equivalent, with a mark of at least 65% in your English literature dissertation of at least 10,000 words.

If your masters programme did not include a dissertation or included a dissertation that was unmarked or less than 10,000 words, you will be expected to produce an exceptional research proposal and personal statement to show your ability to undertake research at the level required by this programme.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

• Fees and costs

Read our general information on tuition fees and studying costs:

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: English Literature
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September 2024

Awards: PhD (36 mth FT, 72 mth PT)

Application deadlines

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

• How to apply

The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.

For a PhD programme, you should include:

• a sample of written work of about 3,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate or masters degree)
• a research proposal - a detailed description of what you hope to achieve and how
• Pre-application guidance

Before you formally apply for this PhD, you should look at the pre-application information and guidance on the programme website.

This will help you decide if this programme is right for you, and help us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve.

The guidance will also give you practical advice for writing your research proposal – one of the most important parts of your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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PhD: World and Comparative Literature

University of exeter, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Comparative Literature

Course type

Research overview

Staff in Modern Languages research a wide range of areas, including literature, linguistics, translation and film. We supervise PhD students researching periods from the medieval to the present, across our seven main languages, with interdisciplinary projects involving additional supervision from other departments in the College of Humanities and beyond.

The ‘Centre for Translating Cultures’ provides a focal point for research in Modern Languages. Our postgraduate students regularly present work in progress at the Centre and participate its regular series of seminars often with distinguished visiting speakers. Modern Languages postgraduates are also active in other research centres in Modern Languages and the College of Humanities.

Beyond the University we have good relations with UK museums and galleries, as well as academic and research institutions internationally, attracting research students from all over the world and many cultural backgrounds.

There are frequent public seminars and lecture series which feature distinguished scholars and public figures in related fields from the UK, Europe and throughout the world.

Interdisciplinary and cross-cultural by nature, Translation Studies appeals particularly to students with an interest in how language mediates between cultures and disciplines, and with an aim of learning about the professional aspects of the field.

We are committed to ensuring you receive high quality research supervision to maximise your potential and prepare you for a rewarding career. You will develop skills which will be useful to you whether or not you stay in academia including highly developed research methods skills. Possible careers include academic research and teaching, and potentially, usually with further professional training, employment in research and policy organisations and charities in the UK and beyond.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Normally students will need a good UK Honours degree (2:1 Honours or international equivalent) and a Master’s degree with Merit or international equivalent in a related subject.

MA Comparative Literature

Soas university of london, comparative literature - phd, university of kent, german and comparative literature - phd, comparative literature mlitt, university of glasgow, comparative literature phd.

Secondary Menu

• Ph.D. Degree

The Graduate Program in Literature is a doctoral program, which means that all students enrolled prepare for the Ph.D. degree. The program does not grant M.A. degrees along the way. The typical time to completion for the doctoral program is 6 full years.

Requirements for the Ph.D.

• 12 Seminars
• 7 Literature Program courses
• At least 5 courses in a teaching field of your choice
• Foreign language proficiency in two languages
• Preliminary Exam
• Chapter Workshop
• Dissertation Defense
• Teaching Assistantship
• Responsible Conduct of Research Training

Additional Course Guidelines

Undergraduate-level Courses - There are no restrictions on the number of undergraduate courses a student may take outside the Literature Program during their graduate career. The approval of the DGS must be sought in such cases, and in any case Graduate School Regulations do not allow courses below the 500 level to count toward the fulfillment of coursework requirements or to be included in a student's GPA calculation.  In general undergraduate courses tend to be limited to relevant language courses.

Independent Studies - Students can take up to three independent studies over the course of their careers. Students have to complete the “Independent Study Notification Form” every time they take an independent study and it must be signed by the DGS. Supplies of these forms are kept in the DGS Assistant’s office.

Inter-institutional Courses - The Registrar requires students to follow a special procedure when they register for courses at other Triangle universities (UNC, NCCU, NCSU). Forms and information are available at the Registrar's Office. You’ll need approval from Lit’s DGS & the professor of the course.

Typical Degree Timeline

What follows is a very general timeline that graduate students in the Program may use as a rough orientation for their six-year course of study. It is not meant to replace the guidance that you should actively seek , for your own specific circumstances and research field(s), from your mentors and advisors.

During the first year, you will familiarize yourself with the department, the university, and the profession at large. The many colloquia and conferences offered at Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, NC Central and NC State, present great opportunities for you to get to know your peers, professors, national and international scholars.

During the second year, you can start presenting your work at conferences in your field(s). You should by now identify your main advisor(s), and begin TAing so as to familiarize yourself with teaching duties. You may also begin to plan for a Certificate in College Teaching.

During the third year, you will complete your preliminary exams and start to work towards your dissertation. Make sure to complete, by the end of this academic year, all the required coursework, including any language requirement related to your specific field. To be competitive in a specific field, you may well need more than one language besides English: please consult with your advisors about this matter.

During the fourth year, your focus will be to complete, if not an entire first draft, at least a good part of your dissertation. This is also a good moment to make your work known in the profession by publishing a part of your dissertation and by presenting some of the other parts at professional conferences. Finally, you should attend the dissertation formatting training sessions offered by the Graduate School (either during the fall or the spring): this is very important, to avoid any last-minute surprises that could jeopardize your entire time-plan for the PhD.

If possible, you should try to finish your dissertation during your fifth year at Duke. You should also keep a presence at professional conferences, and you may also want to consider the possibility of public humanities publications. Finally, this is the year to start applying for jobs.

You should be ready to defend by the end of this year.

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English (Literature), PHD

On this page:.

At a Glance: program details

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD English (Literature)

The PhD program in English with a concentration in literature trains students in various methodologies, pedagogies and areas of inquiry that constitute literary and cultural studies.

With a diverse and distinguished faculty, the program offers opportunities for specialization in traditional areas of literary criticism, cultural analysis and theory, as well as various fields of interdisciplinary study.

A doctorate in literature equips students with a range of highly sought-after skills and competencies: research and analysis of complex material, communication in written and oral modes, collaboration, independence and self-motivation, creativity and adaptability.

The PhD in English (literature) at ASU is a premier graduate program in the U.S. with strong interdisciplinary ties and faculty links to research centers on campus and in the state, including the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, the Institute for Humanities Research, and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. With these resources and a strong mentorship program at their fingertips, our graduates are prepared for a wide array of professional opportunities including careers in college teaching, research, writing, editing, higher education, and humanities-related organizations.

Lee Bebout ,  Director  

Sheila Luna , Program Manager

Faculty in Literature

Doctoral Examinations

Doctoral Procedures and Timeline

Teaching Assistantships

Degree Requirements

84 credit hours, a foreign language exam, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

A student with an appropriate master's degree must complete a minimum of 54 credit hours of approved graduate work, which includes 12 credit hours of dissertation, provided the student's master's degree is accepted by the supervisory committee and the academic unit. Research hours may be used toward coursework in consultation with the advisor.

A student without an appropriate master's degree must complete 84 credit hours of work at ASU. At the advisor's discretion, students may include up to 12 credit hours of appropriate, graduate-level coursework undertaken at another university and not previously counted toward any other degree.

Specifically required are six credit hours in theory courses and ENG 501 Approaches to Research. Students must complete eight graduate courses in any of the following categories:

• cultural studies
• ethnic studies
• gender studies
• history and structure of the English language
• literature 1500--1660
• literature 1660--1900
• literature since 1900
• literature to 1500
• postcolonial or anglophone literatures

Students must take at least five graduate seminars at the 600 level en route to the doctorate, at least three of which must be taken in the doctoral program. Up to 12 credit hours taken outside the department may be counted toward the degree. Students should consult with their supervisory committees when choosing electives.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample relevant to the field
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency, regardless of current residency. Applicants can find more information about English proficiency requirements on the school website . Please note that official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The well-considered, one- to two-page, single-spaced statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, proposed research specialization, any secondary field of interest and why the applicant wishes to pursue a PhD in English (Literature) at Arizona State University. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Courses and Electives

Approaches to Research (3 credits / one class) :  Students must take the core class ENG 501 Approaches to Research.

Theory (6 credits / two courses): Appropriate courses for filling this requirement must be in the area of the history of criticism, literary theory, rhetorical theory, linguistic theory or cultural theory. Examples of courses which meet this requirement, if the specific topic is appropriate, include the following: ENG 502, 503, 504, 550, 551, 552, 554, 556, 602, 604, 651, LIN 510, 516, 517; however, an equivalent or more advanced course in linguistic, rhetorical or literary theory would also be acceptable.

Additional Required Courses (24 credits / 8 classes): Students must complete eight graduate courses in any of the following categories: cultural studies, ethnic studies, gender studies, genre, history and structure of the English language, literature to 1500, literature 1500-1660, literature 1660-1900, literature since 1900, postcolonial or anglophone literatures.

A minimum of five courses counted toward the PhD, which may include those listed above, must be taken at the 600-level (three of which must be taken in the doctoral program at ASU). Students wishing to take courses outside of the department may count up to 12 credit hours toward the degree. These courses may also fulfill some of the above degree requirements. Students should consult with an advisor or their committee chair when choosing electives.

Other Requirements

Language Requirement : PhD students must demonstrate evidence of a competent knowledge of a natural language other than modern English, to be selected by the student, subject to the approval of the chair of the dissertation committee. The language requirement must be completed before the student is eligible to take the doctoral exams. This requirement may be met by

• Earning a “B” (3.00) or higher in a 400- or 500-level course in an appropriate (approved) language.
• Demonstrating comparable proficiency by taking a language examination, administered by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student’s supervisory committee.
• Demonstrating native-speaker proficiency, as determined by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student’s supervisory committee.
• Earning a “B” (3.00) or higher in both ENG 530 Old English and ENG 531 Old English Literature or their equivalent.
• Holding a bachelor’s degree in an approved foreign language.
• Having fulfilled a foreign language requirement towards a previously awarded master’s degree that has been completed within five years of the semester for which the student has been admitted to the doctoral program. This foreign language must be in a language approved by the student’s doctoral supervisory committee.
• For languages which the School of International Letters and Cultures does not offer or does not offer above the 200 level, two years (4 semesters) of successfully completed college level coursework at least at the 100 and 200 level with a C or better would fulfill the requirement. The coursework must have been successfully completed no more than six years prior to admission to the degree program.

PhD Examinations :  Essay, oral exam, colloquy on the dissertation prospectus.

Dissertation : Students must take 12 credit hours of ENG 799.

Miscellaneous : Students may take research (ENG 792) for the purpose of working independently in preparation for the doctoral examination. This is an alternative to be elected by the student at the discretion and with the approval of the advisor and supervisory committee and can count towards course work. Satisfactory completion of ENG 792 is indicated by the grade of "Y." Individual interim segments of ENG 792 will be graded "Z" (course in progress), and changed to "Y" (successful completion) after the dissertation defense. No conventional letter grades are awarded for ENG 792 or 799.

The Graduate College also requires that students be enrolled every semester, excluding summer sessions, until they have completed all requirements for the degree. Continuous enrollment may be satisfied by registration for one hour of ENG 799, or, in cases where dissertation or other credit hours are not needed, Continuous Registration (ENG 595 or 795). If students wish to interrupt their programs of study for one or more semesters, they may apply for a leave of absence, not to exceed one year. Failure to enroll or obtain leave status for the semesters in which they are not enrolled will result in dismissal from the program.

Doctoral Supervisory Committee

The doctoral supervisory committee consists of a minimum of three members from the  graduate faculty  selected at the time the student files a program of study. In consultation with the director of the Ph.D. program, the student will select the committee chair, who also serves as the student's advisor. Once a graduate faculty member has agreed to serve as the student's chair, the student and chair will then consult before recommending two other members to the director of the doctoral program. Ideally another member of the supervisory committee in addition to the chair should be in the area of specialization. It is the responsibility of each student to form a supervisory committee very early in the program so that the chair and members of the committee may be involved in shaping the course of study, for example, in determining such matters as the choice of foreign language(s) and in specifying courses that will be required for the student's particular area of concentration.

Important Notice to Current International Students

In order for international students to maintain good standing for their VISAs, they must take a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester (i.e., 3 classes), 6 credits (2 classes) should be face-to-face classes.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Identify and evaluate various disciplinary arguments, trends, traditions and debates within the knowledge community of literary and cultural studies scholars.
• Demonstrate the ability to produce written work of publishable quality.
• Demonstrate research skills necessary to bring a project of literary or cultural analysis to fruition, including the ability to evaluate disciplinary debates and developments; and the ability to produce research on historical and cultural meanings of texts and related cultural productions.

Career Opportunities

Graduates are prepared for careers in higher education and other fields that value this expertise. Sectors employing high numbers of arts and humanities graduates include information and communication, financial and insurance, public administration and defense, arts and entertainment, and education.

Career examples include:

• art director
• criminal investigator or special agent
• intelligence analyst
• market research analyst
• museum curator, educator or exhibit designer
• political analyst
• public relations specialist or manager
• technical writer

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-3168

We have 16 English Literature PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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English Literature PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Embarking on a PhD in English Literature is a thrilling journey that allows you to delve deep into the world of words, exploring the rich tapestry of language, literature, and culture.

What's it like to study a PhD in English Literature?

Studying a PhD in English Literature is a truly immersive experience. You will have the opportunity to engage with a wide range of literary texts, from classic works to contemporary pieces, and explore the historical, cultural, and social contexts in which they were written. You will develop advanced critical thinking and analytical skills, as well as the ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field.

During your PhD, you will work closely with your supervisor, who will guide and support you throughout your research journey. You will also have the chance to participate in seminars, conferences, and workshops, where you can exchange ideas with fellow researchers and scholars.

Entry requirements for a PhD in English Literature

To pursue a PhD in English Literature, you will typically need a strong academic background, usually a first-class or upper second-class honours degree in English Literature or a related subject. Some universities may also require a Masters degree in a relevant field. Additionally, you will need to submit a research proposal outlining your intended area of study and research questions.

PhD in English Literature funding options

Funding for PhDs in English Literature may be available from various sources, including governments, universities and charities, business or industry. See our full guides to PhD funding for more information.

PhD in English Literature careers

A PhD in English Literature opens up a wide range of career opportunities. Many graduates go on to pursue academic careers, becoming lecturers or professors in universities, where they can continue their research and inspire the next generation of scholars. Others find employment in publishing, journalism, or the creative industries, using their expertise in literature and language to contribute to the world of media and communication. Additionally, the critical thinking and analytical skills developed during a PhD in English Literature are highly valued in fields such as marketing, public relations, and research consultancy.

Whether you choose to pursue an academic career or explore other professional paths, a PhD in English Literature equips you with the skills and knowledge to make a meaningful contribution to the world of literature, language, and culture. It is a rewarding and intellectually stimulating journey that allows you to immerse yourself in the beauty and power of words.

5 year funded Masters and PhD scholarship with Keele University's Sustainable Rural Futures Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships Programme

Phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

PhD Biography

Self-funded phd students only.

The PhD opportunities on this programme do not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

PhD Research Programme

PhD Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Writing trans and non-binary lives in the 20th and 21st centuries: autobiography, autofiction, autotheory

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

21st century literary representations of love and relationships in works with themes of disabilities, long-term illness or neurodivergence

English phd (option of joint phd with hong kong/singapore/humboldt berlin), humanities research programme.

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

PhD Opportunities in English, History and Performance

Funded phd programme (uk students only).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Comparative Literature PhD

Creative writing phd, cardiff university school of english, communication and philosophy - phd opportunities, awaiting funding decision/possible external funding.

This programme is waiting to confirm funding from a university or external source. This may depend on attracting suitable students and applications are welcome. Please see the programme details for more information.

Arts Research Programme

Arts Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Research degrees in the School of English

Funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Shakespeare Studies - Postgraduate Research Opportunities

English literature - postgraduate research opportunities, creative writing - postgraduate research opportunities, british weird fiction since 1850, phd at the institute of english studies.

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HUMA S-110. Masterpieces of World Literature

Instructor: Martin Puchner, PhD and David Damrosch, PhD Day & Time: On Demand Summer 7-week session | CRN 33501 No Enrollment Limit

This course surveys world literature from  The Epic of Gilgamesh  to the present, with an emphasis on different cultures and writing traditions. Produced by HarvardX, the course is based not on lectures but on a more vivid dialogue format between instructors Martin Puchner and David Damrosch. The course also includes travel footage from Istanbul and Troy to Jaipur and Weimar, and interviews with authors, such as Orhan Pamuk, and other experts.

Harvard College students see  important degree credit information . The recorded lectures are from the HarvardX course  Masterpieces of World Literature .

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World Literatures Requirements

Requirements  and  Worksheet

The World Literatures major requires 36 credits:

• four courses in Comparative Studies that introduce students to historical, practical, and theoretical questions involved in the study of diverse literary traditions
• eight literature courses taken in language, literature, and culture departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must take at least one course representing each of five world regions (Africa, the Middle East, Europe/North America, Latin America/Caribbean, and East and South Asia/Pacific). Students must take at least three literature courses at the 4000-level or higher.

All of the following are required (12 credit hours): Comp St 2301 Introduction to World Literature Comp St 3302 Translating Literatures and Cultures Comp St 3990 Approaches to Comparative Studies (or an approved substitute) Comp St 3903 World Literature: Theory and Practice

Distribution Requirement (24 credit hours): All five geo-political regions must be represented by at least one course (5 courses, 15 semester hours) and three regions must each be represented by two courses (3 courses, 9 semester hours). One cross-cultural course may be substituted, but each of the five regions must be represented by at least one course.  At least three of these courses must be at the 4000-level or higher. The five regions are:

• East and South Asia
• Latin America /Caribbean

Middle East

• North America/Europe

Cross/Cultural courses are listed here: Cross/Cultural

Courses that fulfill the distribution requirement (by region) are listed below.

Africa  

African American and African Studies

• 2251 Introduction to African Literature
• 2367.04 Black Women Writers: Text and Context
• 4551 Topics in Africana Literature
• 4460 Political Thought in African Literature
• 4584H Literature and Modern Experience in Africa

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East And South Asia / Pacific

• 2451 Chinese Literature in Translation
• 4401 Chinese Poetry in Translation
• 4402 Traditional Chinese Fiction in Translation
• 4403 Modern Chinese Literature in Translation
• 4404 Chinese Drama in Translation
• 4407 Eco-Literature in China
• 6451 History of Chinese Literature I
• 6452 History of Chinese Literature II
• 5475 Women Writers, Culture, and Society in East Asia
• 2451 Japanese Literature in Translation
• 2452 Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
• 4401 Japanese Literature in Critical Perspective
• 5454 Japanese Literature: Classical Period
• 5455 Japanese Literature: Medieval and Edo Periods
• 5456 Japanese Literature: Modern Period
• 2451 Korean Literature in Translation
• 5405 Korean Drama in Translation

Latin America / Caribbean

• 2253 Introduction to Caribbean Literature

Comparative Studies

• 4805 Literature of the Americas
• 2335 Cannibal Brazil: Cultural Encounters and Negotiations of Identity in Literature
• 2151 Latin American Literature and Culture
• 2330 Reinventing America
• 2331 Caribbean Cultures
• 2520 Latin American Literatures (in translation): Fiction and Reality
• 4590H Interdisciplinary Protocols: Identity and National Formation in Latin America: Perspectives from Literature
• 2701 Classical and Medieval Arabic Literature in Translation
• 2702 Modern Arabic Literature in Translation (cross-listed with Women’s Studies)
• 2705 The Arabian Nights
• 3501 Middle Eastern Literature and Postcolonial Theory
• 5701The Qur'an in Translation
• 5702 Arabic Folk Narrative in Translation
• 2210 The Jewish Mystical Tradition
• 2700 Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature in Translation
• 2701 Medieval Hebrew Literature in Translation
• 2702 Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation
• 2703 Prophecy in the Bible and Post-Biblical Literature
• 2704 Women in Biblical and Post-Biblical Literature
• 2708 Biblical and Post-Biblical Wisdom Literature
• 5802 The Problem of Evil in Biblical and Post-Biblical Literature
• 2301 Persian Mythology and Folklore
• 2701 Persian Literature in Translation
• 2704 Introduction to Persian Epic
• 2701 Turkish Literature in Translation

Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

• 3700 Mythology of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia
• 3702 Literatures and Cultures of the Islamic World
• 3704 The Novel in the Middle East
• 4601 Israeli and Palestinian Literature
• 5571 Canon and Communities in the Near East

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

• 3372 Modern Arabic Literature in Translation (cross-listed with Arabic)

North America and Europe

• 2281 Intro to African American Literature
• 2367.01 African-American Theatre History
• 4582 Special Topics in African American Literature
• 2367 Issues in Arab-American Society, Culture, and Literature
• 2220 Classical Mythology
• 2890H Topics in Ancient Literature and Socie
• 3100 Topics in Ancient Literature & Culture
• 3101 Greek & Roman Epic
• 3102 Greek & Roman Drama
• 3103 Comic Spirit in Antiquity
• 3104 The Ancient Novel: Narrative Fiction in Greece
• 3215 Sex and Gender in the Ancient World
• 3403 The Hero in Classical Mythology
• 2105 Literature and Ethnicity
• 3604 Women in East Asian and Asian-American Literature
• 4803 Studies in Asian American Literature and Culture (cross-listed in English)
• 4804 Studies in Latino/a Literature and Culture (cross-listed in English)
• 4513 Introduction to Medieval Literature
• 4514 Middle English Literature
• 4515 Chaucer
• 4520.01 Shakespeare
• 4520.02 Special Topics in Shakespeare
• 4521 Renaissance Drama
• 4522 Renaissance Poetry
• 4523 Special Topics in Renaissance Literature and Culture
• 4531 Restoration & 18 th -Century Literature
• 4533 The Early British Novel: Origins to 1830
• 4535 Special Topics in Restoration and 18 th -Century British Literature and Culture
• 4540 19 th -Century British Poetry
• 4542 19 th -Century British Novel
• 4543 20 th -Century British Fiction
• 4547 20 th -Century Poetry
• 4549 Modern Drama
• 4550 Special Topics in Colonial and Early National Literature of the U.S.
• 4551 Special Topics in 19 th -Century U.S. Literature
• 4552 Special Topics in American Poety through 1915
• 4553 20th-Century U.S. Fiction
• 4560 Special Topics in Poetry
• 4561 Studies in Fictional and Nonfictional Narrative
• 4562 Studies in Literature and the Other Arts
• 4563 Contemporary Literature
• 4575 Special Topics in Literary Forms and Themes
• 4580 Special Topics in LGBTQ Literatures and Cultures
• 4581 Special Topics in U.S. Ethnic Literatures
• 4582 Studies in African American Literature
• 4586 Studies in American Indian Literature and Culture
• 4587 Studies in Asian American Literature and Culture (cross-listed in Comparative Studies)
• 4588 Studies in Latino/a Literature and Culture (cross-listed in Comparative Studies)
• 4590H Honors Seminars: Major Periods in Literary History
• 4592 Special Topics in Women in Literature and Culture
• 4598H Honors Seminar: Selected Topics in Literature and Literary Interpretation
• 2501 Topics in French Literature and Culture in Translation
• 2251 German Literature and Popular Culture
• 2252H The Faust Theme
• 2253 Magic, Murder, and Mayhem
• 3351 Democracy, Fascism, and German Culture
• 4252 Masterpieces of German Literature

Modern Greek

• 2500H Greek Identities: Ancient and Modern
• 3710 Modern Greek Literature in Translation
• 5230 Polish Literature
• 2250 Masterpieces of Russian Literature
• 3644 Russian Fairy Tales and Folklore
• 4220 Love and Death in Russian Literature
• 4221 Revolution and Restoration in Russian Literature
• 5250 The Russian Writer

Scandinavian

• 3350 Norse Mythology and Medieval Culture
• 4250 Masterpieces of Scandinavian Literature
• 2230 Vampires, Monstrosity, and Evil: From Slavic Myth to Twilight
• 2345 Introduction to Slavic and East European Literature and Culture
• 2367 The East European Experience in America
• 3320 Science Fiction: East vs. West
• 4260H Dead Man Writing: Literary Representations of Capital Punishment
• 4560H Cinderella's Fantasy: Gender and Women in Western and Eastern Europe
• 5280 Slavic and East European Literature
• 5570 The Austro-Hungarian Grotesque
• 2150 Cultures and Literatures of Spain
• 2320 Don Quixote in Translation
• 2321 The Spanish Don Juan Theme in the Theatre
• 2367.01 U.S. Women Writers: Text and Context
• 2367.02 U.S. Latina Writers: Text and Context
• 2367.03 Lesbian Writers: Text and Context
• 2367 Jewish-American Voices in U.S. Literature
• 3371 Yiddish Literature in Translation
• 3399 Holocaust in Yiddish and Ashkenazic Literature and Film
• 5641 Places in Ashkenaz

Cross-Cultural Courses (Only one course may be chosen and counted toward one of the regions; all five regions must be represented.)

• 3451 Themes in Francophone African and Caribbean Literature
• 2102.01 Literature and Religion
• 2103 Literature and the Self
• 2104 Literature, Science, and Technology
• 3603 Love in World Literature
• 3604 Women in East Asian and Asian-American Literature
• 3606 The Quest in World Literature
• 3607 Film and Literature as Narrative Art
• 3608 Representations of the Experience of War
• 4808 Utopia and Anti-Utopia
• 4809 The Twentieth-Century Novel: Transnational Contexts
• 5864 Modernity and Postmodernity: Concepts and Theories
• 5602 Poetry and Politics in the 20 th -Century Mediterranean (cross-listed with NELC)

East Asian Literatures and Languages

• H3299 East Asian Thought in the Western Imagination, 1600-2000
• 4583 Special Topics in World Literature in English

Linguistics

• 3603 Language across Cultures
• 5672 Poetry and Politics in the 20th-Century Mediterranean (cross-listed with Comparative Studies)
• 2150 Intro to the Literatures of the Portuguese-Speaking World
• 2215 Reading Women Writers

Some links on this page are to .pdf files.  If you need these files in a more accessible format, please contact  [email protected] . PDF files require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open them. If you do not have Reader, you may use the following link to Adobe to download it for free at:  Adobe Acrobat Reader .

Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature

Examine how cultures of the ancient world defined themselves through literature and how their vision of literature contributes to our understanding of civilization, culture, and literature today.

Associated Schools

Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences

What you'll learn.

The early history of World Literature

How literary works are transformed by cultural transmission and modern recovery

How to critically analyze literary works

The significance of major technological advances in writing

Course description

This short literature course, based on the first half of the Masterpieces of World Literature edX MOOC, examines how civilizations and cultures of the ancient world defined themselves through literature and how that literature has continued to contribute to our understanding of those civilizations and cultures today. Cities, nations, and empires from antiquity through the middle ages drew on foundational histories and myths for their identities, relating these narratives through generations by means of oral-storytelling and new writing technologies. These epics, story collections, and novels, which take a keen interest in heroic travelers, would eventually travel themselves, finding new global audiences as the first works of world literature. Tracing developments in language, writing, and literary genre, this course also travels in time, from legendary accounts of ancient kings to histories of medieval courts and early-modern exploration. We will stop to consider how all of these texts affected the history of their own eras, but also how they have continued to find new prominence and significance in ours.

Course Outline

Introduction: What is World Literature? (Goethe)

The Birth of Literature (The Epic of Gilgamesh)

Homer and the Archeology of the Classical Past (The Odyssey)

West-Eastern Conversations (The 1001 Nights)

The Floating World (The Tale of Genji)

The First National Epic (The Lusíads)

Instructors

David Damrosch

Martin Puchner

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Embark on a global journey to explore the past, present, and future of world literature.

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Traces Albert Einstein’s engagement with relativity, quantum mechanics, Nazism, nuclear weapons, philosophy, the arts, and technology.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning, Literacies, Literature and Learning

The Literacies, Literature, and Learning (LLL) specialization encompasses fields such as Reading and Writing Development, Children’s and Young Adult Literature, and English Education across early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary contexts. Students will gain a broad understanding of literacy, literature, and English education while also developing a deep understanding in a specific area of scholarship.

Students who began the T&L PhD program in AU24 or prior should follow the curriculum of one of the 8 areas of study associated with the PhD program prior to its redesign. This specialization only pertains to students who began in AU25, or, those who began prior and have already discussed and executed a specialization change with their faculty advisor. If you have any questions regarding which plan of study is most appropriate for you, please consult with your faculty advisor.

Focus Areas

• Emergent literacy  
• Reading and Writing Development
• Issues in Research on Literacy
• Reading Difficulties
• Digital and multimodal composing
• Media, information literacy and popular culture
• Children’s and young adult literature
• English education
• Adolescent literacies
• Literacy in out-of-school spaces  
• Digital literacies  
• Critical literacies

Students may also develop individualized foci in conjunction with their advisor and faculty committees. Students will explore and conduct research on these topics from a range of perspectives (e.g., cognitive, developmental, sociocultural, literary, critical) with faculty who are committed to advancing equity, diversity, and social justice for all readers and writers. Graduates are prepared to engage in scholarship as tenure-track faculty members and in roles outside the academy.

Funding Opportunities

Key to teaching, research and learning in the college, associateships provide students with professional experience and financial support.

These financial awards are made by Ohio State to students based on academic merit through a university-wide competition.

The college annually awards scholarships to its students to support their academic goals.

Degree Requirements

Prerequisites

Master’s degree.

Program start

Autumn Semester

Deadline to apply

Minimum Program hours

(30 of which can be transferred from the student’s Master’s degree)

View Literacies, Literature and Learning (TCHLRN-PH-LLL) Curriculum Sheet

Apply to Ohio State

Application checklist

View application checklist

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

World Englishes: An Introduction

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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What is “World Englishes?”

The term World Englishes  refers to the differences in the English language that emerge as it is used in various contexts across the world. Scholars of World Englishes identify the varieties of English used in different sociolinguistic contexts, analyzing their history, background, function, and influence.

Languages develop to fulfill the needs of the societies that use them. Because societies contain a diverse range of social needs, and because these needs can differ across cultures and geographies, multiple varieties of the English language exist . These include American English, British English, Australian English, Canadian English, Indian English, and so on.

While there is no single way for a new variety of English to emerge, its development can generally be described as a process of adaptation. A certain group of speakers take a familiar variety of English and adapt the features of that variety to suit the needs of their social context.

For example, a store selling alcoholic beverages is called a “liquor store” in American English, whereas it is called an “off-licence” in British English. The latter term derives from British law, which distinguishes between businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises and those licensed for consumption at the point of sale (i.e., bars and pubs).

Such variations do not occur in terms of word choice only. They happen also in terms of spelling, pronunciation, sentence structure, accent, and meaning. As new linguistic adaptations accumulate over time, a distinct variety of English eventually emerges. World Englishes scholars use a range of different criteria to recognize a new English variant as an established World English. These include the sociolinguistic context of its use, its range of functional domains, and the ease with which new speakers can become acculturated to it, among other criteria. 

The Origin of World Englishes

This section, which is not meant to be exhaustive, provides a simplified narrative of how World Englishes emerged as a field of inquiry.

Linguist Braj Kachru (1932-2016) publishes his first journal article, entitled “The Indianness in Indian English.” In the article, he lays the theoretical groundwork for the idea of World Englishes by interpreting how English is nativized in India, delineating some of its unique sociological and cultural aspects, and showing that “Indian English” is a unique variety of English which is neither an American or British English.

Kachru formally introduces the term “World Englishes” at the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Conference along with the global profile of English. Later, he proposes the three concentric circles model. Both papers are subsequently published.

Kachru's three concentric circle model. Image c/o  Wikimedia Commons  (Creative Commons 4.0 License).

The inner circle  refers to the countries where English is used as the primary language, such as the USA, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

The outer/middle circle  denotes those countries where English usage has some colonial history. This includes nations such as India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Zambia.

The expanding circle  includes countries where English is spoken but where it does not necessarily have a colonial history or primary/official language status. This includes nations such as China, Japan, South Korea, Egypt, Nepal, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, USSR, and Zimbabwe. Any country where English is regularly spoken (even in limited contexts—e.g., for international business) that does not fall under the first two categories is considered to be in the expanding circle.

The boundaries between outer and expanding circles can be blurred as the users of English in any of these specific countries may fluctuate because of the demographic shifts, economic motivations, and language education policy.  

Kachru argues that it is important to view each variety of English in its own historical, political, sociolinguistic, and literary contexts. This concentric circle model does not only show the wide spread of English across the world, but also emphasizes “the concept of pluralism, linguistic heterogeneity, cultural diversity and the different theoretical and methodological foundations for teaching and research in English” (1984, p. 26).

Kachru  also defines the quality of “ nativeness ” in World Englishes “in terms of both its functional domains and range, and its depth in social penetration and resultant acculturation” (1997, p. 68). A community acquires “native” English-speaking status as it uses English in broader a greater number of societal contexts. This process, however, is shaped by the historical role of English in the community (e.g., as the language of a colonizing force). It is this interaction between functionality and history that leads to the nativization of English in a particular society or population group. Consequently, Kachru argues, the English language belongs not only to its native speakers but also to its various non-native users throughout the world. 

Larry E. Smith contributes a chapter titled, “Spread of English and Issues of Intelligibility” to The Other Tongue: English Across Cultures , edited by Braj B. Kachru. Smith, in this chapter, mentions that since the global spread of English has been very rapid by historical standards, not all these English varieties will necessarily be intelligible to each other. Thus, he argues that the idea of English’s “intelligibility” should be thought of as a matter of its ability to be understood by a speaker and listener within the same speech community, rather than its degree to be understood solely by native speakers of English. He also proposes the following three terms to understand the interaction between speaker and listener: 1) intelligibility (word/utterance recognition), 2) comprehensibility (word/utterance meaning, or “locutionary force”), and 3) interpretability (meaning behind word/utterance, “illocutionary force”).