Ph.D.
Ph.D. Program in English
Students in the Ph.D. program in English undertake a program of study designed to train them to be productive scholars and teachers in their chosen fields. Course work exposes students to the important texts, current issues, and critical methodologies of the discipline. Drawing on the breadth of this preparation, students demonstrate their ability to recognize and produce scholarly arguments in the preliminary examination. In the third or fourth year, comprehensive exams require students to develop three defined areas of scholarly interest and competence corresponding to recognized and emerging fields of study. The dissertation provides an opportunity for designing a focused research project in consultation with a dissertation advisor. Throughout the program, faculty work closely with doctoral students to develop their scholarly and professional identities in preparation for careers in academia.
As they complete their studies, the department offers strong support to students for the academic job search, including workshops on stages from dissertation writing to the job market itself, individual advising, mock interviews, and a departmental dossier service. We have a high rate of placement for students conducting a national job search, and our graduates have obtained tenure-track positions at colleges and universities across the country, including Columbia College (Chicago); the Florida Institute of Technology; McKendree University; Park University (Missouri); Sterling College; Rhode Island College; Wesleyan College (Georgia); and the University of Puerto Rico; and visiting or postdoctoral positions at institutions including Duke University, Providence College, and West Point.
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