English PhD
Prepare for a career in academia that focuses on literary theory and criticism with the Doctor of Philosophy in English in the College of Liberal Arts at 51¶¯Âþ. The curriculum integrates foundational and advanced coursework with rigorous independent research so you gain the expertise to pursue tenure-track positions at colleges and universities.
You can choose to focus in one or two specific areas of study, each of which serves to prepare you for high-level teaching and research roles. Areas of study include
- American literature,
- British literature,
- critical and cultural theories,
- ethnic and African American literature,
- gender and sexuality,
- literature and visual studies,
- poetry and poetics, and
- postcolonial and global literature.
Foundational courses in English literature provide the broad background needed to undergo independent research, while advanced graduate classes engage with cutting-edge faculty research and publication projects.
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Special topics courses cover highly focused subject areas that have included the following.
- Documentary poetics
- Environmental studies
- Literary aesthetics
- Photography and literature
- Queer poetry and poetics
- Transatlantic feminist theory
In recent years, English PhD program graduates have found work in tenure-track positions and non-tenure teaching positions, and many are currently working in non-teaching positions for which a PhD is a qualification. Graduates often find placement throughout the Northeast, continuing a long tradition of serving and enriching the region. Increasingly, graduates have secured positions across the country, including in California, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin.