English PHD Degree Program Information

A Ph.D. program in English generally prepares graduates for a teaching and research-oriented career as an English professor for a college or university. Students are usually required to choose a specialization within the degree program, such as literary theory, professional writing, rhetoric, linguistics or the study of a specific genre or major period of literature.

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Ph.D. in English

Most doctoral English programs take approximately 5-6 years to complete. In addition to taking graduate-level classes in English according to their area of interest, students may be required to teach some introductory or survey courses to undergraduate English majors. They also complete comprehensive examinations and a dissertation.

Education Prerequisites

Prerequisites may vary, but many doctoral programs require a master's degree in English. Some programs consider applicants with a bachelor's degree in English and confer a Master of Arts in English as part of the Ph.D. program. Schools generally expect that students have already taken classwork in subjects like British and American literature, linguistics and literary criticism. Adequate or advanced competence in one or more foreign languages might also be required. A writing sample may also need to be submitted.

Program Coursework

The curriculum usually focuses on knowledge and research in British and American literature and the study of language and composition. However, students may also gear their studies toward a particular specialization or topic for their dissertation and research. Some courses may be required, such as those in pedagogy and theory of composition or surveys of literature based on time period or geography. Topics addressed in an English doctorate program might include:

  • Early American fiction and nonfiction
  • Contemporary Irish fiction
  • British romanticism and imperial culture
  • Contemporary literary and cultural theory
  • Modernism in literary thought
  • History of literary theory
  • Anglophone fiction
  • Gender and early sexuality in early modern literature
  • Shakespeare's works

Employment Outlook and Salary Info

In December 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicted that postsecondary English teachers could expect to see employment growth of 15% between 2008 and 2018 (www.bls.gov). According to the BLS, in May 2010, the 69,880 individuals employed as postsecondary English teachers earned an annual average salary of $67,920.

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    • Pennsylvania (1 campus)
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    • Louisiana (1 campus)
    Areas of study you may find at University of Louisiana include:
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    • Columbia (D.C.) (1 campus)
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    • Texas (1 campus)
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