Requirements for the PhD in English Degree

A. Course Requirements

Students must complete 11 courses with a minimum 3.0 GPA, including at least seven 600-level seminars, including EGL 600 (The Discipline of Literary Studies).

Courses must primarily be taken within the English Department. With permission from the Program Director, five courses from other departments may also be counted as electives.

Students with Teaching assistantships must pass the Teaching Practicum in their first semester of teaching.

Only two Independent Study courses (EGL 615) may count toward the Ph.D.

B. Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate proficiency in one language other than English through coursework or examination.

C. General Examination

Students must complete an oral exam by the end of the fifth semester.

D. Dissertation Prospectus and Meeting 

Students must write and defend a prospectus. All the doctoral requirements described above must be completed before a student is allowed to schedule the prospectus meeting.

E. Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy takes place upon the successful completion of the following: the required courses in A, the language requirement in B, a general examination in C, and the dissertation prospectus in D.

F. Dissertation

Students must write and defend a dissertation acceptable to the students dissertation committee.

Please refer to the English Doctoral Student Handbook for a more detailed discussion of procedures and expectations.

Students and candidates are encouraged to contact the Graduate Program Director with any questions that they may have!