Learn more about how to afford a graduate degree from the Βι¶ΉΣ³».
Program Director: James Mardock
Phone: (775) 682-6372
Fall Application Deadline: December 15. Spring Application Deadline: October 15. Learn how to apply to the Βι¶ΉΣ³».
Doctoral-level study offers English students the chance to conduct original research within one of the many sub-areas of the field and become subject-matter experts on a chosen topic - essential experiences for aspiring professors, authors and researchers. The University's Department of English offers two areas of emphasis within its Ph.D. program, each geared toward a specific realm of English scholarship:
Students design their programs of study following departmental guidelines in consultation with their advisory committees, complete comprehensive examinations in their fields of specialization and pursue original research resulting in a dissertation of publishable quality. The program is designed to help students bring highly relevant credentials into careers as professional academics.
Faculty in the Department of English are experts in topics such as rhetorical theory, composition theory, digital and visual rhetoric, British literature, American literature, gender studies, public engagement and science. This scope of expertise gives Ph.D. students numerous options for exploring specialized subtopics within the field with highly qualified mentors.
Our program is a perfect blend of academic rigor, faculty expertise and mentorship. We emphasize a collaborative approach between students and faculty advisers from day one and also offer a remarkably supportive graduate community, where students become true colleagues and peers.
Additional benefits of this Ph.D. program include:
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must hold a Master of Arts in English or a closely related field with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Potential applicants without a Master of Arts in English should talk with the director of graduate studies before applying to determine whether their graduate work meets program requirements. Candidates will be accepted for fall semester admission only, and must submit applications by the December 15 deadline. Applicants are required to submit for Department of English graduate committee approval:
The graduate application system in the U.S. tends to be an open application process. Rather than arranging to work with a particular scholar in advance of applying, students generally apply to programs by following the application instructions on the program website. If they are admitted, then they approach a faculty member in the department to supervise their studies.
You can connect with the Department of English or, if you are ready to begin your journey at the University, you can apply now.
Teaching assistant positions also are available to M.A. students on a competitive basis. Teaching assistants in the Department of English receive an annual stipend, health insurance and a tuition waiver. Teaching assistants teach three courses per year (2/1 or 1/2 depending on departmental needs), typically in the Core Writing program. New applicants to the English Graduate Program are automatically considered for a teaching assistantship when they apply for admission, unless the applicant specifies they do not wish to be considered. No separate application is needed.
Students are also eligible for funding to support their professional presentations at academic conferences. Summer research assistantships provide an opportunity to work with faculty on their research projects.
The Department of English offers two areas of emphasis within its doctoral program:
Students in each emphasis design their specific programs of study following departmental guidelines and in consultation with their advisory committees. Specializations are available in a variety of fields within each emphasis.
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have a Master's degree in English or its equivalent from an accredited college or university, an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 and a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.5. Potential applicants without a Master of Arts in English should talk with the Director of Graduate Studies to determine whether their graduate work in a related field is comparable to that expected.
Ph.D. admissions are entirely separate from M.A. admissions. Completing the Master's degree program at the Βι¶ΉΣ³» does not ensure admission to the doctoral program.
The following general requirements apply in all emphases within the Ph.D. English program, except where clearly stated in the specific descriptions that follow.
All requirements must be satisfied during the eight calendar years immediately preceding the granting of the degree.
As soon as practical and in consultation with the director of graduate studies, a student should choose an advisory committee and complete a program of study. The graduate program in English emphasizes a close working relationship between the student and his or her advisory committee. Advisory committees for doctoral students consist of a chair and two other members of the graduate faculty of the Department of English and two members from the graduate faculty in other departments.
A Ph.D. degree requires an absolute minimum of six semesters of full-time work beyond the baccalaureate degree, of which at least two successive semesters (excluding summer sessions) are to be spent in full-time residence at the Βι¶ΉΣ³». (Full-time residence requires a minimum of nine credits per semester. Teaching assistants taking at least six credits per semester also are considered to be in full-time residence.)
Graduate School regulations require graduate students to maintain continuous registration of at least three credit hours per semester to remain active in the pursuit of a degree. This means that students studying for comprehensive exams or writing dissertations must, even if they are not in residence, register for at least three credit hours (usually English 799) each semester (summers excluded) until they graduate.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must complete a minimum of 73 graduate credits, including at least 49 credits in course work and 24 dissertation credits beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students are required to take at least eight courses in residence, for a minimum of 24 credits. No more than four credits of English 736 Internship and three credits of English 791 Special Topics (independent study) may be counted toward the degree. Except in the case of required internships, independent study and internship credits may not be used to fulfill course requirements but may be counted for the total number of credits for degrees.
A maximum of 24 credits in graduate courses with grades of B or higher may be transferred from another university and applied toward requirements for the Ph.D. A master's degree in English from another university can thus transfer as 24 credits, at most. Transfer credit requests must be approved by the student's committee chair, the director of graduate studies and the Graduate School. Whether courses taken elsewhere may substitute for specific course requirements at Βι¶ΉΣ³» will be determined by the graduate studies director and/or the student's advisory committee.
Exclusive of dissertation credits, a total of 31 credits, at least 19 of which are beyond the master's degree, is required in courses numbered 700 or above.
Students may meet the foreign language requirement in one of two ways:
The choice of languages or linguistics course work is left to the student in consultation with his or her advisory committee; preference should go to those languages that would prove most useful to the student over a lifetime of reading and research.
Competence in a language is defined as completion of the equivalent of four semesters of college-level work in the language with a grade of C or better in the final semester or as completion of the second semester of a sophomore reading course with a grade of B or better. The requirement is considered satisfied when a college transcript shows such a grade in the appropriate final course (whether the earlier courses are shown or not), or when the student has passed at the appropriate level a test administered by the Department of World Languages and Literatures. As an alternative to the foreign language requirement, the student's advisory committee may allow her or him to substitute a three-semester sequence of specified graduate courses in linguistics, language and language-related topics from other disciplines, such as psychology or anthropology.
After completing course work and the foreign language requirement, the Ph.D. student must pass a comprehensive examination, consisting of a written test and an oral review. The student's advisory committee is responsible for the evaluation of the exam. Graduate School regulations stipulate that if more than one negative vote is cast, the examination is failed. If this happens, the student may be allowed to repeat specific areas of the exam or the entire exam. However, no part may be re-taken more than once and three months must elapse between attempts. A student may appeal a decision to the Department of English graduate committee. In such a case, the graduate committee may review the examination, but it can offer only an opinion. The final decision remains with the student's advisory committee.
In order to register for ENG 795 (comprehensive exam), a student must have met the following requirements:
After passing the written exam, the student must also pass an oral examination, administered by his or her advisory committee and lasting about two hours. The oral exam will review the written exam and - in the rhetoric and composition emphasis - the student's writing portfolio. As with the written examination, a failed oral exam may be re-taken only once. Students who have completed all the course work, finished the foreign language requirement and passed both the comprehensive written and oral exams are formally admitted to Ph.D. candidacy. The student must register for ENG 795, Comprehensive Examination, one credit, the semester he or she will be completing the oral exam.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must present a dissertation that makes a significant scholarly or critical contribution to knowledge. A dissertation prospectus must be submitted to and approved by the candidate's advisory committee before work begins on the dissertation. Typically this prospectus will include a bibliography and an extensive description of contents. Since the dissertation requires close and constant supervision by the chair of the advisory committee, the candidate should develop the dissertation in residence. When considerable progress has already been make, the candidate may be permitted to complete the dissertation elsewhere, under such arrangements as his or her advisory committee may specify and the Graduate Dean approves. In the process of working on the dissertation, each candidate must register for at least 24 dissertation credits under ENG 799.
Documentation and bibliography should follow the current MLA style manual. Students doing research involving human subjects must check with the Office of Research Integrity in Ross Hall regarding necessary protocols and review procedures.
After the dissertation has been accepted by the candidate's advisory committee, an oral examination specifically covering the dissertation and related topics will be administered. The student must pass this oral exam with not more than one dissenting vote of his advisory committee. The oral exam may be repeated once, but at least three months must elapse between attempts.
The student is responsible for knowing the degree requirements and for submitting all Graduate School forms on time. Early in their graduate careers, students should become familiar with the most important forms: the graduate credit transfer evaluation request, the program of study, the admission to candidacy/comprehensive examination report, the application for graduation and the notice of completion. The application for graduation is available on the Graduate School's website.
Note: A teaching assistantship in the Ph.D. program may be held for a maximum of five years. The Ph.D. degree must be completed within eight years. This timeline represents a general model for your progress toward the degree. The key is to be aware of what you're doing, keep medium and long-range goals in mind and consult frequently with your mentor/chair.
Read through the English doctoral degree handbook to find out if this advanced degree program is right for you.
Program handbook