english language phd

PhD Program in English Language and Literature

The department enrolls an average of ten PhD students each year. Our small size allows us to offer a generous financial support package. We also offer a large and diverse graduate faculty with competence in a wide range of literary, theoretical and cultural fields. Each student chooses a special committee that works closely along side the student to design a course of study within the very broad framework established by the department. The program is extremely flexible in regard to course selection, the design of examinations and the election of minor subjects of concentration outside the department. English PhD students pursuing interdisciplinary research may include on their special committees faculty members from related fields such as comparative literature, medieval studies, Romance studies, German studies, history, classics, women’s studies, linguistics, theatre and performing arts, government, philosophy, and film and video studies.

The PhD candidate is normally expected to complete six or seven one-semester courses for credit in the first year of residence and a total of six or seven more in the second and third years. The program of any doctoral candidate’s formal and informal study, whatever his or her particular interests, should be comprehensive enough to ensure familiarity with:

  • The authors and works that have been the most influential in determining the course of English, American, and related literatures
  • The theory and criticism of literature, and the relations between literature and other disciplines
  • Concerns and tools of literary and cultural history such as textual criticism, study of genre, source, and influence as well as wider issues of cultural production and historical and social contexts that bear on literature

Areas in which students may have major or minor concentrations include African-American literature, American literature to 1865, American literature after 1865, American studies (a joint program with the field of history), colonial and postcolonial literatures, cultural studies, dramatic literature, English poetry, the English Renaissance to 1660, lesbian, bisexual and gay literary studies, literary criticism and theory, the nineteenth century, Old and Middle English, prose fiction, the Restoration and the eighteenth century, the twentieth century, and women's literature.

By the time a doctoral candidate enters the fourth semester of graduate study, the special committee must decide whether he or she is qualified to proceed toward the PhD. Students are required to pass their Advancement to Candidacy Examination before their fourth year of study, prior to the dissertation.

PhD Program specifics can be viewed here: PhD Timeline PhD Procedural Guide

Special Committee

Every graduate student selects a special committee of faculty advisors who work intensively with the student in selecting courses and preparing and revising the dissertation. The committee is comprised of at least three Cornell faculty members: a chair, and typically two minor members usually from the English department, but very often representing an interdisciplinary field. The university system of special committees allows students to design their own courses of study within a broad framework established by the department, and it encourages a close working relationship between professors and students, promoting freedom and flexibility in the pursuit of the graduate degree. The special committee for each student guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress in a series of meetings with the students.

At Cornell, teaching is considered an integral part of training in academia. The field requires a carefully supervised teaching experience of at least one year for every doctoral candidate as part of the program requirements. The Department of English, in conjunction with the  John S. Knight Institute for Writing  in the Disciplines, offers excellent training for beginning teachers and varied and interesting teaching in the university-wide First-Year Writing Program. The courses are writing-intensive and may fall under such general rubrics as “Portraits of the Self,” “American Literature and Culture,” “Shakespeare,” and “Cultural Studies,” among others. A graduate student may also serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate lecture course taught by a member of the Department of English faculty.

Language Requirements

Each student and special committee will decide what work in foreign language is most appropriate for a student’s graduate program and scholarly interests. Some students’ doctoral programs require extensive knowledge of a single foreign language and literature; others require reading ability in two or more foreign languages. A student may be asked to demonstrate competence in foreign languages by presenting the undergraduate record, taking additional courses in foreign languages and literature, or translating and discussing documents related to the student’s work. Students are also normally expected to provide evidence of having studied the English language through courses in Old English, the history of the English language, grammatical analysis or the application of linguistic study to metrics or to literary criticism. Several departments at Cornell offer pertinent courses in such subjects as descriptive linguistics, psycholinguistics and the philosophy of language.

All PhD degree candidates are guaranteed five years of funding (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship and student health insurance):

  • A first-year non-teaching fellowship
  • Two years of teaching assistantships
  • A fourth-year non-teaching fellowship for the dissertation writing year
  • A fifth-year teaching assistantship
  • Summer support for four years, including a first-year summer teaching assistantship, linked to a teachers’ training program at the Knight Institute. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.

Students have also successfully competed for Buttrick-Crippen Fellowship, Society for the Humanities Fellowships, American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), Shin Yong-Jin Graduate Fellowships, Provost’s Diversity Fellowships, fellowships in recognition of excellence in teaching, and grants from the Graduate School to help with the cost of travel to scholarly conferences and research collections.

Admission & Application Procedures

The application for Fall 2024 admission will open on September 15, 2023 and close at 11:59pm EST on December 1, 2023.

Our application process reflects the field’s commitment to considering the whole person and their potential to contribute to our scholarly community.  Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of academic preparation (e.g., performance in relevant courses, completion of substantive, independent research project). An applicant’s critical and creative potential will be considered: applicants should demonstrate interest in extensive research and writing and include a writing sample that reveals a capacity to argue persuasively, demonstrate the ability to synthesize a broad range of materials, as well as offer fresh insights into a problem or text. The committee will also consider whether an applicant demonstrates a commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity and offers a substantive explanation for why study at Cornell is especially compelling (e.g., a discussion of faculty research and foci). Admissions committees will consider the entire application carefully, including statements and critical writing, as well as transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a resume/cv (if provided). Please view the requirements and procedures listed below, if you are interested in being considered for our PhD in English Language and Literature program.

Eligibility: Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here . Applicants are not required to meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted online through the Graduate School application system . While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click submit, your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions.

Deadline: December 1st, 11:59pm EST.  This deadline is firm. No applications, additional materials, or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

PhD Program Application Requirements Checklist

  • Academic Statement of Purpose Please describe (within 1000 words) in detail the substantive research questions you are interested in pursuing during your graduate studies and why they are significant. Additionally, make sure to include information about any training or research experience that you believe has prepared you for our program. You should also identify specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own specific questions.  Note that the identification of faculty is important; you would be well advised to read selected faculty’s recent scholarship so that you can explain why you wish to study with them. Do not rely on the courses they teach.  Please refrain from contacting individual faculty prior to receiving an offer of admission.
  • Personal Statement Please describe (within 1000 words) how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and the research you wish to conduct.  Explain, for example the meaning and purpose of the PhD in the context of your personal history and future aspirations.  Please note that we will pay additional attention to candidates who identify substantial reasons to obtain a PhD beyond the pursuit of an academic position. Additionally, provide insight into your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn (productively and positively) together.
  • Critical Writing Sample Your academic writing sample must be between 3,000 and 7,500 words (12-30 pages), typed and double-spaced. We accept excerpts from longer works, or a combination of shorter works.
  • Three Letters of Recommendation We require 3 letters of recommendation.  At the time of application, you will be allowed to enter up to 4 recommenders in the system.  Your application will be considered “Complete” when we have received at least 3 letters of recommendation.   Letters of recommendation are due December 1 . Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their Online Application Delivery feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender’s. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page.
  • Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended, or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the Graduate School will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
  • English Language Proficiency Requirement All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. For more information, please view the  Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
  • GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test are NO LONGER REQUIRED, effective starting with the 2019 application In March 2019, the faculty of English voted overwhelmingly to eliminate all GRE requirements (both general and subject test) for application to the PhD program in English. GRE scores are not good predictors of success or failure in a PhD program in English, and the uncertain predictive value of the GRE exam is far outweighed by the toll it takes on student diversity. For many applicants the cost of preparing for and taking the exam is prohibitively expensive, and the exam is not globally accessible. Requiring the exam narrows our applicant pool at precisely the moment we should be creating bigger pipelines into higher education. We need the strength of a diverse community in order to pursue the English Department’s larger mission: to direct the force of language toward large and small acts of learning, alliance, imagination, and justice.

General Information for All Applicants

Application Fee: Visit the Graduate School for information regarding application fees, payment options, and fee waivers .

Document Identification: Please do not put your social security number on any documents.

Status Inquiries:  Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also be able to check the completion status of your application in your account. If vital sections of your application are missing, we will notify you via email after the Dec. 1 deadline and allow you ample time to provide the missing materials. Please do not inquire about the status of your application.

Credential/Application Assessments:  The Admission Review Committee members are unable to review application materials or applicant credentials prior to official application submission. Once the committee has reviewed applications and made admissions decisions, they will not discuss the results or make any recommendations for improving the strength of an applicant’s credentials. Applicants looking for feedback are advised to consult with their undergraduate advisor or someone else who knows them and their work.

Review Process:  Application review begins after the submission deadline. Notification of admissions decisions will be made by email by the end of February.

Connecting with Faculty and/or Students: Unfortunately, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, faculty and current students are not available to correspond with potential applicants prior to an offer of admission. Applicants who are offered admission will have the opportunity to meet faculty and students to have their questions answered prior to accepting. Staff and faculty are also not able to pre-assess potential applicant’s work outside of the formal application process. Please email [email protected] instead, if you have questions.

Visiting: The department does not offer pre-admission visits or interviews. Admitted applicants will be invited to visit the department, attend graduate seminars and meet with faculty and students before making the decision to enroll.

Transfer Credits:  Students matriculating with an MA degree may, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, receive credit for up to two courses once they begin our program.

For Further Information

Contact [email protected]

  • English Language & Literature

Fields include English language and literature from Old English to the present, American literature, and Anglophone world literature.

  • Programs of Study
  • PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
  • Combined PhD
  • MA - Master of Arts

Jonathan Kramnick

Director of Graduate Studies

Erica Sayers

Departmental Registrar

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing requirements.

GRE is not accepted.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

A writing sample is required by this program. 

English Language Requirement

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.

Combined Degree Program Application Deadline

*The deadline to submit an application to a combined program is always the earlier deadline of the two individual programs, or December 15, whichever comes first.

Academic Information

Combined phd information.

English Language & Literature offers a combined PhD in conjunction with several other departments and programs including: African American Studies , Film and Media Studies , History of Art , and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies .

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The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.

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Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.

Financial Information

Phd stipend & funding.

PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.

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While Master's programs are not generally funded, there are resources available to students to help navigate financial responsibilities during graduate school.

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Alumni Insights

Below you will find alumni placement data for our departments and programs.

Ph.D. Program

The Stanford English department has a long tradition of training the next generation of scholars to become leaders in academia and related fields. Our Ph.D. program encourages the production of ambitious, groundbreaking dissertation work across the diverse field interests of our prestigious faculty.

Fusing deep attention to literary history with newer approaches to media, technology, and performance, our department carefully mentors students in both scholarship and pedagogy through close interaction with faculty. Our location on the edge of the Pacific and at the heart of Silicon Valley encourages expansive, entrepreneurial thinking about the interpenetration of arts and sciences.

Program Overview

The English Department seeks to teach and promote an understanding of both the significance and the history of British and American literature (broadly defined) and to foster an appreciation of the richness and variety of texts in the language. It offers rigorous training in interpretive thinking and precise expression. Our English graduate program features the study of what imaginative language, rhetoric, and narrative art has done, can do, and will do in life, and it focuses on the roles creative writing and representations play in almost every aspect of modern experience. Completing the Ph.D. program prepares a student for full participation as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.

Financial Support

We offer an identical five-year funding package to all admitted students with competitive funding available for a sixth year. Funding covers applicable tuition costs, Stanford Cardinal Care health insurance, and living expenses in the form of direct stipend, teaching assistantships or pre-doctoral research assistantships. The department, in conjunction with the School of Humanities and Sciences, is also committed to supporting students' involvement in professional activities and funds many of the expenses for research travel, summer language study, and participation in academic conferences. Student housing is not included in the funding package.

In addition to our standard doctoral funding package, the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) provides competitive funding to support individual doctoral students, student groups, and department-based projects. VPGE funding opportunities promote innovation, diversity, and excellence in graduate education. Explore their doctoral  fellowship  and other student  funding  opportunities.

The  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program cultivates and supports a highly-engaged, multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and delivers a diverse collection of educational experiences, preparing graduates to address complex challenges facing the world. Knight-Hennessy Scholars participate in an experiential leadership development program known as the King Global Leadership Program and receive funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford. Two applications must be submitted separately; one to Knight-Hennessy and one to the Stanford English graduate degree program by its deadline. Please refer to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program page to learn more and apply.

Teaching Requirements

One pedagogical seminar and four quarters of supervised teaching. Typically a student will teach three times as a teaching assistant in a literature course. For the fourth course, students will have the option of applying to design and teach a Writing Intensive Seminar in English (WISE) for undergraduate English majors or teaching a fourth quarter as a T.A..

  • 1st year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
  • 2nd year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
  • 3rd/4th/5th years: Two quarters of teaching, including the possibility of TA'ing or teaching a WISE course.

Language requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages. One language requirement must be completed during the first year of study. The second language must be completed before the oral examination in the third year.

Candidates in the earlier periods must offer Latin and one of the following languages: French, German, Greek, Italian or Spanish. Candidates in the later period (that is, after the Renaissance) must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two languages for which  Stanford’s Language Center  regularly offers a reading course, administers a competency exam, or facilitates the administration of an American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Reading Proficiency Test (ACTFL RPT). In all cases, the choice of languages offered must be relevant to the student’s field of study and must have the approval of the candidate's adviser. Any substitution of a language other than one for which Stanford offers a competency exam must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Other requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. must satisfactorily complete the following:

  • 135 units, at least 70 of which (normally 14 courses) must be graded course work
  • Qualifying examination, based on a reading guide of approximately 70-90 works, to be taken orally at the end of the summer after the first year of graduate work.
  • University oral examination covering the field of concentration taken no later than the winter quarter of the third year of study.
  • Submission of the dissertation prospectus
  • First chapter review with the dissertation advisor and the members of the dissertation reading committee.
  • Dissertation, which should be an original work of literary criticism demonstrating the student's ability to participate fully as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.
  • Closing colloquium designed to look forward toward the next steps; identify the major accomplishments of the dissertation and the major questions/issues/problems that remain; consider possibilities for revision, book or article publication, etc.

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The Department of English offers a program leading to the PhD degree in literatures in English. The department is small in numbers and its graduate students are carefully selected on the basis of their professional distinction as teachers, critics, and scholars. Because of its small size, the department affords students exceptionally focused attention.

The department accepts only full-time students for the PhD. Continuance beyond each of the first three years depends on satisfactory performance in the graduate seminars and passing two foreign language examinations. Students who successfully continue are awarded an MA degree in the course of the PhD program, but the department does not offer a separate master’s program. Students proceed to the dissertation after successfully passing a qualifying examination in the third year.

The PhD in English literature at Johns Hopkins consists of two years of course work and three years devoted to the research and writing of a dissertation. Students who remain in good standing will be guaranteed the same level of financial support for the full five years.

Facilities for Research

The cities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., jointly contain a large collection of manuscripts and printed books. Major libraries and museums in Baltimore possess more than a thousand early manuscripts and 3 million books. The 12 million books and numerous manuscripts in the Library of Congress are supplemented in Washington by many specialized collections, notably those of the Folger Shakespeare Library, with which the university is affiliated. Opportunities for research in those libraries are open to students in the English department.

The Tudor and Stuart Club, along with a number of other outstanding lecture series within the university, enables students to learn about advances in research, criticism, and theory, and to confer with leading scholars.

The Journal Club is a departmental series in which students present to the department papers drawn from their dissertation research.

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The doctoral program in English Language and Literature is designed to lead to the PhD in six years of post-baccalaureate study. Students can specialize in diverse fields of British, American, or Anglophone literatures and explore a wide range of critical, theoretical, and cultural perspectives on those literatures.

The program assures that students gain broad literary and cultural knowledge along with the research skills that will allow them to make innovative contributions to the world of ideas.

We are committed to the idea that learning is a social process, and that one can learn a great deal from one's peers when lodged in a community that encourages students to share ideas. Such a community is impossible to establish when students are made to compete for funding with one another, however. To foster a collective enterprise, we guarantee six years of funding to all admitted students. During the first and fifth years of graduate studies, all students in English Language and Literature receive a full fellowship which consists of a living stipend, tuition costs, and health care benefits. In later years, students receive tuition, health care, and living expenses as part-time graduate student instructors (GSIs). The department, in conjunction with the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, is also committed to supporting students' professional activities and pays many of the expenses for research travel and for participation in academic conferences. The second year of fellowship support is provided by a number of annual dissertation fellowships, awarded to deserving students by the graduate program, the graduate school, and the Institute for the Humanities. 

The department strongly recommends for applications to the doctoral program to hold a bachelor's or master's degree in English.For more information on how to apply to the PhD in English Language & Literature, please review the  How to Apply: PhD in English Language & Literature page.

Program Requirements

Foreign Language Requirement:  Satisfied by coursework or departmental examination in the first two years of the doctoral program.

  • 2 basic languages, equivalent to 2 years of college study or
  • 1 advanced language, equivalent to 3 years of college study

Specific Course Requirements:

  • Introduction to Graduate Studies
  • 3 upper level seminars
  • 2 cognate courses (graduate level coursework outside of the English Department)
  • 992, directed study with the dissertation chair

No other specific coursework is required, but students are expected to devote the first year to a broad, well-balanced coverage of the discipline. Subsequent coursework in the second and third years should be directed primarily toward the student's special areas of interest.

Third-Term Review:  In the first term of the second year, each student's career will be reviewed to provide direction, counseling, and an early professional orientation. If the review is favorable, the Graduate Committee will recommend that the student continue to work for the PhD.

Preliminary Examination:  During the second year, each student chooses three faculty members to serve on his or her Examinations Committee. During the third year, each student must successfully complete one oral examination administered by the Examinations Committee.

Dissertation Prospectus:  A prospectus outlining plans for the student's dissertation must be approved by the Graduate Chair by the fall of the fourth year of the PhD program. Future fellowships and other support are contingent upon the timely completion of the prospectus.

Candidate Status:  In order to be nominated for candidacy, a student must complete two years of coursework, including cognates; meet the foreign language requirement; and receive a favorable third-term review.

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Ph.D. in English

Our nationally ranked Ph.D. program provides specialized training in literary, cultural and language studies for students who plan to teach at universities and colleges. 

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English Ph.D. students pursue individualized programs of study within the parameters of our degree requirements; they share the qualities of excellent critical thinking and writing, and above all, of intellectual curiosity. Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly competitive, but all admitted students receive a five-year funding package. Once our students enter, they are mutually supportive and develop networks of collegial friends often maintained beyond their time at UMD.

Our students gain extensive teaching experience as part of their training at UMD, and our placement record is among the best in the nation.

Students moving successfully toward the Ph.D. degree are expected to complete the degree typically in five to six years. To maintain their status, students are expected to make satisfactory progress; those who do not may be eligible to change their degree objective from the Ph.D. to the M.A.

The Ph.D. curriculum offers opportunities for advanced study in a variety of literary and language fields, including literary and cultural history; aesthetic, critical and cultural theory; digital and media studies; humanistic engagement with the sciences; and language, rhetoric and composition. The curriculum addresses a series of broad questions relevant to such studies: What are the histories, genealogies and futures of literary, cultural and rhetorical studies? What is the relationship of such work to society, politics and history? To the media of representation and communication? To reading and writing practices? To disciplinarity and institutional contexts? How do we conceptualize, teach and apprehend aesthetics through literary and other modes of cultural expression? The courses available to doctoral students particularize such broad issues and, together with extensive attention to pedagogy and teacher-training, have as a general objective the training of students to identify and formulate compelling research questions and the preparation of students for long-term careers in academia.

The program combines flexibility with consistent and continuous mentorship from the faculty and the director of Graduate Studies (DGS). The degree requirements are as follows:

  • a minimum of 10 courses (30 credits) at the graduate level, including three required courses, with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.6 (see Satisfactory Progress)
  • between 3 and 6 credits of ENGL898, Pre-candidacy Research
  • reading facility in a second language
  • successful passage of a qualifying examination
  • an approved dissertation prospectus
  • a successful dissertation defense

Students who begin the Ph.D. program having earned an M.A. in English would be expected to complete a minimum of 8courses (24 credits) of coursework.

Course Requirements

The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 10 courses (30 credits) for students entering the program without an M.A. This includes 2 required courses. All coursework must be completed with a minimum of a 3.6 GPA (see Satisfactory Progress). Students are required to take ENGL601: “Literary Research and Critical Contexts”; and ENGL611: “Approaches to College Composition” as part of their 10 course requirement. Students are also strongly encouraged to take ENGL602: “Critical Theory and Literary Criticism” as a part of their course of study. In addition, students will select a minimum of 8 additional graduate courses. The degree assumes conversance with the major body of English and American literature as well as familiarity with bibliography, research methods and other necessary tools of the trade.

Students may take up to 2 independent-study courses to fulfill 600-level electives. Students interested in taking an independent-study course for elective credit should collaborate with their professor in writing up an intended course of study and file it with the Graduate Office for approval by the DGS before the first day of classes each semester. Please see the form here .

Students may also make special arrangements to do additional work in their 600-level courses to have those courses count as a seminar/700 level course. Students wishing to take a 600-level class as a seminar must provide the Graduate Studies Office with the required seminar credit form and syllabus detailing the additional work that will be undertaken in order for the course to be counted as a 700-level seminar at the beginning of the semester. Students may not take an independent study for seminar/700 level credit except in extreme circumstances and only after receiving permission from the DGS.

Newly admitted Ph.D. students entering the program with an M.A. from another institution should meet with the director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to have their academic record evaluated; the DGS will establish what courses taken during the previous M.A. can count toward the Ph.D. distribution requirements or recommend courses that will enable their completion. Students who begin the Ph.D. program having earned an M.A. in English from another institution would be expected to complete a minimum of 8 courses (24 credits) of coursework, but may be required to complete more at the DGS’s discretion. All Ph.D. students should select courses with two primary goals in mind: 1) filling in gaps in their knowledge of literary history and 2) developing an area of scholarly expertise and professionalization.

The DGS will help students select courses and act as the general advisor for students entering the program. Students will be assigned mentoring teams just prior to their first semester and this mentoring team, in conjunction with the DGS, will help them select courses for the second semester. After the first year in coursework, students can work directly with their mentors to choose appropriate courses.

During the coursework phase of the program each student will meet with his or her advising team and/or the DGS in order to assess academic progress and to discuss his or her intended degree track and plans for professionalization. Students whose GPA for the first completed 15 credits of coursework is 3.0 or lower will be offered the option of pursuing the terminal M.A. degree or of resigning from the graduate program altogether.

A note on incompletes: Students are generally discouraged from taking incompletes, but especially so at the beginning of their coursework, in order to ensure that academic progress can be accurately assessed. If an incomplete is necessary in the first 15 credits of coursework, the DGS must be consulted in addition to the instructor of the course. 

Foreign Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate, by equivalencies or exam, reading knowledge of one language other than English. When satisfying this requirement, students are encouraged to choose a foreign language that is appropriate for his or her area of doctoral studies. The director of Graduate Studies (DGS), the student's mentors and the student will coordinate in determining the appropriate language. In addition to the foreign language requirement administered by the Graduate Studies Office (GSO), the student's dissertation committee may also recommend more advanced proficiency in the language selected and/or work in an additional language; however, the student is obliged to be tested on (or to provide an equivalent for) only one language. The foreign language requirement must be fulfilled before the student can be admitted to his or her qualifying exam and no later than the fifth semester in the program in order to maintain satisfactory progress.

Equivalencies : Equivalencies include: native speaking ability; undergraduate major; passage of an equivalent requirement in another graduate program; a grade of B or better in a 300-level course in the language taken at the University of Maryland after starting the Ph.D. program. A 300-level course must emphasize the fluent use of the language in a variety of formats and all major assignments in the course must be conducted in the language and not in English. The written work for the course must be evaluated for language and style as well as for organizational accuracy and coherence. The DGS will determine whether coursework or other equivalencies are appropriate and sufficiently recent to attest to proficiency.

Timeline : If foreign language equivalency is not fulfilled prior to admission, students have the option of taking a foreign language exam at the end of their first or second semester of the Ph.D. program. Students who have not fulfilled the foreign language requirement by the end of their second semester will test out of or enroll in a prerequisite entry-level foreign language class in their third semester. Students will have the opportunity of (re-) taking the exam during the first week of their third semester. Students who pass the exam can drop the prerequisite language class. Students who do not pass will complete (or test out of) the pre-requisite class and will have another opportunity to take the language exam at the end of their third semester. Students who have not fulfilled the foreign language requirement by the end of their third semester will take a 300-level language class in their fourth semester. Students who do not receive a grade of “B” or better in the foreign language class during their fourth semester will retake the class or/and the language exam in their fifth semester. (Students admitted prior to Fall 2015 must fulfill their foreign language requirement by their 5th semester in the program, and before taking a qualifying exam, but are exempt from the rest of this timeline.)

The Foreign Language Exam : At least one month prior to the exam, students will choose and submit to the GSO for its approval two books of at least 200 pages in the foreign language, one primary work and one secondary work (both works must have been originally written in the target language and may not be translated works). The GSO will determine the appropriateness of the student’s choice. ('Appropriateness' does not necessarily mean that the primary text must come from your period of specialization and that the secondary text must be about your period, simply that the texts are equivalent in difficulty to other texts students are tested on.) Once the student’s choice of texts has been approved, the GSO will assign an appropriate faculty member to administer the exam and provide this faculty member with a set of guidelines and expectations for the foreign language exam. The faculty member administering the exam will choose a 250- to 300-word passage from each, the primary and the secondary work. The student will have three hours to prepare the translation with the help of a dictionary. The faculty administrator will evaluate the translations and determine whether or not the student passed or failed, based on the guidelines provided by the GSO. The GSO will keep on file all exams and make them available to students preparing for the exam.

Students will be assigned two faculty mentors in their first year and will serve as a research assistant for one of them in the fall and the other in the spring.

These advising teams are charged with meeting with the student at least once each semester and with filing a report (no more than a page) each semester on the student’s progress with the Graduate Studies office. Students are expected to remain in regular contact with their advisors.  The members of each advising team will help students select courses, otherwise navigate the program and begin the process of professionalization, and they will act generally as resources for the student, as well as sign off on the student's self-evaluation form. The DGS will remain available to all students in all stages of the program to assist in advising.

As students are preparing to advance to candidacy, the advising team will help the student form the qualifying examination committee. The advising committee may be separate from the examination committee. From this point until the constitution of the dissertation defense committee, the qualifying examination committee will act as the student's primary advisors.

All students are expected to keep regular contact with the DGS and their advising teams throughout all stages of the program. Measures to be used to assess progress include the student’s grades, other evidence of the quality of coursework, schedule for meeting requirements for candidacy and schedule for completing the dissertation.

Qualifying Exams

To advance to candidacy, all Ph.D. students must complete the oral Qualifying Examination. The language requirement must be satisfied before a student can take his or her qualifying exam. Students should contact the Graduate Office eight weeks before to schedule an exam date and reserve a room. A signed copy of the reading list must also be submitted when scheduling the exam .

Planning for the Qualifying Examination

In order to be admitted to Qualifying Exams, students must have satisfactorily completed all their coursework and met the foreign language requirement. Students with outstanding incompletes in coursework are not eligible to take the exam. Students should consult with their appointed advising teams in forming an examination committee that will administer the Qualifying Exam and serve as the student's advising committee until the constitution of the dissertation committee. The exam committee consists of four graduate faculty members, including a chair and three committee members. (Please note that while many students do keep the same committee for their dissertation, it is not a requirement.) Students register for a range of 3 to 6 credit hours of ENGL898, “Pre-Candidacy Research,” and are expected to meet regularly with the chair and at least one member of their examination committees under this rubric.

We encourage Ph.D. students to take the Qualifying Examination by their sixth semester in the doctoral program and expect them to sit for the exam no later than their seventh semester. Students who received an M.A. prior to admission are expected to complete coursework more quickly and take their qualifying exams as early as the fifth semester in the program.

The Reading List

The Qualifying Examination is based on a reading list compiled by the student in consultation with his or her committee. The list will include roughly 80-120 works, chosen to cover two of the following categories: a literary period; a recognized field; the proposed area of the dissertation.  For students planning to work in literature, it is assumed that a 100-year period will be covered. The field may be interpreted as any discrete literary concern that has accrued a body of serious critical thought and may include such diverse subjects as genre; literary, linguistic or theoretical criticism or methodology; a sub-period. Typically, students develop a literary period or field list of approximately 75 works and a more focused list of 25 works on the proposed dissertation topic; also typically, around 80 percent of the list consists of primary texts and 20 percent of secondary titles. But there are wide varieties in lists (some will be longer than others; some will have more criticism than others; etc.) The reading list must be approved by the committee chair and all committee members eight weeks prior to the examination. A copy of the reading list, signed by your committee, must be turned into the Graduate Office eight weeks prior to scheduling the exam.

The exam consists of two 60-minute parts: 1) an oral presentation by the student and follow-up discussion of the presentation; 2) a general examination on the reading lists.

Working in consultation with other members of the committee and the student, the committee chair prepares 2-4 topics for part one of the exam, the student's oral presentation. The student will receive the topics from the Graduate Office one week before the oral examination. The exam begins with the student's 15-20-minute oral presentation on the selected topic. The student may bring a copy of the reading list and brief notes to the exam. Students may also use PowerPoint or any other technological aid for their presentation. A 35-40 minute discussion follows the student's presentation.

Part two is an approximately one-hour examination on the student's two reading lists. The emphasis here is on breadth.

At the conclusion of the examination the student leaves the room and the committee discusses and votes on the student's performance. Three passing votes constitute a passing grade on the exam. If the student fails the exam, they can retake the exam the following semester. The student will receive a written assessment from the chair of the committee indicating the reasons for the failure. The examination committee and reading list should remain the same from the initial to the second attempt. Changes must be requested, in writing, to the DGS, and may be made only upon approval by the DGS. Failing the exam a second time disqualifies the student from continuing in the Ph.D. program. The DGS or a representative from the Graduate Studies Committee will be present at the second attempt to ensure procedural fairness. The chair of the examining committee informs the director of Graduate Studies in writing about the result of the exam.

Teaching assistants receive a step promotion and a small raise in stipend once they have advanced to candidacy. Upon advancing to candidacy, the student has four years to complete the dissertation; the Graduate School grants extensions only in extreme circumstances.  Students generally complete the dissertation in 2-3 years. Candidacy forms to be submitted to the Graduate School must be filed at the English graduate office. See Ph.D. Deadlines and Paperwork. Upon advancing to candidacy, students are expected to file a dissertation progress form (save to your hard drive to access the text fields) with the Graduate Office each semester.

Dissertation Prospectus

The prospectus is to be submitted within four months of passing the qualifying exam. The prospectus establishes that the student has defined a research question that is worth pursuing and is in a position to do a good job of pursuing it. The prospectus should be developed in consultation with your committee.

Dissertation

Students have successfully passed the qualifying exam and have advanced to candidacy. Upon advancing to candidacy, students are expected to file a dissertation progress form with the Graduate Office each semester. Ph.D. candidates are expected to file an approved dissertation prospectus within four months of passing the qualifying exam. At least three of the four members of the student’s dissertation committee are expected to meet annually with the student to review progress. A successful defense of dissertation is the final requirement for the degree. Students must graduate within four years of advancing to candidacy. All graduate students must register for courses and pay associated tuition and fees each semester, not including summer and winter sessions, until the degree is awarded. 

Dissertation Committee

The Ph.D. student should be thinking about assembling a Dissertation Committee while still taking courses and identifying areas of specialization for the Qualifying Examination. In many cases, the dissertation committee is the same as the Qualifying Examination committee. A Dissertation Committee consists of four faculty members (one of whom may be University of Maryland faculty outside of the English department), who advise the student on his/her dissertation. One member serves as the student's dissertation director. All members of the dissertation committee must be members of the University of Maryland's graduate faculty. If a student wishes to include in his or her dissertation committee a person who is not currently a member of the University's general graduate faculty, that person will have to be nominated by the department as adjunct or special member of the university's graduate faculty and approved as such by the Graduate School. The nomination by the department is made on the recommendation of the department's full graduate faculty by simple majority.

The Ph.D. student should consult with the director of Graduate Studies and his or her advising team concerning the selection of the Dissertation Committee.

The prospectus should demonstrate that the student:

  • has defined and delimited an interesting research question
  • can explain the importance of the research question and the contribution that it will make to the field
  • is familiar with the existing scholarship related to the research question and can describe the relationship of the dissertation project to that scholarship (review of the literature)
  • has developed a theoretical framework for the argument and a methodology for your project.

The prospectus should be between 8-12 pages in length. It should be written in clear prose and include a bibliography. The prospectus, including a one-page abstract and the completed prospectus form (signed by the all four committee members), should be turned in to the English graduate office.

Dissertation Workshop

We urge students to take the Dissertation Workshop (1 credit of ENGL898) in the semester following successful passage of the qualifying examination. Taught by members of the department’s faculty and convened weekly as a seminar, usually during the fall semester, the workshop concentrates on helping students advance their work on the dissertation, whether they are developing a prospectus or writing individual chapters.

Dissertation Template

Please refer to the Graduate School instructions for dissertation templates here (full dissertation template available here ) for clarity and guidance in constructing your dissertation for submission and committee review.

Dissertation Defense Committee

When the dissertation is nearly complete and the major advisor has approved moving on to this penultimate step, the Ph.D. candidate 1) submits to the Graduate School a request to appoint the Dissertation Oral Committee and 2) schedules the dissertation defense. Consisting of five faculty, this committee normally includes the four members of the candidate's Dissertation Committee and an additional member of the university’s graduate faculty serving as the graduate dean's representative.  

In accordance with Graduate School regulations, that representative must be from outside the department. All members of the Defense Committee appointed by the Graduate School must attend the defense. Students must submit their final draft of their dissertation to their committee at least two weeks before the defense date. Typically, the defense is a two-hour discussion of the dissertation. Four of the five members of the Dissertation Defense Committee must approve the dissertation in order for the student to pass.  

Please see the Dissertation Policies here

Submission of Dissertation

The approved dissertation must be submitted electronically to the Graduate School by the deadlines posted for graduation in a given semester (see the Graduate School Deadlines ). Information about all aspects of electronic submission of the dissertation is available on the Graduate School's website .

Completing the Ph.D. involves careful attention to deadlines imposed and paperwork required by the Graduate School.

Students are expected to complete their coursework and meet the foreign language requirement by no later than their fifth semester in the program. Please contact the Graduate Office to schedule your language exam and confirm the acceptability of equivalences if you wish to not take an exam to meet your language requirement. 

Students are expected to advance to candidacy by successfully passing their qualifying examination by their seventh semester in the program. Please contact the Graduate Office to schedule your qualifying exam. Submit your form for candidacy advancement to the Graduate Office (2116 Tawes) upon successful completion of your qualifying exam. Upon advancing to candidacy, students are expected to file a dissertation progress form with the Graduate Office each semester.

Students must file an approved dissertation prospectus with the Graduate Office no later than four months following the qualifying examination. 

Specific deadlines for students intending to graduate will be announced on the English graduate-student reflector and are also available from the Graduate School's Deadlines for Graduates . Most of the necessary paperwork for these deadlines can be found on the Graduate School's General Forms for Graduate Students .

Graduate Admissions

We seek applicants who will enhance our highly motivated, academically accomplished, and intellectually and culturally diverse student body. We normally receive about 100 applications annually for M.A. and Ph.D. programs.

Ph.D. Application Instructions

Submit the complete application and all supporting materials by December 1, 2023 . Please note that the system will close promptly at midnight, so you will be unable to edit your application past 11:59 pm on this date. The system is set to Maryland time (EST). If you are uncertain about what time that the system will close in your timezone, please look it up. We are unable to make exceptions for late applications based on timezone.

Admission to the Ph.D. is highly competitive. If you would like to be considered for the M.A. program if not selected for the Ph.D. program, please indicate that in your personal statement. We expect to enroll between 6-8 Ph.D. students for this year's cohort.

University of Maryland's Graduate Application Process

The University of Maryland’s Graduate School accepts applications through its application system . Before completing the application, applicants are asked to check the Admissions Requirements site for specific instructions.

As required by the Graduate School, all application materials are to be submitted electronically:

  • Graduate Application
  • Non-refundable application fee ($75) for each program
  • Statement of Goals, Research Interests, and Experiences. The statement, which should be around 1000 words, should address relevant aspects of your educational experience, the focus of your academic interests, and reasons for applying to our program. If you are applying to the PhD program but would like to be considered for the MA if you are not selected for the PhD, please indicate that here.
  • Unofficial transcripts of your entire college/university record (undergraduate and graduate), including records of any advanced work done at another institution. Electronic copies of these unofficial transcripts must be uploaded along with your on-line application. Official transcripts will be required after an applicant is admitted to the program.
  • Three letters of recommendation . In your on-line application, please complete fully the information requested for your recommenders and ask them to submit their letters electronically. We do not accept letters through Interfolio.
  •  A single sample of critical writing of approximately 12-20 pages double-spaced (not including works cited/bibliography). While we encourage you to submit your best writing sample, we prefer a writing sample in your declared field of interest. If you are submitting an excerpted selection, please include a brief description or introduction to the selection. The MLA citation format is preferred.
  • Academic CV/Resume

The electronic submission of application materials helps expedite the review of an application. Completed applications are reviewed by an admissions committee in each graduate degree program. The recommendations of the committees are submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. Students seeking to complete graduate work at the University of Maryland for degree purposes must be formally admitted to the Graduate School by the Dean.  To ensure the integrity of the application process, the University of Maryland authenticates submitted materials through TurnItIn for Admissions .

Information for International Graduate Students

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students.  International applicants are encouraged to explore the services they offer, and contact them with related questions.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; it is not a guarantee of attendance.  Admitted international students will then receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland which will require submission of additional documents.  Please see the Graduate Admissions Process for International applicants for more information.

Questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact the Graduate School .

Prospective Student FAQ

Because many of our applicants share general questions about the application process, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to make applying a bit easier.

UCL logo

English Language and Literature MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

One of the highest-ranking English departments in the UK ( The Guardian University Guide 2023 - English ), UCL English provides excellent opportunities for PhD students to study in the heart of literary London, with access to vast quantities of resources and research materials, and a high number of academic staff working on a diverse range of specialist research topics.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

  • Entry requirements

An undergraduate degree in English Literature or a related subject is a pre-requisite for this programme, and a UK Master's degree in a relevant discipline, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard will normally be required. Research degree students are expected to start in September, but may request to start in January if there are exceptional reasons to do so. Applicants who wish to be considered for AHRC/ LAHP funding must have submitted a complete application by 5 January 2024.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

*Should you experience any issues with the drop-down below, try de-selecting the country and re-selecting it. If this doesn't work, then you may refer to this page which may help you find the same equivalencies - check the Entry requirements above beforehand. Please note the table is indicative only, revisiting when the dropdown is working to confirm is recommended.

About this degree

With access to vast collections of research materials and supervision from world-leading experts* in a wide range of literary periods and topics, UCL provides an exceptionally strong environment in which to study for an English PhD. UCL English Department has specialists in every period of English and American literature, as well as English language, with an outstanding record of internationally recognised scholarship and publications. A PhD in English at UCL will allow you to pursue original research and make a significant contribution to your field. 

Students accepted for admission are given a principal supervisor with whom they will work closely during the course of the degree. A subsidiary supervisor is also appointed to provide additional advice. Great importance is attached to matching student and supervisor, and ensuring that students' progress is well monitored. Students meet either one or other supervisor approximately ten times during the academic year.

Graduate students initially register for the MPhil degree, but usually upgrade to full PhD student status in the second year, if progress is satisfactory. (The English Department does not offer a standalone research Master's programme, nor is it possible to be admitted as a PhD student directly.) In addition to the upgrade review in the second year, progress is also reviewed at the end of each year. Students who are making good progress will usually be offered opportunities to gain teaching experience from the second year onwards.

There are normally about 45 students undertaking research degrees in the department. They form a diverse, friendly, and vibrant intellectual community. There is a full programme of departmental research seminars at which papers are given by invited speakers and graduate students, and students also have access to a wide range of seminars and research events across UCL and the University of London. Research skills training is provided both within and beyond the department.

PhD students at UCL have access to an incomparable range of libraries, including the British Library and Senate House Library (the library of the University of London). They can also apply to spend a period as a visiting scholar at Yale as part of the UCL-Yale Collaborative Partnership.

Who this course is for

This programme is suitable for applicants with a strong interest or background in a wide range of literary periods or in English Linguistics, and who want to do complete research alongside specialists in literature in English and linguistics of the English language. The programme is suitable for both recent Masters graduates as well as early or mid-career professionals who have achieved the stated entry requirements.

What this course will give you

As one of the most respected academic institutions in the world ( QS World University Rankings 2023 ), UCL is an excellent place to study for a PhD in English. Our PhD students benefit from specialist supervision by world-leading researchers* as well as access to the outstanding range of research resources available to them in London.

The clear structure of the PhD programme, with regular progress reviews, supports successful completion, while the training courses offered by the department and UCL enable the development of both specific research skills and the professional skills needed for an academic career.

The relatively small department also offers many opportunities for formal and informal intellectual exchanges and collaborations, supported by our programme of research seminars. Many of our students also make the most of UCL’s partnership with Yale to spend a period of study there.

PhD students in English at UCL acquire advanced skills of the highest calibre as researchers, writers, and presenters of their work. They will also usually gain experience of teaching (both tutorials and seminars).

*UCL English has an outstanding research record, with 94% of our research outputs being graded as 4* 'world leading' or 3* 'internationally excellent' in the REF 2021.

The foundation of your career

The English Department is proud of its PhD alumni and values its ongoing relationship with them. We welcome alumni to departmental events, and encourage them to keep in touch with us at [email protected] . For more information on UCL’s wider alumni community, please see our website .

Employability

Our PhD graduates have an excellent record of securing employment in institutions of higher education and have progressed to academic positions here at UCL, at Oxford and Cambridge, in the wider University of London, at other universities across the UK, and in international destinations including the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. They are also well placed to pursue careers outside academia, as the skills in research, analysis, writing, and communication obtained during the PhD transfer easily to high-level work in many sectors.

Networking both among students and with academic staff and visiting speakers is facilitated by our lively programme of departmental research seminars, as well as our various reading groups and events. Beyond the department, extensive opportunities to meet fellow specialists and exchange knowledge and ideas are offered by the events programmes of the UCL Institute for Advanced Studies, the University of London Institute of English Studies, and numerous other research institutions near UCL and across London.

Teaching and learning

The MPhil/PhD degree programme primarily consists of independent research and self-directed study, and the central work of defining a thesis topic, and planning the stages of research and writing, is undertaken in close consultation with the primary supervisor. You will also undertake skills training that may take the form of seminars, workshops, and conferences. 

Graduate students initially register for the MPhil degree, but upgrade to full PhD student status at the start of the second year, if progress is satisfactory.

In addition to the upgrade review at the start of the second year, progress is also reviewed at the end of the first year, in the first-year review, where the student submits a portfolio to their supervisory team, and at the Higher Degrees Sub Committee (HDSC) in their third year, where a submitted portfolio is assessed by a panel of senior academics in the department. A successful performance at the HDSC normally means the student will achieve Completing Research Student (CRS) status. Students who are making good progress will usually be offered opportunities to gain teaching experience from the second year onwards.

The MPhil/PhD degree programme consists of independent research and self-directed study. There are no set contact hours for the programme, but it is expected that your hours of study will mirror that of staff engagement as closely as possible (and this should be pro-rata for part-time study). If you have external funding, you should also ensure that you meet the Terms & Conditions of your funder in this regard. You will typically meet with your supervisory team up to ten times per academic year, and you will also undertake skills training that may take the form of seminars, workshops, and conferences.

Research areas and structure

We offer expertise in a wide range of topics within the field of English literature and language. Some areas in which the department would particularly welcome applications are:

  • Old and Middle English literature and manuscript studies
  • Relations between English and insular and continental French writings from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries
  • Post-medieval bibliography and palaeography
  • History of the book, textual and editorial theory and practice in all periods
  • Shakespeare studies, including Shakespeare’s London
  • The literature of the Elizabethan court
  • Women writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
  • Classicism in seventeenth and eighteenth-century literary culture
  • Literature and science in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
  • Revolutionary Writings in the Romantic period
  • Homosexuality and literary history
  • Literature and technology in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century literature
  • Victorian and Edwardian writings on sexuality and adolescence
  • Contemporary poetry
  • Postmodern fiction
  • London in literature/urban literature
  • English grammar
  • English language
  • The history of the English language
  • Corpus linguistics

You can read about our staff research interests on our website .

Research environment

UCL English has, throughout its history, been a pioneer in the study of English language and English literature, from Old English to contemporary texts. The department comprises a dynamic community of scholars with a breadth of expertise across literary periods and topics, as well as in language and linguistics. The comparatively small size of the department creates a friendly, inclusive research environment, with close contact between staff and students and many opportunities for intellectual exchange and collaboration.

Members of the English department have expertise in a wide range of approaches to English literature and language. Many of our literary research activities are organised around the key themes of The City, Editions, and Intercultural Exchanges, while our research in English Language is co-ordinated by the renowned Survey of English Usage. The department hosts regular research seminars at which PhD students, members of staff, and visiting speakers present their work; these include a themed strand of seminars on Race, Power, and Poetics. There are also many more seminars, reading groups and research events, both within the department, at the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies, and at the University of London’s Institute of English Studies. The department’s PhD students organise an annual Graduate Conference, where UCL speakers are joined by others from across the UK and beyond to share their research. They also publish Moveable Type, a peer-reviewed journal of academic articles, poetry and prose fiction.

UCL Library has outstanding physical and digital collections for literary research, as well as specialist materials in its excellent Special Collections department. Among these are the George Orwell Archive; Little Magazines; the Routledge and Kegan Paul Archives (publishing history); the Brougham Papers and papers of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (19th-century liberalism); and the Chadwick Papers (19th-century sanitary reform). UCL Library also has superb holdings in London history. We enjoy unrivalled proximity to the British Library, with its vast collections, and Senate House Library (the library of the University of London), as well as other rich research resources including the Institute of Historical Research, the Warburg Institute, and the Wellcome Collection.

The period of registration for the MPhil/PhD degree programme is 3 years for full-time study. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade review 9-18 months after initial registration.

Throughout your period of registration, you will meet regularly with your supervisory team, receiving feedback on work-in-progress. Regular completion of an online research log will help you and your supervisors to assess your specific training needs. The English Department provides a course in PhD Skills Training; many further training opportunities are also offered by the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme and LAHP (the London Arts and Humanities Partnership).

To ensure timely and successful completion of the thesis, the English Department formally reviews each student’s progress at regular intervals (usually the end of each year) by requiring submission of a dossier of work which is discussed in an interview. The most important of these reviews falls during your second year (9-18 months from registration) and will assess your readiness to transfer from MPhil to full PhD student status.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration, you may apply for a further period of 1 year as a Completing Research Student (CRS) to prepare your thesis for submission. The final degree assessment takes the form of an oral examination based on the thesis and is conducted by two examiners, usually one internal and one external.

The period of registration for the MPhil/PhD degree programme is 5 years for part-time study. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade review 15-30 months after initial registration for part-time study.    Throughout your period of registration, you will meet regularly with your supervisory team, receiving feedback on work-in-progress. Regular completion of an online research log will help you and your supervisors to assess your specific training needs. The English Department provides a course in PhD Skills Training; many further training opportunities are also offered by the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme and LAHP (the London Arts and Humanities Partnership).   To ensure timely and successful completion of the thesis, the English Department formally reviews each student’s progress at regular intervals (usually the end of each year) by requiring submission of a dossier of work which is discussed in an interview. The most important of these reviews falls during your second or third year (15-30 months from registration) for part-time study, and will assess your readiness to transfer from MPhil to full PhD student status.   Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration, you may apply for a further period of 2 years (for part-time students) as a Completing Research Student (CRS) to prepare your thesis for submission. The final degree assessment takes the form of an oral examination based on the thesis and is conducted by two examiners, usually one internal and one external.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, and conference registration fees.

The Department has some funds which can be applied for, to help offset the cost of travel to conferences or archives in the UK or overseas.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

AHRC grants are available for UK/EU English PhD applicants who are applying to start a research degree in 2024. Applications are made directly to the London Arts and Humanities Partnership, who administer the awarding of AHRC funding at UCL. AHRC funding covers all fees, as well as providing a stipend for living expenses, for three years. If you have any questions about the application process please contact [email protected] .

UCL's Research Excellence Scholarships are available for UK/EU/Overseas applicants starting in 2024 and provides full funding including a stipend for living allowance for the length of the programme.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Quirk PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 26 January 2024 Value: Fees and maintenance (3yrs) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

We recommend that applicants look at our list of staff on the UCL English website before submitting an application. Whilst potential supervisors are unable to accept a PhD student without a formal application form, we attach great importance to the match between supervisors and students, so please check that we have a member of teaching staff who could potentially supervise your project before applying. Applicants who are interested in applying for AHRC funding via the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP) must submit completed applications (including references) by 5 January 2024 (you will also need to complete a LAHP application form: see the LAHP website for details).

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Year of entry: 2023-2024, got questions get in touch.

English Language and Literature

English Language and Literature

[email protected]

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Postgraduate study

Linguistics and English Language PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Linguistics and English Language

The transformative supervision meetings, labs, professional training and departmental research seminars are all conducive to a thriving linguistics training. I am exposed to cutting-edge training and research. This inspiring environment allows me to conduct world-leading research in bilingualism. Katerina Pantoula Current PhD student in Linguistics & English Language

Postgraduate Discovery Day

Join us online on Wednesday 21 February to learn about student life, how to apply, and more.

See the full schedule and register

Research profile

We have an outstanding international reputation in many areas of Linguistics and English Language research.

Linguistics & English Language is rated 3rd in the UK by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

We can offer expert supervision across a wide range of topics, including:

  • Applied Linguistics
  • Developmental linguistics, including first and second language acquisition
  • Discourse and conversation analysis
  • Historical English linguistics, including the syntax, morphology, and phonology from the earliest periods to the present day
  • Language evolution
  • Linguistic fieldwork
  • Morphology, including word formation
  • Multilingualism
  • Phonetics and phonology, including diachronic phonology and the phonology of varieties of English, Scots and their history
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Speech technology
  • Syntax and semantics, including theoretical syntax, descriptive syntax of English, diachronic syntax and both lexical and formal semantics
  • Varieties of English, both British and international

Research groups

Our expertise clusters in a number of research groups and research centres:

  • Developmental Linguistics
  • English Language
  • Language Evolution & Computation (LEC)
  • Language in Context
  • Language Variation and Change (LVC)
  • Meaning and Grammar
  • Phonetics and Phonology
  • Centre for Language Evolution
  • Bilingualism Matters

Research in speech technology is carried out at the Centre for Speech Technology Research, a collaboration between the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences and Informatics:

  • Centre for Speech Technology Research

Programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses.

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Training and support

You will receive supervision by at least two members of academic staff, who will meet regularly with you to discuss your progress and wider issues in your field of study.

This may include:

  • discussion of relevant literature (for example, journal articles and book chapters)
  • Firming up of research proposal
  • Preparation for fieldwork and data collection
  • discussion of draft chapters of your thesis
  • preparation for conference presentations

Research students are assigned to research groups, each of which hosts regular research activities.

The department also has a visiting speaker series (the Linguistic Circle), and you are encouraged to participate in the School’s Language at Edinburgh research network.

The unrivalled holdings of the University and National Libraries and the National Archives of Scotland make study of this subject at Edinburgh especially attractive.

Our students become part of one of the biggest communities of linguists in the United Kingdom.

We have state-of-the art technical and laboratory facilities:

  • School resources
  • Find out more about our community

The School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is home to a large, supportive and active student community, hosting events and activities throughout the year which you can join. As a postgraduate student, you will have access to a range of research resources, state-of-the-art facilities research seminars and reading groups.

Career opportunities

While many of our PhD graduates choose to remain in academia as lecturers and researchers, going onto post-doctoral opportunities or progressing into faculty positions, some pursue employment and careers in other sectors.

Important application information

Find a research opportunity that matches your interests.

  • View our main research areas

Write a research proposal

Your research proposal will be used to consider whether the proposed research is feasible and can be supervised by our staff members, so it is important that your theoretical and methodological preparation for it are clear.

We understand that it can be difficult to formulate research plans well in advance of carrying out the work, but we encourage you to articulate your ideas as clearly as possible. You should draft your proposal several times and, ideally, seek comments on it from other people (perhaps from your referees or former lecturers) before submitting it.

It is recommended that you contact your planned supervisor(s) well in advance of the deadline to identify a suitable topic for your research proposal.

You should then draft the research proposal independently and then discuss it with your planned supervisor(s), revising it based on their comments and suggestions.

Each PhD thesis contains several theoretical and empirical chapters. Your proposal should focus on the empirical work, laying out plans for at least two empirical studies (further plans can be worked out as you progress). Ideally, each of the studies should be a publishable journal article; students are strongly encouraged to publish their work in collaboration with their supervisors.

Your proposal must not exceed 1000 words; the panel may not read the part of your proposal exceeding the limit. This does not include references.

Your proposal should include:

  • A title for the project
  • A brief background for the planned research question(s)
  • A compelling, brief rationale for the studies, including the specific research questions/hypotheses
  • A description of the methodology for addressing these questions/hypotheses, which generally includes:
  • Sufficiently large sample(s) of participants (allowing for appropriate statistical power) and measurement/experimental procedures
  • If using existing data (e.g., data from large cohort studies or biobanks, imaging data sets, etc.), describe the data sets
  • Your data analytical approach (e.g., suitable statistical models)
  • If using qualitative data such as interviews, describe your methods and analytical approach
  • Note that the methodology should be realistic, within the resources and time-scales available to you and your supervisor(s), and also allowing for necessary time for writing the thesis
  • An indication of how your proposed work fits with and contributes to the research programme of your planned supervisor(s).

A PhD thesis typically means teamwork, involving the student and one or two supervisors, and often also other members of the research group(s) of the supervisor(s); a student receives training and help form the team, but can also contribute to the team with their research. Applicants who can show a good fit with a supervising team have an advantage.

We may ask for a brief (Zoom or MS Teams) interview with you if we have further questions.

If your application is successful, we expect that your research will develop. It is likely that your supervisor(s) or those reviewing the work will suggest changes or developments to your research as your studies progress.

Therefore, you will not be held to the ideas that you explain in your proposal during the course of your research.

  • How to write a good PG research proposal

Contact potential supervisors prior to making an application

We strongly encourage you to get in touch with a potential supervisor, and to include their name in your application.

When contacting a potential supervisor, please include a draft proposal and CV as this will provide the starting point for discussion. You can introduce yourself by explaining why their work interests you.

Please note that our academic staff are very busy and it may take time for them to respond to your enquiry.

  • View our staff profiles and contact details

Get ready to apply

In order to ensure full consideration of your application, we ask that you submit your complete application including all supporting documentation.

You will be asked to add contact details for your referees. We will email them with information on how to upload their reference directly to your online application. Please allow plenty of time as we can only consider your application once we have received your full application, including your references.

  • Find out more about the application process

Consider your funding options

There are a number of funding opportunities both within the University and externally. Funding is highly competitive at PhD level.

  • More information on funding

Pre-application Checklist

To receive a pre-arrival checklist to help you with your application, please email the PPLS Postgraduate Office at

Please complete this checklist to keep track of your application preparations. Please submit the completed checklist as an additional document to your application.

Language Sciences at Edinburgh

Entry requirements.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a related subject.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

  • Entry requirements by country
  • English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

  • UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

  • Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding.

Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding.

You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.

Featured funding

  • Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities Funding
  • Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Funding
  • [College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Awards] ( https://www.ed.ac.uk/ppls/linguistics-and-english-language/prospective/postgraduate/funding-research-students/arts-humanities-soc-sci-research-awards )
  • [Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships] ( https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international/other-funding/doctoral-college )

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

  • UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Search for funding

Further information

  • PPLS Postgraduate Office
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5002
  • Contact: [email protected]
  • Dugald Stewart Building
  • 3 Charles Street
  • Central Campus
  • Programme: Linguistics and English Language
  • School: Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences
  • College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Linguistics and English Language - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd linguistics and english language - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding. You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.

We operate a gathered field approach to PhD applications.

This means that all complete applications which satisfy our minimum entry requirements will be held until the nearest deadline. The admissions panel will meet to consider all applications received together after that date.

Applications are held for processing over two deadlines:

  • How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

Please read through the ‘Important application information’ section on this page before applying.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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The graduate program in English provides you with a broad knowledge in the discipline, including critical and cultural theory and literary history. This solid foundation enables you to choose your own path based on the wide variety of areas of concentration. Our flexible program allows you to take courses outside the department to further explore your chosen field(s). Our program emphasizes excellence in writing, innovative scholarship, and eloquent presentations—important skills you will need in your future profession. The program and its faculty are committed both to diversity in its student body and in the diversity of thought and scholarship.

Examples of student theses and dissertations include “The Write to Stay Home: Southern Black Literature from the Great Depression to Early Twenty-first Century,” “Profaning Theater: The Drama of Religion on the Modernists Stage,” and “Sentimental Borders: Genre and Geography in the Literature of Civil War and Reconstruction.”

Graduates have secured faculty positions at institutions such as Brown University, Columbia University, and University of California, Los Angeles. Others have begun their careers with leading organizations such as Google and McKinsey & Company.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of English and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Unspecified | Medieval | Renaissance/Early Modern | 18th Century/Enlightenment | 19th Century British/Romantics/Victorian | Early American (to 1900) | 20th Century British | 20th Century American | Criticism and Theory | The English Language | Transnational Anglophone/Postcolonial | African American Literature | Drama | Poetry

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of English .

Writing Sample

The writing samples (one primary and one secondary) are highly significant parts of the application. Applicants should submit 2 double-spaced, 15-page papers of no more than 5,000 words each, in 12-point type with 1-inch margins. The writing samples must be examples of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on subjects directly related to English. Applicants should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts but should edit the samples themselves so that they submit only 15 pages for each paper. Applicants who know the field in which they expect to specialize should, when possible, submit a primary writing sample related to that field.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose is not a personal statement and should not be heavily weighted down with autobiographical anecdotes. It should be no longer than 1,000 words. It should give the admissions committee a clear sense of applicants’ individual interests and strengths. Applicants need not indicate a precise field of specialization if they do not know, but it is helpful to know something about a candidate’s professional aspirations and sense of their own skills, as well as how the Harvard Department of English might help in attaining their goals. Those who already have a research topic in mind should outline it in detail, giving a sense of how they plan their progress through the program. Those who do not should at least attempt to define the questions and interests they foresee driving their work over the next few years.

Standardized Tests

GRE: Not Accepted

While there are no specific prerequisites for admission, a strong language background helps to strengthen the application, and students who lack it should be aware that they will need to address these gaps during their first two years of graduate study.

While a candidate's overall GPA is important, it is more important to have an average of no lower than A- in literature (and related) courses. In addition, while we encourage applications from candidates in programs other than English, they must have both the requisite critical skills and a foundation in English literature for graduate work in English. Most of our successful candidates have some knowledge of all the major fields of English literary study and advanced knowledge of the field in which they intend to study.

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for English

See list of English faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Inside a dark library with sunlight coming through the windows

DPhil in English

  • Entry requirements
  • Funding and Costs

College preference

  • How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in English is intended to develop the skills and understanding necessary to undertake and present original research at a high level, and provide a thorough foundation for a career in research.

Course structure

Under the guidance of your supervisor, you will complete a thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words. A typical term will involve a great deal of independent research, punctuated by meetings with the supervisor who will be able to suggest direction and address concerns throughout the writing process. 

In addition you will have the opportunity to attend a wide range of classes, seminars and lectures in order to learn bibliographic and research skills, interact with other researchers or gain new perspectives on your work. You may also be encouraged to attend the research skills courses available as part of the master's (MSt) programme, depending how much of this training has been covered previously.

The English Faculty is not responsible for providing teaching opportunities for research students as most undergraduate teaching in Oxford is organised by individual colleges. Teaching is not a compulsory part of the DPhil. But research students may wish to gain some teaching experience, so long as it does not interfere with their own progress. Those research students who wish to gain teaching experience are invited to attend Faculty-run preparatory teaching workshops and seminars, as well as enrolling on a Teaching Mentor Scheme. 

Further information about studying part-time

The faculty's research degrees are not available by distance learning. Although there will be no requirement to reside in Oxford, part-time research students must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time: October and November, mid-January to mid-March, and late April to mid-June) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training.

The faculty appreciates that part-time research students will have non-standard attendance and work patterns. To ensure a comprehensive integration into the faculty's and University's research culture and with their full-time peer groups, a pattern of attendance at training events and research seminars would form part of the general study agreement for part-time students, alongside the individualised arrangements between supervisor and student. You cannot be enrolled in the part-time course if you need a visa to study in the UK.

As a part-time student you will be required to attend seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year. Part-time students are expected to be present in Oxford for Faculty induction, college induction, and an initial meeting with supervisors in order to decide upon the programme of study for that term and to develop a plan for the coming year’s work. These are usually all held in 0th week of Michaelmas term of the 1st year. There will be some flexibility in the dates of term-time attendance which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor, but part-time students are expected to be in Oxford in order to participate in key Faculty activities, which will occupy on average 20 days per term.Attendance outside of term-time is determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

Part-time students are expected to spend some periods in Oxford in at least two terms per year in the first two years.Part-time students are expected to attend at least half of the Faculty's (usually weekly or fortnightly) research seminar meetings in their subject area and to contribute to them as much as full-time students do over the length of their course.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of English.

It is expected that you will have at least two substantial supervisions in each term (or for part-time students, at least one each term). In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support.

You will be enrolled initially as a Probationary Research Student and will then apply to transfer to full DPhil status during your first year (or for part-time students, by the end of your second year). A further assessment of your work and progress takes place during the third year of the programme (for part-time students, this would be completed by the first term of your sixth year).

In the final year of your course, you will need to submit a thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words for assessment by an internal examiner, from within the University, and an external examiner, from beyond. There will then be a ‘viva voce’ oral examination with the two examiners.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from the English Faculty are employed across a wide range of sectors. Many take up academic positions in the UK and overseas. Other graduates pursue careers in occupations including teaching, the arts, heritage, librarianship, journalism, publishing, law and the civil service.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

  • a first-class or high upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualification) and a master's degree with distinction. 

The undergraduate and masters' degrees should be in English literature and/or English language, or exceptionally in a related subject that prepares the applicant for the particular course of study they propose.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 (with at least 3.85 in the major) out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

  • Evidence of training in research techniques may be an advantage.
  • It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.
  • Publications are not required and the English Faculty does not expect applicants to have been published.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

  • socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
  • country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
  • protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

  • the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
  • the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
  • minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The facilities for English graduate students in Oxford are outstanding. In the faculty building you will find superb computing resources, a graduate common room, a café and an excellent discipline-specific library.

The English Faculty Library holds over 110,000 volumes and a wide range of print journals; it also provides regular information skills training to support teaching and research in English. Graduate students have access to all of Oxford's libraries, numbering over one hundred and including the world-famous collections of the Bodleian Library.

You will have the opportunity to hear lectures and papers by leading writers, critics, and theorists from inside and outside the University. You are encouraged to participate in the many research seminars and reading groups that run throughout term time, many of which are coordinated by graduates themselves.

There is an active and lively graduate organisation funded by the faculty, English Graduates at Oxford (EGO), that organises study skills, training and career development seminars, as well as social events and conferences.

Oxford’s Faculty of English Language and Literature is by far the largest English department in the UK and has a very distinguished research record, awarded top grades in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. The faculty leads the Complete University League Tables (2023) and QS World University Rankings (2022) for English Language and Literature. Teaching has been graded ‘excellent’ in every quality assurance review.

The faculty currently has 80 permanent members of academic staff, including 9 statutory professors. This is in addition to a further 100 or so members teaching in the colleges and temporary members of staff. There are currently around 900 undergraduate students (with roughly 260 admitted each year to the single honours school and a further 20 to joint honours school programmes). The Oxford English Faculty has the largest graduate school in the country, with approximately 95 master's students, with a further 120 graduate research students. For the publications and research interests of particular faculty members, please consult their individual webpages.

English Language and Literature

Oxford’s Faculty of English Language and Literature is the largest English department in the UK, with over 300 graduate students. The faculty has a very distinguished research and teaching record covering all periods of English literature.

The size and distinction of the faculty’s graduate school, as well as the intellectual diversity of its graduate students, make Oxford a very stimulating environment in which to study English.

The faculty’s taught master’s courses are designed to serve both as autonomous degrees and as a solid foundation for the pursuit of more advanced research in literature in Oxford or elsewhere. One of the special features of these courses is that, unlike many master's programmes, they offer you the opportunity to pursue topics across period boundaries if you so wish.

Research in English at Oxford covers a wide range of work in literature and language over all periods to the present. The Faculty has a lively programme of research seminars in which staff and students have the opportunity to give papers on their work, and to meet specialists from other universities and institutions from the UK and abroad.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about course fees.

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

  • Balliol College
  • Blackfriars
  • Brasenose College
  • Campion Hall
  • Christ Church
  • Corpus Christi College
  • Exeter College
  • Harris Manchester College
  • Hertford College
  • Jesus College
  • Keble College
  • Kellogg College
  • Lady Margaret Hall
  • Linacre College
  • Lincoln College
  • Magdalen College
  • Mansfield College
  • Merton College
  • New College
  • Oriel College
  • Pembroke College
  • The Queen's College
  • Regent's Park College
  • St Anne's College
  • St Antony's College
  • St Catherine's College
  • St Cross College
  • St Edmund Hall
  • St Hilda's College
  • St Hugh's College
  • St John's College
  • St Peter's College
  • Somerville College
  • Trinity College
  • University College
  • Wadham College
  • Wolfson College
  • Worcester College
  • Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines  in our Application Guide. If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance .

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

  • applicants from low-income countries;
  • refugees and displaced persons; 
  • UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
  • applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You are not expected to contact a potential supervisor before submitting an application. However, if the proposed research topic is unusual, you may find it useful to review the faculty members and research sections of the faculty website to see if supervision is likely to be available from among the permanent members of staff.

Please note that the allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Please note also that a faculty member's willingness to supervise is no guarantee of admission.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic who you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise leave this field blank.

Referees Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

The Faculty of English expects three academic references in all but exceptional cases, and never fewer than two academic references.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement and motivation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A maximum of 1,500 words

The research proposal should be an outline of the research plans, written in English. The overall word count should include any bibliography.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

  • the coherence and viability of the project
  • the originality of the project
  • the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (a maximum of four years)
  • evidence of understanding of appropriate research skills required for successful completion of the project and of appropriate training at master’s level or equivalent to undertake the project.

Written work: Either two essays of a maximum length of 2,000 words each or one essay of a maximum length of 4,000 words

Academic essays from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts from longer pieces are welcome but should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

It is better to submit essays related to the area and in the subject in which you wish to work.

This work will be assessed for analytical and critical acumen; ability to construct and defend an argument; and powers of expression.

Instructions for submitting one long piece of work instead of two short pieces

To submit one longer piece of work in your application instead of two shorter pieces, you should upload this document in the first 'Written work' slot on the 'Supporting Documents' tab of the Application Form. In the second 'Written work' slot, you should upload a PDF document with the following statement:

' I have included one long essay in lieu of two short essays. I have checked the course page to confirm this is permitted for this course. '

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of English Language and Literature

  • Course page on the faculty's website
  • Funding information from the faculty
  • Academic and research staff
  • Faculty research
  • Humanities Division
  • Residence requirements for full-time courses
  • Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

[email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 281140  or  +44 (0)1865 271541

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

Recommended pages

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  • Postgraduate open days
  • Accommodation
  • Information for teachers
  • Maps and directions
  • Sport and fitness

Join our Postgraduate Open Day - Wednesday 20 March

PhD English Language and Applied Linguistics (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)/ MA by Research

On campus: Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time International: £21,840 full-time Distance learning PhD: Annual tuition fee 2024/25: £12,330 part-time  More detail .

  • Visit an Open Day
  • Request a prospectus
  • Course details
  • Entry Requirements
  • Employability

Carry out your research with one of the UK’s leading English Language departments, renowned for its expertise in Corpus Research, Cognitive Linguistics and Psycholinguistics, and Discourse Analysis and Stylistics, from anywhere in the world. 

We offer both and campus-based and distance learning PhD courses. There are two distance learning PhD programmes in English Language and Applied Linguistics: a standard programme and a modular programme. There is no assessed taught component, but students follow online research training modules. Both distance learning options are part-time, while the campus programme can be either full-time or part-time.

All programmes have regular contact with your supervisor. On the distance learning programmes, this contact is by email and/or video conference and allow you to remain in your resident country while pursuing your research. This is particularly beneficial if you are interested in relating your research to your current work. 

The Standard PhD

The standard programme requires a traditional 80,000-word thesis. The work is examined at the end of the programme, as with other PhD programmes. Students identify and refine a thesis topic and research design in consultation with their supervisor and send drafts of the various chapters for comment as they work through the programme. As with all PhDs, progress is monitored throughout the registration period.

Distance Modular PhD

The modular programme requires three modules: two shorter research papers (Module 1 - 12,000 words, Module 2 - 20,000 words) and a final thesis of 50,000 words (Module 3). The work is examined in three phases, at the end of each module. The final product (in terms of total quantity and quality of work) is therefore similar to the standard PhD; however the modular option provides an incremental, continuously assessed route allowing students to progress through explicitly marked stages to a PhD. Students identify a topic they wish to work on and to which all their written work should be related; the nature of the assessment means however that the topic may not be as tightly focused as that in a traditional PhD.

Virtual Open Day: Postgraduate opportunities in English Language and Applied Linguistics - 28 April 2020, 14:00-15:00

vod-promo

Join us online to watch a range of staff and student videos, and take part in our online chat where staff from the Department will be answering your questions about postgraduate study.

Find out more and register

Postgraduate scholarships available

english language phd

The College of Arts and Law is offering a range of scholarships for our postgraduate taught and research programmes to ensure that the very best talent is nurtured and supported.

Learn more about our scholarships

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

  • Graduate School Language Skills

english language phd

The staff are extremely friendly and approachable which makes for a really productive atmosphere in the department. I also really value the range of expertise across the department. Helena

Why study this course?

  • World-leading research : The University of Birmingham is ranked equal 10th in the UK amongst Russell Group universities in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 according to the Times Higher Education. Additionally, the University of Birmingham is ranked in the top 50 for the study of English Language and Literature in the 2023 QS World University Rankings. These rankings are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the leading universities worldwide in a particular subject.
  • Distance learning experience : The Department has many years of experience in delivering high quality distance learning programmes at postgraduate level. Staff also have expertise in supervising doctoral research at a distance. Through the University library, you will have electronic access to a wide range of applied linguistic research journals and e-books.
  • Exceptional student support : While the programmes are rigorous in their standards and expectations, they also provide excellent support and a high degree of flexibility. You will receive the same level of support and supervision as our on-campus students.
  • Research resources :  Our English Language programmes benefit from the 450 million-word Bank of English corpus, an invaluable collection of authentic language data. All students and researchers working within English Language also have free access a variety of language corpora, and, where necessary, training in how to use them. Additionally, the Main Library houses an extensive collection of books on English language and linguistics, including English language teaching, and subscribes to 250 periodicals in the fields of English language and literature.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience .

Content and assessment for the Modular PhD

Module 1 - Subject-focused work, to include some research training and preparation related to the subject, such as empirical work, literature searches, and research methodology.

The 12,000-word assessment may be divided into 3 x 4,000 papers or combinations amounting to the total (60 credits). Pass/Fail.

Module 2 - Structured research and writing on the research topic. It may be linked in a linear way to Module 1, or the connection may be looser.

The 20,000-word assessment may be divided into one or two papers amounting to the total (120 credits). Pass/Fail

Module 3 - The thesis (maximum 50,000 words - 360 credits). Pass/Fail

The assessed work from Modules 2 and 3 should be of publishable quality.

Each assessment (i.e. each module) is submitted and passed before the student can proceed to the next. One re-submission of each module is permitted. The external examiner is consulted when each module is completed. Like all PhD theses at Birmingham, a Modular PhD is examined in a viva voce examination which takes place after the submission of Module 3.

We charge an annual tuition fee:

On campus PhD/MA by Research: Annual tuition fee 2024 entry:

  • UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time *
  • International: £21,840 full-time

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.

Distance learning PhD:

  • Fees for students joining between September 2023 and August 2024 are as follows: £11,730 part-time
  • Fees for students joining between September 2024 and August 2025 are as follows: £12,330 part-time

Tuition fees will be payable each year for between four years (minimum registration) and six years (maximum registration). Students who go into Writing Up after four or five years will pay a nominal continuation fee (the same as for the full-time PhD).

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about  fees for international students .

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about  postgraduate tuition fees and funding .

How To Apply

Application deadlines.

Postgraduate research can start at any time during the year, but it is important to allow time for us to review your application and communicate a decision. If you wish to start in September, we would recommend that you aim to submit your application and supporting documents by 1 July 2023.

Additional guidance for applicants to the PhD Distance Learning study mode.

Before you make your application

Please refer to our six-step process on applying for PhD, MA by Research and MRes opportunities for Arts subject areas, which includes detailed advice on research proposals and how to write them.

You may also wish to register your interest with us to receive regular news and updates on postgraduate life within this Department and the wider University.

Making your application

  • How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

  • For MRes and MA by Research programmes, entry to our programmes usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.
  • Applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please contact the admissions tutor.

International students

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 21 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 59 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

  • A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
  • A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位(4年制)的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意,中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022(总榜) ,  软科中国大学排名2023(总榜) ,以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程(MBA除外)入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程(包括 MBA)入学要求

Please note:

  • Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求(5%以内),但具有出色学术背景,优异的专业成绩,以及(或)相关的工作经验,部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
  • Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问,请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

  • Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
  • De La Salle University - Manila
  • University of Santo Tomas
  • University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

  • 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
  • 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

We specialise and welcome applications from prospective research students interested in corpus linguistics, cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics, and stylistics and discourse analysis.

A summary of our key research areas, and staff working within those, can be found below. General queries which are not subject-specific (including fees, scholarship enquiries and paperwork) are best directed to the  College of Arts and Law Graduate School .

  • Applied linguistics and second language acquisition  
  • Corpus linguistics
  • Discourse and analysis and stylistics
  • Sign language and gesture
  • Cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics
  • Iconicity and figurative language
  • Sociolinguistics and language variation and change
  • Quantitative linguistics and data visualisation

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network  provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team  who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

  • Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
  • Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
  • Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
  • Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: English Language and Linguistics

Birmingham's English Language and Linguistics postgraduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by employers, particularly in relation to verbal and written communication. They also develop crucial skills in organisation, time management, analysis and interpretation of information.

Many of our graduates enter roles for which their programme has prepared them, such as becoming a language analyst or data scientist. Others use their transferable skills in a wide range of occupations including teaching, research administration and events.

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English Education PhD

Doctor of philosophy (75 points).

The primary purpose of the doctoral programs in English Education at Teachers College is to advance knowledge relevant to the teaching and learning of English and to prepare expert teachers of English for careers as scholars, researchers, and teacher educators in the field of English education. ​​ The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in English Education is open to a wide array of scholarly interests and thrives on the diversity of backgrounds and experiences students bring with them. As a Ph.D. student, you will become conversant with the principal theories, research methods, and pedagogical traditions of the field of English education. The degree program leads to an original research project culminating in the development of a scholarly dissertation that contributes to knowledge in the field. Graduates often take up research careers in universities or other educational institutions upon completion of their Ph.D. 

Experiences and Exposures: 

  • World-class faculty come together with a collaborative group of students from around the world to critically engage with theoretical and pedagogical stances that underpin English Education. 
  • Engagement in the scholarly community via coursework, research experiences, and opportunities to write and present at scholarly conferences. 
  • Supported by faculty mentors, students take on individual exploration of enquiries and conduct original research into issues of critical importance to the field of English Education.

Final Admissions Deadline:  January 15th

The final deadline for doctoral program applications is January 15th (with a December 1st as a priority deadline).

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to a faculty member regarding the admissions process for this program.

A graduate student smiles while she makes a point in a discussion with her peers at TC.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

  • Points/Credits: 75
  • Entry Terms: Fall Only

Application Deadlines

  • Spring: N/A
  • Summer/Fall (Priority): December 1
  • Summer/Fall (Final): January 15

Supplemental Application Requirements/Comments

  • Online Degree Application , including Statement of Purpose and Resume
  • Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed
  • Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable)
  • $75 Application Fee
  • Three (3) Letters of Recommendation, one (1) of which must be academic
  • Academic Writing Sample
  • Three to five (3-5) years full-time teaching experience is expected

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

Doctor of Philosophy in English Ed

The Doctor of Philosophy (75 credits) degree is designed to prepare candidates for positions in higher education as teachers and researchers whose scholarly activity is focused on the theoretical, philosophical, and pedagogical questions that define English education as a discipline for teaching and inquiry.

Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:

A&HE 5510 Seminar in Foundational Texts 1 

A&HE 5504 Research Paper: Teaching of English (co-requisite with A&HE 5149)A&HE 5149 Writing Research: Methods and Assumptions (co-requisite with A&HE 5504)

A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English

A&HE 7504 Dissertation Seminar: Teaching of English

A&HE 8904 Dissertation Advisement in the Teaching of English

A range of electives in literary and rhetorical studies

Four research methods courses for a total of at least 12 credits. It is recommended that candidates include at least two of the following:

A&HE 5150 Research in Practice

A&HE 5160 Qualitative Methodologies & Theoretical Frameworks

A&HE 6151 Narrative Research in English Education

A&HE 6152 Advanced Narrative Research in English Education

Students may also satisfy the requirement for research methods courses by completing approved courses in other programs and departments across the College.

Credit Requirements and Transfer Credits for the Ph.D. in English Education

The number of courses students take depends in part on the number of credits students transfer from previous graduate work at Teachers College. Students working toward the Ph.D. degree (75 credits) may transfer a maximum of 30 credits and will thus complete at least 45 credits while in the Ph.D. program. Approval of transfer of credits is always at the discretion of the advisor.

Coursework Restrictions

An academic advisor must approve all coursework in a student’s program plan, especially to ensure enforcement of the following College and Departmental policies:

No course that is “R” (attendance) credit or that is “P” (pass/fail) may be counted toward the Ph.D. aside from A&HE 6504 and A&HE 7504.

Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses in other colleges (usually GSAS) of Columbia University or at other universities within the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.

Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.

Candidates should take a minimum of two courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).

Doctoral Program Milestones Program Plan

During their first year of study, students in consultation with their advisor should complete, and file with the Office of Doctoral Studies, a program plan (the forms are available in the English education office and in the Office of Doctoral Studies) anticipating all the courses they will need to complete within the scope of their doctoral studies. This program plan should then be reviewed annually with the student’s advisor (and revised as necessary) giving student and advisor an annual measure of the student’s progress through the program

A&HE 5504: Research Paper in the Teaching of English

Before enrolling in A&HE 5504, students must have completed at least two research methods courses, have successfully completed the Certification 1 Examination, have discovered an area or problem of interest that they wish to study for their 5504 project, and have familiarized themselves with some of the available research literature on the topic or problem they propose to investigate. The research paper completed in A&HE 5504 allows a doctoral student to demonstrate the capacity to complete independent research and produce a research paper at a level of sophistication that promises success in undertaking a doctoral research project and doctoral dissertation. The completed A&HE 5504 research paper must be approved by faculty as qualifying the student to proceed to the next milestone in the doctoral program, the Certification 2 Examination.

Certification Examinations

Certification examinations certify a student’s expertise in the foundational texts, research traditions, and theoretical perspectives that represent the history of English Education as an academic discipline and that inform research in the more specialized field of study defined by a student’s anticipated dissertation project. Doctoral students in the English Education Program must pass two separate certification examinations. Examination 1 is a take-home examination, seven days in duration, covering the history of English education with a focus on one of the major curricular strands within the discipline. Examination 2, covering a specialized disciplinary area related to the student’s dissertation topic, is a take-home written examination to be completed within a time frame (up to one semester) set by the student’s faculty advisor. The topics and texts to be covered by the two examinations and the examination questions are determined by each student’s advisor in consultation with the student who will be examined.

Foreign Language Requirement

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in English education must demonstrate reading proficiency in at least one foreign language at a level of competence sufficient to read scholarly or professional work relevant to their own field of study. Students should contact the Office of Doctoral Studies for the current policy regarding satisfying this requirement. Courses in statistics or other past substitutes for a foreign language will not be accepted.

Dissertation Proposal (A&HE 7504)

The doctoral dissertation proposal consolidates the work candidates have done in courses, professional reading, and the two certification examinations. It is usually a 60 to 100-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research, usually presenting drafts of early chapters for the dissertation. Typically a proposal includes an introductory chapter describing the origins and aims of the project, a fairly complete review of the literature, a chapter on research methods, and some preliminary data and data analysis. The dissertation proposal must be accepted at a formal or informal hearing where at least two faculty members function as examiners. Students may not undertake the dissertation proposal until both certification exams have been completed successfully.

Award of the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree

Students become eligible to apply for the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree upon completing 75 credits of coursework and fulfilling each of the previous doctoral program milestones. Upon being awarded the M.Phil. degree, doctoral students become “candidates” for the Ph.D. degree. Applications for the M.Phil. degree can be filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies.

Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is the culminating research project of the doctoral program and constitutes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English Education. As candidates write their dissertations, they must enroll in A&HE 8904: Dissertation Advisement in Teaching English, which is designed to help them refine their thinking and revise their writing as they complete successive drafts of their dissertation.

The Advanced Seminar

What is known historically as the Advanced Seminar now functions as a pre-defense meeting of a portion (2-3 faculty members) of the Ph.D. candidate’s doctoral dissertation committee, which convenes to interrogate and advise the candidate on the dissertation in progress in order to ensure its successful completion. The committee may be convened at any point in a candidate’s progress toward completing the dissertation research, but is ordinarily convened for English education candidates at a point when the candidate can present a rough draft of the entire dissertation for scrutiny by the dissertation committee members. The committee is convened in response to a formal request filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS) by the candidate with the approval of the dissertation advisor. Candidates should consult the ODS early in the dissertation project to ensure that all procedural rules for convening the Advanced Seminar and reporting on its deliberations are properly observed.

Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense offers the opportunity for members of the candidate’s dissertation committee, all of whom have carefully read the dissertation, to interrogate the candidate on any and all dimensions of the candidate’s research and the written dissertation that is the product of that research. In most cases the committee will suggest minor revisions that the candidate is expected to incorporate into the dissertation before filing the final version. A typical defense, however, is less an interrogation than it is a collegial discussion of the candidate’s research project and findings with attention to next steps in the candidate’s research agenda and possibilities for revising and publishing the dissertation or sections of it. A successful dissertation defense marks both a moment of certification and a ritual initiation. At the conclusion of a successful defense, authorized doctoral faculty officially certify a candidate’s accomplishment in completing a major research study that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English education broadly defined, and thereby welcome the doctoral candidate into the community of scholars.

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Program Director : Yolanda Sealey Ruiz, Limarys Caraballo

Teachers College, Columbia University 327 Horace Mann Hall

Phone: 212.678.3070 Fax: 212.678.8197

Email: pa_enged@tc.edu

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MA/PhD in English Language and Literature

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Program Overview

Our MA/PhD in English Language and Literature is an integrated program that allows students to earn an MA on the way to the PhD. We do not admit students for a terminal MA degree. The program receives over 250 applications of admission each year and typically enrolls an entering class of 10-14 students, all of whom receive funding.   

The MA/PhD program offers two tracks: one in Literature and Culture, the other in Language and Rhetoric. Within each track, students will develop individualized programs of study in close consultation with faculty mentors. Intellectually, there is substantial connection between work in these areas of the department: faculty teaching in the Language and Rhetoric track are certainly thinking about matters of culture, just as faculty teaching in Literature and Culture clearly attend to the nature and politics of language. Students in either track can and do take courses in the other.

However, these two tracks offer distinct forms of professional training and accreditation: students in the Literature and Culture track are trained to conduct research and to teach in literary and cultural studies (e.g., in fields such as Victorian literature, ecocritism, or contemporary speculative fiction). Students in the Language and Rhetoric track are trained to conduct research and to teach in areas broadly related to language-in-use (e.g., in fields such as composition studies, rhetoric, history of English, applied linguistics, literacy, and writing pedagogy). Their research might study practices in the composition classroom or might address topics in discourse analysis, language policy, and translingualism. On completion of the PhD, Literature and Culture students are qualified to apply for jobs teaching in their area of literary or cultural study; students in Language and Rhetoric are qualified to apply for jobs in rhetoric and composition studies, applied linguistics, or writing program administration. When applying to the program, applicants must choose between these two tracks and may not apply to both simultaneously.

Department faculty work across a range of historical periods (Medieval, Early Modern, 19 th , 20 th , and 21 st centuries) and methodological frameworks with a focus on the study of discourse, literacy, textuality, genre (including speculative fiction and SF), gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, postcoloniality, indigeneity, disability, environment, media, and public culture. For a fuller snapshot of the work we do, please consult our faculty profiles . 

Application Information

Application materials are due December 1. (If December 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the deadline is the following Monday.)  Offers of admission are usually made by mid-March.  

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For frequently asked questions, please see our  MA/PhD FAQ  page. 

Funding Opportunities

We offer a funding package to all admitted MA/PhD students. The funding package includes a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a monthly stipend during the academic year through an Academic Student Employee position. In general, duties include teaching one English class, assisting in a large lecture and leading quiz sections, or assisting in program administration.

PhD students also have opportunities to compete for fellowships and scholarships offered through the Department of English.

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MA/PhD Degree Requirements

MA/PhD degree requirements can be found here: PhD Degree Requirements .

Students who enter our PhD program without a related master’s degree will be required to complete an MA in the first two years. More information can be found here:  MA/PhD Degree Requirements: Master's Degree .

Placement & Alumni

A recent survey of our graduates from 2008-2018 showed the following employment rates:

  • 43% in tenure-track positions
  • 43% in other academic positions (not tenure-track)
  • 8% in professional careers

Dissertation abstracts from recent graduates can be found here: Graduate Research .

Check out our  PhD Alumni Spotlight page where recent alumni have shared their current job placements, highlights from their time at UW, and advice for current and prospective students. 

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Ph.D. Requirements

We attempt to make each stage of the progress towards the doctoral degree less an obstacle race, with each stage a step to be got through before the "real work" can begin, than an integral and component part of the making of an intellectual.

Course Requirements

At Duke, the doctoral candidate must be enrolled for six semesters of full tuition. Students must successfully complete eleven graduate courses for credit in their first two years, but they may, of course, take more than the minimum number of courses, either as audits or for credit: typically students take between twelve and fourteen courses in their first three years of study. All courses at the 500-800 levels in both the English department and the Program in Literature may be counted toward the eleven-course requirement and courses in other departments for which students have an intellectual rationale can also be counted. At the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, up to three courses of the eleven normally required may be remitted for a student who has completed an MA degree at another university.

Foreign Language Requirement

Our program requires foreign language proficiency in at least one language. We ask that the student establish this proficiency within the first two years of the program, either by certifying a grade of "B" or better in a literature course conducted in the language at another college or university within two years of matriculating at Duke, or by successfully completing one of the departmentally approved modes of satisfying the requirement listed in the Handbook.

Areas of Concentration

Beginning in the second year of the program, the student selects one major and two minor fields of concentration that will form the basis of the preliminary examination on a major area of concentration. The student should also select a preliminary examining committee, consisting of a major-field faculty advisor and three other faculty members, by the end of the second year. A summer reading list is due to the Director of Graduate Study before the summer of the student's third year. For a helpful list of questions to ask as you assemble a committee and prepare for exams, please see the Graduate English Association Best Practices Sheet for Exams and Reading lists .  

Portfolio Review

At the end of the Fall semester of the second year, the student selects three papers that they have written for coursework to make a portfolio.  They write a brief reflective statement about the portfolio and select two faculty members—usually one of these the prospective committee chair and one a possible committee member—who, along with the DGS, read the three papers and discuss them with the student before the end of the Spring semester. 

Preliminary Examination

In the spring semester of the third year, the student takes two written examinations, one on the major and one on the two minor areas of concentration. These take the form of two take-home 12 hour exams. The written portion is followed within two weeks by an oral examination on the major as well as the two minor fields. Both the written and the oral examinations are administered by the preliminary examination committee (see above).

Dissertation

In the fourth and fifth years, the student will be expected to complete a book-length thesis of original scholarship. The Ph.D. degree is awarded upon completion and successful defense of the dissertation. The dissertation committee of four members (typically, though not invariably, the four members of the preliminary examining committee) is responsible for assisting as appropriate in the dissertation research and writing, deciding on the acceptability of the work, and administering the Final Doctoral Oral Examination.

Dissertation Chapter Meeting

A chapter consultation for the dissertation is scheduled within six months of the preliminary examination. At this meeting, the student submits a draft of the first chapter and a brief outline of the projected shape of the rest of the dissertation for discussion with the assembled dissertation committee. From this point forward, the director of the dissertation serves as the principal advisor, and the second and third reader are typically also asked to read work in progress. The fourth reader usually reads the dissertation in full only when it has reached its final form.

Time Limits and Deadlines

The dissertation should normally be submitted and accepted within two years of the preliminary examination; extensions may be granted, but only in extraordinary circumstances will they be granted for longer than two further years. Regulations  governing details such as the filing of the title  by a stipulated deadline, the format, and the deadline for submission of a final version before the scheduled examination, are all set by the Graduate School and should be carefully followed.

The Final Doctoral Oral Examination

All members of the dissertation committee must participate in this examination. Typically, the exam takes two hours, and it may involve questions not only about the content of the dissertation, but on the candidate's major field. Minor changes or corrections on the dissertation may be requested. Three committee members, including the dissertation director, must agree that the candidate will pass.

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Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL)

Applied linguistics and language education, ph.d..

Faculty research interests in the Applied Linguistics area of focus include classroom discourse, conversational analysis, dual language learner education, language and literacy teacher development, language assessment policy, language contact and multilingualism, language diversity, language in school contexts, language planning and policy, multilingualism, peer interaction, second language teaching, sociocultural approaches to second language acquisition, teacher collaboration, codeswitching, and translanguaging. The doctoral program is primarily focused on language education in pre-kindergarten through high school settings in the US.

The program provides competitive financial support packages for all admitted students.

Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) faculty and doctoral students run an important center on campus, called the Multilingual Research Center (MRC). The MRC is committed to promoting research and outreach related to multilingualism, multilingual communities, and the education of multilingual populations.  It aims to increase the quality and number of TESOL, World Language, and dual language programs and teachers in Maryland, the nation, and the world through outreach; to sponsor and conduct research which illuminates our understanding of multilingualism and multilingual communities; and to disseminate research results to teachers, school systems, and national and international research communities.  The MRC uses its financial resources to support faculty and student research, sponsor prominent outside speakers and visitors, and provide faculty and doctoral students with generous support to attend national and international conferences. Learn more about the MRC .

The University of Maryland is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 37,000 students, 9,000 faculty and staff, and 250 academic programs. Its faculty includes three Nobel laureates, two Pulitzer Prize winners, and 49 members of the national academies.  It is a member of the Association of American Universities and competes athletically as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The College of Education at the University of Maryland is consistently ranked as one of the country’s leading education schools by US News . TLPL’s Division of Language, Literacy, and Social Inquiry is home to the Multilingual Research Center, which seeks to create an infrastructure for practice and research in the broader community.

UMD is the nation’s premier institution for language-related research.  It is home to over 200 language scientists in 17 different departments and centers. The campus-wide Maryland Language Science Center coordinates and creates opportunities for collaborations across disciplines and perspectives, and sponsors a wide range of talks, mini-conferences, and workshops.  Students in the LLSI program are encouraged to take full advantage of program flexibility to draw on the university’s wide range of intellectual resources in this area.

Primary Program Faculty

Shenika Hankerson (PhD, Michigan State University): African American Language; race, equity, language, and literacy; second language writing; language policies and language rights; critical discourse studies. Email [email protected]

Jeff MacSwan (PhD, UCLA): Bilingualism; codeswitching; applied linguistics; the role of language in schooling; language assessment policy. Email [email protected]

Laura Mahalingappa (PhD, The University of Texas at Austin): Teacher preparation and development for marginalized students; linguistically responsive pedagogy; first and additional language acquisition; critical language pedagogies; language awareness for teachers and learners. Email [email protected] .

Melinda Martin-Beltrán (PhD, Stanford University): Sociocultural approaches to second language acquisition focusing on dual language learners (ESOL students); peer interaction; language exchange; and teacher learning to build upon students’ linguistic and cultural diversity. Email [email protected]

Nihat Polat (PhD, University of Texas at Austin): Applied linguistics; individual differences (e.g., motivation, identity) in additional language acquisition (e.g., writing, syntax) and pedagogy (e.g., SIOP); teacher education (e.g., cognition, dispositions); the education of minoritized multilingual learners (e.g., emergent bilinguals, Muslim students in the U.S.). Email [email protected] .

Megan Madigan Peercy (PhD, University of Utah): Pedagogies of teacher education; preparation and development of teachers throughout their careers and as they work with language learners; theory-practice relationship in language teacher education; teacher collaborative relationships and learning. Email [email protected]

Kellie Rolstad (PhD, UCLA): Language of schooling; language diversity; second language teaching; unschooling; democratic education. Email [email protected] .   

Participating Faculty

Peter Afflerbach (PhD, State University of New York at Albany): Reading comprehension strategies and processes, especially related to new literacies; the verbal reporting methodology; reading in Internet and hypertext environments; reading assessment.

Ayanna Baccus (PhD, University of Maryland): Reading and literacy instruction.

Perla Blejer (EdD, George Washington University): Second language acquisition; foreign language education methodology; language program administration in higher education; issues of equal opportunity for at-risk students and disadvantaged populations.

Drew Fagan (EdD, Teachers College, Columbia University): Influence of teacher talk on language learning opportunities in classroom discourse; conversation analysis and second/foreign language classroom interactions; factors affecting teachers; preparing mainstream teachers for working with English Language Learners.

Loren Jones (PhD, University of Miami): Literacy and language instruction to support culturally and linguistically diverse students; writing development of English learners (ELs); translanguaging to promote literacy development; teacher preparation for working with ELs across content areas. 

Sarah C. K. Moore (PhD, Arizona State University): Language policy; equity and access for minoritized language communities; educator professional development and preparation around language teaching and learning; online and virtual educator preparation.

John O'Flahavan (PhD, University of Illinois; Urbana-Champaign): PK-12 literacy teaching and learning; the discourses involved in teaching and learning in schools; comprehensive school-wide literacy programs; sustainable school improvement.

Olivia Saracho (PhD, University of Illinois; Urbana-Champaign): Emergent literacy; family literacy; cognitive style and play.

Ebony Terrell Shockley (PhD, University of Maryland, College Park): Teacher preparation for culturally and linguistically diverse learners,  primarily in STEM and literacy contexts; written language assessment bias for bidialectal and multilingual learners; preparing teachers for speakers of African American Language; Black English Learners and the achievement gap; English Learners in Special Education.

Wayne Slater (PhD, University of Minnesota): Persuasion in reading comprehension and written communication, with a focus on biased assimilation and stasis theory.

Jennifer Turner (PhD, Michigan State University): Culturally responsive approaches to elementary reading instruction; vision as a conceptual and practical tool for preparing reading teachers for diversity; literacy as an indicator of college and career readiness; diverse students’ multimodal representations of future professional identities and workplace literacies.

Peggy Wilson (PhD, University of Maryland): Secondary literacy, writing, and grammar.

Affiliated Program Faculty

Donna Christian (PhD, Georgetown University): Dual language education; bilingual education; dialects and education; heritage language education; language and public policy; second/foreign language learning; sociolinguistics. Dr. Christian is a Senior Research Fellow and past President/CEO of the Center for Applied Linguistics.

Elisa Gironzetti (PhD, Texas A&M University-Commerce; PhD, Universidad de Alicante): Applied linguistics; second language and heritage language pedagogy; instructional pragmatics; humor; multimodal discourse analysis. An assistant professor in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Dr. Gironzetti is director of the Spanish Language Program at UMD.

Francis M. Hult  (PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Docent, University of Jyväskylä): Discourse studies; educational linguistics; ethnography; language policy and planning; linguistic landscapes; multilingual education; nexus analysis; sociolinguistics; sustainability; and transdisciplinarity.  Dr. Hult is Professor of Education at UMBC.

Manel Lacorte (PhD, University of Edinburgh): Applied linguistics; second language and heritage language pedagogy, teacher education, classroom interaction and contexts; sociopolitical issues in second language and heritage language teaching and learning. 

Minglang Zhou (PhD, Michigan State University): Chinese as a second/global language; bilingualism and bilingual education; language identity; language contact; the relationship between language, ethnicity, and nation-state in China. Dr. Zhou is director of the Chinese Language Program and an associate professor in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at UMD.

The PhD focus in Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) provides competitive funding packages for all admitted full-time students.  As a general rule, the program anticipates that all its students will devote themselves full time to graduate study, and will not have significant employment outside of the university for the duration of the program.  This permits the ALLE community to function as a community of practice in which students not only attend classes but are also socialized into a scholarly community.  While doctoral programs traditionally focus on a domain (the subject matter or body of knowledge), little attention is generally given to the creating of a community permitting routine interaction around the construction of professional practice. ALLE faculty believe that a successful program must substantially focus on building a strong sense of community among students, extending into the larger intellectual community of faculty within the home department and throughout the university, providing ample opportunity for participants to engage in their principal craft in spaces outside of traditional classrooms.  

These are some of the specific resources ALLE provides to its doctoral students to help build a community of practice:

A shared space .  All ALLE doctoral students are assigned a desk space with other area doctoral students.  This shared space gives students an opportunity to interact intellectually around course content, program expectations, and research collaborations.

The Multilingual Research Center .  ALLE is home to the Multilingual Research Center (MRC), which engages in research and outreach activities in support of linguistic diversity. The MRC provides research funding support, generous conference travel support for students and faculty, and hosts exciting speaker and brown bag events on campus.   Learn more about the  MRC .

The broader intellectual community. ALLE participates in the Maryland Language Science Center (MLSC), a campus-wide consortium of over 200 language scientists and scholars from numerous departments across campus.  The MLSC hosts events, conferences, talks, and research collaboration events throughout the year.  Learn more about the MLSC .

Student-faculty research collaboration . Students and faculty actively collaborate on a wide range of research projects.  Our goal is to involve every student hands-on in research activity, leading to research conference presentations and co-authored publications.  While these publications typically involve faculty participation, students sometimes collaborate with other students as well on collaborative research activity. Review a list of recent coauthored student-faculty publications .

Typical applicants to the Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) focus in Language Literacy have completed a prior master’s degree and will need to complete an additional 60 credits of coursework at the University of Maryland for the PhD. (In unusual cases, we may admit students who have not yet completed a master’s degree; in that case, an additional 30 credits are required.)Students complete six major components of coursework, as follows:

  • TLPL794 Foundations of Educational Research I (3 credits).  An introduction to the “contested terrain” of education research. It examines major conceptual, methodological and political issues embedded in efforts to carry out education research and focuses on the development of the analytic dispositions and communication skills required to carry out research that meets the variously defined quality, utility and significance standards of scholarship in the field.
  •   TLPL795 Foundations of Educational Research II (3 credits). Students engage in the process of conceptualizing and completing a rigorous review of a section of literature in their area of specialization.
  • Students in the specialization in Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) are required to take at least one course in Literacy or Reading Education (3 credits)  as a Breadth Requirement .
  • TLPL740 Language and Education (3 Credits). Dialect, language varieties in school settings; historical and current perspectives on the role of language in learning; theories of school achievement and consequences for language assessment.
  • TLPL743 Teaching English Language Learners: Current and Future Research Directions (3 credits). Research on the preparation of generalists and specialists teaching English Language Learners. Current research and future research directions.
  • TLPL744 Research Foundations of Second Language Education: Examining Linguistically Diverse Student Learning (3 credits). Critically examines theories of second language acquisition and research in applied linguistics relevant to linguistically diverse students and learners of English as an additional language. Analysis of research from linguistic, psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic and sociocultural perspectives, with an emphasis on the social contexts of second language learning and teaching. 
  • TLPL788 Foundations of Applied Linguistics Research (3 credits). Explores the interdisciplinary field of Applied Linguistics, drawing upon a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches. 
  • Students choose four Research Methods courses (12 credits).  Courses may be selected from a wide range of options in qualitative and quantitative research methods and may include TLPL793 Discourse Analysis .
  • In consultation with the advisor, students choose six courses (18 credits) as Electives .  The elective provision gives students access to the full range of relevant graduate courses throughout the university.
  • While working on the dissertation, students will enroll in 12 credits of Dissertation Research .

The Comprehensive Exam .  Students write a comprehensive exam after the fourth or fifth semester of their program, often in the intervening summer.  The comprehensive exam provides an opportunity for students to review a body of literature relevant to their developing dissertation project interest. The comprehensive exam is evaluated according to a rubric by at least two program faculty.  View Comprehensive Exam Rubric .

The Dissertation Proposal . Typically done the third year, students work closely with an advisor to develop a detailed research plan for the dissertation, called a Dissertation Proposal. The proposal presents a rationale for the study, prior relevant research, and details about the research plan, and generally builds on the work completed for the Comprehensive Exam.  A dissertation committee meets with the student for a Proposal Defense before moving on to the dissertation research.

The Dissertation .  Students produce a final dissertation based on the research plan developed in the Dissertation Proposal.  The results of the study are presented at a Dissertation Final Defense with the student’s dissertation committee.  Family members and other members of the public are welcome to attend

Typical Course Sequence

By design, students will complete the program in four years.  A typical course sequence is shown in the table below.

For more information about the program, contact any of the primary program faculty .  We welcome campus visits for students considering applying to the program and routinely hold information events where students can learn more in person about the program.

For information about applying, contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or [email protected] .

English (English Education), PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

  • Location: Tempe campus
  • Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD English (English Education)

The PhD program in English with a concentration in English education prepares students to examine the writing and reading practices of secondary students. Students also learn about the instructional practices of secondary English language arts teachers through emphasis of the relationship between pedagogy and research methodologies used to study the teaching of secondary English.

The curriculum comprises dynamic coursework, mentoring, interdisciplinary learning opportunities and community outreach.

Possible areas for research focus within this program include young adult literature, secondary reading and writing practices, new literacies, English language learning, critical literacy, and secondary English language arts curriculum and instruction development. The program encourages students to pursue coursework in other subdisciplines within the Department of English, such as rhetoric and composition, applied linguistics and literature, and coursework in the ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, such as literacy and educational research methodology.

Students benefit from the program's links to the Central Arizona Writing Project, which offers opportunities for related coursework, research, community outreach and teacher in-service programs.

The doctorate in English education prepares students to become professors of English education or to pursue other relevant opportunities in research and administration.

The PhD in English (English Education) prepares students to become national leaders in the field of English education as tenure-track faculty at research universities and teaching colleges, as well as secondary English language arts curriculum specialists for school districts, state and federal departments of education, and private education agencies. This concentration emphasizes the relationship between pedagogy and research methodologies used to study the teaching of secondary English (grades 6-12) and prepares students to examine the writing and reading practices of secondary students as well as the instructional practices of secondary English language arts teachers. Possible areas for research focus within this program include young adult literature, secondary reading and writing practices, new literacies, English language learning, and secondary English language arts curriculum and instruction development.

*Note: This degree is not TESOL, ESL, or EFL related. If interested in these fields, check out our PhD Linguistics and Applied Linguistics program.

Christina Saidy , Director

Sheila Luna , Program Manager

Faculty in English Education

Doctoral Examinations

Doctoral Procedures and Timeline

Teaching Assistantships

Degree Requirements

84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 credit hours) ENG 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Foundational Distribution (12 credit hours)

Advanced Studies Distribution (12 credit hours)

Internships (6 credit hours) ENG 784 Internship (6)

Specialization (9 credit hours)

Electives and Research (30 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) ENG 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Students must take 12 credit hours at the 500 level, selected from a list of approved courses in education, English, linguistics and applied linguistics for the foundational distribution.

Students must take at least three courses in the area of specialization.

When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If not approved, the 30 credit hours of coursework will be made up of electives and research.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's and master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with master's degrees in English education and related fields, such as English literature, applied linguistics, education, and rhetoric and composition will be considered. A minimum of three years of full-time teaching or volunteer work in secondary English language arts classrooms or in literate-rich settings is required.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  • graduate admission application and application fee
  • official transcripts
  • statement of purpose
  • resume or curriculum vitae
  • three letters of recommendation
  • academic writing sample
  • proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency; official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The one- to two-page statement should explain the applicant's interest in the program and how the applicant's background and preparation led to the specific career and research goals. Although applicants will not be expected to have a definite research topic, the statement should articulate the specific domain or research area the applicant hopes to pursue and possible research questions. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals familiar with the applicant's promise in English education, including one letter from a school principal and two letters from university professors. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Courses and Electives

The Graduate College requires a grade point average of “B” (3.0) or better in the last two years of work leading to the bachelor’s degree. The Admissions Committee will consider applicants with master’s degrees in English education and related fields such as English literature, applied linguistics, education, and rhetoric and composition. A minimum of three years full-time teaching or volunteer work in secondary English language arts classrooms or in literate-rich settings (i.e. Peace Corps, community organizations, and libraries) is preferred. Students seeking advice should consult with the graduate program manager and/or the program director.

The PhD consists of 84 hours of graduate work. A student with a master’s degree must complete a minimum of 54 semester hours of approved graduate work, which includes 12 hours of dissertation. Students will complete all courses on their Program of Study (POS) with a grade of B or better and maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher. Required coursework for PhD (English Education) must include the following:

  • Approaches to Research (3 hours): Students will complete ENG 501: Approaches to Research in English Education.
  • Foundational Distribution (12 hours) : Students must take 12 hours at the 500 level selected from a list of approved courses in education, English, linguistics, and applied linguistics.
  • Advanced Studies Distribution (12 hours) : Students must take 12 hours at the 600 level from a list of approved courses in education, English, indigenous studies, linguistics, and applied linguistics.
  • Internships (6 hours) : Students will complete two internships (ENG 784). Each internship will focus on either the supervision of secondary English language arts teachers, research in collaboration with her/his advisor in a secondary English language arts classroom setting, or assisting in the teaching of an under-graduate English education methods course (i.e. young adult literature, methods of teaching secondary writing, or teaching the interpretation of texts of various genres in the secondary English language arts classroom).
  • Specialization : Students will complete at least three courses focused on their area of specialization, which will provide them with intensive background in their selected area of expertise in English education.
  • PhD Examinations : The examination includes a portfolio, an oral or written exam, and a colloquy on the dissertation prospectus
  • Dissertation : Students must include 12 hours of 799 on the doctoral plan of study. An oral defense of the dissertation is required.

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  • Produce written article-length work of publishable quality.
  • Write a comprehensive book-length research study with theory, literature review, methods, analysis, and findings based on one's own research.
  • Design and conduct original research in the field of English Education.

Career Opportunities

Careers for English education graduates include professions related to the field of language arts and literacy education in secondary schools.

Career examples include:

  • curriculum developer
  • department chair
  • district level research specialist
  • dual enrollment teacher
  • faculty member (college, university)
  • instructional leader
  • literacy coach
  • middle or high school English teacher
  • state level curriculum specialist

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

  • English Language
  • English Literature
  • English Language and Literature
  • First-Year English
  • Teacher Education Preparation – Minor
  • Opportunities
  • Advising and FAQ
  • Master’s Program

PhD Program

  • Publications
  • Networks & Projects
  • Land Acknowledgement
  • Job Opportunities
Our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English allows you to structure a course of study that aligns with your specific research interests in English language or literature.

The PhD degree requirements in English at UBC Vancouver are based on residency and coursework, the candidacy process, and a dissertation. We expect students to complete the degree within five to six years.

Program Overview

All PhD students are considered full-time and are not eligible to undertake their degree on a part-time basis.

  • Students who enter the PhD program having already earned an MA must remain in residence in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver area) for two winter sessions of PhD study (roughly two years).
  • Students who have been permitted to transfer via fast-track from the UBC English MA program to the UBC English PhD program require at least one winter session of residence in the Lower Mainland following the transfer.
  • Under normal circumstances, the PhD should be completed in five years, although UBC allows up to six years.

For more information about the program completion time, including rules about leaves of absence, registration, and employment status, please consult the graduate handbook.

Students entering the PhD program with first-class MA degrees in English will normally take 15 credits of coursework at the 500 level.

Students transferring from the MA to the PhD or entering the PhD directly from an honours BA will be asked to take a minimum number of credits determined by the Graduate Committee.

All PhD students are required to take the Research Methods course, ENGL 500B. This pass/fail course introduces students to the forms and protocols of PhD research. It counts towards the 15 credits required for admission to candidacy.

PhD programs are individually planned in consultation with the Chair of the Graduate Program.

For detailed information about coursework such as how to take courses at other western universities under the Western Dean's Agreement, how to sign up for a Directed Reading course (ENGL 547), and rules about taking courses outside the English department, please consult the graduate handbook.

Doctoral candidacy process

In addition to coursework in the first year of the program, the candidacy process includes the field list and oral examination, the candidacy paper, and the prospectus.

Graduate students and supervisors should consult the graduate handbook for a convenient year-by-year summary and detailed step-by-step explanation of the candidacy process for PhD students.

Field list and oral examination

In consultation with the Pro tem committee, the student will prepare a general field list of primary and secondary material designed to ensure that they have sufficient knowledge of their field of interest. The Pro tem committee will examine knowledge of this field list in a two-hour oral examination.

Candidacy paper

After the field examination, the student will begin working with the Pro tem committee to develop an individually focused research topic or question that allows the student to conceptualize the thesis.

The student will then write a 20-25 page paper based on this topic.

With the completion of the field examination and qualifying paper, the Pro tem committee is dissolved. Then the student, in consultation with the graduate chair, invites an appropriate faculty member to supervise their prospectus and thesis.

Together, the student and supervisor establish the full committee, which generally consists of the candidate's supervisor and two other Department of English Language and Literatures members.

The thesis prospectus, prepared in consultation with the supervisory committee, is then submitted to the Graduate Committee for approval.

Candidacy review

Students who achieve a minimum of 85% GPA in their courses at UBC and who pass all stages of their candidacy exams will automatically be recommended for advancement to candidacy. For other students, a conference on their progress may be deemed necessary by the graduate chair in consultation with their supervisor.

For detailed information about the field list and oral examination, candidacy paper, prospectus and candidacy review, please consult the graduate handbook.

Second language requirement

All new PhD students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second language relevant to their particular area of research. In consultation with the Pro tem supervisor, the graduate chair will determine whether a student has already met the second-language requirement.

Students who have not met the requirement may do so by completing an approved language or literature course (it may be possible to do this as an auditor), or by passing an examination, provided that an examiner acceptable to the department is available.

While only one language is required, students should, of course, consider the scholarly and professional requirements of their chosen area when developing their language skills.

Doctoral progress report

Each May beginning in the student's second year in the doctoral program, both the student and their supervisor will be asked to write a brief report indicating the nature and extent of work completed on the candidacy process or thesis and any circumstances impeding progress on either.

PhD supervision

The student is assigned a Pro tem supervisor from their point of entry into the program.

By the end of the first year, the full Pro tem committee will be in place.

The committee members will guide the student through the qualifying process, beginning in the first year with the field examination. They also serve as academic mentors on all aspects of the program and the department.

The Pro tem committee is dissolved after the candidacy paper is passed. A new thesis supervisory committee is then constituted, which can (but need not) include members of the Pro tem committee. The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies must approve thesis supervisory committee members from outside UBC.

PhD Co-op (Optional)

What is Co-op?

The Arts Co-op Program offers students enriched educational experiences for personal and professional growth. Co-op is a high-impact educational program that allows you to alternate dissertation-writing terms with work terms, during which you gain meaningful paid work experience. We work with a diverse range of community partners and sectors to provide transformative workplace learning for co-op students.

The Arts PhD Co-op Program allows you to explore different career options, while gaining paid, professional work experience, guided training and reflection on career options, and a network of contacts. Some students are able to secure work terms that are relevant to their dissertation research, while others choose to pursue work experience that diversify their expertise and give them range. Students complete three work terms of 4 months each over the two to three years after achieving candidacy.

To read more about previous and current PhD Co-op students’ experiences, please refer to our ‘success stories’ on Jon Newell (English) , Pavlina Pajot (English) , and Henry John (History) , or see the 2019 update on UBC English’s co-op program for PhD students .  Henry John (History) also published a piece in Inside Higher Education about his experience in the program.

Applying to Arts Co-op

The application window for PhD Co-op is open once per year, and usually closes in the first week of October.

You are eligible to apply to the UBC English PhD Co-op Program if you have achieved candidacy (or are expecting to achieve candidacy by the time you begin your co-op term, typically in January of your third year in the PhD program). You also must have two years of PhD study left, in which to schedule three 4-month work terms. You cannot begin work-terms in the Co-op Program without advancing to candidacy first: that is, Co-op students must be ABD (all but dissertation) before their first Co-op work term.

SSHRC-holders and international students are both eligible to apply and go through the same application process.

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CollegeRank.net

Best College Rankings

30 Best PhD Programs in English

college rank best phd programs english

With one of the 30 top English PhD programs, career opportunities are numerous, because let’s face it: researching, writing, teaching, learning, communicating, and critical thinking all translate into a highly sought-after knowledge and skill set.

This is not a trick question: What would we do if we could not communicate with each other, whether verbally or in writing (or texting)?

Seriously think about it: Without language, what do we have?

There are those who live and breathe:

  • sentence structures

They can’t seem to get enough of learning about the dynamic subject we call English. If you love language, writing, research, learning, and continuously searching for that right word, a PhD in English may be the graduate program you’re looking for.

Check out our top English PhD program rankings and start preparing for your future!

  • Top MFA in Creative Writing
  • Best PhD in Communications

Table of Contents

What Is a PhD in English?

A PhD in English is a terminal degree, meaning it’s the highest you can get in any given subject. While concentrations and programs of study differ, three parts of an English PhD are certain:

  • qualifying exams
  • a dissertation

Coursework typically includes various literature classes to provide a strong breadth of English language and literature knowledge. Most top English PhD programs also require foreign language requirements. After the coursework is finished in around 2-3 years, English majors will take a comprehensive qualifying exam to achieve doctoral status. This exam covers all they have studied this far, and passing it will allow them to move on to their dissertation.

A dissertation is the final step to earning a PhD in English. Think of it as an independent research project that takes years to:

  • compile information

The dissertation defense is the last step, where you present your project to a faculty panel.

Most top English PhD programs take five to seven years to complete, but of course, it depends on full-time or part-time status. It is also worth noting that many graduate schools, including the ones we have reviewed, provide full funding to the student earning a PhD.

You may also like: Doctorate vs PhD

What Are the Top English PhD Programs?

At CollegeRank , we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. Please feel free to visit our dedicated methodology page for a step-by-step breakdown. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, New York

Average Net Price

University of Buffalo

While all of our rankings in this article are notable, The University of Buffalo ranks in the top 1% of not just the country but the world by the Center for World University Rankings. Founded in 1846, SUNY Buffalo is the largest campus in the 64-campus SUNY system. It offers one of the best English PhD programs. It just happens to be our #1 choice!

What sets SUNY Buffalo apart from others? As a student, you are a part of a vibrant, supportive community as an active participant in every part of the program. You are not just going to school, but you are a part of the process. This includes attending and voting in department meetings and joining the English Graduate Student Association (EGSA).

This top PhD in English requires 72 credits, which are satisfied through ten graduate seminar courses in fields such as:

  • American and British literature
  • poetics and critical theory

You will then take an oral qualifying exam and complete and defend a “book-length work of original scholarship,” otherwise known as a dissertation.

As a graduate program student, you are encouraged to publish during your time at SUNY Buffalo and equipped with a third-year workshop for this goal. This graduate program takes approximately five years and is fully in person. You can apply through the Graduate Enrollment Services.

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California

Berkeley

Globally ranked as the fourth-best university according to U.S. News & World Report rankings, University of California-Berkeley has been described as a “glorious place,” full of “commitment to excellence.” This is a top graduate program in the country. The PhD in comparative literature, is both “historical and theoretical”. It includes a “signature combination of teaching and research on literature, film, and other media.”

In this English PhD program , you will choose one literature from a historical and critical perspective and complete comparative work in three kinds of literature. You will then complete ten courses encompassing:

  • comparative
  • major types of literature
  • minor types of literature

The University of California-Berkeley says this program takes approximately seven years to complete and includes a recommended timetable to stay on track.

The University of California-Berkeley offers a myriad of fellowships and financial aid to help with the cost of this PhD program. In addition, you have the opportunity to seek employment through the department in teaching and research assistantship programs. Alumni have won national awards from the Modern Language Association and the American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA).

University of Maryland

College Park, Maryland

University of Maryland

The University of Maryland is devoted to social entrepreneurship. It is recognized as the nation’s first  “Do Good” university. Home to over 41,000 students and 388,000 alumni, UMD spans 12 schools and colleges. It offers 297 academic programs, including the nationally ranked PhD in English. This graduate program prepares students who plan to teach at the university level with:

  • language courses

Along with You will study an in-depth range of topics such as:

  • literary and cultural history,
  • aesthetic, critical and cultural theory
  • digital and media studies
  • humanistic engagement with the sciences
  • language, rhetoric and composition

You will complete a minimum of 12 courses, including a foreign language requirement, while maintaining a 3.6 GPA. 

UMD’s top English PhD program is highly competitive but well worth the competition if you are accepted because all students receive a five-year funding package. To apply, you need to submit:

  • a statement of goals and research interests
  • transcripts
  • three letters of recommendation
  • a sample of critical writing
  • an academic CV

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas

University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin is not only known for its food (especially breakfast tacos!) and music, but it’s also our #4 ranking. It has:

  • excellent academic programs
  • extensive research
  • shared values of “equity, excellence, innovation, and empowerment”

It is ranked #20 in Best Graduate Schools from U.S. News & World Report . UT Austin offers a PhD in English with a concentration in literature or rhetoric and digital literacies.

Whether you enter the program with a bachelor’s or a master’s degree, you are required to complete 39 graduate seminar hours before the end of your third year. You must pass the third-year examination to achieve doctoral candidacy. The final milestone for the PhD in English is the dissertation defense. Graduate students have access to six years of funding from combined teaching assistantships.

UT Austin’s admission is highly competitive. Each year, this English PhD program accepts 12-14 students into the literature concentration and four in the rhetoric and digital literacies program. You can apply through ApplyTexas if you have a BA or MA plus at least 15 hours of upper-division English credits with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Madison

A top-ranked university with 19 faculty and alumni Nobel Prize winners? Yes, please! Check out UW-Madison, awarded #13 in America’s Best Colleges from U.S. News & Report . UW Madison offers more than 9,000 courses across over 450 academic programs, including a PhD in English with the following specializations:

  • Composition and rhetoric
  • English language and linguistics
  • Literature studies

This graduate program “combines a sharp focus on conceptual approaches to literary and cultural works with a commitment to broad coverage of the field of Anglophone literature.” As a student, you will tailor the program to your career goals through a required minor. You will also study interdisciplinary areas such as:

  • literary theory and criticism
  • gender studies
  • race and ethnic studies

You will complete 51-63 coursework credits depending on which concentration you choose. Each concentration includes:

  • major courses
  • minor courses
  • research/method/tools courses

While some of the best English PhD rankings offer online or hybrid formats, UW-Madison’s coursework is face-to-face. Applicants must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited institution. English degrees are preferred but they are not required.

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech

Texas Tech warded a “Very High Research Activity” category by Carnegie Classification of Institution of Higher Education. It is a comprehensive public research university that spans 13 colleges and schools and 200 degree programs. At Texas Tech, you can earn a PhD in English with a specialization in literature.

One of the best parts of Texas Tech’s PhD in English is vast areas of study. You can choose any of the following concentrations:

  • Early British literature
  • Later British literature
  • English and American literature
  • Comparative literature, globalization, and translation
  • Creative writing
  • Linguistics
  • Book history and digital humanities
  • Film and media studies
  • Literature, social justice, and environment

No matter which concentration you choose, you will take courses such as:

  • Research Methods
  • Critical Methods
  • Writing for Publication
  • Teaching College Literature

Texas Tech employs a holistic assessment for applicants while looking for:

  • critical analysis skills
  • a focused academic purpose
  • strong letters of recommendation

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida

University of South Florida

Located in the heart of Tampa Bay, the University of South Florida is one of the fastest-rising universities in the nation. U.S. News and World Report ranks it as the 46th best public university in the country. At UCF, you can earn a PhD in English with either a literature or rhetoric and composition concentration.

UCF’s top English PhD program requires at least 30 hours of coursework, including:

  • Scholarly Research and Writing
  • Teaching Practicum
  • Studies in Criticism and Theory

After completing your coursework, you must create and submit a portfolio and fulfill a foreign language requirement before you are admitted to doctoral candidacy. Then, the real fun starts: writing your dissertation.

USF graduate students can also earn graduate certificates in:

  • comparative literary studies
  • creative writing
  • digital humanities
  • professional and technical communication

UCF’s program is pretty competitive. You need:

  • a Master of Arts from an accredited university
  • at least a 3.7 GPA
  • “competitive” GRE verbal and analytical writing scores
  • recommendation letters
  • a scholarly writing sample
  • a personal statement

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah

“Step One: Imagine. Step Two: Do.”

The University of Utah is fondly known by students, faculty, and alumni as “The U,”. It features a simple yet profound motto that has inspired many graduates to go on and make their mark on the world. Notable alumni include writer Orson Scott Card and award-winning actor Stephen Covey, among many others.

You, too, can imagine what is possible and then take action by checking out the top PhD in English . It has concentrations in rhetoric and composition or literacy and cultural studies. The program entails:

  • Ten seminar courses (including four concentration courses)
  • Four additional English courses
  • Two courses in writing and rhetoric studies
  • A qualifying exam
  • A successful dissertation

The Department of English features ample opportunities for publications, along with the graduate student reading series, Working Dog, where you can showcase your original work to not only other classmates, but the public.

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is a nationally ranked university in public research and best value. It features a rich Native American history. The first graduating class in 1895 included three students before Arizona was even a state!

Check out the PhD in rhetoric, composition, and teaching of English – perfect if you intend to teach at a four-year college or a writing program.  UA’s Department of English states that the graduates of this doctoral program are “distinguished for their public engagement and action-oriented research, published scholarship, and innovative teaching.” 

The University of Arizona has an outstanding 97% job placement. English PhD graduates find themselves as nationally recognized scholars teaching, researching, and writing all over the world.

In this top English PhD program, you will complete 66 credit units, which includes 18 dissertation credits. Courses include:

  • Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition
  • Qualifying Portfolio Workshop

To apply, you need to submit:

  • a CV, a statement of purpose
  • unofficial transcripts
  • a writing sample in rhetoric or composition

Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana State University

LSU is Louisiana’s flagship institution. Louisiana State University is known for its top-notch academics and impressive return on investments. Ninety-two percent of all students receive scholarships or financial aid. Two in three students graduate with absolutely no debt. LSU’s PhD in English arms graduate students with the knowledge and skills to become expert:

  • researchers

Similar to most English PhD programs, this program is organized into three phases:

  • dissertation

The coursework consists of 48 credit hours of literature that “range across periods, genres, and traditions,” and critical and theoretical methods. Students will then take their exams and progress into the dissertation phase.

Students typically write one chapter of their dissertation per semester while enrolled in the Dissertation Writing Workshop. A perk of this program is that you can apply if you have either a Bachelor’s or Master’s of Arts. If you already have a master’s degree, you can apply up to 24 credit hours toward this degree and finish the PhD in just four years.

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona

Arizona State University

Arizona State University boasts several national recognitions. This includes #1 in the country for most innovative school and the best graduate schools from U.S. News & World Report. Among the half a million alumni include notable:

  • politicians
  • actors and actresses

ASU features a PhD in English literature that is worth checking out!

The PhD in English literature emphasizes literary texts not only from a cultural and historical perspective but also from the “production, distribution, and reception.” The “texts” are defined as “folklore, oral traditions, popular culture, and film and digital media in addition to traditional literature.” The graduate program includes 42-72 hours in coursework. It also includes 12 hours of dissertation work.

This doctoral program is highly flexible and allows you to take courses in your interest areas. Sample courses include:

  • Methods and Issues in Teaching Composition
  • Rhetorical Traditions

To apply you need:

  • statement of purpose
  • an academic writing sample of 10-25 pages

The deadline to apply is January 1, and the GRE is not required.

University of California – Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

UCLA

Have you ever wondered which U.S. city features the most museums and theaters than any other city? Well, it’s Los Angeles!  UCLA is proud to be right in the center of the excitement. (And in case you’re wondering, LA is home to 105 museums and 225 theaters!) At UCLA-Los Angeles, you can join the current 15,724 graduate students and earn a comprehensive PhD in English literature.

UCLA structures its PhD in three stages. Stage one entails 14 graduate seminars in English literature, with various requirements to ensure a diverse depth of literature. Stage one also includes a first qualifying exam before you proceed to stage two for a second qualifying exam. Stage three is the research, writing, and completion of a dissertation. It begins in year five and typically takes two years to complete.

Component of UCLA’s PhD program include:

  • dissertation project
  • teacher training

Teaching assistantships are available and encouraged for graduate students. To apply you need to submit:

  • a writing sample of 15-25 pages

Currently, the GRE exam requirement is waived because of Covid-19.

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor was voted #1 for Best Small College Town in America and Best U.S. Public University ( QS World University Rankings and Wallethub ). It is globally recognized for its exceptional academic quality. U-M Ann Arbor features a stellar doctoral program in English language and literature for those who aim to:

  • write in a collective community

This top English PhD program allows you to specialize in British, American, or anglophone literature. Also, to“explore a wide range of critical, theoretical, and cultural perspectives.” The program focuses on learning as a social process. This is one reason why English graduate students are guaranteed six years of program funding! A huge perk.

In your first year you will:

  • complete two basic languages or one advanced language
  • Introduction to Graduate Studies
  • three upper-level seminars

Your second year will be devoted to the preliminary examination. In the third year, a third-year review, which will provide feedback and direction. Finally, you will devote your last few years to your dissertation.

University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri

University of Missouri

If you know what the Tiger Walk and Tiger Prowl are, you certainly are familiar with the University of Missouri. It is fondly known as Mizzou. With a long history of traditions, Mizzou’s pride is seen all over the world. You can earn a PhD in English in just five years, including 30 hours of coursework that provides “deep knowledge and methodological sophistication. with a concentration on creative writing or literature.

Sample courses include:

  • Literacy Criticism
  • The Theory and Practice of Teaching in English
  • English Linguistics
  • creative writing workshops if you choose the creative writing concentration

By the spring of your third year, you should begin writing your dissertation. This could be scholarly or creative, depending on your concentration. You will have two years to complete your dissertation before you defend it by the end of your fifth year.

Recent dissertation titles include:

  • “Medieval Romance, Fanfiction, and the Erotics of Shame” 
  • “Science Frictions: Science, Folklore, and ‘The Future ” 
  • “Magical Safe Spaces: The Role of Literature in Medieval and Early Modern Magic” 

University of Virginia – Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is one of the very best in the nation. Both U.S. News & World Report and Money Magazine rank UVA #2 and #4 as the best public university and the best value. UVA houses a PhD in English language, literature, and research that leads graduates to all types of careers in:

  • education administration

This best English PhD program entails 72 credits, including courses like:

  • Introduction to Literary Research
  • Dissertation Seminar

During the second semester of the fourth year, students will give a 40-min talk about their dissertation. This is a great opportunity for students to share their work with a formal venue before they defend their dissertation later.

In addition to this degree, you can earn graduate certificates in:

  • Comparative literature
  • Gender and sexuality studies
  • African studies
  • Environmental humanities
  • Digital humanities

Accepted students receive financial support and health insurance for at least five years of their duration in the program.

University of Tennessee Knoxville

Knoxville, Tennessee

University of Tennessee Knoxville

Founded in 1794, UT Knoxville is one of the oldest in the country. UT Knoxville spreads across 910 acres. The 294 buildings house 11 colleges and 900 programs of study! If you’re a teacher and want to continue your education studies, then UT’s PhD in literacy studies and education may be for you.

This program is not a standard PhD in English. It combines English and education and allows you to choose from a number of concentrations and specializations. You can choose between literacy studies and education. Then you can further choose an emphasis like:

  • children’s and young adult literature
  • ESL education
  • literacy education

This program includes 48 credit hours beyond a master’s degree. This includes six credits in a cognate area and 24 hours of doctoral research and dissertation courses. Comprehensive exams should be completed in five years. The dissertation should be completed within eight years. To apply to this program, you need at least three years of teaching experience.

University of Louisiana

Lafayette, Louisiana

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Smart. Spirited. Solution-Driven.

Those are words to describe the University of Louisiana at Lafayette It is the second-largest university in Louisiana, home to over 19,000 students. We also must mention that UL’s sports teams are THE Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns®! With a PhD in English from UL, you will receive a strong background in British and American language and literature. You can further customize your program to match your career goals.

UL now has over 100 students in its PhD program, which is a lot for a PhD in English! You can specialize in four areas (out of 21!) such as:

  • critical theory
  • Africana literature
  • feminist theory and criticism

The degree requires 72 credit hours, which include 48 in coursework and 24 in dissertation research.

UL’s PhD program asks for application materials that “testify to solid academic preparation for advanced work.” These materials include:

  • Transcripts
  • Recommendation letters
  • A Statement of purpose
  • A CV with relevant academic/professional experience
  • A critical (or creative) writing sample
  • Optional GRE scores

To enter in the spring, submit your application by November 15.

New York University

New York City, New York

NYU

Imagine studying English in one of the most vibrant cities in the nation: New York City. New York University Steinhardt is a top university. It is ranked #10 among the Best Graduate Schools in Education ( U.S. News & World Report ). NYU Steinhardt offers a range of programs:

  • doctoral programs

This includes the notable PhD in English education: secondary and college.

This doctoral program at New York University prepares graduates to become:

  • university researchers
  • English curriculum specialists
  • post-secondary English language educators

You will enjoy small classes in one of the most diverse settings in the world: New York City! As a student, you will complete 48-60 credits, depending on the focus area and prior coursework.

Coursework includes:

  • teaching and learning seminars
  • two cognate courses
  • foundation requirements
  • research methodology classes

Before beginning your dissertation, you will complete a research experience course to prepare you. While many programs require full-time status, you can complete this PhD full-time or part-time. To apply, you need:

  • A statement of purpose
  • A writing sample (no more than 20 pages)
  • Three recommendation letters

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

Benjamin Franklin once said, “well-done is better than well-said.” This statement, by the school’s founder, serves as the cornerstone tradition of the University of Pennsylvania. Since the 1740s, Penn continues to evolve into a place of social activism, touching all of its programs. Penn’s PhD in English combines English and American literature to produce a comprehensive program with a range of specializations.

This “intellectually dynamic and rigorous” PhD program prepares students to be scholars and educators of English. You can specialize in one primary field. Or you can specialize in two additional fields such as:

  • contemporary poetry

Penn recognizes that true learning comes when students become active participants in their academic and social community. The program’s emphasis is on the relationships between scholars and faculty.

In this top English PhD program , you will take courses such as Teaching of Literature and Composition. This is along with six literature courses spanning throughout various time periods. During your third year, you will choose a specialization as you start working on your dissertation. All PhD students receive the Benjamin Franklin Fellowship, which covers tuition and health insurance for five years.

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

english language phd

Have you ever wondered which academic institution is our nation’s oldest? Well, it’s Harvard University, established in 1636! With over 400,000 alumni all over the world including:

  • 49 Nobel Laureates
  • 32 heads of state
  • 48 Pulitzer Prize winners

It’s no wonder Harvard University made our list of top English PhD rankings. After all, it’s Harvard! Check out Harvard University’s PhD in English that covers topics ranging from medieval literature to criticism and theory.

Harvard’s PhD in English provides a broad knowledge of English and teaches students to:

  • research and write well
  • teach effectively
  • present their research at conferences and seminars

The first two years are devoted to coursework and preparing for the PhD qualifying exam, while the rest of the time is spent working on the dissertation.

Check out the many past doctoral theses and dissertations published on Harvard University’s website. Harvard states that this program typically takes between four and seven years. Most students finishing in five or six years. While GRE scores are not required for admission, past English classes, strong writing samples, and excellent letters of recommendation are.

Columbia University in the City of New York

english language phd

A private Ivy League University, Columbia University has been a leader in higher education for over 250 years. Columbia University spans three undergraduate schools and 13 graduate schools. This includes the Teacher College, which opened in 1880. Columbia’s Teacher College features a PhD in English education for students who aim to become teachers and researchers in higher education.

This English PhD program includes 75 credits, and students may transfer up to 30 credits from previous graduate work. All PhD English education majors will take courses like:

  • Research Paper: Teaching of English
  • Professional Seminar: Foundational Texts

As a student, you stay on track through:

  • milestones of coursework
  • meeting with your dissertation committee

While most doctoral English PhD programs only admit students once a year, Columbia’s program allows entry in both the summer and fall. To apply you need:

  • a master’s degree in English
  • education or a related field
  • at least 3-5 years of full-time teaching experience
  • an academic writing sample

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

english language phd

Cornell University is a private Ivy League research university in Ithaca, NY. It is home to over 24,000 students. This top-ranked university includes 15 colleges and schools, including The College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University. You can earn a PhD in English and language literature. This English PhD program comes with a generous financial package for students.

Cornell’s PhD in English language and literature allows you to customize your plan of study to suit your interests. You will form a faculty committee that will work with you on selecting your courses and writing and revising your dissertation. You can choose from a myriad of areas such as:

  • Romance studies
  • Cultural studies

This graduate program also emphasizes teaching an essential part of this plan of study. As a student, you are required to teach writing-intensive courses for at least one year during your time at Cornell. As mentioned, Cornell University provides five years of funding that includes:

  • full tuition
  • health insurance

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York

english language phd

Syracuse University, a highly-ranked private research institution, states that “being orange is more than just a color, a place or degree. It embodies a lifelong connection to a global network of innovators, thinkers, and creative solution finders.” Join the “Orange Community” of 22,000 other students when you earn a top PhD in English from Syracuse University.

Syracuse’s Ph.D. in English includes “specialized professional training in criticism, theory, research, and the teaching of literary and filmic texts”. It prepares you to teach at the college and university level.  You can apply whether you have a BA or master’s degree, and you will take between 12-18 courses, depending on your past academic records.

This PhD program is pretty straightforward. You will take courses like:

  • Introduction to Critical Theory
  • focused graduate seminars
  • a foreign language

You will also take two exams: the field exam and the qualifying exam. This will qualify you as a doctoral candidate to begin:

  • researching
  • defending your dissertation

Syracuse boasts an excellent job placement record for PhD in English graduates.

Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis, Missouri

english language phd

Washington University was founded in 1853 in St. Luis. WashUis an independent university with more than 16,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. It offers many opportunities, including:

  • customizable programs
  • study abroad experiences
  • impressive financial aid options

You won’t want to miss the PhD in English and American literature from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Washington University’s PhD in English and American literature is described as “innovative, collegial, competitive, and generously funded, offering one of the top financial packages in the nation”. The program is rooted in literary history. As a student, you can tailor your plan of study to incorporate areas of English that you want to explore.

During your time at WashU, you will serve as both a graduate assistant and instructor in undergraduate English and literature courses. During year four, you will submit a dissertation prospectus. The next two years you will spend working on your dissertation. By April of year six, you will be ready to defend your dissertation and become a Doctor of English!

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

english language phd

Ranked #9 in the U.S. News & World Report 2020 Best Colleges, Northwestern University is a comprehensive research university. It has more than 13,000 graduate students and an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1. Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University features a PhD in literature that emphasizes:

  • literary history
  • criticism, and theory
  • interdisciplinary studies

This best English graduate program includes:

  • lectures and workshops from global scholars
  • student-organized colloquia
  • reading groups, conferences
  • many ways to learn from not only the faculty, but from peers

You will complete 20 graduate-level courses in diverse historical periods during your first three years. In addition, you will complete a foreign language requirement by the end of year one.

At Northwestern, you will:

  • work as a graduate assistant
  • teach at least one course
  • work on your dissertation during years four and five

While this PhD program can be completed in five years, most students complete it in six. As a graduate student at Northwestern, you will receive:

  • full financial aid
  • travel grants
  • pedagogical training
  • job placement

University of Miami

Coral Gables, Florida

english language phd

Established in 1925, the University of Miami is a private research academic institution with numerous national recognitions in academic and research success. Check out UM’s Pride Points and what it means to be part of the Hurricane family. While you’re at it, check out the PhD in English with concentrations in Caribbean studies or early modern literature. This is a degree full of diversity and opportunity.

UM’s PhD in English is nationally ranked by the National Research Council for student and faculty diversity. As a student at UM, you will enjoy diverse topics such as:

  • Caribbean literature
  • early modern literature
  • cultural theory

The cohorts are only five to seven students, so you will be among a tight-knit community of English scholars.

UM admits incoming students with either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in English, and your previous degree(s) will determine whether you need to take 54 or 36 credits of coursework. You will also receive:

  • at least five years of tuition remissions

UM reports that over 90% of its PhD graduates have full-time employment within nine months of graduating.

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

english language phd

The University of Chicago, a highly-ranked private research university, is known for its value of free and open inquiry. This has led to research breakthroughs such as:

  • finding the cancer-genetics link
  • discovering revolutionary economics links
  • improving the graduation rates in urban cities

UChicago’s PhD in English language and literature involves intensive research for solutions, and open expression, staying true to UChicago’s values.

The University of Chicago’s PhD in English language and literature “prepares students for independent work as teachers, scholars, and critics by developing their abilities to pose and investigate problems in the advanced study of literature in English.” The four major elements of this program include:

  • the dissertation.

Part of the appeal of this program are the dynamic courses like:

  • The Print Revolution and New Readers: Women, Workers, Children
  • Early Science Fiction
  • Readings in Exile
  • scanned transcripts
  • 3-4 recommendation letters
  • a 15-20 page writing sample
  • a 1-3 page statement of purpose

Boston College

Newton, Massachusetts

english language phd

“Education with a heart and soul – and the power to transform” is Boston College’s motto. Boston College is the first higher education institution in Boston. This private Jesuit research university is among one of the nation’s leaders. Boston College’s PhD in English gives graduate students the choice of a wide range of courses to tailor the program to their interests and career goals.

As a student, you are required to take just four PhD seminars along with courses in composition theory and pedagogy and research colloquium. The rest is up to you, and you will work with your advisor to build your program. Teaching is another component and starting with your second year, you will become a teaching assistant in a British or American literature class.

We’ll be honest: the very thing that we love about this program—the small classes—means that each year Boston College only admits 4-5 students. Applications for the fall semester are due by January 2. To apply you need:

  • a critical writing statement

The Catholic University of America

Washington, D.C.

english language phd

Right in the heart of our nation’s capital, you will find the Catholic University of America. It is the only national research academic institution found by the U.S. bishops. CatholicU is a great place to earn a  PhD in English language and literature offering:

  • more than 250 academic programs
  • 5,700 students
  • 90,000+ alumni

And who wouldn’t want to study literature in Washington D.C.?

CatholicU’s English language and literature program includes 54 credit of coursework, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation. The comprehensive exam consists of three parts:

  • literary theory
  • the history of criticism

After you pass the exam, you will begin your dissertation, described by CatholicU as “a substantial piece of original research,” which “gives the doctoral program its capstone.”

CatholicU’s location allows you to become fully immersed in literary history since you are among some of the most reputable museums, research collections, and libraries. Classes are small, so you will get personalized attention, including pedagogical training. CatholicU offers funding for this English language and literature PhD program for up to seven years.

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

english language phd

Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters features a “flexible and dynamic” PhD in English that entails 42 credits of literary criticism courses, preparing you for:

  • individualized reading courses
  • independent study

Your written and oral exams in the third year will assess your knowledge and skills in your specialization, a secondary field, literary theory, and methodology.

You will then focus on researching for your dissertation, which you will defend in year five or six. 

Notre Dame also offers a 5+1 program that gives job incentives for students finishing this program in five years.

Frequently Asked Questions

PhD graduates can find rewarding careers in academia, journalism, media, and other communication fields. You can also become a content strategist or explore writing opportunities. Your expertise in language and literature opens doors to diverse fields of research and publishing.

Historical trends indicate PhDs in English graduates find jobs in academia, research, publishing, and related fields. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of postsecondary teachers (which includes university professors) is projected to grow 8% through 2032. This should result in about 118,000 new job openings each year, over the next 10 years.

Pay varies for PhD in English graduates, based on factors such as experience, location, and employment sector. In academia, assistant professors with a PhD in English start with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $80,000, while more experienced professors earn higher salaries.

A PhD in English typically takes 5 to 7 years. It involves coursework, comprehensive exams, dissertation research, and writing. Some online PhD programs allow students to finish their degree in less time, but the average is 6 years.

Many PhD programs in English offer financial support to students, which can include tuition waivers, stipends, and teaching or research assistant positions. Students often receive compensation for their teaching or research contributions, helping to offset costs during their doctoral studies. Stipends and compensation for teaching or research assistantships can range from a few thousand dollars to more substantial amounts, depending on the university, location, and program.

Yes, earning a PhD in English grants you the title of “Doctor.” When you successfully complete a doctoral program, including a PhD in English, you’re awarded the academic title of “Doctor of Philosophy.” You can use the prefix “Dr.” before your name in professional and academic contexts.

Yes, it is possible to pursue a PhD in English without a master’s degree. Some doctoral programs accept students with a bachelor’s degree directly into their PhD programs, providing specific academic and admission requirements are met.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy program in the College of Education prepares students for careers in research or scholarly inquiry and teaching at the college level. The program consists of: (1) continuous research, (2) courses in education and related fields designed to develop a comprehensive academic basis for future work in research and teaching, and (3) teaching and other related experiences tailored to individual needs and career goals. Each student works closely with an advisor and a faculty Supervisory Committee to select courses, topics of research and inquiry, and teaching experiences. These three areas will combine to: (1) convey deep scholarly knowledge of education and a specialty outside of education (2) promote a broad understanding of various methods of inquiry in education and develop competency in several of those methods, (3) impart broad knowledge of theory and practice in two supportive cognates, and (4) promote excellence as a college teacher. Our Ph.D. alumni have positions at national research universities, at region and local universities, in community colleges, K-12 school settings, laboratories, foundations, agencies, and private businesses.

Culturally Sustaining Education

Educational policy, organization and leadership, language, literacy and culture, leadership in higher education, learning sciences & human development, measurement and statistics, school psychology (ph.d.), science or math education specialization, social and cultural foundations, special education doctoral, teacher education and teacher learning for justice.

IMAGES

  1. (PDF) 19. PhD revisited: The professional development of English

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  6. A Day in the Life of a PHD English Student

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COMMENTS

  1. Graduate Program Overview

    The graduate program in English is a five-year program (with multiple opportunities for funding in year six) leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Students may not enroll for a Master of Arts degree. During the first two years, students prepare for the General Examination through work in seminars, and directed or independent reading.

  2. Doctoral Program in English Language and Linguistics

    The PhD in English with a focus on English Language and Linguistics is an advanced research degree. The program assumes that an entering student has a Master's degree in Applied English Linguistics (or a related field) and has a wide knowledge of linguistics.

  3. PhD Program in English Language and Literature

    English PhD students pursuing interdisciplinary research may include on their special committees faculty members from related fields such as comparative literature, medieval studies, Romance studies, German studies, history, classics, women's studies, linguistics, theatre and performing arts, government, philosophy, and film and video studies.

  4. English Language & Literature

    Academic Resources Student Support Apply to GSAS Prospective Students Do you have intellectual curiosity, a passion for discovery, and potential for leadership? Apply Now Fields include English language and literature from Old English to the present, American literature, and Anglophone world literature.

  5. Ph.D. Program

    All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages. One language requirement must be completed during the first year of study. The second language must be completed before the oral examination in the third year.

  6. PhD in English Language and Literature

    The fee for United States citizens and those with permanent resident visa status is $75. The fee for non-U.S. citizens is $90. The application fee for current Rackham students, regardless of citizenship, is $10. This fee is non-refundable and subject to change. Make sure you have every document uploaded before you submit your application ...

  7. Graduate

    The Department of English offers a program leading to the PhD degree in literatures in English. The department is small in numbers and its graduate students are carefully selected on the basis of their professional distinction as teachers, critics, and scholars. Because of its small size, the department affords students exceptionally focused attention.

  8. PhD in English Language and Literature

    The doctoral program in English Language and Literature is designed to lead to the PhD in six years of post-baccalaureate study. Students can specialize in diverse fields of British, American, or Anglophone literatures and explore a wide range of critical, theoretical, and cultural perspectives on those literatures.

  9. Ph.D. in English

    Ph.D. in English Home Academic Programs Graduate Studies Our nationally ranked Ph.D. program provides specialized training in literary, cultural and language studies for students who plan to teach at universities and colleges. Related Resources English Ph.D. Handbook Funding Job Placement Apply Now

  10. English Language and Literature MPhil/PhD

    One of the highest-ranking English departments in the UK ( The Guardian University Guide 2023 - English ), UCL English provides excellent opportunities for PhD students to study in the heart of literary London, with access to vast quantities of resources and research materials, and a high number of academic staff working on a diverse range of sp...

  11. Linguistics and English Language PhD

    Linguistics and English Language PhD Awards: PhD Study modes: Full-time, Part-time Funding opportunities Programme website: Linguistics and English Language The transformative supervision meetings, labs, professional training and departmental research seminars are all conducive to a thriving linguistics training.

  12. English

    The graduate program in English provides you with a broad knowledge in the discipline, including critical and cultural theory and literary history. This solid foundation enables you to choose your own path based on the wide variety of areas of concentration.

  13. DPhil in English

    DPhil in English About Entry requirements Resources Department Funding and Costs College preference How to Apply About the course The DPhil in English is intended to develop the skills and understanding necessary to undertake and present original research at a high level, and provide a thorough foundation for a career in research. Course structure

  14. PhD English Language and Applied Linguistics via distance learning

    PhD English Language and Applied Linguistics (Distance Learning) Join our upcoming Postgraduate online events PhD English Language and Applied Linguistics (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)/ MA by Research Start date Flexible - September or January encouraged Duration Full time: PhD - 3 years, MA by Research - 1 year.

  15. English Education PhD

    The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in English Education is open to a wide array of scholarly interests and thrives on the diversity of backgrounds and experiences students bring with them. As a Ph.D. student, you will become conversant with the principal theories, research methods, and pedagogical traditions of the field of English education.

  16. MA/PhD in English Language and Literature

    Our MA/PhD in English Language and Literature is an integrated program that allows students to earn an MA on the way to the PhD. We do not admit students for a terminal MA degree. The program receives over 250 applications of admission each year and typically enrolls an entering class of 10-14 students, all of whom receive funding.

  17. Ph.D. Requirements

    Dissertation. In the fourth and fifth years, the student will be expected to complete a book-length thesis of original scholarship. The Ph.D. degree is awarded upon completion and successful defense of the dissertation. The dissertation committee of four members (typically, though not invariably, the four members of the preliminary examining ...

  18. Applied Linguistics and Language Education, Ph.D.

    The doctoral program is primarily focused on language education in pre-kindergarten through high school settings in the US. The program provides competitive financial support packages for all admitted students. Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) faculty and doctoral students run an important center on campus, called the ...

  19. English (English Education), PHD

    The PhD in English (English Education) prepares students to become national leaders in the field of English education as tenure-track faculty at research universities and teaching colleges, as well as secondary English language arts curriculum specialists for school districts, state and federal departments of education, and private education agencies.

  20. PhD Program

    Our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English allows you to structure a course of study that aligns with your specific research interests in English language or literature. The PhD degree requirements in English at UBC Vancouver are based on residency and coursework, the candidacy process, and a dissertation.

  21. 30 Best PhD Programs in English

    What Is a PhD in English? A PhD in English is a terminal degree, meaning it's the highest you can get in any given subject. While concentrations and programs of study differ, three parts of an English PhD are certain: coursework qualifying exams a dissertation

  22. Ph.D. Program Overview

    Ph.D. Program Overview. Continuous registration is required of all degree candidates, save those "off-plan" or on Leave of Absence (see below). Students who receive funding must be "full-time." Students must be registered at least ½ time to be eligible for most loans. Also, registration status will determine when loans become payable (students ...

  23. Doctor of Philosophy in English Language and Literature

    The PhD in English Language and Literature is a program that brings together teachers and scholars working on important overlapping areas of inquiry on pedagogical and interpretive approaches to language and literary studies that foreground the conditions of possibilities for their production and reception. In teaching and language practices ...

  24. Degree Programs

    10/20/23 English as a Second Language Advanced Certificate; 10/20/23 English BA/MA; 10/20/23 English Education Studies EdM; 10/20/23 English Education: Adolescence EdM; 10/20/23 English for Speakers of Other Languages EdM; 10/20/23 English MA; 10/20/23 English PhD; 10/20/23 Environmental and Water Resources Engineering MS

  25. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

    Prepares students to serve as educators, collaborators, researchers, and advocates with schools, community organizations, colleges and universities, and other learning spaces and to facilitate, design, and enact projects, courses, and programs that promote educational justice in all its forms.