English literature graduate programs teach interdisciplinary topics through the reading of texts.
Studying English literature opens up students to not only books by famous and influential authors, but also the historical, cultural and social aspects and theories that surround such texts. Graduate programs in the field can be found throughout the United States. A potential student should look carefully to match a school that shares his interests.
Princeton
The graduate studies program in English at Princeton is a five-year program leading to a Doctorate. The first two years are spent in seminars and conducting various readings that lead up to the General Examination. The remaining years are spent working on a dissertation and teaching undergraduate courses. A reading knowledge of two foreign languages is also necessary to graduate. The faculty concentrates in all areas of English literature, from medieval to modern texts. Students can also find courses in fields like theory, gender studies and poetry studies. In the school's libraries, graduate students will have access to large collections of medieval and renaissance texts, American illustrated books, a theater collection and other texts.
University of Texas at Austin
The graduate program in English literature at the University of Texas at Austin is a 90 person department that teaches traditional and contemporary topics in literary theory, literature and cultural studies and rhetoric. There are fifteen areas of studiy in which students in the Ph.D. program can concentrate, including American literature, poetry, linguistics, drama and modern British literature. A Master's can also be obtained as part of the Ph.D. program. In addition to taking courses in literature, students are required to serve as teaching assistants, obtain two years worth of foreign language training (or prove competency on an exam), and write both an Master's paper and a Doctoral dissertation.
University of Washington
The University of Washington in Seattle has three graduate programs in English literature and language: A Ph.D. program, a Master's program and a Master's for teachers. The teaching Master's differs in that teaching experience is required and three courses focused on teaching must be taken; there is also no foreign language requirement like in the traditional Master's program. The Doctorate degree requires 75 credits, competency in at least one foreign language and a Ph.D. examination. Financial support is available in the form of teaching assistant opportunities and work with the Modern Language Quarterly, a school publication.
University of Miami
The University of Miami has a Doctoral program in English literature that works with about 40 students per year. The department's strengths are in Caribbean literature, Renaissance literature, British and Irish modernism, gender theory and postcolonial studies. The program requires 54 credits, a scholarly dissertation, the passing of a qualifying exam and proven reading competency in two foreign languages. Students enrolled in the program can join the English Graduate Organization, an informal group aimed at making connections between graduate students and to offer both scholarly aid and social cohesion of the program.
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