Saint Louis University’s Ph.D. in English provides students with advanced scholarly training in a variety of literary fields and in the study of rhetoric and composition. Students in our program receive training in pedagogy, research, writing and theory. The Ph.D. prepares SLU students for careers in higher education as well as in nonacademic fields, including publishing, editing and secondary education. The Ph.D. in English requires 24 credits of coursework beyond the M.A. Students must demonstrate proficiency in at least one language other than English. After completing coursework, Ph.D. students prepare for a series of written and oral examinations based on a list of texts in their chosen field of concentration. Students then write and defend a dissertation prospectus, write a dissertation and present the dissertation in a public defense. Saint Louis University's English department is affiliated with the Walter J. Ong Center for Digital Humanities. In addition to participating in various writing programs, including University Writing Services, the English faculty and graduate students participate in departmental research colloquia and reading groups. SLU also hosts the journal African American Review. Graduates will be able to demonstrate a broad knowledge of literary histories, aesthetics, cultures and emerging areas of inquiry, including an awareness of cultural diversity within literary traditions. Graduates will be able to demonstrate proficiency in formulating written and spoken arguments situated within a historical or methodological field of study, as defined in the sections of the department’s graduate handbook covering Ph.D. Graduates will be able to demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, develop and bring to successful completion an original, sustained, and coherent independent research project that contributes to one’s field of specialization.
Career Path
Graduate career path includes University Professor (English/Literature), Curriculum Developer (Advanced English Programs), Department Chair (English/Humanities), Graduate Program Coordinator, Postdoctoral Research Fellow (English/Literary Studies), Scientific Journal Editor (Literature/English Focus), Research Director (English/Interdisciplinary Humanities), Senior Editor (Academic/Publishing), Technical Writing Consultant, Creative Writing Program Director, Literary Agent, Documentary Research Director (Literary Themes), Content Strategist (Literary/Academic), Publishing Director, Arts & Literature Critic, Publishing Ethics Specialist, Grant Writing Specialist, Senior Journalist (Culture/Arts Focus),Public Relations Director (Cultural Institutions), Communications Strategist (Policy/Advocacy Focus).
