The Ph.D. in English offers the opportunity for advanced and concentrated research to students who hold an M.A. degree in English or a related field, from KU or elsewhere. All of our programs boast distinguished and award-winning faculty with notable research publications and a deep foundation in their areas of specialization.

Our literary studies faculty have special strengths in ecocriticism and posthuman studies, U.S. ethnic literature, nineteenth-century U.S. literature, science and technology studies, and Victorian literature.

Our rhetoric and composition faculty have special strengths in genre and language theory, public and professional discourses, multimodality and digital rhetorics, translingualism, writing pedagogy, and global writing research.

Our creative writing faculty have special strengths in the novel, environmental writing, drama, mixed-genre work, and short story collections.

Admission to Graduate Studies

Admission Requirements

• All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy. 

• Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.  

• English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required. 

Graduate Admission

To be admitted to any of the department’s graduate degree tracks, a student must have a strong undergraduate record, particularly in the humanities. Applicants are expected to have some familiarity with British and American literary history and the work of the major writers in English. Most importantly, applicants for graduate work in literary studies and rhetoric-composition studies should be able to demonstrate, with writing samples, their ability to produce advanced analytical and interpretive scholarly writing. Similarly, creative writing applicants need to submit writing samples that demonstrate an advanced level of writing skills in their respective genres. For complete admission information, see below.

In addition to the application itself, please submit the following supplemental materials:

1. A resumé or curriculum vitae.
2. A statement of approximately 500 words describing your interests, training, experience (including teaching experience), academic ability, and goals.
3. Three letters of recommendation. Letters should, if possible, speak to potential as a teacher, although they should primarily be focused on academic and scholarly ability. Recommenders are required to submit their letters electronically. 
4. Ph.D. applicants must submit two academic writing samples. Academic sample length can vary--between 8 and 20 pages is generally recommended. Ph.D. applicants primarily interested in creative writing should instead submit one example of creative writing (prose, poetry, or a one-act play), and one example of academic writing. 

All applicants must submit their graduate application online. All supplemental materials (transcripts, writing samples, letters of recommendation, etc.) must be attached electronically and submitted with the online application. 

Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship

The University requires that every doctoral student receive training in responsible scholarship pertinent to the field of research and obtain research skills pertinent to the doctoral level of research in their field(s). These requirements must be completed by the end of the semester that the student takes the oral comprehensive exam. For students in the English Ph.D., this requirement is satisfied by completion of ENGL 800.

Literature and Creative Writing Concentration

Students are expected to work with their advisor and the director of graduate studies to select electives and seminars that fit within their area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Two seminars chosen from the following		6
ENGL 908	Seminar in Literary Criticism: _____
ENGL 970	Seminar in American Literature: _____
ENGL 974	Seminar in Literatures of Africa and the African Diaspora: _____
ENGL 980	Seminar In: _______
Other courses may qualify pending approval of the director of graduate studies
6 credit hours of ENGL electives at the 700+ level		6
Total Hours		12

Comprehensive Examination

Completed within 3 semesters after satisfaction of formal course requirements. Students are expected to enroll in at least 3 hours of ENGL 997 while preparing for the exam. The exam consists of 3 reading lists, a written review of literature, and a 2-hour oral examination over those materials. The student will work with their committee to create the 3 reading lists covering 3 areas of study relevant to the student's field of interest. The faculty committee for the exam must comply with the Office of Graduate Studies' Doctoral Student Oral Exam Committee Composition policy. 

Post Comprehensive Exam Requirements

Upon passing the comprehensive examination, the student becomes a candidate for the Ph.D. degree and is approved to proceed with their dissertation research and project. Starting the semester following successful completion of the oral comprehensive exam, students must enroll in accordance with the Office of Graduate Studies’ Doctoral Candidacy Policy. This enrollment includes, but is not limited to, at least 1 dissertation hour every semester until graduation. See the Doctoral Candidacy policy for more information about this University level requirement.

Review of the Dissertation Proposal

Completed in the semester following the comprehensive examination, it provides formal direction for the dissertation. This includes a written narrative of approximately 10-15 pages, not including bibliography, of the dissertation proposal and a 90-minute defense with the student's committee. 

Doctoral Dissertation and Defense

The dissertation must be an original work of research that advances the field of English and complies with the Office of Graduate Studies’ Doctoral Dissertation policy.

Upon approval by the students committee that the student’s dissertation research and written document is complete, the student must defend the dissertation before all committee members in the “final oral examination,” or dissertation defense. The final dissertation defense includes a public presentation of the dissertation research by the candidate and concludes with a period of questioning by the committee. After posing questions to the student about the dissertation work, committee members deliberate and vote on a grade of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A grade of Satisfactory requires a majority vote, and may be contingent on the completion of specific revisions by a designated due date. 

At the completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• demonstrate expertise in several major fields of literary, cultural, and/or rhetorical expression.
• write clearly and effectively in various scholarly modes and contexts.
• apply relevant theories, methodologies, and analytical practices that address fundamental questions in their primary area of study.
• understand and appreciate the development, culture, and diversity of societies, past and present, through extensive study of primary and secondary texts.