PhD in English and Comparative Literature

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

28

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Diversity

California:

20%

Florida:

5%

Illinois:

4%

Texas:

10%

New York:

30%

Others:

31%

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,10,000 / year

Top recruiters

Accenture

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FAQs

• What facilities and resources are available to research students?
  
  Students benefit from Columbia’s extensive library system, including Butler Library and Rare Book & Manuscript Library, departmental seminars and colloquia, the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society, the Heyman Center for the Humanities, and opportunities to present research at conferences.
• What funding opportunities are available for research students?
  
  All admitted PhD students receive full financial support for at least five years, including tuition remission, a stipend for living expenses, health insurance, and summer funding. Support is provided through fellowships and teaching or research appointments.
• What are the entry requirements for admission?
  
  Applicants must hold a strong undergraduate degree in English, Comparative Literature, or a closely related field. A Master’s degree is not strictly required but is advantageous. Application materials include a statement of academic purpose, a writing sample (15–20 pages), transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. GRE scores are not required.
• What research areas are available within this programme?
  
  Areas of research include medieval and Renaissance literature, Shakespeare studies, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature, Romanticism, Victorian studies, modernism, American literature from colonial to contemporary, African American literature, postcolonial and world literatures, comparative literature, translation studies, drama and performance studies, poetry and poetics, literary and critical theory, gender and sexuality studies, environmental humanities, and interdisciplinary studies involving philosophy, religion, history, politics, and the arts.
• What is the duration of the PhD in English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University?
  
  The PhD normally takes 6–7 years of full-time study.