PhD in English Language and Literature

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

28

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Rentention Rate

97

Diversity

International:

5%

Others:

5%

New Jersey:

15%

New York:

10%

Pennsylvania:

65%

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,10,000 / year

Graduation Rate

96%

Top recruiters

Accenture

Deloitte

Google

Amazon

Apple

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Tesla

Instagram

Meta

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$7,000 / year

Overall Cost

$22,000 / year

FAQs

• What are the career prospects for graduates of this programme?
  
  Graduates pursue academic careers at leading universities, as well as careers in publishing, media, cultural institutions, arts administration, libraries and archives, and other research-intensive fields.
• How is progress monitored and assessment carried out?
  
  Students complete coursework in the first two years, followed by comprehensive exams, a dissertation prospectus, and then research and writing of the dissertation. The PhD is awarded after successful submission and defense of the dissertation.
• What facilities and resources are available to research students?
  
  Students have access to the Van Pelt Library and Kislak Center for Special Collections, departmental seminars and research groups, the Penn Humanities Forum, the Wolf Humanities Center, professional development workshops, and opportunities to present research at national and international conferences.
• What are the entry requirements for admission?
  
  Applicants must hold a strong undergraduate degree in English or a related field; many admitted students also hold a Master’s degree. Application requirements include a statement of purpose, a writing sample (15–20 pages), academic transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. GRE scores are not required.
• What research areas are available within this programme?
  
  Areas of research include medieval literature, Renaissance and Shakespeare studies, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century literature, Romanticism, Victorian studies, American literature from colonial to contemporary, African American and African diasporic literature, global Anglophone literatures, postcolonial studies, modernism, contemporary writing, poetry and poetics, performance studies, book history and material texts, critical theory, digital humanities, disability studies, gender and sexuality studies, and interdisciplinary work across history, philosophy, religion, and the arts.
• What is the duration of the PhD in English Language and Literature at the University of Pennsylvania?
  
  The PhD typically takes 5–6 years of full-time study.