PhD in English and American Literature

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

28

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$62,500 / year

Job Placement

78%

Top recruiters

Deloitte

Google

Amazon

Microsoft

Apple

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Tesla

Instagram

Meta

Wipro

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$66,850 / year

Overall Cost

$81,850 / year

FAQs

• What facilities and resources are available to research students?
  
  Students benefit from Olin Library and Special Collections, departmental colloquia, interdisciplinary seminars, digital humanities labs, research workshops, the Center for the Humanities, and opportunities to present research at regional, national, and international conferences.
• What funding opportunities are available for research students?
  
  All admitted PhD students receive full financial support for up to 6 years. Funding includes tuition remission, a competitive annual stipend, health insurance, and professional development support. Funding is provided through fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.
• What are the entry requirements for admission?
  
  Applicants must hold a strong undergraduate degree in English or a related field; many applicants also hold a Master’s degree. Required materials include a statement of purpose, a writing sample (15–20 pages), academic transcripts, and three recommendation letters. GRE scores are not required.
• What research areas are available within this programme?
  
  Research areas include British literature from medieval through contemporary periods, American literature across all centuries, African American and African diasporic literature, world Anglophone literatures, modernism, Romanticism, Victorian studies, Renaissance and Shakespeare studies, poetry and poetics, narrative theory, book history, critical theory, performance studies, digital humanities, postcolonial studies, environmental humanities, and gender and sexuality studies.
• What is the duration of the PhD in English and American Literature at Washington University in St. Louis?
  
  The PhD normally takes 6 years of full-time study.
• How is progress monitored and assessment carried out?
  
  Students complete coursework and language requirements in the early years, then take comprehensive exams, develop a dissertation prospectus, and proceed to research and write the dissertation. The programme concludes with a successful dissertation defense.