About PhD Program,
All Ph.D. students receive a tuition scholarship as well as a stipend of at least $27,231. Students in later years of the program are eligible to apply for Distinguished Fellowships that carry stipends of up to $35,846. Students specialize in a given historical period or literary tradition and receive intensive pedagogical training in a two-semester teaching practicum. Ph.D. students are eligible to take graduate courses at Columbia, NYU, Princeton, and elsewhere through the Doctoral Consortium. Many of our Ph.D. students receive tenure-track positions; many pursue successful career pathways beyond academia (see English Ph.D. Placement).
Students who complete the PhD will be able to:
- perform persuasive literary analysis by choosing appropriate analytical and theoretical tools and locating a strong argumentative voice within a critical conversation
- write rhetorically compelling scholarship that reflects disciplinary standards of scholarly discourse
- design and carry out a sustained, self-directed research project resulting in a significant dissertation
- teach effectively in literary studies, employing current pedagogical theory and best practices
- acquire broad knowledge across literary periods, regions, and styles; situate learning along axes of difference and intersectionality; and develop and demonstrate expertise in specialized academic fields
- build a dynamic and competitive professional profile with documented skills and relevant experience for academic and academic-adjacent job markets
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
We welcome applicants from all academic and professional backgrounds who have completed or will be completing an undergraduate degree before enrollment in GSAS. However, individual program requirements vary and you should review specific program requirements on their program websites.
You must hold an undergraduate degree (U.S. baccalaureate or equivalent) from an accredited institution before enrollment. For international students, if you have a three-year bachelor’s degree from a member institution within the Bologna Process, you are eligible to apply to GSAS programs. If your institution is not part of this organization, you will need to provide GSAS Admissions with an official course-by-course evaluation of your higher education history by an international credential evaluation company that is a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) or AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators). See International Students below for more information.
PhD Funding Coverage,
The academic departments and programs rank order for new Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) applicants in accordance with the applicants’ potential for outstanding graduate work based on holistic review of individual applications. Typically, applicants are to have had B+ grades or higher in previous coursework. For 2024 – 2025 GRE scores are optional/not required for consideration for financial aid. Students who do not submit GRE scores will not be at any disadvantage in the process. Please see the GSAS Standardized Test Scores page.
GSAS financial aid packages vary by program. Typically, students receiving our GSAS financial aid packages may expect to receive one year of such aid at the master’s level and three years at the doctoral level: generally no more than four years for those applying without the master’s degree. The distinguished fellowships and certain prestigious external fellowships can extend a student’s funding eligibility by one year.
Continuing students may expect to continue their GSAS financial aid packages provided that they submit a GSAS financial aid application each spring semester and that they have maintained the stipulated GPA for funding (3.5) and are making satisfactory progress towards their degree.
All recipients of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences funding must be certified by us as full-time students. No recipient of the GSAS financial aid is to hold outside employment without the permission of the graduate dean.
Application Requirement,
Statement of Intent
Supplemental Essay (Optional)
Areas of Interest
Writing Sample
Three letters of recommendation
Official Transcripts
CV or resume
Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
English Proficiency Requirements
Application Deadline,
Jan 03, 2025
Application Fee,
Application Fee* $80
