Doctor of Philosophy in English

The Doctor of Philosophy in English is designed to meet the needs of future scholars and writers. The program requires all candidates to have broad knowledge of English and American literature, acquaintance with non-traditional literature, practical and/or theoretical background in the teaching of English, and a specialization in one or more of the discipline’s fields—literature, creative writing, and English education.

Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examinations, both the General Test and the Subject Test in Literature in English, and forward their scores to the Department of English. Applicants must fill out an application through the Graduate College at www.wmich.edu/apply.

On admission, students should consult with the advisor at the earliest opportunity concerning their program of study.

For more detailed information, see the English department’s graduate web page: www.wmich.edu/english/academics/graduate/.

Financial Assistance

Competitive doctoral teaching assistantships are awarded each year.

Program Requirements

Candidates entering with an MA or an MFA are credited with approximately 30 hours (or more if their transcripts warrant it). Those entering directly from a baccalaureate program will be expected to complete the courses designated as “prerequisites” as early as possible in their studies.

1. Prerequisites (equivalent courses from other institutions are accepted) - (12 hours)

a. For candidates in literature or English education:

an approved English language course.

ENGL 6150 - Literary Criticism Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 6300 - Introduction to Graduate Studies Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 6400 - The Nature of Poetry Credits: 3 hours

b. For candidates in creative writing:

an approved course in modern literary forms
a genre-specific course
an approved English language course

ENGL 6150 - Literary Criticism Credits: 3 hours

2. Distribution requirement (18 hours)

Six graduate level courses from the following list of areas, selected so that no two contiguous periods are skipped. Candidates in creative writing must choose Contemporary Literature as one area.

American literature before 1865
American literature 1865-1945
British literature to 1500
Renaissance British literature (through Milton)
Restoration and 18th-century British literature
Nineteenth-century British literature
Modern British literature
Contemporary literature

3. Non-traditional literature (3 hours)

At least one course in literature in English by an ethnic minority group, by postcolonial writers, or by other groups not traditionally included in the canon.

4. Teaching component (6 hours)

a. For candidates in literature or creative writing:

Six hours of credit elected from courses or practica in the teaching of composition, literature, English language, or creative writing.

b. For candidates in English education:

Nine hours of in graduate practica (ENGL 7130) for teaching the following courses:

ENGL 4790 - Writing for the Secondary Teacher
ENGL 4800 - Teaching of Literature in the Secondary Schools
ENGL 1100 - Literary Interpretation
Another undergraduate course (with advisor approval)

5. Area of specialization

a. For candidates in literature, language, or creative writing (12 hours);

At least 12 credit hours in an area (or for creative writing students, a genre) chosen in preparation for the dissertation. The areas include the periods listed in the Distribution Requirement as well as English Language, and the Theory and Practice of Teaching English at the college level.

b. For candidates in English education (18 hours):

ENGL 5740 - Grammar in Teaching Writing Credits: 4 hours
ENGL 6690 - Methods of Teaching College Writing Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 6790 - Studies in Composition Theory Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 6800 - Advanced Methods in Teaching Literature Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 6910 - Research and Scholarship in English Education Credits: 3 hours

6. Cognate or support area (6 to 9 hours)

An optional area to complement the specialization. May include courses from other departments.

English education candidates must take:

EMR 6480 - Qualitative Research Methods Credits: 3 hours

7. Candidacy Examination

After satisfying the distribution requirement, students will take three four-hour written examinations and an oral examination over their chosen areas. These examinations should be completed within three years of admission. May be repeated once.

8. Foreign Language Requirement

By examination or by completion of coursework students must demonstrate basic reading competence in at least one foreign language.

9. Doctoral Readings and Oral Examination (3 to 6 hours)

Near the completion of course work and before beginning the dissertation, students will take the following course, a course of readings designed by the candidate in conjunction with a faculty supervisor. An oral examination over the chosen books will follow.

ENGL 7110 - Readings in Doctoral Specialization Credits: 3 hours

10. Dissertation (15 hours)

The dissertation is to be a book-length manuscript of scholarship, criticism, research, or creative writing comprised of either a single piece of work or a coherent collection of shorter pieces that are methodologically, structurally, or thematically related.