Washington, D.C.,
DC,
United States
Type
Private
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
PhD in English Language and Literature in Washington D.C., DC United States | The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
|
Washington D.C., DC United States
Visit institution website
for more information
Qualification
Doctor of Philosophy
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2026)
USD
23,490
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
38 months
To earn a Ph.D. in English, students must complete 54 credit hours of coursework after their bachelor's degree, pass a comprehensive examination, and successfully defend a dissertation. With the graduate director's approval, up to 24 transfer credits may be applied. The program builds on the M.A. in English requirements and adds:
Two advanced research seminars (800-level courses) after obtaining the master's degree
Proficiency in a second foreign language, demonstrated either through coursework or an examination
After finishing coursework, doctoral candidates undertake a three-part comprehensive exam covering: a historical literary period, critical theory and criticism history, and a specialized field related to their dissertation topic. The program culminates with an original, research-intensive dissertation that represents the pinnacle of doctoral study.
Destination of Study
Subjects of Study
The Ph.D. in English Language and Literature program consists of a minimum of 54 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree plus a dissertation.
Degree requirements include those for the M.A. in English with the following additions:
- Two additional research seminars (800-level courses).
- Reading knowledge of a second foreign language, demonstrated by means of coursework or a proficiency exam, or by means of a passing grade in a graduate-level Old English course (e.g. ENG 501, 502, 503) or History of the English Language (ENG 621).
- Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, consisting of three parts: 1) literature in the student's historical period of specialization, 2) literary theory and the history of criticism, and 3) the student's field of dissertation research. All three parts are essay-based tests taken in timed exam conditions. Admission to PhD candidacy will be determined thereafter.
- Dissertation: a substantial piece of original research. After being admitted to candidacy, the student develops a dissertation proposal and submits it to the dissertation committee. The committee, in consultation with the graduate director, must approve the proposal before the student begins to write chapters.
Upon completion of course work, the Ph.D. student takes a comprehensive exam consisting of three parts: literature of an historical period; literary theory and the history of criticism; and an individualized field in which the dissertation is to be written. The dissertation, a substantial piece of original research, gives the doctoral program its capstone.
Language Requirements
English
IELTS 6.5
Qualification Requirements
Minimum Required Documents for PhD
- A completed Catholic University online application along with the $60 application fee.
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (Unofficial transcripts can be used for the admissions review.)
- Three letters of recommendation
- A statement of purpose
- Results of the Graduate Record Examination are required. The Catholic University of America accepts applications on a rolling basis.
Tuition
USD
23,490